TITLE: Unofficial Amelia Earhart Pass
GENERAL OVERVIEW:
"Amelia Earhart Pass" is my unofficial name for the pass on the ridge south of Amelia Earhart Peak in the Cathedral Range of Yosemite National Park. This relatively easy cross-country route connects two beautiful lake basins: Ireland Lake (accessible by maintained trail) on the west side and unnamed lakes on Maclure Creek on the east side. From Maclure Creek, there are multiple routes to connect with the John Muir Trail.
I've used this pass five times over the last 30 years and have worked out what I think is the best route, so I decided I should write up a description for HST.
According to Caltopo, from the outlet of Ireland Lake to the lower unnamed lake on Maclure Creek is 3 miles with 880 feet elevation gain going west to east, or 1,110 feet elevation gain going east to west. My last backpack trip over this pass in 2021 going west to east took 3 hours at a leisurely pace with many photo stops.
This photos in this post come from several different trips done in July or August. Most of the west side photos are from very low snowpack 2021 (but very rainy on my trip), with the east side ones a mixture of low snow 2021, very snowy 2019, and earlier years going back to 1991.
CLASS/DIFFICULTY:
Approaches are easy class 1. Steep slopes in the last hundred feet elevation on each side of the pass proper might be class 2 to some people. No exposure. Solid footing.
Also see the HST entry for "Earhart Ridge (unofficial)" at viewtopic.php?f=31&t=22627 that describes a more northerly and harder crossing of this same ridge.
LOCATION:
Amelia Earhart Pass is in the Yosemite National Park Wilderness at coordinates 37.7739 degrees north latitude and 119.2931 degrees west longitude.
HST Map
ELEVATION: 11,640 feet.
USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Vogelsang Peak
ROUTE DESCRIPTION & PHOTOS:
I will describe the route going west to east, with some notes on the opposite direction. I'm splitting this into three separate posts to accommodate all the photos.
Ascending west side of pass
This route description begins at the outlet of Ireland Lake. Take the maintained park trail that ends at the northwest corner of the lake and then walk across open, fairly dry meadows to the outlet. The main described route ends at the two unnamed lakes on Maclure Creek at approximately 11,500 feet elevation. I then briefly describe (and show on the map) three routes to get from those lakes to the John Muir Trail.
On the map below, dashed red lines are maintained trails. The main cross-country route is shown as a red dotted line. Alternate cross-country routes are shown as blue dotted lines.
The route heads up the valley behind Ireland Lake. Cross the outlet creek from Ireland Lake on rocks. Head diagonally up the hill on the east side of the lake on grassy slopes and ramps among granite outcrops with widely scattered trees. This shortcuts a big bend in the inlet creek. Here's a photo looking back at Ireland Lake from this hill section, with the Sierra Crest very clear in the background.
Near about 11,000 feet elevation, you reach a flatter meadowy area along the easterly branch of the inlet creek. The photo below looks north across this flatter area.
I stay on the north side of this creek for a short distance to where the south slope looks easily ascended, and then cross the creek and head up that south slope on granite slabs and broken rock, as shown in this photo.
If you stay close to the creek, you will end up in rough and broken terrain, as shown in this photo.
This broad slope south of the creek soon eases to a gentle grade with easy walking, as shown in this photo.
Above this slabby and rocky section, at about 11,300 feet, you enter a broad meadowy upper valley. In this next photo of this upper valley, Amelia Earhart Pass, our destination, is on the far left. The broad saddle on the right leads to the Lewis Creek drainage; that pass is described in the HST entry for "Lewis-Ireland Pass (unofficial)" at viewtopic.php?f=31&t=22625
After walking up this broad open valley for about 1/3 mile, you approach the steeper slopes on the left leading up the pass.
You will see an obvious gully heading to the low point on the left of the ridge (north). That is not the pass. The other (east) side of that low point is extremely steep with much talus.
You will see another grassy strip heading up to a slightly higher, but locally low point, on the right of the ridge (south). That is also not the pass. It has steep slopes on the other (east) side.
The pass is actually the higher section of ridge between these two low points, labelled 11641 elevation on the USGS topo map. This leads to the easiest descent on the east side.
Here is a photo of this steeper slope just before the pass showing the "false passes" and the slightly higher point 11641 between them.
The final slope to the pass at point 11641 goes straight up the middle of the photo on moderately steep and mostly solid rock. I walked up it easily in a zig-zag pattern. Here's a photo on that last steep stretch on the west side of the pass.
