High Sierra Topix

Taking my daughter into 60 lakes and Rae lakes next month and I'm going to cross over into 60 lakes from Glen Pass. Whatss the route up to Rae Col once over Glenn Pass?

Did that route in '04 - we descended Glenn, and veered west off the JMT before it descended to Rae Lakes. If I recall correctly the route we took wrapped around north side of those ponds in the small basin south of the col. East side of the col was easy - just meadows/ponds mixed with a few easy granite shelves. Descent down into 60 Lakes Basin was down a not-too-steep chute mixed with small rock and dirt.

copeg wrote:Descent down into 60 Lakes Basin was down a not-too-steep chute mixed with small rock and dirt.

Google earth actually shows a foot trail on the Northern side of Rae col. There some faint trails on the south side also. Trying to find the easiest way up and over Rae Col.

She's heading off to college so this is our big trip together.

Thanks.

This is the exact location of the col, a little to the west on the ridge then what you circled: HST Map
Agree with Copeg description of the col.

I found a route through there last year, in the opposite direction. Liked it a lot, so I'll try to describe it in your direction of travel (there was no use trail):

Continue down the trail towards Rae Lakes till you're even with the first lake on the left.
Leave the Rae Lakes trail and travel around the north side of that lake.
The long, skinny lake just to its west is actually two lakes, connected by a narrow channel that is easy to cross.
Once you reach the third lake (just south of the number 3500 on this map), start angling N/NW uphill.
See the little lake that is due south of the Rae Col? It's gorgeous. Try to hit it above its east shore.
Angle due N to Rae Col.

Take a lot of pictures of all the pretty lakes. We thought the basin looked like an interesting place to camp, especially the very westernmost lakes - there is nobody back there! - assuming the weather is good. The lakes are pretty exposed.

The descent of the NW side of Rae Col is easy, so don't worry about it. There are various use trails, and they will all get you down. Once descended, trend north along the E shore of WL 3353, and the lakelet just north of it, till you hit the very obvious Sixty Lakes Basin trail. If you want solitude before hitting the SLB trail, camp at 3353 or one of those other lakelets.

- Elizabeth