Mineral King to Franklin Pass TR 7/8-7/10

[emcd661]

Backpacked out of Mineral King last weekend. Our plan was to go MK>Forester>Big 5 Lakes>Little 5 Lakes>MK. Our ranger informed us that Blackrock Pass (coming out of Little 5 Lakes back to MK) was a toss up. Not enough information on whether it was possible or not. Choice two was Sawtooth which the ranger immediately shut down--they were not issuing permits for Sawtooth at all unless individuals had ice climbing gear; apparently it was impassable otherwise. So we decided to do a Forester Lake/ Big 5 Lake out and back.

MK>Franklin Lake. Water crossings were nothing serious: both Crystal Creek and Franklin Creek crossings were manageable with common sense and trekking poles. Neither were more than knee deep. 2-3 minor snow fields on the initial ascent to Franklin Lakes. Nothing major. Be mindful of snow bridges. The snow is thin in some spots-- I fell/broke through- thankfully it was not serious. Franklin Lake was beautiful. Still about 70% covered in ice. A lot of snow around the cirque. No bugs at all. Kind of hazy due to the fire.

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Franklin Lake>Franklin Pass. Nice climb. A lot more snow. There are a few spots that you have to completely forgo the trail and make your own way because the fields are too large to see where the trail goes. Other spots where it may behoove you to do the same just because the snow fields are so steep. Either way very manageable trail with fantastic views.

Franklin Pass is doable with just trek poles if your are coming from Franklin into Rattle Snake Canyon, but it will be a serious workout if your itinerary brings you back over on a return trip or you are coming the other way. The deeper Sierras are still a winter wonderland. Snow everywhere.

Franklin Pass (Rattlesnake Canyon and Forester Lake to left).jpg

After seeing the backside of Franklin Pass and knowing that Blackrock was potentially impassable we gave up and decided to just spend the weekend hanging out at Franklin Lake. Did some day jaunts around and explored. Polar plunged in the ice covered lake. A group of people did come over from Rattlesnake Canyon but they had ice axes and microspikes. Even though we didn't get to do any of our itinerary it was time spent in the wilderness which is always time well spent.

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[cgundersen]

emcd,
Wow, definitely plenty of snow still lurking there and yep, that ornery fire above Isabella. I'm debating dragging my buddy from out East into that area in late August, but given your skeeter report, they may be in their prime by then. What a weird year!
Cameron

[SSSdave]

Per the satellite image thread I posted yesterday:

http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... 34&t=16246

One can see a lot of snow up on Great Western Divide right where you visited. Just left of where I annotated Big Arroyo and Great Western D one can see a melted out notch at Farewell Gap separating the Little Kern basin from Mineral King. Not surprisingly, it looks like areas on the west side of Mineral King valley are more snow free than on the GW Divide. One thing we are see now in July is landscapes that melted out in mid June are now looking very normal with greenery and wildflowers while those higher up are abruptly still looking like late spring. This is very much like 1995, a big El Nino year.

David
http://www.davidsenesac.com/2017_Trip_C ... les-0.html

[maverick]

Thank for your TR and pictures, very helpful for people considering that area in the near future. That smoke is really having an effect on the skies, not great for photography.

[Optimus-00]

Thanks for the report. It looks like 2017 will be similar to what I saw in 2011, here is Franklin Lakes at end of July that year:



I plan to go back there in two weeks, and will deal with what's there. I'm encouraged by the recent "upgrade" on Glacier Pass, of 7/14.

[kpeter]

Thank you so much for this trip report. It gives me some food for thought. I've never packed in that region before and I resolved to do that loop this summer. So I have my reservations for a Mineral King--Franklin Pass--Big 5--Little 5--Black Rock Pass--Timber Gap--Mineral King loop, set to leave on August 1, Now I wonder if two weeks of snowmelt will be enough to make this trip possible/pleasurable. I'm no snow and ice expert but I have a little experience. I walked across six miles of suncups when I went over Muir Pass in late July 2011, using microspikes early in the morning. A track in the snow was obvious the whole way if tedious and exhausting. What do you think about that loop for early August? Should I give up on this idea?

[giantbrookie]

So I have my reservations for a Mineral King--Franklin Pass--Big 5--Little 5--Black Rock Pass--Timber Gap--Mineral King loop, set to leave on August 1, Now I wonder if two weeks of snowmelt will be enough to make this trip possible/pleasurable. What do you think about that loop for early August? Should I give up on this idea?

My guess based on these photos is that you will be OK as of Aug 1 based on how these lakes look 7-8 to 7-10. The snow conditions in these 7-8 to 7-10 photos look a lot like the conditions as of August 2-3, 1969 which means this specific area received much less snow than in 1969 or is thawing much faster than it did in 1969. 1969 and 1983 were the closest years on record to 2017 in terms of snowfall in the High Sierra. The key is that there are some places for which 2017 is pretty close to 1969 and 1983 and others where the snowpack was less. This area seems way ahead of 1969 in terms of thawing out, so it looks to me that 3 weeks will see every lake on your route thawed and probably provide you with ways to dodge steep snowpatches at key spots. Three weeks is a lot of time.

[kpeter]

So I have my reservations for a Mineral King--Franklin Pass--Big 5--Little 5--Black Rock Pass--Timber Gap--Mineral King loop, set to leave on August 1, Now I wonder if two weeks of snowmelt will be enough to make this trip possible/pleasurable. What do you think about that loop for early August? Should I give up on this idea?

My guess based on these photos is that you will be OK as of Aug 1 based on how these lakes look 7-8 to 7-10. The snow conditions in these 7-8 to 7-10 photos look a lot like the conditions as of August 2-3, 1969 which means this specific area received much less snow than in 1969 or is thawing much faster than it did in 1969. 1969 and 1983 were the closest years on record to 2017 in terms of snowfall in the High Sierra. The key is that there are some places for which 2017 is pretty close to 1969 and 1983 and others where the snowpack was less. This area seems way ahead of 1969 in terms of thawing out, so it looks to me that 3 weeks will see every lake on your route thawed and probably provide you with ways to dodge steep snowpatches at key spots. Three weeks is a lot of time.

Thanks Giantbrookie, that is encouraging. I'm wondering now about the major stream crossings in the first week of August. They would include Soda Creek below the Amphitheater drainage, Lost Canyon Creek, the outlet to the Big Five Lakes that Doyle noted was "probably a difficult wet crossing in early season," and then Cliff Creek below Timber Gap. That last one is a particular worry since it would come at the very end of the trip. Anybody have any experience with these crossings and advice?