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KathyW wrote:hike to the saddle at around 9100' late in the day (you'll actually end up in the shade if it's late enough in the day).
Hi Kathy, thanx for the tip. I was thinking along the same lines, in terms of hiking up to some point above the TH just to get moving, but late enough in the day to avoid the afternoon heat.
I took a look at your TR - great photos! Got a quick question for you: is there a reason you didn't go over Rockwell pass? From your trail map, it looks like you started going in that direction, but then turned back and followed the std trail around Tawny Pt/Bighorn Plt.
Then, on the way back, it appears you re-traced, rather than going up through WLB and over Rockwell to get to Shepherd. I'd hate to get all the way up there and then have to turn-around if the trail conditions have changed to a significant degree.
KathyW wrote:hike to the saddle at around 9100' late in the day (you'll actually end up in the shade if it's late enough in the day).
Hi Kathy, thanx for the tip. I was thinking along the same lines, in terms of hiking up to some point above the TH just to get moving, but late enough in the day to avoid the afternoon heat.
I took a look at your TR - great photos! Got a quick question for you: is there a reason you didn't go over Rockwell pass? From your trail map, it looks like you started going in that direction, but then turned back and followed the std trail around Tawny Pt/Bighorn Plt.
Then, on the way back, it appears you re-traced, rather than going up through WLB and over Rockwell to get to Shepherd. I'd hate to get all the way up there and then have to turn-around if the trail conditions have changed to a significant degree.
It was the snow conditions that stopped me from going over Rockwell Pass. Once I got over Shepherd Pass, the snow was soft and suncupped, which made travel really slow. If I went over Rockwell Pass, I would be dealing with a lot more of those big patches of suncupped snow in upper Wright Creek Basin. By going down to the JMT, I was able to get off the snow and move along a better pace. I came back the same way - longer, but faster with the conditions at the time.
I have been up to Rockwell Pass when snow wasn't an issue - it's easy to cross when it's dry and there's even a use trail to follow up to the pass on the north side. Anyway, going over Rockwell Pass shouldn't be an issue now.
