High Sierra Topix

Grinnell Pass


GENERAL OVERVIEW: Pace Col (Grinnell Pass) is located in the Mono Divide
within Sierra NF, and is a direct route between Laurel Creek and the Fish Creek.

CLASS/DIFFICULTY: Class 2


LOCATION: Sierra NF. Pace Col on the HST Map


ELEVATION: 11,600ft


USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Mount Abbot, CA


ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Hike north of past both Grinnell Lakes toward the Col.
There is loose shale mixed with patches of snow on the northern side of the Col.
Circle around Red & White Lakes eastern side.

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Cgundersen

Here are some photos of Pace Col without snow in early September 2008. We crossed Pace Col from south to north. This was the first backpacking trip by my friend in the photos. He ran many marathons, but talus travel was new to him and a bit disconcerting.

Before mid season or in big years until late season going around the east side of the Red and White Lake via a short shadowed talus chute through the usual steep rock band may be snowy icy steep. Note from my position I could not see what was in that chute and why two northward bound backpackers that came over the pass looked at that chute for a half hour before deciding to not try it. That will force one to climb high up and around through steep loose areas easily class 3. Last year of 2017 end of July watched two backpackers spend a couple hours wandering about there while two of us were fishing until finally getting through. On the below image the chute is above where I marked a red X. The red line is where they went while the yellow line is the standard later season route they expected to use via the chute. Also note one cannot simply stay low by the rocky shoreline due to the same bedrock band that is a cliff into the water plus a steep snowfield, lower down.