TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7
Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 10:10 am
Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier
August 4-5-6-7
One of the areas I had never visited in my Sierra trips was the Palisades glacier and associated Big Pine lakes west of Big Pine. My buddies had already planned this trip for this year, and I was thoroughly impressed. This trip rated as one of my favorites in 23 years in the Sierras, with perfect conditions and spectacular scenery. The region has craggy mountains, the biggest glacier in the Sierra, lakes and streams with the unusual milky blue hue caused by glacial silt, emerald green meadows, and numerous places to explore.
No mosquitoes and perfect weather also contributed to a spectacularly successful trip. We were also fortunate that the smoke from the recent Aspen fire stayed north of us. On the drive in we saw that it ended around Bishop and was completely absent in Big Pine (15 miles south) where we started. We saw no smoke on our trip except when looking out to the Owens Valley.
Day 1
The hardest thing was finding the road leading out of Big Pine to the Glacial Lodge trailhead. It turned out to be Crocker Street–otherwise unlabeled. The trailhead is marked “Hiker Parking” and starts off across a dry, sunny hillside. In fact it is further away from where you want to be than even the horsepacking station, which the trail passes. I would recommend getting an early start, since there is unremitting sun until the trail gets to Second Falls. From Second Falls on the trail becomes delightful. It passes Lon Chaney’s old cabin–although it is not labelled as such as you pass it on your left just above the falls. http://articles.latimes.com/2003/jun/07 ... -outthere7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It was built just before he died in 1930, sitting next to the Cienega Mirth section of the creek, which was prime trout fishing. Chaney had camped in this area with his family long before the cabin was built. The cabin was on a lease that reverted to the Forest Service, and volunteers have maintained its exterior after its historic value kept it from being demolished after wilderness designation.
The trail continues up North Fork of Big Pine Creek, gently ascending with a few switchbacks here and there. I love a “wet trail” and being able to hear and see the stream as we slogged our packs uphill on the first day makes a big psychological difference to me.
After a relatively late start, we reached the intersection of the 1st-7th lake trail with the Black Lake trail in mid afternoon. This intersection had water–the outlet of Black Lake was still providing a very small stream, although it might not continue to flow for much longer in the season. We collected water and headed up the very steep Black Lake trail. This trail was unremittingly steep but steady, with relatively few switchbacks. It provides a magnificent view of 1st and 2nd lakes and the Palisade range as it ascends. It was a hard climb with full packs in the sun, and when we reached Black Lake we were ready for a significant rest. Black Lake struck me as merely “OK.” It lacks the glacial coloration of some of its neighbors and does not have quite such a craggy backdrop. There were many campsites tucked away around the outlet end of the lake.
Late in the afternoon we resolved to push on from Black Lake to reach Fifth Lake, our destination. The trail was a little steep leaving Black Lake but basically did a little up and down, skirting 4th Lake before depositing us at Fifth. Fifth Lake proved to be a worthy location–far and away the most scenic of all the lakes in the area. A dramatic backdrop of two huge peaks--Mount Robinson and Two Eagle Peak–surrounded the glacial blue of this lake. There was plenty of granite and plenty of forest mixed around the shoreline. There were at least two large horsepacker camps tucked away in the vicinity of the lake (cross below the outlet and around the south side for one), but neither had a direct view. There were also two superb sites a bit above the NE side, provided one was willing to haul packs across a talus field. There were also some sites in the small pass connecting Fifth and Fourth Lakes. Ultimately we wound up in a series of conventional sites near the outlet–magnificent but no doubt usually occupied.
August 4-5-6-7
One of the areas I had never visited in my Sierra trips was the Palisades glacier and associated Big Pine lakes west of Big Pine. My buddies had already planned this trip for this year, and I was thoroughly impressed. This trip rated as one of my favorites in 23 years in the Sierras, with perfect conditions and spectacular scenery. The region has craggy mountains, the biggest glacier in the Sierra, lakes and streams with the unusual milky blue hue caused by glacial silt, emerald green meadows, and numerous places to explore.
No mosquitoes and perfect weather also contributed to a spectacularly successful trip. We were also fortunate that the smoke from the recent Aspen fire stayed north of us. On the drive in we saw that it ended around Bishop and was completely absent in Big Pine (15 miles south) where we started. We saw no smoke on our trip except when looking out to the Owens Valley.
Day 1
The hardest thing was finding the road leading out of Big Pine to the Glacial Lodge trailhead. It turned out to be Crocker Street–otherwise unlabeled. The trailhead is marked “Hiker Parking” and starts off across a dry, sunny hillside. In fact it is further away from where you want to be than even the horsepacking station, which the trail passes. I would recommend getting an early start, since there is unremitting sun until the trail gets to Second Falls. From Second Falls on the trail becomes delightful. It passes Lon Chaney’s old cabin–although it is not labelled as such as you pass it on your left just above the falls. http://articles.latimes.com/2003/jun/07 ... -outthere7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It was built just before he died in 1930, sitting next to the Cienega Mirth section of the creek, which was prime trout fishing. Chaney had camped in this area with his family long before the cabin was built. The cabin was on a lease that reverted to the Forest Service, and volunteers have maintained its exterior after its historic value kept it from being demolished after wilderness designation.
The trail continues up North Fork of Big Pine Creek, gently ascending with a few switchbacks here and there. I love a “wet trail” and being able to hear and see the stream as we slogged our packs uphill on the first day makes a big psychological difference to me.
After a relatively late start, we reached the intersection of the 1st-7th lake trail with the Black Lake trail in mid afternoon. This intersection had water–the outlet of Black Lake was still providing a very small stream, although it might not continue to flow for much longer in the season. We collected water and headed up the very steep Black Lake trail. This trail was unremittingly steep but steady, with relatively few switchbacks. It provides a magnificent view of 1st and 2nd lakes and the Palisade range as it ascends. It was a hard climb with full packs in the sun, and when we reached Black Lake we were ready for a significant rest. Black Lake struck me as merely “OK.” It lacks the glacial coloration of some of its neighbors and does not have quite such a craggy backdrop. There were many campsites tucked away around the outlet end of the lake.
Late in the afternoon we resolved to push on from Black Lake to reach Fifth Lake, our destination. The trail was a little steep leaving Black Lake but basically did a little up and down, skirting 4th Lake before depositing us at Fifth. Fifth Lake proved to be a worthy location–far and away the most scenic of all the lakes in the area. A dramatic backdrop of two huge peaks--Mount Robinson and Two Eagle Peak–surrounded the glacial blue of this lake. There was plenty of granite and plenty of forest mixed around the shoreline. There were at least two large horsepacker camps tucked away in the vicinity of the lake (cross below the outlet and around the south side for one), but neither had a direct view. There were also two superb sites a bit above the NE side, provided one was willing to haul packs across a talus field. There were also some sites in the small pass connecting Fifth and Fourth Lakes. Ultimately we wound up in a series of conventional sites near the outlet–magnificent but no doubt usually occupied.