High Sierra Topix

Thanks guys. (BTW, Buzzy's hair looks just fine to me.)

By the way, how is the route over Cartridge Pass? I see that Secor uses the word "difficult" not once, but twice, in describing it. And back then, Secor was generally too macho to readily concede that something was difficult.

The hard part of Cartridge Pass is the classic bushwhack up to Lakes Basin from the middle fork of the King's River. Looping into Lakes Basin from Dumbbell Pass avoids this slog.

By the way, finding the trail up to Cartridge Pass from the south fork of the King's River is fairly easy. The switchbacks are in pretty good shape and the trail is very direct. I happened to camp at a flat spot near the river, close to where I thought the trail would be. Exploring that evening, I found the trail not more than a few hundred yards from my camp. About 150 yeards north of the river, rocks have been laid out like a portal to mark the beginning of the ascent up the trail. Once up to the bench just below the pass, I managed to lose the trail again; no matter, it was easy cross-country to the pass.

Mike