Going east to west over this pass, I have sometimes worked my way south on the ridge from the high point and then down an obvious gully, but that can be choked with snow. Straight down the solid rock seems best.
The top of Amelia Earhart Pass has some broad flat sections where you can take a break and enjoy the view.
The lake basin immediately below the pass on the east is very austere. These lakes look quite pristine with very clear water. There are four small lakes nestled close together on a rocky bench, and a fifth larger lake up the valley behind a moraine dam. Mount Lyell is just visible to the right, as shown in the next photo. You can also see your next destination, which is the far end of the farthest of the three main lakes in the photo.
The view north shows the entire Yosemite north country and even some of Emigrant Wilderness to the far northwest, with big blue Ireland Lake in center view, as shown in this panorama.
To be continued...
Amelia Earhart Pass (unofficial)
-
wildhiker
- Topix Fanatic
- Posts: 1114
- Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:44 pm
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Contact:
Amelia Earhart Pass (unofficial)
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
wildhiker
- Topix Fanatic
- Posts: 1114
- Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:44 pm
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Contact:
Re: Amelia Earhart Pass (unofficial)
Continued from previous post.
Descending east side of pass to lakes
Descending the east slope of the pass starts out moderately steep with lots of granite bedrock mixed with dirt areas and broken rock. Pick your way down the center of the slope. After a short while, the eastern slope gradient eases. Here is a photo looking back up the steepest part to the pass.
And here's a photo looking down the slope to the lakes, with my family and friends ascending.
About midway down, you get to solid granite slabs, followed by grassy rock and dirt strips. From here, if you look north, you can see that the east side of the lowest point on the ridge has very steep granite ending in talus, as shown in the next photo. The southerly low point also has steep slopes on the east side. That's why I recommend the route over point 11641 in the middle.
The final descent to the lakes involves zig-zagging down broken areas of a cliffy rock band to reach the meadowy shores of the upper lakes. Here's a photo looking back to the pass from a point almost to the lakes.
Once down to the lakes, pass between the two higher lakes and then around the south shore of the third lake to its outlet, perched on the edge of a steep headwall.
Just at the outlet of this third and lowest lake, you will find a grassy ramp cutting diagonally down the slope to the south. This ramp runs continuously at the edge of the steep headwall for about 1/2 mile until it opens up into a wide grassy gully where there are some clumps of whitebark pines. I find that you can usually walk on solid granite at the edge of the grass to avoid trampling it as you descend the ramp. Here are photos midway down the ramp looking back north toward Amelia Earhart Peak and south (with people ascending) to Mounts Lyell and Maclure.
There is also a second, higher, ramp that runs from the southernmost lake, shown as a blue dotted line on my map. It starts as a grassy gully gaining a small amount of elevation and passing some small tarns, and then descends. It is not as continuous as the lower ramp and has some talus sections. This upper ramp eventually disappears and then you have to work down some steep slopes to reunite with the lower ramp at the head of the grassy gully. Here's a photo midway down this rougher upper ramp with Mount Lyell in the distance.
I've always used this pass in mid or late season when there is no snow. Google Earth shows that both ramps can be choked with snow in early season, but they are gentle grades and probably easily traversed.
From the clumps of whitebark pines where the lower ramp opens up, you walk down a shallow meadowy gully that looks like it will take you straight to the unnamed lakes on Maclure Creek at about 10,500 feet elevation. But as this valley bends to the east, the meadow ends in a big talus field. Instead of negotiating the talus, contour east on a rock and dirt slope with scattered whitebark pines, and come out on a gentler slope of solid granite slabs heading right down to the lakes, as shown in this photo.
Walking around the lakes is easy on the west side on meadow or dirt, as shown in the next photo. There are adequate campsites among the whitebark pines, especially near the lower lake.
To be continued...
Descending east side of pass to lakes
Descending the east slope of the pass starts out moderately steep with lots of granite bedrock mixed with dirt areas and broken rock. Pick your way down the center of the slope. After a short while, the eastern slope gradient eases. Here is a photo looking back up the steepest part to the pass.
And here's a photo looking down the slope to the lakes, with my family and friends ascending.
About midway down, you get to solid granite slabs, followed by grassy rock and dirt strips. From here, if you look north, you can see that the east side of the lowest point on the ridge has very steep granite ending in talus, as shown in the next photo. The southerly low point also has steep slopes on the east side. That's why I recommend the route over point 11641 in the middle.
