The Worst or Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

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Harlen
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The Worst or Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

Post by Harlen »

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After "Sierra_Summits' " nice post on the Easiest Cross Country Passes, I got thinking about two other possible threads: one being this one- the Worst Backcountry Passes, and another would be to remember our very Favorite Back Country Pass Crossings. I think this could lead to some good tales, and I 'll begin with my experience on the pass I have ever since referred to as "Never A-&^%#$@*!!-GAIN Pass."

I used to be keen on the idea of "High Routes," sticking as close to the main divide as I could. So I found this awful pass on the map, and included it as part of a nice, high route. One can reach this pass from the Pine Creek Trailhead to Italy Pass, or as I'd done, via Humphreys Basin/Royce Lakes Basin/Granite Park and then Italy Pass. I stupidly assumed that the contours look reasonable, and headed a short half mile north west from Italy Pass to the "pass" directly west of Mt Julius Caesar. It's about 1000 feet down to the easy slopes above Toe Lake, and the first 400 feet looked alright from above, but proved to be filled with a huge assortment of delicately balanced blocks, deviously perched right where I needed to pass-I soon found myself amid a rockslide wanting to happen! I remember having my heart in my throat all the way down, worried that what I may have loosened above would come crashing down on me. These were really giant blocks- say "refrigerator" size, with some of the "small car" size mixed in. It just scared the bejesus out of me!

The problem with these events in the mountains is how we make that first big decision to either go for it, or to back off. That event occurred around 1990, and perhaps because of it, and too many others like it, I am far more likely now to make the conservative decision, and back the hell away from dangerous slopes. Experience is largely gained by making- and living through- mistakes isn't it?

Alright, now who else has made a "stupid crossing", and where was it? Perhaps this thread should be called "Passes to Avoid!"* Cheers, Harlen.
*and for if you've never chosen, or been forced to go over a scary pass, how about giving us a story from your Favorite Back Country Pass Crossing?
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Last edited by Harlen on Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Worst and Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

Post by giantbrookie »

That lead photo is outstanding. Many of us off-trail adventurers have been in positions like that before.

I think we may have had some sort of thread on this, but since I'm taking a bit of a break before I get back to work here, I figure I'll bite.

For scariest, I think it's actually a class 2 pass that ranks as no. 1 in my book and it's one that isn't considered really bad by folks. This is Kaweah Pass near to Mt Kaweah. I have never seen such large talus move across such a large area of a slope. In other words I would be walking on one part of the talus slope and see things twitching 50 feet up the slope. I recall ascending and initially getting off of the class 2 talus onto funky, loose class 3 rock. One of my hiking partners on that trip, who is quite a mountain goat, muttered "this is getting pretty sketchy". I apologized for what I figured was a major route screw up, then got onto the class 2 talus slope described above, which was much sketchier than the loose class 3. There is the tendency for many of us not to think of talus as potentially lethal, but since I was nearly killed when I destabilized a boulder years ago (while circumnavigating a lakeshore in pursuit of giant goldens), I have a healthy respect for those sorts of places. Anyhow, Kaweah Pass is in my "never again" category.

Memorable from a class 3 standpoint was me not quite getting Haeckel Col right when I crossed it in 1977. I think you're supposed to cross a bit further north of the low point than I did, or perhaps I really was in the right place (because I've seen photos that looked pretty similar to where I was). In any case I was having a pretty hard time recovering from a knee injury when I set out on this trip with my dad. We had intended to get into Sapphire Lake on day 1 from Sabrina and I was in terrible shape owing to inactivity in the wake of the injury. I carried this high profile external frame pack with this extender bar. My dad was in the lead and he ascended this cliff band just below the top. Now in my mind I visualized this mellow class 2 talus slope on the other side, so I was baffled to see my dad crest out and then just sit there. In the meantime, the final moves to the top were a big pain for me. The rock overhung the ledges a bit and my extender bar kept banging into the "roof", so getting up each step was somewhat athletic. The last one was the hardest and yet there was my dad sort of in my way, sitting on the top. I was very tired at the time and a bit annoyed because he didn't move away given all the room I figured he had. "Can you move, please?" I asked. He looked down at me and said "I can't". Whoa, that was demoralizing, because I knew exactly what it meant. Yes, this was a knife edge with a drop off almost as abrupt on other side. After downclimbing the 3rd class stuff I thought we were in the clear and we headed down class 2 talus into a blind chute. Blind indeed. There was a fairly significant 3rd class step in it. Anyhow with my slow pace we didn't make Sapphire. It got pitch dark when we reached the lake below at ~elev 11800 so we slept there.

