Powell/Thompson col and Powell plateau from the SW?
Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:35 am
Dear fellow cross-country enthusiasts,
I have an admittedly very specific route question. I’d like to use the Powell-Thompson col (let’s call it P-TC) to connect lake Sabrina and the PCT near Muir pass (Not sure yet which direction).
Has anyone been over that col?
Secor suggests that en route from P-TC to the Helen lake area you need to drop to the 11400’ level, and then go back up to lake 11725 to reach Keating pass, even higher up. Essentially, you walk all the way around the Powell plateau. I’d like to avoid that by going straight over the Powell plateau. And of course bag point Powell while at it. But:
-is it possible to reach the plateau from the SW (with a pack), or descend to the SW?
-can the ledge that connects the P-TC to the route to the plateau (the “Eckert variation”) be found from the top (rather than from the col, which is what all reports are about)?
I’m a backpacker with plenty of XC is experience. I like to keep things to class 2 with a pack but I’ve also been across stuff like Southfork pass (not recommended btw).
I have an admittedly very specific route question. I’d like to use the Powell-Thompson col (let’s call it P-TC) to connect lake Sabrina and the PCT near Muir pass (Not sure yet which direction).
Has anyone been over that col?
Secor suggests that en route from P-TC to the Helen lake area you need to drop to the 11400’ level, and then go back up to lake 11725 to reach Keating pass, even higher up. Essentially, you walk all the way around the Powell plateau. I’d like to avoid that by going straight over the Powell plateau. And of course bag point Powell while at it. But:
-is it possible to reach the plateau from the SW (with a pack), or descend to the SW?
-can the ledge that connects the P-TC to the route to the plateau (the “Eckert variation”) be found from the top (rather than from the col, which is what all reports are about)?
I’m a backpacker with plenty of XC is experience. I like to keep things to class 2 with a pack but I’ve also been across stuff like Southfork pass (not recommended btw).