The final descent to the lakes involves zig-zagging down broken areas of a cliffy rock band to reach the meadowy shores of the upper lakes. Here's a photo looking back to the pass from a point almost to the lakes.
Once down to the lakes, pass between the two higher lakes and then around the south shore of the third lake to its outlet, perched on the edge of a steep headwall.
Just at the outlet of this third and lowest lake, you will find a grassy ramp cutting diagonally down the slope to the south. This ramp runs continuously at the edge of the steep headwall for about 1/2 mile until it opens up into a wide grassy gully where there are some clumps of whitebark pines. I find that you can usually walk on solid granite at the edge of the grass to avoid trampling it as you descend the ramp. Here are photos midway down the ramp looking back north toward Amelia Earhart Peak and south (with people ascending) to Mounts Lyell and Maclure.
There is also a second, higher, ramp that runs from the southernmost lake, shown as a blue dotted line on my map. It starts as a grassy gully gaining a small amount of elevation and passing some small tarns, and then descends. It is not as continuous as the lower ramp and has some talus sections. This upper ramp eventually disappears and then you have to work down some steep slopes to reunite with the lower ramp at the head of the grassy gully. Here's a photo midway down this rougher upper ramp with Mount Lyell in the distance.
I've always used this pass in mid or late season when there is no snow. Google Earth shows that both ramps can be choked with snow in early season, but they are gentle grades and probably easily traversed.
From the clumps of whitebark pines where the lower ramp opens up, you walk down a shallow meadowy gully that looks like it will take you straight to the unnamed lakes on Maclure Creek at about 10,500 feet elevation. But as this valley bends to the east, the meadow ends in a big talus field. Instead of negotiating the talus, contour east on a rock and dirt slope with scattered whitebark pines, and come out on a gentler slope of solid granite slabs heading right down to the lakes, as shown in this photo.
Walking around the lakes is easy on the west side on meadow or dirt, as shown in the next photo. There are adequate campsites among the whitebark pines, especially near the lower lake.
To be continued...
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
wildhiker
- Topix Fanatic
- Posts: 1114
- Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:44 pm
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Contact:
Re: Amelia Earhart Pass (unofficial)
Continued from last post
Routes from lakes to John Muir Trail
From these unnamed lakes on Maclure Creek, I know three good routes to reach the John Muir Trail. The easiest, shown as the red dotted line on my map, roughly follows Maclure Creek down to its junction with the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River, where you meet the JMT at an elevation of about 9600 feet. An offshoot of this lowest route leaves Maclure Creek at about the 10,000 foot level and contours over to the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River and then climbs up on the west side of the river to meet the JMT where it crosses the river at 10,200 feet. The highest, and most scenic, but also most difficult and exposed route roughly traverses from the lakes on Maclure Creek at about the 10,800 foot elevation and then drops to meet the JMT at about 10,500 feet. The second and third options are shown as blue dotted lines on the map.
To use the easiest and lowest route to the JMT, you first have to descend a headwall that bounds the lake area. Maclure Creek cascades down the steepest part of this headwall directly below the lakes. It's too steep and brushy to descend that way. The headwall gradually gets lower and less steep as it extends westward, so head west along the top of the headwall. You can see a large attractive meadow area below this headwall and views over to the Kuna Crest.
You first pass a ravine and a couple of other spots where you could work your way down the headwall on rocky slopes grading into talus. But keep going west and you will come to a slope of granite slabs and grassy strips that is much easier to descend, as shown in this photo.
The big meadow below the headwall can be very wet. I find the route easier on the north side of the stream. You may have to stay far away from the stream to avoid the wettest areas. There is a nice view back from the big meadow to Cathedral Range peaks. Staying on the north side of the stream, the slope eventually steepens but is still easy walking on meadows, granite slabs, and sparse forests. You come close to Maclure Creek in a small flat meadowy hanging valley at about 10,100 feet elevation, shown in this photo.
This little hanging valley along Maclure Creek soon becomes a very steep slope with cliff bands where Maclure Creek cascades down to meet the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River. To avoid the cliffy areas, head north away from the creek to descend gentler and smoother forested slopes of mostly dirt. Then after a short section of nearly flat forest, you reach the John Muir Trail at the footbridge over the Lyell Fork at 9640 feet elevation.
To use the second route option to the JMT, cross Maclure Creek in the little hanging valley at 10,100 feet elevation and start contouring east. You will soon reach a large talus slope. Lose about 100 feet elevation to cross the talus at a narrower stretch. Once beyond the talus, simply walk upslope along the west bank of the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River on meadow and dirt until you pop out on the JMT just above where it fords the river.
