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Italy Pass to Pine Creek Pass loop conditions and advice?

Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:49 pm
by tomba
Does anyone have any advice or information about condition of passes between Italy Pass and Pine Creek Pass? We are planning to make a 4 day loop a week from now.

In order to cross the basin with Bear Lakes and Vee Lake, we would have to cross 2 passes.

On the north side of the basin there seems to be a choice of 3 passes: Dancing Bear Pass, White Bear Pass, and Ursula Pass.

On the south side, there is a choice of Feather Pass, LaSalle Col, Ruskie Pass, and Merriam Pass. Stough Pass or Gemini Lake Pass would lead to the basin of Pinncales Creek, which seems to look nice on the map, but it would make a larger loop and I am not sure how is the descent to the Piute Canyon.

I got the pass information from http://sierrabackpacker.com/sierrapasses-new.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

We are comfortable with class 2 climbing. We don't use any snow equipment beyond trekking poles.

Primary concern would probably be snow on the north side of the passes. Another concern is whether any of the passes are hard or tricky. Any advice?

Re: Italy Pass to Pine Creek Pass loop conditions and advice?

Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 8:06 pm
by BrianF
Tomba, I have been through Dancing Bear pass and over Feather pass, neither one of which poses any problems, but I don't know what conditions are this year. I have heard the descent from either of the Pinnacles creeks to Piute canyon is quite difficult. Please post a condition report when you get back, I am taking a similar trip to there in mid september

Re: Italy Pass to Pine Creek Pass loop conditions and advice?

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 7:34 am
by caddis
Did Dancing and White Bear passes a couple weeks ago. Dancing bear had quite a bit of snow but it was still not a problem. ( Stick to the east side of Jumble)

White Bear pass was relatively snow free

Re: Italy Pass to Pine Creek Pass loop conditions and advice?

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 3:05 pm
by LMBSGV
I also did Feather and Dancing Bear in late July, early August 2009. There was snow on the west side of Feather and more on Dancing Bear, as Caddis said. On Dancing Bear, there were three big snowfields. I went around two since it was the morning and they were a bit icy still. The third I slid down. I suspect this year, the snow will be worse. When I went over Italy in late August 1998, there was a lot of snow. But it was easily done with a trekking pole.

Re: Italy Pass to Pine Creek Pass loop conditions and advice?

Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 8:53 am
by caddis
Image

This was 8/2/11 The open water froze back over. Dancing Bear pass is in the right corner of the picture