I can't think of any passes I've done which sketched me out as much as Kaweah nor that had class 3 as challenging as whatever route I took on Haeckel Col., oh but wait, there is the seasonal stuff... I think its the one called Graveyard Pass. In late July of 1995 I crossed from the Graveyard side with Judy. 1995 was a fairly heavy winter. The upper Graveyard Lakes were frozen over but we were able to dodge much of the snow until we crested out and peeked over the other side. Yikes, that was steep snow at the lip. Not truly corniced, but a steep headwall nonetheless. Then came another issue. It had been several years since we had last used our crampons and it turned out they didn't fit our boots, so they were strapped back to the packs where they'd remain for the rest of the trip. In addition we didn't have real ice axes, but rather these old school walking sticks with these mini pick tops. I didn't like the look of the slope below, because although the slope angle eased below the formidable headwall, there was another vanishing point about 200-300' of elevation below. Judy was chomping at the bit and started over the edge. She initially faced outward on the slope and I reminded her that she should be careful and kick steps facing into the slope. She retorted "Don't tell me what to.....aaaaahhhhhhh...." and off she went flying down the slope. Various bits of gear were strewn all over the slope. She careened toward the sinister vanishing point as my heart lodged somewhere in my throat. Then she slowed down and stopped well short of it. Whew. Now that I could see that one really would stop before the unseen drop off I took off in a semi controlled glissade and picked up all of Judy's dropped gear on the way down (I recall her walking stick was snapped in half). Judy was now operational and as we descended further found that the vanishing point was non-lethal snow rather than a cliff band.

So the pass was surmounted and not a concern for two days until we returned for our exit. By this time enough snow had melted so that the benign upper run out area had a lot of rocks sticking out. No longer so benign. A slip on the headwall was to be avoided. I started kicking steps into the headwall and found to my chagrin that the snow was now a fairly thin veneer over hard ice. Pretty dicey. It was supremely steep, so my rear end was more or less above Judy's head as we ascended. Judy said "You'd better not slip or you'll take us both out." I did not need to be reminded.

So I guess those are my most difficult or scariest off trail passes, so far as I remember.
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: The Worst and Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

Post by Wandering Daisy »

My most difficult and/or scary moments in the Sierra were not on passes.

As for passes, my worst "experience" on a pass was also due to conditions, not Snow Tongue pass per se. The north slope was saturated and very loose. Every step I thought I would be caught up in a massive landslide. Perhaps it was because I am a geologist and know too much about slope failures. Ignorance may have been bliss on this pass. If I had not been aware of the danger, I may not have been as scared. Sky Pilot Pass comes in second simply because of the steep hard dirt with small ball-bearing sand. I also envisioned cartwheeling down that entire slope. Other passes have been harder, but not as scary.

Mono Pass this year was scary, only because my crampon broke half-way across an icy slope where I really needed crampons.

I purposely avoid the documented really scary or difficult passes. You will not find me near those! And I have no qualms about retreating and taking a detour. Also, a small error in route finding can turn almost any pass into a difficult, scary pass.

I hope Rogue chimes in- he has the most scary stories about the most difficult passes than anyone on this forum!
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Re: The Worst and Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

Post by SSSdave »

That really isn't a level question because with difficult passes, people with mediocre route finding skills, those who don't bother to carefully analyze a topographic map, and those simply unlucky when choosing a route, may end up NOT going up/down the least difficult route. Additionally if a pass tends to have snow during part of the summer season, such may be considerably more difficult depending on how much, how steeply corniced, and softness of snow ie time of day and weather. Other people's tracks on many cross country use routes I've been on over decades, has shown how clueless a significant number of off trail users have been going over such places.

