Bunny Lake Pass (Unofficial)

[jrad]

TITLE: Bunny Lake Pass (unnofficial)

GENERAL OVERVIEW: Leads across the Mammoth Crest between Bunny Lake to the east and Franklin Lake to the west.

CLASS/DIFFICULTY: CLASS 2-3

LOCATION: HST Map

ELEVATION: 11,350ft

USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Bloody Mountain 7.5'

ROUTE DESCRIPTION: After reaching Franklin Lake (I assume it is NOT this pond due east of the much larger lake I call Franklin), one sees two possible passes. The reason I give "Pretty Pass?" a question mark is that it looked bad from a distance and I have doubts that it is really the x-country pass known as Pretty Pass, which drops down onto Lake Dorothy. Some day I will at least do a day hike up it to check it out.

I used the route noted and found immediately over down the NE sides of the route to Bunny Lake, some very nicely made "use trails". These two sections were actually "built" by somebody and done well, as far as they go. They are not simply an accumulation of uses. The sections were laid out nicely and involve a little rock work. I saw no use trails at all next to "My route", however. The long steep talus to the south of my route is the obvious route but it is very loose and tedious to use. However, it is THE downhill option since it is fast and easy to slip and slide down if one stays away from the larger shale talus and uses the finer granitic talus just north closer to my route.

I spent well over an hour scoping out routes using binoculars and finally decided the cleanest route skirted a small cliff/wall and avoided a chute (tried on day hike and found it a little too technical for backpacking) and only required some easy Class 3 to gain about 20 feet elevation. Above that the going is still a little tedious for a while but back to just careful walking.

I kept looking over to the supposed "Pretty Pass" and never liked what I saw. It looks good on the topo and up close is maybe fine but it looked iffy from a distance, looking to be very steep and precarious and loose.

I laid out a series of cairns and cleaned foot and hand holds and made a little tread to show the way up a very nice set of steps or stairs with excellent foot and handholds.

Also see viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13221

PHOTOS:

file.jpg

Bunny Lake Pass Routes.jpg

My route detail.jpg

Pretty Pass from my route.jpg

Stairs.jpg