To use the high scenic route to the JMT from the unnamed lakes on Maclure Creek, you first have to get to the south side of the lakes. If the stream is low, you can cross the outlet of the lower lake on rocks. But rock-hopping the outlet is dangerous in high water, because the outlet creek immediately plunges in cascades down the headwall. The alternative is to wade the very short connector creek between the two lakes. If you fall here, you won't be swept down any cascades. Then you can walk on meadows down to the outlet of the lower lake.
From the south side of the lower lake outlet, walk up a minor ridge to the southeast with scattered clumps of pine to gain about 100 feet elevation. Then you can see a route northeast down a slope to a small but very green meadow to the east. This up and down is needed to avoid a cliff immediately east of the lakes. The next two photos show the view back to the lakes on Maclure Creek and forward to the green meadow from the point on the ridge where you turn town.
Cross the meadow at its lower edge and start working your way east up a minor ridge on the other side with lots of whitebark pines, as shown in this photo.
After about 300 feet elevation gain, the grade eases. No need to go all the way to the top of the main ridge. Just contour on slanted granite slabs below this ridge on the north side for about 1/4 mile, avoiding the dense pines on top. Here's a photo of these slabs.
Where the ridge flattens, you cross into the drainage of a tributary of the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River with a magnificent view of Mount Lyell and glacial lakes in the broad basin below it. You have to work your way down a gentle talus slope to that creek, shown in this photo.
This is a hanging valley that drops steeply to the deeper valley of the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River. You have to work your way down a steep slope to the east where the tributary stream plunges. There is a lot of brush and talus on this slope. I find the easiest route is to cross the creek to the south side, then drop down about 100 feet elevation on a steep dirt and rock slope, with the brush and talus on your left, until you can see an area where the brush thins out, as shown in this photo.
Work your way through this thinner brush, cross a short section of talus, and then cross the creek back to the north side as shown in this photo.
Below that, you are on a more gradual slope of dirt with a few scattered trees leading down to a small meadow. Find the JMT in that meadow. Here's a view back of this slope you just descended, from the edge of the meadow at its base.
Routes from lakes to John Muir Trail
From these unnamed lakes on Maclure Creek, I know three good routes to reach the John Muir Trail. The easiest, shown as the red dotted line on my map, roughly follows Maclure Creek down to its junction with the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River, where you meet the JMT at an elevation of about 9600 feet. An offshoot of this lowest route leaves Maclure Creek at about the 10,000 foot level and contours over to the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River and then climbs up on the west side of the river to meet the JMT where it crosses the river at 10,200 feet. The highest, and most scenic, but also most difficult and exposed route roughly traverses from the lakes on Maclure Creek at about the 10,800 foot elevation and then drops to meet the JMT at about 10,500 feet. The second and third options are shown as blue dotted lines on the map.
To use the easiest and lowest route to the JMT, you first have to descend a headwall that bounds the lake area. Maclure Creek cascades down the steepest part of this headwall directly below the lakes. It's too steep and brushy to descend that way. The headwall gradually gets lower and less steep as it extends westward, so head west along the top of the headwall. You can see a large attractive meadow area below this headwall and views over to the Kuna Crest.
You first pass a ravine and a couple of other spots where you could work your way down the headwall on rocky slopes grading into talus. But keep going west and you will come to a slope of granite slabs and grassy strips that is much easier to descend, as shown in this photo.
The big meadow below the headwall can be very wet. I find the route easier on the north side of the stream. You may have to stay far away from the stream to avoid the wettest areas. There is a nice view back from the big meadow to Cathedral Range peaks. Staying on the north side of the stream, the slope eventually steepens but is still easy walking on meadows, granite slabs, and sparse forests. You come close to Maclure Creek in a small flat meadowy hanging valley at about 10,100 feet elevation, shown in this photo.
This little hanging valley along Maclure Creek soon becomes a very steep slope with cliff bands where Maclure Creek cascades down to meet the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River. To avoid the cliffy areas, head north away from the creek to descend gentler and smoother forested slopes of mostly dirt. Then after a short section of nearly flat forest, you reach the John Muir Trail at the footbridge over the Lyell Fork at 9640 feet elevation.
To use the second route option to the JMT, cross Maclure Creek in the little hanging valley at 10,100 feet elevation and start contouring east. You will soon reach a large talus slope. Lose about 100 feet elevation to cross the talus at a narrower stretch. Once beyond the talus, simply walk upslope along the west bank of the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River on meadow and dirt until you pop out on the JMT just above where it fords the river.
