Name: Feather-light pass (unofficial)
Overview: This pass connects La Salle Lake to the mini-canyon holding Den Lake. It parallels Feather pass but is appreciably easier (and lower).
Class: 2
Location: Inyo National Forest
Elevation: !2,200 (and change)
USGSTopo map: Mt. Hilgard
HST Map: HST Map
Among the many access conduits into Bear Lake basin from the East, this is the easiest I've encountered. You can reach it from about midway around La Salle Lake and then work your way up the hillside to the ridge. No surprises. No loose rock. Clear signs that other folk have availed themselves of this shortcut (think cairns). But, for some reason it has not entered the common vernacular, ergo this post. If the East side is a straightforward class 2 climb, the West side is a snooze. Well, that's because we had snow to glissade on almost down to Den. In later season, you might actually have to walk in sand/gravel. All in all, a very nice way to meet (or depart) the Bears. Now for the photos:
Feather-light pass
- cgundersen
- Topix Fanatic
- Posts: 1338
- Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:07 pm
- Experience: N/A
Feather-light pass
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by cgundersen on Sat Sep 03, 2022 2:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Harlen
- Topix Addict
- Posts: 2106
- Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 9:13 am
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
- Location: Santa Cruz Mountains
Re: Feather-light pass
Hey Cameron, looking at your photos, I realized that this is the very pass my Argentine buddy, Bearzy and I took in early July of the heavy snow year of 2019. Same pass eh?
This is a similar view as in your first photo above, titled:
Looking back toward Merriam Lake where we began.
This is a similar view as in your first photo above, titled:
We picked a nice path between the rocks, cramponing along in the early morning made the sun-cups easy. It is a very nice route in the snow too.View of Feather-light from below La Salle. Feather Pass is the next saddle to the Right.
Looking back toward Merriam Lake where we began.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend.
- cgundersen
- Topix Fanatic
- Posts: 1338
- Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:07 pm
- Experience: N/A
Re: Feather-light pass
Hi Ian,
Exactly. By all accounts, this is the easier ridge, and from the extensive number of cairns, it's been used quite frequently even when it's not completely snow-covered as it was for you guys. Cheers, Cameron
Exactly. By all accounts, this is the easier ridge, and from the extensive number of cairns, it's been used quite frequently even when it's not completely snow-covered as it was for you guys. Cheers, Cameron
- cgundersen
- Topix Fanatic
- Posts: 1338
- Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:07 pm
- Experience: N/A
Re: Feather-light pass
Since Ian's photos show this route with abundant snow and my shots still had considerable snow coverage, I'll now add a few images with virtually no white stuff:
This first shot is what the climb/descent looks like from roughly 50 feet above the inlet end of Den Lake (west side): This shot shows the initial descent or final climb on the Den side. The gravel to the left is attractive and easy, but it leads up higher. In practice, it's pretty easy to veer to the right about 2/3rds of the way up the gravel and aim for the low point on the ridge (which leads into the easiest way down to, or up from, La Salle Lake). Here's a closeup of the top of Feather-light from the Den side. This is the view up at Feather-light from La Salle Lake. There's plenty of greenery and gravel to aim for, but it's hard to run into trouble on this climb/descent. Cameron
This first shot is what the climb/descent looks like from roughly 50 feet above the inlet end of Den Lake (west side): This shot shows the initial descent or final climb on the Den side. The gravel to the left is attractive and easy, but it leads up higher. In practice, it's pretty easy to veer to the right about 2/3rds of the way up the gravel and aim for the low point on the ridge (which leads into the easiest way down to, or up from, La Salle Lake). Here's a closeup of the top of Feather-light from the Den side. This is the view up at Feather-light from La Salle Lake. There's plenty of greenery and gravel to aim for, but it's hard to run into trouble on this climb/descent. Cameron
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests