High Sierra Topix

has anyone been over this pass. im not sure if it has a name but it looks easier than grinnell pass which is a little more to the north. thinking of going over it in a few days. class 2 or 3? it is maked by the red flag.

summits

Scroll down almost to the bottom of the page where these folks crossed the ridge
between Hopkins and Grinnell. Pictures included of the ridges eastern and western
side.
http://www.johnreedfamily.com/~mono_rec ... s_2000.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When I want to design a route over steep areas, I download online from the libre map project that easily has the best topo scans online. From that did an mwsnap screen capture, then edited the orange and red line routes in MS Paint:



Notice how much better one can see the obvious ramp on the west side? Obviously the steeper issues are on the west side. We spent 2 days at Grinnel and I closely checked the route with my monocular from below though I didn't have time to actually climb up there like I wanted to. On the east side the longer more gradual walk down route is in red. No doubt given the unplanned methods of most they just go right up the steep orange route. However the east side has just one 40 foot steep section while the west side has seven that is obvious class 2 with use of hands grabbing rock and whitebark pine branches.

I have unfinished business in the Laural Creek basin so have a 5 or 6-day trip planned for the future. Some aesthetic perspective thereabouts but not particularly obvious unless one does their homework.

That may be the pass I tried to get over on my pool of blood trip two years ago (I had a cut that wouldn't stop bleeding). If so, it was an immense grind getting to about 50 feet from the top, and then it looked so onerous I actually turned around, which is something that it normally takes wild horses to pull me into doing. Class 2 -3 is probably accurate (although the very top might have been high class 3), but with a heavy pack it was an ordeal. If you see blood stains, you'll know you're following my trail.

thanks for ur help guys!

headed out for a 5 day trip on sunday...going to red and white mtn, graveyard lakes, cotton lake, and such.

will post photos later.

summits