Minnow Creek and Cascade Valley connecting trails

[solohiker5555nomo]

I am so loving this forum as i plan my first trip in the Sierra. You've all got a great vibe in addition to your detailed knowledge and wisdom. My current plan for a ten day solo excursion in mid-September '24 is basically Mammoth to VVR via Minnow Cr and Goodale Pass (overnights at Island Crossing, Lost Keys, Peter Pande, Graveyard), then return to Mammoth via JMT for a bit, and exit over Duck Pass (overnights at VVR, Bear Cr, Pocket Meadow, Tully Hole and Duck Cr). But have read good things about upper Cascade Valley as well. So am wondering about the conditions of the trail that crosses over the ridge to Fish Cr just before Iva Bell and the one connecting Fish Cr to Minnow Cr Trail just north of Minnow Creek itself. Much earlier posts suggested possibly poor maintenance of one or both of these, but i haven't seem anything more recent. FYI, I'm a level 3 backpacker per your rating scale and am looking forward to high country as well as creek-side hiking/camping (with low mozzies in mid-Sept), so am thinking this overall agenda would give me a good taste of both. TIA.

[grampy]

bumping this, in case anyone has an answer for our newly-joined forum member.

[jefffish]

Not sure about the Ida trail, but the one heading up Minnow Ck is fine. You'll have to cross over Fish Ck, but the trail is not too hard to find as it heads up the hill. Beware of the awful mosquitoes at Fish Ck. Even in September, they can be brutal.

That is an awesome part of the Sierra and not too many people venture on the west side of Fish Ck, so you should find some solitude. The views of the Silver Divide are spectacular from Peter Pande.

~Jeff

[Lumbergh21]

I really enjoy the Minnow Creek Trail area, but while I dropped down to Fish Creek from Purple Lake once, I was not headed to Minnow Creek and can't comment on the condition of that trail. The trail from Purple Lake was in good condition a few years ago when I was on it. I do not recommend camping at Island Crossing based on my personal experience with bears there. It appears that a lot of people camp there, and I had to deal with two bears that weren't as frightened of me as I would have liked. If you can't make it all the way to Iva Belle, I would recommend dry camping at the high point between the Cold Creek crossing and Island Crossing. Great views from the point of land to the west of the trail just before the trail turns east and starts to descend.

Ranking the lakes along Minnow Creek for ease of access and scenery, I would go #5) Beetlebug - pretty, but the most strenuous hike of the five (maybe influenced by the mossie he** hiking to it in 2017 and the frozen solid shoes the next morning), #4) Lost Keys - nice but not spectacular, #3) Peter Pande - only because it is a more difficult hike in than Olive or Wilbur May, #2) Olive Lake - easy hike, even without a trail all the way, and beautiful, #1) Wilbur May - easiest to get to and beautiful. Honorable mention to Jackson Meadow as a potential camp site (in the trees next to the meadow), the wide open skies are great for star gazing or I had an interesting light show one year from a lightening storm to the east.

[Gogd]

Your plan is a great level 3 trip! The quality of the trails in and west of Casscade Valley will vary seasonally, due to maintenance cycles, the impact of the 2023-24 snow season, as well as the affects of weather events immediately prior or during your trip. At worse you may find crossing a few of the streams a nuisance that late in the year, but nothing to fret over. There are sections of trail on the bench west of Cascade Valley, including the side trips into the upper basins, where blow-downs and avalanche debris can slow travel, but as @ Jeffish shares, it is wonderful country, and the obstacles a minnor consideration. There are plenty of options for camping, it is a mater of being flexible when the need arrises.

BTW: VVR had the most amazing berry pie I've ever tasted.

Ed

[h+p]

As @ Gogd mentioned, "avalanche debris can slow travel". Last year, this was especially true on the section between Island Crossing and Sharktooth Creek. I'm new to this forum and not familiar with how much detail is appropriate to post, but looking at the slope on the south side of Fish and Sharktooth Creeks and knowing that there was a lot of snow last year, you can imagine where all those those broken tree trunks came to rest. On the slope of Sharktooth Creek up to Lost Keys Lake there were fewer tree trunks but also fewer options to bypass them. Let me know if you'd like more details.

I don't know how bugs will be at that time of year, but I'd echo the comments of @jefffish. And in my experience earlier in the season, the name of Marsh Lake was an accurate clue.

On the other hand, there aren't many hikers on the trail and there are great views near Iva Bell and the cascades of Purple & Minnow Creeks that outweigh the hurdles.

[solohiker5555nomo]

bumping this, in case anyone has an answer for our newly-joined forum member.

Hey grampy, thanks for bumping my earlier post - i got some great responses, as you can see.

[solohiker5555nomo]

Jeff - That warning about mozzies at Fish Creek even in September comes as a surprise; i may dry camp at that spot lumbergh21 noted, then take a break at Ida Belle before continuing over the ridge into Cascade Canyon the next day. This will also allow me to avoid the heavily used CG at Island Crossing that seems to be a bear magnet. Peter Pande is def on my list now, before heading over Goodale to Graveyard Lakes. Thanks.

[solohiker5555nomo]

Great info, thanks Lumbergh21! That's the kind of beta that can really make a difference for someone new to the area.

[solohiker5555nomo]

As @ Gogd mentioned, "avalanche debris can slow travel". Last year, this was especially true on the section between Island Crossing and Sharktooth Creek. I'm new to this forum and not familiar with how much detail is appropriate to post, but looking at the slope on the south side of Fish and Sharktooth Creeks and knowing that there was a lot of snow last year, you can imagine where all those those broken tree trunks came to rest. On the slope of Sharktooth Creek up to Lost Keys Lake there were fewer tree trunks but also fewer options to bypass them. Let me know if you'd like more details.

I don't know how bugs will be at that time of year, but I'd echo the comments of @jefffish. And in my experience earlier in the season, the name of Marsh Lake was an accurate clue.

On the other hand, there aren't many hikers on the trail and there are great views near Iva Bell and the cascades of Purple & Minnow Creeks that outweigh the hurdles.

Thanks Ed and Gogd. I had originally planned to go up the Sharktooth Creek trail to access the upper lakes, but the route up Cascade Canyon def looks like a better option, even with plenty of residual uncertainties to keep things interesting!