Tyndall Creek - "John Dean Cutoff" Trail

[Captain Slappy]

I've been looking at using the Tyndall Creek cutoff trail for a trip next month to Kaweah Basin from Shepherd's Pass. It had been on my itinerary last year, but I wasn't able to make it that far.

There are a couple of reports I've found of people using the Tyndall Creek cutoff trail. One piece of advice I found in these was that the trail was usable downhill but very difficult to do uphill. I seem to recall that Tom Kirchner had written something about the trail, but it's almost like everything he wrote on the BPL site has vanished (which would be a huge loss).

I guess my questions are: (1) Does anyone have any info on how usable this trail is? (2) Is it difficult to find? (3) Is it a dangerous trail to use?

Thanks!

[Jimr]

The only info I have is I was considering heading up it to get out of the Kern trench a few years ago. We heard that it was not visible from the Kern. I could see it high up on the wall climbing out of the trench, but could not locate where to intercept it cross country, so I elected to follow the Kern up to it's headwaters instead.

[kpeter]

I bailed on it last year when I tore my meniscus. But the intersection was clear to me. I was coming down the JMT from the north and found it just after crossing Tyndall Creek. It is the sign for the ranger station.

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I did not take the trail, but met an old timer who had taken it a few years ago and said he had no problems. Hopefully there will someone with more recent experience who will chime in.

[Mike M.]

I went down the trail in mid August 2013. It is a pretty route, taking you down past the stone ranger cabin, through timber, past a pretty meadow, then over a low ridge, then down a steep slope towards the Kern. The trail here is washed out in places, but is easily followed. It crosses a dry ravine, then enters an open slope covered with manzanita. The trail traverses this slope for a while, then switchbacks down to the Kern. In 2013, there was a cross-shaped stick monument where the trail intersects the trail coming up from Junction Meadow.

It's an old-school trail. Coming up would be harder than going down -- the traverse and switchbacks are in open terrain and it can be hot. Best to do the climb in the early morning.

On my hike, I ran into the ranger at the ranger station, plus a herd of horses and mules belonging to a trail crew working on the Forester Pass Trail. There are a number of ancient log cabins along the way, and more old cabins on the trail down to Junction Meadow, before the junction with the Wallace Creek trail.

Mike M.

[Captain Slappy]

I went down the trail in mid August 2013. It is a pretty route, taking you down past the stone ranger cabin, through timber, past a pretty meadow, then over a low ridge, then down a steep slope towards the Kern. The trail here is washed out in places, but is easily followed. It crosses a dry ravine, then enters an open slope covered with manzanita. The trail traverses this slope for a while, then switchbacks down to the Kern. In 2013, there was a cross-shaped stick monument where the trail intersects the trail coming up from Junction Meadow.

Thanks for the intel everyone. I'll definitely give it a shot going down and then assess if it's worth going back up on the way out.

[agfhst]

If you had a moment to report back on this thread afterward, that would be great. I'm planning to head up that trail from the Kern with a group around September 2.

[SSSdave]

Just looked at it via the Google satellite view and most of it's deteriorated condition is visible. Would not trust the dotted line path on the topo. If I were going to use a route like that would use the Windows 10 Snipping Tool to copy as a jpg, then print out the satellite image for that section and use a highlighter atop the route as it is likely hard to follow when actually there with usual use paths one ought not follow. Also might turn on the Contours option.

[Captain Slappy]

If you had a moment to report back on this thread afterward, that would be great. I'm planning to head up that trail from the Kern with a group around September 2.

Will do. The trip has a green light at this time, and I'm looking forward to checking out the cutoff.

In researching this route, it has been interesting reading some of the ranger reports from Tyndall and I'd speculate whether local feedback had anything to do with moving this trail off some of the recent park maps.

Just looked at it via the Google satellite view and most of it's deteriorated condition is visible. Would not trust the dotted line path on the topo. If I were going to use a route like that would use the Windows 10 Snipping Tool to copy as a jpg, then print out the satellite image for that section and use a highlighter atop the route as it is likely hard to follow when actually there with usual use paths one ought not follow. Also might turn on the Contours option.

I'll have a map and a couple of GPS' (one backup) with me but will give a close look to an aerial and contour before I head out. I have some vague recollection of reading a report where a hiker found the beginning of the trail obfuscated at the north end and an easier time further in.

[mike999]

So coming in very late, but here is how the trail was this past July. Maybe this helps a Google searcher down the road.

I was in the area in late July having come up Shepherd's Pass and ended up needing to make significant adjustments to our trip because of weather. We were stopped out just below the north side Milestone Pass due to lightning. Next morning we had 2 days to get out (food and flights) so we went down the Colby Pass Trail then north to the cutoff trail. My report: not fun. It's one of the steeper trails I've been on; if you know the use trail from French Canyon to Merriam you'll understand, but more climbing here But it was simple to follow and is in good shape. We made it to the stone ranger station on the first day, then up to JMT for a couple hundred yards, then back to Shepard's Pass and down. Torrential rain, hail and winds made part of that descent a bit more.interesting than it needed to be probably. But we made it down in time for dinner in Line Pine so hard to complain.

Giant, 20-stone duck at the junction. Shouldn't be a problem finding. Only advice: when you get to JMT (after coming up) some maps will tell you to go right to get to the Shepherd's Pass Trail. Nope, go left.

[Enigmagic]

I passed by the western junction in late July, also dealing with the late July storm system. Lots of cloud to ground strikes near Shepherd and Junction Passes the afternoon of the 30th, I made it out over Forester before the festivities began.

The turnoff from the Kern trail was clearly marked with a pair of ducks

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Trail goes up the middle to the right. The route on OpenStreetMap (and Caltopo etc) should be pretty accurate by now too.