Trip Report: Reds Meadow-Iva Bell Hot Spring Loop

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sashe
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Trip Report: Reds Meadow-Iva Bell Hot Spring Loop

Post by sashe »

After reconsidering my first (South Lake to North Lake Loop) and the second (Northeast Yosemite) trips due to snow, I did the loop out of Reds Meadows to Iva Bell to Purple Lake Loop last weekend. The lower elevations meant no snow issues until some of the north facing slopes around the Duck Lake trail junction, but the water levels were high in most creeks and rivers. Most of the bigger streams had either a bridge or log with the exception of Second Crossing in Cascade Valley. But with some scouting a less "dramatic" crossing was found. The hot springs are were not as nice as I remember them 20 years ago, but a backcountry soak is still nice.

The conditions were warm over the weekend in the area and the melt is cranking, but talking with some PCTers most of the higher elevations still had snow. No mosquitos and lots of fish in the rivers and lakes.
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bcrowell
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Re: Trip Report: Reds Meadow-Iva Bell Hot Spring Loop

Post by bcrowell »

Thanks for the trip report, sashe! No mosquitoes!? Wow! I was in that area last year and the bugs were so thick down in the creek valley that it was nuts. We were slathering on the 100% DEET like crazy, and still getting lots of bites. For that reason, we abandoned our original plan of visiting the hot springs in favor of getting back up to higher elevations.

I'm doing the JMT starting next week. When those PCT hikers described the snow on the high passes, were they passable without crampons or snowshoes?
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sashe
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Re: Trip Report: Reds Meadow-Iva Bell Hot Spring Loop

Post by sashe »

The absence of mosquitos was nice at the hot springs, and to be accutate, I did swat a couple along a creek crossing on the JMT.

I only saw ice axes on some of the packs and most said that the northern sides were the worst. Reading some journal entries on another website, micro-spikes appear to be popular.
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