TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7

If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
User avatar
kpeter
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1449
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:11 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: TR: Palisades Basin Aug 4-7

Post by kpeter »

maverick wrote:Beautiful TR as always, but a misleading title Kpeter since Palisade Basin is located on
the western side of the Sierra Crest. :)
Continue to be surprised by the abundance of flowers this late into the season during
a drought year.
Thank you for the correction, I fixed the title. I had incorrectly assumed that a basin dominated by the Palisades Glacier was informally called Palisades basin, but with your guidance I have learned that the name already has a formal usage on the other side!

The flowers were not abundant--but they cropped up in certain elevation and damp spots. A little like the occasional oasis.
User avatar
gary c.
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1479
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:56 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Lancaster, CA

Re: TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7

Post by gary c. »

Great report and pictures. I agree with you about Sam Mack Meadow, to say it is beautiful is an understatement.
"On this proud and beautiful mountain we have lived hours of fraternal, warm and exalting nobility. Here for a few days we have ceased to be slaves and have really been men. It is hard to return to servitude."
-- Lionel Terray
User avatar
Herm
Topix Regular
Posts: 257
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 8:33 am
Experience: N/A
Location: Anaheim, CA
Contact:

Re: TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7

Post by Herm »

kpeter;

Thanks for a neat report and photos from a great area. I too climbed the trail to Black Lake, in the afternoon of a very hot summer day. My wife and I circled around from Black Lake to Third Lake, where we endured the most intense Sierra thunderstorm I have ever encountered. While pea-sized hail fell in abundance, lightning sparked and thunder crashed off the high ramparts of Temple Crag, and house-sized blocks of rock rolled from the heights near Contact Pass. It was a day I might never forget, for all of the sound and fury, followed by a serene and beautiful sunset, so typical of the range of light.

It is nice to see the flowers that do seem to thrive in even a dry year like this.
Herm
I am not in a hurry, so don't be hasty.
User avatar
Turtleggjp
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:32 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7

Post by Turtleggjp »

Thanks for the report, kpeter! I was up in that area myself back in late June, so it's pretty fresh in my mind. While it wasn't my first time to the Big Pine Lakes (1-3), it was my first time getting to see 4 & 5, as well as going up the glacier trail. Looks like you didn't go any closer to the glacier than the overlook ridge, and neither did I since I had my dog with me. Sam Mack Meadow, while not all that big, I found to be a beautiful place to lounge around in the afternoon after a trip up to see the glacier. Glad to hear you got to enjoy it as well.

Matt
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6640
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

Re: TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I just got back from almost the same trip! I think you got better photos than I did. I had trouble because everything is SO close that I could not fit it all in one frame! I do think the area is overused and given the heavy impact, I wish the FS would do something about it. There are unofficial "use-trails" everywhere, tons of illegal campsites, and trash all over the trail. It was only when I got up to Sixth Lake where there are no fish, that I really felt I was in the wilderness. I kept bumping into a Boy Scout group of 15 people, who seemed to always be lost! As I was fishing in Fourth Lake, I heard someone puking (too much booze night before) at a big packer camp. It looks like you avoided such. On my return, a huge family was marching down the trail (day hikers) with the father leading everyone in shouting marching songs at the top of their lungs! Nevertheless, a really beautiful area. Not much of a wilderness feel, but stunning scenery.
User avatar
kpeter
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1449
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:11 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7

Post by kpeter »

WD,

I just found this post after I already commented on your own trip report. It would be fun to share notes and impressions. Yes, the area was very heavily used. Even climbing to the glacier we saw several groups of people at the top. But it is heavily used because of the stunning beauty, no? And I was convinced that YOU got the better pictures!
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6640
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

Re: TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I will answer questions from both posts here.

When you take 300 pictures, a few turn out good! I think a lot has to do with being at the right place at the right time. I find this area difficult to photograph. Particularly Temple Crag. The lighting is always tricky.

The area is used a lot by climbers as it has short weekend accessibility to major climbs. Add the fishermen and the day hikers and it can be a zoo. Like LYV in Yosemite, I think exceptionally scenic easily accessible areas perhaps would be better off if de-classified as "wilderness" and some facilities (solar outhouses) and with camping more restricted. At least a number of "no camping here- restoration in progress" signs need to be placed. It appears that a number of unofficial trails have been made by horse packers. The trails are just too big to be foot trails.

From Sam Mack Meadow, if you go to the trees at the upper end, and then wander through the boulders, you eventually (near the upper end of the lower boulders) find a use-trail. This takes an improbable and steep route up the cliffs just east of the creek that tumbles down from the east end of Sam Mack Lake. It is not much of a trail - would not want to carry a fully loaded pack up it!

Yes, Sixth and Seventh Lake have been gill netted. And yes, they are full of frogs! I found it interesting that there were frogs in all stages from full grown to little tadpoles. I think that without fish, the lakes have been able to avoid the heavy use, such as big fisherman's trails around them and over-camping. I think most people just day-hike up to these lakes.

I accessed the upper drainage (one upper branch goes to Jigsaw Pass, the other to the glacier that I went to) from Sixth Lake. It looks tough to get to the hanging valley from Fifth Lake, mainly due to brush. In my opinion, these upper drainages are not very nice for day-hiking unless early season when the talus is snow covered.
User avatar
kpeter
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1449
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:11 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7

Post by kpeter »

Thanks so much WD!

Let me follow up on the Sam Mack lake excursion. I had one poor photo of that end of the meadow and I have marked it up to help with my questions.
IMGP3276 marked and edited.jpg
The Red arrow points to where I think Sam Mack lake is in this picture.

The Blue arrow points to the area I think you mentioned in your described route--East of the stream leaving from the East side of Sam Mack Lake. But this certainly looks intimidating!

Is the Purple circle where you indicate you pick up the use trail?

The orange route was what I was contemplating when in the meadow--but I did not investigate it.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
polemonium
Topix Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 2:44 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7

Post by polemonium »

I was in the Palisades last year in August and spent some time in Sam Mack Meadow. I did not go to the lake, but as I understand it, the route to the lake is to the right as you face up-meadow, roughly where your orange arrow is. The steep drainage near the blue arrow was packed with an overhanging mass of old snow at the top (as I understand it, this is typical in summer) and I wouldn't recommend going near it.

I agree that the N. Fork area suffers somewhat from overuse, but I really enjoyed it. The area around the back of Fourth Lake was not very occupied and there was a great view from a large clearing above the lake (an old camp location), and Sam Mack Meadow is beautiful with not as much traffic, possibly because the packers can't access it.
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6640
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

Re: TR: Big Pine Lakes and Palisades Glacier Aug 4-7

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I was giving directions without looking at the map. The yellow line is basically the location of the use-trail. The red line on the map below is the use-trail. The blue line is what I feel is a better route. The trail to Sam Mack Meadow crosses a boulder field. At this point leave the trail and hop up the boulders (or you could scramble up solid rock left of the boulders) to the ridge. At the top of the ridge there is a prominent joint system with a grassy slot that goes up. At the top, near Sam Mack Lake you again have to hop rocks. This route is much less steep. The only difficulty is rock hopping.

[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... amMack.jpg[/rimg]
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: DaveB, freestone, Google Adsense [Bot] and 123 guests