High Sierra Topix

We're hoping to travel the JMT - entering from South Lake over Bishop pass on Aug 7 and exiting over Kersarge Pass on the 12th - average 10 miles a day or so. Wondering about trail conditions - particularly on Mather and Glen Passes, and about stream crossing conditions along the way. Group of 3 - Level 3 and Class 3 - somewhat comfortable with stream crossings, but would like to avoid the swifter more dicey stuff. Any information or suggestions?

KenC wrote: JMT - entering from South Lake over Bishop pass on Aug 7 and exiting over Kersarge Pass on the 12th

Right on man, we have a group of 3 leaving Kearsarge (Onion Valley) 8/10 to Reds Meadow so we will pass each other for sure. I will be watching this thread close, we are anxious to see how the snow, fords, and mosquitos will play out, good luck and maybe well meet up...

Max Power
Bones
Lo

BUMP...

Anyone been hiking in the Onion Valley area? How’s the smoke, bugs, snow, fords, etc...?

Talked to a Ranger by phone this AM. They tell me the top of Glenn pass is snow free, but snow on approaches to both sides. Mather pass has a 20' snow cave near the top of the pass on the south side, and so the recommendation is for people to stay on the rocks as much as possible on the south side to avoid falling through that. Streams seem to be passable (no more than knee or maybe thigh deep at worst at last report). Hopefully, by next week, things should be even better than that. - Would still welcome any first hand recent reports from that area that may be even more current. (Ranger info tends to lag a bit in terms of time)

For Glen Pass, we just went over N to S. There were some snowfields to cross, particularly one near the top, but it was all soft and fairly easy. That said, I wouldn’t want to go down the north side of the pass on a day when the snow had refrozen. The snow on the south side was easy.