Black Divide Crossing

[alpinemike]

Title: Black Divide Crossing

GENERAL OVERVIEW: This pass leads from the drainage basin found directly South of Black Giant and crosses the Black Divide above Lake 11,654.

CLASS/DIFFICULTY: Class 3

LOCATION: Kings Canyon National Park to the West of of Lake 11,654 HST Map

ELEVATION: 12,800

USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Mt. Goddard

ROUTE DESCRIPTION: The West Side of this pass is a couple hundred foot Class 2 slope that is mostly small boulders and talus.

The East side of this pass drops directly along the ridge-line that extends down towards Lake 11,654. This entire ridge may be followed all the way down. There are several gendarmes along the way which would have to be bypassed. The initial down climb is Class 3 with several moves that required physically down-climbing. If one is reversing the direction these moves would require technical Class 3 which involves the use of hands for lifting yourself up the rock. After a certain point you can drop off the ridge-line below a red section of rock. There will be a chute present, but do not take it. You should go around the chute and climb down to the talus field below from there. Unfortunately when Rogue Photonic & I went down this way we ended up on some Class 4 terrain. This can be avoided if you keep an eye out for a better way that involves more ledges which will still be Class 3. After this you follow all the way down a large moraine field that is only conditionally stable to the outlet of Lake 11,654.

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[RoguePhotonic]

Historical Note: Back in 2012 when I first crossed this I had no information on anyone doing it. For all I knew I was the first. In 2015 while AlpineMike and I took lunch on the top of the pass I happened to look over and see an old tobacco container that was rusted and broken open. Inside was a extremely weather damaged old register. The best we could determine on site is that the first signature was 1969 by Andy Smatko although this type of container is a bit strange for him as he normally leaves aluminum film canisters. There were a number of other signatures and dates up to 1979 could be made out. Due to the damaged nature of the register we removed it and will attempt to recover the information on it. If successful perhaps we can copy it and restore the register to the pass.

Register photo: