High Sierra Topix

Thanks for the post phenocryst, nice to-the-point description. I take it there was no cornice/snow of any note on cataract pass? (That's the one leading from Dumbell Lakes to Amphitheatre Lake, right?). I went that way a few years ago and remember thinking it could turn tricky with enough snow. Anyway, there's a tab at the bottom of the screen when you edit that says "upload attachment", and if you convert photos to under 2mb, you can upload them with your text. -Eric

I will try to post a few pass pics I hope will be informative. Thanks cg and Moonwalker! Third (westernmost) rockslide below south side of Cartridge Pass. Switchbacks go up under trees running diagonally from bottom left, then trail traverses left (west) and goes up the wooded drainage to the lake at 10800+. View south from Dumbbell Pass including Marion Lake and Cirque Crest. Palisades and Cataract Creek Pass (low point at left center) from Dumbbell Pass. North side Dumbbell Pass from below Cataract Creek Pass. We descended on the strip of snow, then traversed right (west) over the ridge and diagonally down to the lakeshore at right center. North side of Cataract Creek Pass (upper section). The small amount of snow at the top was easily bypassed on the west side. View down Cataract Creek from below Ampitheater Lake. We started down the right (east) side but soon crossed to the west. A short section of good trail took us around the cliffs and talus above and west of the pond just above center.

There is notably less snow in these photos than in others posted on HST. Almost a month later, there is probably even less there now.

Dang, those rockslides below Cartridge Pass still look as lousy as ever; I pretty much gave up on Cartridge after donating a pint of blood to mosquitoes there on a hot July morning years ago. But, the rest of the trip looked as alpinely seductive as one could hope for. thanks for the photos!
cg