Plan: Vidette Lakes Loop

[rormisto]

Hey all, I'm planning a trip for 6/3 - 6/7 or so. I've read a lot of very helpful trip reports for the area and the passes, and think I'll be fine with the level of terrain, but curious about conditions and safety.

I'd call myself level-4, mostly spent in the eastern Sierra, comfy on Class II and safe but grumpy on Class III. I don't love snow travel (more of a July/Aug/Sept hiker), but I have an ice axe and have some experience using it, though I'd rather not have to! With how low the snow is this year, I thought I'd take an early exploratory poke out of OV. I know the area well and am familiar with the mileage I can cover (20+ on the trails, closer to 12 on off-trail Class I, less if Class II+).

Here's the route: Kearsarge, up Vidette Creek, Deerhorn Saddle, Harrison Pass, Lake South America (ish), Little Joe's, Reflection, JMT, Kearsarge. Planning loosely on camping near Vidette Lakes (10 mi), then Lake SA (5 mi), then as far as I feel like, then out.

I'm going alone, as usual, and I think I've given myself the best bail options by going this way. If Bubbs is impassable, I'll just tool around Center Basin instead for a day or two. If Deerhorn is bad, I'll turn around. If Harrison is bad, I'll go to Lake Reflection directly. If Little Joe's is bad, back over Harrison. I don't anticipate Bubbs / East Creek being impassable at their confluence if Bubbs was ok, but I could still backtrack via Deerhorn and Vidette.

Question 1: anything unsafe about this plan / bail options?
Question 2: any opinions on route given that I am a snow weenie?

I wouldn't usually ask this, but between the recent deaths and me not being so much of an early season hiker, figured I'd check in. Excited to get out there, but wary.

[grampy]

@rormisto -
Do you mean 6/3 - 6/7 ?

[rormisto]

@grampy oh, jeez. Yes! Numbers are hard. I'll edit it. (for the curious, was 5/3 - 5/7)

[Wandering Daisy]

Harrison is a 12700 foot north facing steep pass. You will not like it.

Why not go over Forrester Pass. PCT hikers report that it is in good shape. Just get over the north side snow before it gets soft and you post-hole. Could do a side trip to Center Basin in stead of Videttes. Cut over to Lk South America. Little Joe Pass may have snow but it is west facing. Slight possibility of having to retreat off it. If it goes, exit on the trail via East Lake.

I think your plan is overly optimistic regarding snow (or from your standpoint, wish for lack of snow).

I assume your proposed dates are 6/3-7. 5/3-7 is long gone.

[bobby49]

Harrison Pass can be challenging. I went up the valley from Lake Reflection with some easy routefinding issues. I got onto the scree at the bottom of the slope, which wasn't too bad, but then it got progressively worse before midway. The scree was so loose that I would step up with one foot, and then the scree would slide all around that foot. I would take a second step and a third step and then discover that the looseness was causing me to backslide a step or two, underneath the surface. I made some progress by moving toward the side margins and staying out of the main looseness in the center of the chute. I had a good camera dangling on a neck strap, and I was bent over so badly that it was dragging through the scree.

In the early season, snow and ice will be your problem. In the late season, the loose rock is the problem. Once at the top, the way is easy down to Lake South America.

[rormisto]

Daisy, Bobby, really appreciate your insight. As much as I'm not a snow person, I want to become one-- opens me up to a month+ of extra hiking each season. Only real reason for avoiding Forrester is just that it's familiar, think I've been up and over 5 or 6 times, though never in June. I think you've convinced me not to involve Harrison at all in this trip. If Vidette Creek is seeming nice, I might try Deerhorn Saddle, exiting to the East Lake Trail. If the snow is getting to me, I'll turn back, spend a relaxing day or two in Center Basin. I can always come back to this loop idea (or a version using Forrester instead) later in the season when I'm more comfortable with the conditions. I don't feel any real need to push myself here. Will take it slow & easy.

Seriously, thank you both! Regardless of what version of this trip ends up happening, I'll grab some pictures and write it up!