A typical case is where the straight down route as viewed at a top saddle position appears to be fine as far as one can see down on a concave slope. But for which a topo map shows further down the slope gradient steepens as is usually the case with glacially carved U-shaped canyons. Yet like lemmings, there will be a very well trod use path right down such slopes that those that unwisely travel by sight only get suckered into going down.

Also some more difficult passes are not at saddles or cols but rather depend on what route is possible to reach a ridge line. Then upon reaching the top from one side of a ridge, instead of immediately descending, one may then again need to travel up or down from along a ridge until descending the other side. To know where to do so requires topo map analysis. Carol Col aka Puppet Pass that I hiked up to last week is one such pass. I did not descend but rather just took pictures I will soon post on our passes sub-forum page in order to help clarify the correct route for future travelers since trip reports often complain about their routes over that pass. Much more beyond the above.

One pass that has always confused many is scree plagued Jigsaw Pass between the South Fork of Bishop Creek and Big Pine Creek. Note there are many difficult use route "passes" one will read on boards like summitpost.org that are really not suitable for those carrying a heavy pack. Thus at a minimum the question ought to be limited to where those carrying a backpack is at least practical. Not a few clueless groups going up Darwin Canyon intending to cross Lamarck Col have instead mistakenly chosen the low point that drops down through steep sometimes large talus to the Schober Hole lakes. But such a route ought not be considered backpacking practical.

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Re: The Worst and Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

Post by Wandering Daisy »

SSSdave is right to point out the difference between doing a pass on a climb (day-pack) and backpacking. Secor's guide as well as SPS trip reports describe the difficulty of the pass as it applies to climbing. After all, these are CLIMBING guides.

The main factors that makes a pass "bad or scary" for me are; 1) the "fall-you-die" factor and 2) slope stability. I do not mind scree-skiing as miserable as it is; when the entire slope could fail is when it becomes scary and bad. Loose steep talus is also "bad". Alpine Col has endless talus hopping, but it is stable. I do not mind steepness in itself as long as I have a good ledge and something solid to hang on to.

You really cannot tell from the topo map alone, (nor from Google Earth) if a steep pass is safe or not. Although I agree that looking carefully at the topo map is good, it will not give you the whole answer.
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Re: The Worst and Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

Post by Harlen »

Judy was chomping at the bit and started over the edge. She initially faced outward on the slope and I reminded her that she should be careful and kick steps facing into the slope. She retorted "Don't tell me what to.....aaaaahhhhhhh...." and off she went flying down the slope." giantbrookie.
Great! That was the idea. To get at some of our best survival stories. David, you make some fine points, but you shorted us on the stories.
Perhaps it was because I am a geologist and know too much about slope failures. Ignorance may have been bliss on this pass. If I had not been aware of the danger, I may not have been as scared." Wandering Daisy
Thanks to you too Daisy; interesting point on the geology background leading to knowledge and a safer approach, though it seems you noted the danger, and then blithely proceeded on. It appears that John uses his geologic knowledge for safety too, though his method seems immoral to me- that is to send ones father and wife off first when he senses danger. :smirk:
Last edited by Harlen on Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Worst and Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

Post by maverick »

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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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Re: The Worst and Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I did not "blithy go on". I was part way up when I realised that it could slide- at that point it was faster to continue up than go back down. Sometimes you do not get the best choice so you do the least "bad" choice.
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Re: The Worst and Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

Post by Harlen »

Of course, no criticism intended Daisy- only another droll stab at levity. I was in the same predicament on my scary pass above- except that I was in the opposite position of having to continue down the scary stuff. Thanks for the comments.
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Re: The Worst and Scariest Back Country Pass you've done

Post by oldranger »

The scariest pass for me is one I have crossed several times and always scared the sh!t out of me. Class 2 no real exposure, but unstable as hell. Rogue got injured on this trail and he posted a description of the pass, listed as Thunder Ridge. He also described the pass in one of his trip reports. Luckily I never had an accident. But I can't imagine doing it again.
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