TR: Bishop Pass, Muir Pass, Lamarck Col 7/1/23-7/4/23

[TurboHike]

This video shows a few PCTer's who crossed the broken bridge in Dusy basin. Go to the 6:40 point in the video. Video was taken June 23. The bridge did not move much when they crossed, but it still looks sketchy to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qUwCVBqBbY

[SSSdave]

Unless on skis, well described reason I stay away from the High Sierra until trails have little snow.

[kylekuzma]

Super helpful! I have a trip in two weeks planned over Mono Pass into Pioneer Basin and this was extremely helpful. Looks like we may be skipping it unfortunately. Sad

[Klank]

@thensepia - thanks so much for sharing what looks like an awesome trip. good info as I am preparing for a buddy and I to hike this trip in opposite direction come mid August.

[GGC23]

This was really interesting for me to read because I did this exact trip (albeit in reverse) during the same weekend with similar pacing in 2019, which was previously my benchmark for a big snow year. Here are some comparisons on the snow levels from my trip v. what you reported:

- Bishop Pass - In 2019, the trail was about 90% melted below Bishop Lake.
- Dusy Basin bridge / water - The bridge was intact in 2019, but the water flows look about the same.
- Le Conte Canyon / south of Muir Pass - The snow line was about 10,800 ft. in 2019.
- Evolution Valley - This was also totally snow covered in 2019 from just above the junction of the Lamarck Col trail to Muir Pass, although I'm guessing that there's many more feet of snow cover this year.
- Darwin Lakes - The top two were about 50% melted and the rest were fully melted in 2019, but there was a ton of nuisance snow. I agree that travel through this area would be easier with a lot of snow cover, rather than the rotten, partial snow I found.
- East side of Lamarck Col - nuisance snow until right before the col, then a pretty significant snow climb.

Needless to say there is WAY more snow this year.

[Matthewkphx]

Interesting that the North Lake Road is not open all the way still. The Inyo road website says it is open to the first parking lot. I think that is what I circled in pink and the usual backpackers parking lot is what I circled in blue. Do I have those right?

IMG_4269.jpeg

[stevet]

@Matthewkphx the blue circle is indeed the usual backpacker parking. I can't be as declarative on the pink circle, but from all maps I have easy access to, that is the first designated parking after the split from the road to Sabrina.

[hikerdude87]

Great report and thanks for the photos!!! I was in the Dusy Basin to Le Conte Canyon last year in July and it is amazing to see all the snow back there still.

[thensepia]

@matthewkphx Yes, I walked to the pink lot. Not sure why—there's a little bit of water running across the road in one spot further up but not anything that looks like it would cause damage, and the campground is dry.

[Matthewkphx]

Cool. Thanks for confirming. I appreciate the trail report too.