To use the high scenic route to the JMT from the unnamed lakes on Maclure Creek, you first have to get to the south side of the lakes. If the stream is low, you can cross the outlet of the lower lake on rocks. But rock-hopping the outlet is dangerous in high water, because the outlet creek immediately plunges in cascades down the headwall. The alternative is to wade the very short connector creek between the two lakes. If you fall here, you won't be swept down any cascades. Then you can walk on meadows down to the outlet of the lower lake.
From the south side of the lower lake outlet, walk up a minor ridge to the southeast with scattered clumps of pine to gain about 100 feet elevation. Then you can see a route northeast down a slope to a small but very green meadow to the east. This up and down is needed to avoid a cliff immediately east of the lakes. The next two photos show the view back to the lakes on Maclure Creek and forward to the green meadow from the point on the ridge where you turn town.
Cross the meadow at its lower edge and start working your way east up a minor ridge on the other side with lots of whitebark pines, as shown in this photo.
After about 300 feet elevation gain, the grade eases. No need to go all the way to the top of the main ridge. Just contour on slanted granite slabs below this ridge on the north side for about 1/4 mile, avoiding the dense pines on top. Here's a photo of these slabs.
Where the ridge flattens, you cross into the drainage of a tributary of the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River with a magnificent view of Mount Lyell and glacial lakes in the broad basin below it. You have to work your way down a gentle talus slope to that creek, shown in this photo.
This is a hanging valley that drops steeply to the deeper valley of the Lyell Fork Tuolumne River. You have to work your way down a steep slope to the east where the tributary stream plunges. There is a lot of brush and talus on this slope. I find the easiest route is to cross the creek to the south side, then drop down about 100 feet elevation on a steep dirt and rock slope, with the brush and talus on your left, until you can see an area where the brush thins out, as shown in this photo.
Work your way through this thinner brush, cross a short section of talus, and then cross the creek back to the north side as shown in this photo.
Below that, you are on a more gradual slope of dirt with a few scattered trees leading down to a small meadow. Find the JMT in that meadow. Here's a view back of this slope you just descended, from the edge of the meadow at its base.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
erutan
- Topix Expert
- Posts: 492
- Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 4:46 pm
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Re: Amelia Earhart Pass (unofficial)
I've done the Vogelsang Traverse twice before (in 11 with verbal beta, and then in 16 guiding someone on their first XC backpack after warming them up with some dayhikes) and just did it again Thursday.
I have some comments / alternative perspective:
1) I'm strongly pushing back on the redefinition of where the pass is - I've seen a group of 8 descending from the southernmost "not a pass", it's where everyone in Vogelsang goes over, where I assume NPS folk go over, and where I've gone over, where other people on HST have gone over etc. It's "loose", but a 12-16 degree slope for the most part, lightly vegetated compared to the majority of the rest of the route - hiking over the meadow from Ireland lake trail, hiking up grassy ramps until ~11,200, then the "one ramp to rule them all" on the other side that's basically all grass and wildflowers (granted one can walk along the edge of it times but his photo shows someone walking in the grassy middle). My foot probably slipped at most 1/4" going up, my partner that doesn't like loose thought it was super easy, and compared to the other side it's a cakewalk. Given it's mostly sand, it seems a weird time to get squeamish.
Alternate paths are great I don't believe in "one route" in XC except for places where routefinding is genuinely tight (the top of Finger Col & Valor, Palisades side of Cirque, etc which this isn't). I generally give a vague idea of easier sections to encourage people coming up with their own lines.
That said I highly doubt someone will have any issues with the gentle main approach (or even find it difficult) if they can handle the other side. It's pretty easy standard XC terrain. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the approach listed above, and I’m sure some people may find it preferable. My hesitation is with the ‘not the pass’ ‘this is the pass’ aspect of it.
You go up that, then you're at the ridge. Yes it's a steep drop there, but the ridge is easily traversable (with a nice groomed campsite tucked in on the way). There are a few passes with different points on different sides - White Pass, Snowtongue, Dragon, and some of the random ridges I've used.
2) The west side can be Class 1 if you want to routefind for it - this time I stuck more to the east / wide coming up was Class 1 near the drainage with the ponds on USGS. There were some snowfields so I can't say for sure what was under them. The first time I stuck on a more direct path and enjoyed the mellow solid rock but that's really just a HYOH thing.
