Help Sorting Off-Trail Destinations

[kdemtchouk]

Hello! I am an experienced on-trail backpacker in the Sierra (JMT 2019, 10+ 3-4 day trips) and dabbling peak-bagger. I am hoping to get more into multi-day off-trail routes in the Sierra over the next few seasons and would like some help prioritizing destinations in order of difficulty.

The hardest thing I've climbed in the Sierra is probably Middle Palisade (via the standard NE face route), which went OK, but not super enjoyable (I was fighting a sense of panic at the exposure for most of the route). I have had some experience with off-trail backpacking, most notably crossing Lamarck Col in a shortened version of the North Lake/South Lake Loop, as well as this route connecting Blackcap/Bench Valley/Red Mountain Basins. On that last one, dropping down the North side of Hutton Col was somewhat spicy IMO (downclimbing a loose-ish chute that was still somewhat snowed-in).

Here is what I've got on the proverbial bucket list (sorted roughly in ascending order of toughest pass/length/commitment):
1) North Lake -> Humphreys Basin -> Royce Lakes -> Bear Basin -> North Lake
2) Onion Valley -> Rae Lakes -> Sixty Lakes Basin -> Gardiner Basin -> Gardiner Pass -> Charlotte Lake -> Onion Valley
3) Road's End -> Lake Reflection -> Mount Brewer -> Sphinx Lakes -> Road's End
4) Florence Lake -> Martha Lake -> Ionian Basin (and back)
5) Lodgepole -> HST -> Nine Lakes Basin -> Pants Pass -> Colby Pass trail -> Kaweah Basin -> Pyra-Queen Col -> Nine Lakes -> Lodgepole
6) South Lake -> Bishop Pass -> Dusy Basin -> Palisade Basin -> Cirque Pass -> JMT -> Bishop Pass -> South Lake
7) Taboose Pass -> Bench Lake -> Cartridge Pass -> Lake Basin/Marion Lake -> Dumbbell Lakes -> Amphitheater Lake -> JMT -> Mather Pass -> Taboose Pass
8) Cottonwood Lakes -> Miter Basin -> Follow SoSHR to Wright Lakes -> Loop back to Cottonwood Lakes

Thank you for any input!

[Wandering Daisy]

I certainly do not agree with what you have called hardest to easiest. There is not enough detail to really say which routes are "better". Given you do not like exposure or loose gullies, stay away from Pants Pass and Pyra Queen Pass!

Any of your routes can be easier if you go slower, but not sure how much time you have. The difficulty of any route has a lot to do with good navigation skills and micro route-finding skills, something that may need a bit more off-trail experience before you do them. Although not on your list, just wandering around the headwater cirques in the Upper Kern is a great way to learn navigation skills. It is very scenic and relatively easy off-trail travel.

We have a lot of trip reports that are similar to your proposals. Use the "search" function to find them to read. This may give you a better idea of what to do. For example, for trip1, use search words "Humphreys" "Royce Lakes" "Bear Basin" and see what you can find.


One factor this year may be getting permits. South Lake is nearly impossible to get a permit.

[Gogd]

@kdemtchouk
IMO, there are different strokes for different folks. I can offer up my thoughts on any given route, but they may not be what you would offer up, had our roles been reversed, me doing the asking, and you replying to me based on experiencing the list of places I have traveled. For example, my tolerance for loose scree and exposure are vastly different from most casual XC trekkers. So what does it mean when someone says XYZ pass ain't so bad - by whose standard? I might say that a certain basin is a great trip, while my friend takes you aside and mentions they hated it. This can be highly subjective.

It sounds from you bio you have some experience. My suggestion is you break out your topo maps and learn how to read the terrain. You will not be able to discern cliff bands that fall under the limen of the elevation contour lines on the map, but you can tell when the lines are closely spaced that itself becomes grounds to rule out certain routes. Examine the maps of routes you have traveled to get a feel for what the real world looks like on the map. This isn't the last word on the subject but is one essential element to your research efforts. To this end I have acquired wall maps of the major national forest and parks of the Sierra, in addition to scores of 7.5' USGS maps. It is easier for me to work from the overview such large area media provides, than attempt to conduct research using a computer or smart phone display.

Consider also investing in a collection of route guide publications, and other web sites that address trekking and XC backpacking. If you follow some members, here on HST and other web sites, you'll discover the more sage members invest a boatload of effort in researching their planned routes. The more resources you avail to, the more predicable your actual trip becomes. But of course there is Murphy and the weather...

By all means pursue WD's suggestion, and read as many TRs as you can find on routes that pique your interest. The problem, again, is determining the reference point of the reporter. Are they gonzo, hardcore, dirt baggers seeking challenge, or mere mortal fishermen looking for that special off the grid lake? Are they UL Nazis, whose boots weigh more than their base weight, or beasts of burden shouldering 45% of their body mass? One way to get a feel for the author's POV is by reading all of their TRs. Furthermore you may want to check out how one author's TRs compare against TRs of the same route posted by other reporters, to get a better sense of everyone's POV. And when you get back from a trip, score other trekker's POVs against your first hand experience to get a feel for whose opinions resonate with your personal preferences. Are we having fun yet?

I read TRs and realize people often are reporting based on a single trip over the route, and report transitory qualities about the route as if the same experience can be had by those traveling in early season, as well as late season. WD is a good reference source, in that she will qualify seasonal conditions to the extent that is possible, and she has been over many routes several times. Her prose is comprehensive without being overwhelming. WD has also done a bunch of XC trekking which gives her insights the weekend warrior type cannot capture in their annual vacation TRs. This gives WD's TRs consistency and coherency. There are other HST members who are equally sage. But like all of us, each has their own likes and dislikes. When you read other people's TRs eventually you'll find you can translate their POV to obtain answers that address your own POV. Thus, I suggest not only study the TRs for any given route, but also study the body of TRs an author has posted. Get to know your sources, thar's gold in dem thar topic forums!

