Granite Pass/ Tehipite Valley Side trip / Palisade Lakes input sought

[lizgreer]

Hey experts - thinking about this section of trail for 2024, early August, assuming a normal or low-ish water year - a few questions:

1. I'd like to do an out-and-back through Tehipite Valley (descending in from Granite Pass and then continuing north to JMT), because it would allow the option to backtrack as needed and I like having options. I actually hoped to do this 5 years ago but didn't - any recent beta about trail maintenance there along the bottom? I know it's rattlesnaky and that doesn't bother me too much.....buuut I'd like to be able to see where I'm putting my feet.
2. In this "normalish" year, would you anticipate any trouble crossing the Middle Fork Kings at Simpson Meadow to get to the trail side of the river, in early August?
3. I seem to remember Devil's Washbowl had an area of washed out/avalanched trail a few years ago...is it all passable now?
4. Any input on crossing Palisade Creek at the junction of Middle Fork Kings and JMT - should that theoretically not be an issue?

Thanks so much. (Fingers crossed Cedar Grove/180 opens because I'd like to do a huge Figure 8 and leave a resupply at Road's End, but if not I'll be coming in via Taboose Pass and rerouting, another story.)

[mort]

Hi lizgreer.
I'm surprised nobody has responded yet. I'm sure there are lots of opinions.
1. I expect the Cedar Grove road will be closed all of 2024.
2. The lakes in Palisade Basin are the Barrett Lakes. the Palisade Lakes are on the east side of the crest.
3... I've been to Simpson Meadow a few times, Palisade Basin a few times. But my last visit to Simpson was many years ago I don't know trail conditions now.
Simpson Meadow is low, around 6000 ft. The canyon is wide and gets plenty of sun. So it gets warm. Also it is wet and generally has lots of mosquitos. But it is a nice lazy place. We had no problem crossing the M.F. Kings there. I was disappointed with Tehipite Valley. The cliffs are high and extremely steep, The valley floor IS flat and some places wide and other places only as wide as the river. It should be awe inspiring. It is hot and brushy.
Also you shouldn't have any trouble crossing the Kings at Palisade Creek.
The Taboose road it terrible and you need high ground clearance. The trail is steep but otherwise quite nice with a few camping areas, one of them is good, a bit below the pass.
-mort

[lizgreer]

Thanks Mort— very useful. Appreciate it. (Although who knew upper and lower Palisade Lakes are in the Barrett Lakes? Will have to look at a map lol.) I’m hoping to avoid Taboose but certainly willing to do it if the Cedar Grove road doesn’t open this year— will be sure to get an early start. Good to know about Palisade Creek.

[Wandering Daisy]

I would not cross Palisade Creek early season to get to the trail to Simpson Meadow. I was down there a few years ago early season and here is a photo of it. There is no bridge - I think it got washed out long ago. The trouble with where it crosses at the trail junction is that it is located quite close to the confluence with the Kings River. If you were to slip you would quite quickly end up in the Kings River where it is very rough.

3885_Palisade Cr crossing.jpg

I am not sure why Barrett Lakes was brought up. Yes, Barrett Lakes are in the "Palisade Basin", but I thought you simply wanted to cross Palisade Creek to get to Simpson Meadow. If you came in Taboose Pass you would intersect the JMT/PCT and go via Palisade Lakes to get to this trial junction. The junction has a sign and is well marked. Big camp area there. If you loop in from Taboose, the you could loop back by going up to States Lake (huge elevation gain) and do Roper's High Route to Lakes Basin and over Cartridge Pass back to the JMT/PCT. You would have to be experienced with off-trail travel. Or come back out Dusy Basin, use a shuttle to Taboose TH and park your car at South Lake. If you are going up a horrible road may as well have the shuttle car take the beating.

[Wandering Daisy]

My preference, if Roads End is closed, would be to loop from South Lake/Bishop Pass. The downside is that permits may be harder to get. Up side is that it is a lot easier than Taboose Pass. Go down the trails when your pack is heavier, come back on an off-trail alternative that can add Barrett Lakes when your pack is light.

If your priority is Tehipite Valley, you can go in from the west side from trailheads near Wishon Reservoir. I have not been on those so cannot comment. I doubt you would have any problem getting those permits. The trailheads are little used.

[lizgreer]

Thank you so much Wandering Daisy! Your photo looks pretty awful - just to be clear, is that Palisade Creek in the background and the MF Kings in the foreground? I will be there early August which is a lot different than mid-June but still...Also, assuming I do make it across Palisade Creek, I will want to cross MF Kings about 8.5 more miles south/downhill (to get to Simpson Meadow), where it theoretically would be a higher flow, but perhaps at a wider spot. I definitely don't want to get to Tehipite Valley the Wishon way - that's why it's an "out and back" so that I have choices about if/when to turn around if I don't like the rattlesnakes or the bushwhacking.

(And you're right I'm not going to Barrett Lakes which are in Palisade Basin, but the Palisade Lakes on the JMT.)

Taboose is just a backup as all the Bishop Pass permits are already long gone - so if I can't get a walkup AND Road's End is closed, it will be Taboose. (I prefer Bishop too - so pretty!) I really like your idea about leaving a vehicle at South Lake and shuttling to Taboose, thanks.

I did check with CalTrans the other day and *they* think Road's End will be open but they won't really know for a bit.

[Wandering Daisy]

The photo shows Palisade Creek where you step in on the PCT/JMT side. The Middle Fork (or is it the NF?) is off the photo to the right. What you see in the "background" is an overflow puddle. The photo below is at a waterfall- but I recall there are rapids where the Kings River joins Palisade Creek.

3888_NFKings.jpg

I vaguely recall dropping to Simpson Meadow from Granite Pass years ago. I will have to see if I can find some photos.

There are swarming black flies in late season in Tehipite Valley, not mosquitoes. Absolutely TAKE a FACE MASK! Even bring a spare. Be sure you have some means to keep flies and ticks out of your hiking pants. Be sure your pants are sturdy. I wear knee-high gaiters.

Do a search for "Tehipite Valley" in trip reports. I recall Rogue Photonic put in a detailed description. I think Alpine Mike was with him on that trip and he may have put in a separate report. They came in from Enchanted Gorge- a delux bushwhack. It may have been about 5 years ago?

[Wandering Daisy]

Here is another photo. You are looking down Palisade Creek at the crossing to the Kings River, which is whitewater in the center of the photo. I will admit that I am not good at crossings. It is my understanding that plenty of people do this crossing later in the season without problems.

3884_NFKings at Palisade Confl.jpg

[KT5519]

As Wandering Daisy indicates, the Palisade Creek crossing takeout is high consequence in high water; the Middle Fork of the Kings isn’t far below the crossing. I have crossed in both July and August in more “normal” years; it still had a decent flow at certain points; just had to pay attention to my footing. It was safe, just a bit creepy for me (personally, (because I’m a klutz) due to the proximity of the river.

I live just outside of Kings Canyon NP and we’re hearing from CalTrans that unless something really bad happens with weather, HWY 180 is expected to be open by late June/early July.

Have a question in to locals who might have info on the maintenance status of the trail into Tehipite; will update once I get some information. Despite the snake factor the valley is beautiful; I’ve been there a couple of times from Simpson.

[KT5519]

Also I forgot to mention, when the Palisade Creek crossing is high, there is the option of bushwhacking upstream about a mile towards Deer Meadow and fording there.