Kaweah Basin 2019?

[roland]

Hello esteemed trekkers,

I'm planning on a 5 day trip to Kaweah Basin beginning at Wolverton in the middle of July this hugely snowy year. The route will be:

Wolervton->Tamarack Lake->Lion Rock Pass 2->Pants Pass->Picket Passes->Red Spur Lakes->Pyra Queen Col->Nine Lakes->Hamilton Lakes->HST return.

I've done quite a few other passes such as Upper Basin Cross, Cataract Creek Pass, Dumbbell Lakes, Sixty Lakes Col to name a few and consider myself level 3-4, in good shape, with a light pack and ditto for my partner. I'm comfortable on Class 2 and easy Class 3 terrain.

Do you think it is reasonable to suppose the route, especially the high passes and water crossings, will be passable due to the high level of snowfall during this time period?

I've checked the SEKI trail conditions and what I could find here so I know there will be snow travel involved but I want this trip to still resemble backpacking and not devolve into "mountaineering" if you know what i mean.

Best,
Roland

[kpeter]

I have not been over most of those Cross-x passes, but others here will chime in.

In 2017--which was a very similar snow year to 2019 except the melt went faster--I did a loop which took me over Kaweah Gap. Here are a couple of pictures of the trail in the Gap and Precipice lake from the first week of August, 2017. Kaweah Gap was quite doable by then but even so you can see that there was still a lot of snow. However, you will be 3 weeks earlier so you can expect even more more snow, including in the dangerous ice flow between Hamilton and Precipice. That flow melted out days before my trip. It won't be gone by the time you get to it. You need to judge if your skills and nerves are enough to handle that--and of course a lot of icy cross country passes. It will most definitely be crampons and ice axe material.

Here is a youtube of the ice floe on July 24 2017 posted by someone else. It did not seem so bad by then, but you will be earlier and the melt this year is slower.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmJLxyGMtbg

Then again, my guess is that Kaweah Gap, which at 10700 is a lot lower in elevation than some of the cross-x passes you are planning to cross, will be the least of your worries. Pyra Queen is 12850 for goodness sake. Lots of climbing on ice.

As for water crossings, I think some of them could be iffy. For example, the crossings of the Kaweah below Hamilton could be a challenge, particularly at 7600 where the trail crosses above a falls. A lot will depend on how warm it is.

[maverick]

Hi Roland,

Would highly recommend adding days or shortening the mileage of your trip, not only because of the beauty of the areas you plan to visit (Kaweah Basin/Pickett Creek Lake/Red Spur Lakes/Nine Lakes Basin/Tamarack Lake), but also with the snowy/icy conditions it will make travel slower than usual.

You will have some creek crossings to contend with, and then just getting up to Kaweah Gap will be fun, before the more major challenges of your route comes.

Your planning 3 major passes, the area above Tamarack Lake may be like a swamp, and the maze of ledges above it will make your ascent slow towards LRP, Lion Lake will be iced over or partly over, and there will be a lot of snow. The western part of the Pickett Drainage is above well 11,000 ft, until you get lower down to the eastern lakes, expect snow. The whole upper western side of Kaweah Basin will still have a lot of snow, especially as you get closer to Kaweah Ridgeline, the upper lakes in KB and Red Spur may still be iced over.

PQC on its western side, in the ravine, will definitely be holding a lot of snow/ice, it is quite steep, you will need and ice axe/crampons (knowing how to safely us both).

East side of Pants Pass is also quite steep, here is a picture looking down it to the east:

[roland]

Well fellas, I figured as much. Thanks for the confirmation. I am now thinking of postponing by 1 month.

[Bishop_Bob]

That pic of Pants Pass makes things in my body retract with fear.

[Mike M.]

Good idea to postpone by a month and add at least three days to your trip.

Mike M.

[jmherrell]

Well you've already rescheduled but I'll go ahead with my comment anyway. Some of my best trips have been on heavy snow years with big summer snowfields. Good "summer snow" can be wonderful, well consolidated, no sun cups, no postholing, and fast. Sometimes means late starts after the sun gets on the snow and quitting early before the snow gets too soft. The best snow that I've found is usually in August. The biggest benefit is cruising above or glissading down above big talus fields. Early summer snow might have big suncups and sometimes dangerous postholing.

One time I did Wanda Pass/Ionian Basin/Disappearing Creek mostly on snow in August, really nice trip for the most part. Another time I did mostly the same thing I couldn't believe the talus, a real pain in the butt.

The first time I went to Kaweah Basin the gully 500 ft below the east side of PQC was full of consolidated snow. Standing glissade much of the way down. Years later, the next time no snow, huge talus with a scary wall of big talus on one side, no fun. Both of these trips were in August.

Now for an example of bad summer snow. In 2011 I went to Evolution Basin the first week of July to hang out for a couple of days. The McClure Meadow Ranger was telling everyone that there was 5 miles of bad snow surrounding Muir Pass. The previous week there had been 10 medivacs mostly for postholing accidents. The majority of JMT hikers headed out at Florence Lake. When I got to the ferry landing there were about 30 hikers waiting for the ferry. I was the only one with a round trip ticket. Most of them were headed to Fresno to rent cars to pick up their cars at Whitney Portal. That was the only time I rode the ferry when it was full.

BTW I agree you should take more time especially for special places. You may never go back.
Jim

[roland]

There is a section of the HST out between Hamilton Lake and Kaweah Gap. Got these from the ranger...

High Sierra Trail Damage 1.jpg