Ed

[kdemtchouk]

@Wandering Daisy @Gogd Thank you for the advice!

Sounds like there's no easy way to rank and I'll have to do my due diligence Good to know that cross-country passes across the Kaweah Range are notoriously steep/loose, I'll avoid that area for now.

[sekihiker]

Many of the routes you have listed have been documented at www.sierrahiker.com

[jrad]

@Wandering Daisy @Gogd Thank you for the advice!

Sounds like there's no easy way to rank and I'll have to do my due diligence Good to know that cross-country passes across the Kaweah Range are notoriously steep/loose, I'll avoid that area for now.

I see your route (no doubt NOT that straight!) over Hutton was in the wrong (worst possible) place. Check Topix for X-C pass comments.

A note on Ionian Basin (1977 & 1979): I've crossed twice and both times felt I was risking my life. Once with a friend crossing the first 2 lakes on thick ice with snowshoes at very end of June (VERY wet year). We got off second lake ASAP when it started cracking. The second time solo at the end of October when, for the only time in 49 years of backpacking I felt real terror. I chose to cross snow field above first lake and discovered the snow was rock hard and I was able to kick steps only about 1/4" deep. Had I slipped once - 100% sure I would have died. It was about freezing, lakes were totally clear of ice with snow fields dropping directly into lake, zero place to crawl out (snow edge about 4ft above lake surface), snow storm on horizon. Best trip ever! But scary. And, best part (don't recommend), nobody knew where even my TH was. White-out came upon me and had to camp in middle of Ionian. Next day was brilliantly cold but blessedly sunny. Two days later I was hiking madly 8 frantic hours to car (in danger of car trapped for entire winter!) in fresh snow having sweat-soaked through my down parka before dawn. Oh and there was the 9ft (I swear!) tall Black Bear (standing to smell me) in bottom of MF Kings before dawn of 3rd day. Surprised it when 15 feet away. Yeah ... best trip ever (ah youth or, rather, early-30s age).

As for Pyra-Queen Col pass (2002), I went over E-W once and it was pretty easy I thought. And I had just the day before torn (sounded exactly like a dry stick breaking) my L calf muscle such that I could not use my calf muscles at all the rest of the trip of about 32 miles and VERY rough (but not dangerous) terrain: Kaweah Basin / Pyra Col / Nine Lakes / Blackrock Pass / Glacier Pass / down and down to MK. I was amazed and very lucky to discover that generally (even over rugged XC routes) one does not even need calf muscles! Who would have figured? Great for sprinting, I think; but hiking? Recommended but not a hindrance to be missing.

When I got home, my doctor said I did all anyone could have done: aspirin + direct compression (ACE bandage on calf area) + continued use. Healed by itself. Pyra Col was (in the right place) no problem: no exposure and not little cliffs. Maybe I was just lucky.

[Wandering Daisy]

Specific conditions really matter. When I went over Pyra Col, there was an ice-hard band of snow that I had to cross. Ended up cutting steps with a rock, then lowering my pack on a cord, and then climbing down myself. Any pass can go from easy to hard within hours depending on weather. I have also had some sketchy conditions on Lemark Col. Other times no problem.

Rather than the eight routes you posted, what about cutting some down into two or three parts? As you posted the choices, they are quite long involved routes. It may be better when first getting into off-trail routes, to focus on getting to one off-trail location on shorter trips before you string them together in to one long route. For example, just go into Miter Basin and explore- there are many lakes that provide great day-hikes and plenty of peaks to climb. It is a beautiful location. Or just do Humphreys Basin- there is a least a week's worth of off trail exploration to do just there. Or loop from North Lake- Lemark-Darwin-Alpine Col-Goethe-Murial-Piute Pass. After you have done several of these you can think about stringing together longer routes.

We have had a couple of low-snow years that are not "normal". Regardless of what some say is the "new normal" be careful of underestimating the difficulty of some of those routes in a more "normal" year.

[rormisto]

The answers above are very sound. To Gogd's point about transitory information from a single TR, check out the Passes Map. Show XC Passes, and click on them for more info. In addition to showing you the pass location for all your mapping needs, it's got consolidated info from multiple trips and detailed route info.

Other resources like Secor are good (though like everything, must be taken with a grain of salt). You're obviously familiar with peakbagger and probably summitpost.

Daisy's advice about starting with small trips and planning thoroughly (what are your bail options, read TRs, google earth it, caltopo incline shading) is phenomenal. It's all personal, and you just have to experience it yourself. I loved Pants Pass (and therefore probably shouldn't be trusted on XC opinions), but happened to hit miserable mosquito conditions for Gardiner, and struggled.

[scottmiller]

My most difficult experiences have been trying to do seemingly innocuous things like get from one lake to another, across terrain that looks easy-peasy on the topo map and then it's two or three hours of walk walk walk, climb climb climb, 20-foot drop, turn around, repeat.
If by "difficult" you mean "scary," those routes are pretty easy to research and avoid. I don't do that stuff anymore. If by "difficult" you mean "tiring," that's inevitable, although I will say that I found out recently that, being of a certain age, a trip with two 12,000-foot passes, each with a 4,000-foot elevation gain, is too difficult for me. I love a 12,000-foot pass, but one at a time.
That was a great trip, though. Prolly do something like it again...