The top of the east side I would put at Class 2 - the person I guided back in 16 was not comfortable going down it, and while there's nice sandy paths leading between the talus traction isn't always great, I was choosing to walk down steep slab, some of the modest talus in the sand would move around, etc. It looks pretty similar to the drop off of your pass and both spots have areas where the slope angle nears 30 degrees.
I never used my hands going down it, but it's terrain that doesn't match "walking" on maintained trail and some people will really really really appreciate their trekking poles.
3) I've gone up the dotted red line once, and down it three times (someone forgot their phone at camp and didn't realize until they were down the PCJMT a bit lol). This time I dropped from the meadow to the PCJMT further north ~37.77756, -119.26996 and thought it was simpler. Mixed talus & slab up top with some grassy ramps, then open forest until you hit trail ~9850 or so. If you're exiting Lyell vs going over Donahue this would make sense.
We opted to XC further and dropped down a gully NNE that had a lot of deadfall and was tedious. Some old cairns along the eastern arm of it, cutting high W might be better, but probably not worth the effort to meet trail at ~9000 though it does cut out some stairs.
PS - I knocked down some recent cairns going through the talus ~the middle of the ramp, it’s possible and easier to just drop below them when you hit that point. Had to go back into the talus to do so heh.
I have some comments / alternative perspective:
1) I'm strongly pushing back on the redefinition of where the pass is - I've seen a group of 8 descending from the southernmost "not a pass", it's where everyone in Vogelsang goes over, where I assume NPS folk go over, and where I've gone over, where other people on HST have gone over etc. It's "loose", but a 12-16 degree slope for the most part, lightly vegetated compared to the majority of the rest of the route - hiking over the meadow from Ireland lake trail, hiking up grassy ramps until ~11,200, then the "one ramp to rule them all" on the other side that's basically all grass and wildflowers (granted one can walk along the edge of it times but his photo shows someone walking in the grassy middle). My foot probably slipped at most 1/4" going up, my partner that doesn't like loose thought it was super easy, and compared to the other side it's a cakewalk. Given it's mostly sand, it seems a weird time to get squeamish.
Alternate paths are great I don't believe in "one route" in XC except for places where routefinding is genuinely tight (the top of Finger Col & Valor, Palisades side of Cirque, etc which this isn't). I generally give a vague idea of easier sections to encourage people coming up with their own lines.
That said I highly doubt someone will have any issues with the gentle main approach (or even find it difficult) if they can handle the other side. It's pretty easy standard XC terrain. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the approach listed above, and I’m sure some people may find it preferable. My hesitation is with the ‘not the pass’ ‘this is the pass’ aspect of it.
You go up that, then you're at the ridge. Yes it's a steep drop there, but the ridge is easily traversable (with a nice groomed campsite tucked in on the way). There are a few passes with different points on different sides - White Pass, Snowtongue, Dragon, and some of the random ridges I've used.
2) The west side can be Class 1 if you want to routefind for it - this time I stuck more to the east / wide coming up was Class 1 near the drainage with the ponds on USGS. There were some snowfields so I can't say for sure what was under them. The first time I stuck on a more direct path and enjoyed the mellow solid rock but that's really just a HYOH thing.
The top of the east side I would put at Class 2 - the person I guided back in 16 was not comfortable going down it, and while there's nice sandy paths leading between the talus traction isn't always great, I was choosing to walk down steep slab, some of the modest talus in the sand would move around, etc. It looks pretty similar to the drop off of your pass and both spots have areas where the slope angle nears 30 degrees.
I never used my hands going down it, but it's terrain that doesn't match "walking" on maintained trail and some people will really really really appreciate their trekking poles.
3) I've gone up the dotted red line once, and down it three times (someone forgot their phone at camp and didn't realize until they were down the PCJMT a bit lol). This time I dropped from the meadow to the PCJMT further north ~37.77756, -119.26996 and thought it was simpler. Mixed talus & slab up top with some grassy ramps, then open forest until you hit trail ~9850 or so. If you're exiting Lyell vs going over Donahue this would make sense.
We opted to XC further and dropped down a gully NNE that had a lot of deadfall and was tedious. Some old cairns along the eastern arm of it, cutting high W might be better, but probably not worth the effort to meet trail at ~9000 though it does cut out some stairs.
PS - I knocked down some recent cairns going through the talus ~the middle of the ramp, it’s possible and easier to just drop below them when you hit that point. Had to go back into the talus to do so heh.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
admin @ Sierra Nevada Current Conditions group.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 25 guests