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Duck Pass/Silver Pass

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 5:33 pm
by vince s
Hi Everyone, Im new to the site, looks like lots of awesome information and pictures here. Have a hike planned from Mammoth to Huntington Lake leaving on 7-23 and am concerned with the amount of snow. Does anyone have any current information on Duck pass and surrounding area?

Re: Duck Pass/Silver Pass

Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 9:33 am
by cgundersen
Vince,
Seems no one has been in that area yet, and the latest on the Inyo National Forest website (see link below) is 8d old. But, even so I'm guessing you'll still hit lots of snow and soggy conditions. If you get a chance, post a report when you return!
http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... sition=Not" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Yet Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Inyo National Forest- Recreation

cg

Re: Duck Pass/Silver Pass

Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:52 am
by maverick
Hi Vince,

Welcome to HST!
According to the ranger at the visitors center, Duck Pass is still under heavy snow, and
the lake is still iced over, this was from reports dating back just a few days.
Which makes sense, if 1000 Is Lake (9833) was just starting to thaw at the outlet back on
7/17, Duck Lake is at 10482, and the pass at 10797.
I hope you possess good snow travel experience, and good navigational skills before you
consider embarking on this trip.

Re: Duck Pass/Silver Pass

Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 12:10 pm
by gary c.
Vince is a buddy of mine and we had planned this trip along with our wives some time back. Like everyone else we have been hoping that conditions would be better by now. None of us have ever hiked the west side so we have pretty much decided to just drive up to the Huntington/Edison area and see what we can get as walk ups. Like I said we have never been to the area and would appreciate any suggestion you all might have. There is normally a lot of planning that goes into our trips but this one has turned into more of a seat of our pants kind of thing. We have 8 days and looking at either a couple of short hikes or one long one. We like to stop and enjoy the scenery so we are really not into big miles and fishing is a priority. To give you an idea, our trip was planned to be 8 days from Duck Lake to VVR then out over Mono Pass and LLV.

Thanks'

Re: Duck Pass/Silver Pass

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:15 am
by Wild Bill
Hi All:

I just did this trip July 20-24. Still lotsa snow on the approach to Duck Pass, but totally passable.
A gully full of very steep snow above Duck Lake was a challenge to cross by climbing with backpacks on the rocks above. On the way back, it was shoveled out making the return much easier. It is called "Dead Horse Bay" by the packers for obvious reasons.

No issues to Purple Lake. Went down to Fish Creek in Cascade Valley. Heavy mosquitoes there. Waist high ford of Fish Creek; water moving slow; not dangerous.

Took Minnow Creek Trail up to Olive Lake. Off the charts bad mosquitoes; wore head net entire time.
Much snow around Olive Lake and solid snow pack above it.

I continued to Lake Of the Lone Indian. Lake was about 25% ice covered, but melting fast. Only one reasonable campsite on dry ground around the lake. Much snow on the north facing slope. Goodale Pass was a solid snow slope top to bottom. Papoose Lake was 75% iced covered. Solid snow on north side of Silver Pass with "trophy class" sun cups. Hikers were making it; but it was a slow, tedious, frustrating, (Add more adjectives here) climb.

Back down to Fish Creek, Tully Hole, Virginia Lake, and Purple Lake; no issues.
Bring lotsa 100% DEET and a head net!

PS: Having 2 hiking poles are very useful in the snow and stream crossings..

Re: Duck Pass/Silver Pass

Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:07 pm
by gary c.
WB, thanks for the reply. We ended up doing just a couple short hikes to Dinkey Lakes and Devils Bath Tub. It made for a very relaxing week and quite enjoyable. I'll try to get a TR posted in the next couple of days.