Taboose Pass or Sawmill Pass

[freestone]

When compared to Sawmill and Taboose, Baxter is the ugliest on the lower third, because of the fire, but the most beautiful on the upper third with some pristine meadows and forest. Livestock not recommended making this trail a true footpath over the crest that is not ankle deep in sand.

[frozenintime]

hey there

i wanted to clarify what ballpeen said about a late afternoon start from taboose trailhead: "We waited until after the temp peaked, around 4, and started hiking and were in shade within an hour."

i mentioned this idea to a friend, who was skeptical that we would really be in the shade so quickly. i myself haven't been up taboose, so i'm curious if others could corroborate what mr ballpeen experienced.

related: i know it's a bit far off, but would you all anticipate that the first stream crossing might be problematic in the afternoon? the photo someone posted last month was raging!

(we'd be heading up in the mid 20s of august.)

[maverick]

i know it's a bit far off, but would you all anticipate that the first stream crossing might be problematic in the afternoon?

Difficult stream crossings are always best done in the morning, water levels continue to rise during the day as snow melt feeds the creek. Don't forget that last year cannot be compared to this year, snow levels, especially in SEKI, are way over average.

[frozenintime]

hey maverick,

right- that's why i'm asking if that first crossing might be tough in the late afternoon this august.

sounds like you're calling it a "difficult crossing" (at least this year), so perhaps there's my answer.

[maverick]

Frozenintime,

The Meet-up will be next week, you will have several members who will be using Taboose Pass, so you will have a better idea on the conditions, when those members reports start flowing in.

[Dave_Ayers]

Difficult stream crossings are always best done in the morning, water levels continue to rise during the day as snow melt feeds the creek. Don't forget that last year cannot be compared to this year, snow levels, especially in SEKI, are way over average.

True for many high altitude Sierra streams. But we don't want to overgeneralize here. The lowest stream flow depends on how far the crossing point is from the snow that is melting in the hot afternoon sun. For streams higher up that are close to the melt area, peak flows are in the evening because the melting snow is near and low flows occur in the early morning. But for streams lower down, sometimes the situation is far different. For example, lowest flow in the Tuolumne River in Pate Valley is about 7 p.m. because it takes the water many hours to flow down that far from Mt Lyell and the rest of the watershed. Lowest flows in the Merced in Yosemite Valley are at about midnight. Other low elevation crossings like Bubb's Creek near Road's End are probably also not lowest in the morning.

[frozenintime]

great news, mav, i'll be waiting to hear then:)

dave, that's interesting information, thank you.

[Harlen]

".... I liked to start up the east side in the (almost late) afternoon. This way your'e not dying of sunstroke like in the morning. I don't remember ever reading here of another who liked my way." CrossCountry.

We like your way, and have used it I believe, more often than not. Driving from the coast, we hike in late of necessity as much as a preference, but it 's so much better than dossing down in the snakey desert somewhere. I am always dying to get up in there, so very late starts- even headlamp traveling is standard fare.

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Probably just arrived.

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A fire makes up for all the hiking in the dark. Though it looks like my son is not smiling as much as grimacing from the heat- suffering while I focus.