How to Connect Big Pine Creek & Onion Valley?

[Hannican]

Hi All!

I'm planning some Summer 2014 trips and am looking for a way to get from Big Pine Creek Campground to Onion Valley Campground. My goal is to be able to see Rae Lakes or the Sixty Lakes Basin, while also getting to visit the North Palisade Glacier and First, Second, Third... Fifth Lake on the way out to Big Pine Creek.

I figure I'll have 7 days at the most to do this, so I'm thinking right around 100 miles would be perfect. I'm very experienced and in great shape, and will be going with others who are also experienced and fit, so we won't have trouble with 15 miles or so per day, even over elevation.

Any suggestions?

[maverick]

Hi Hannican,
Welcome to HST! Please read: http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... f=1&t=4205" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Thanks.

[markskor]

Hi Can,
Just to be clear here...
Are you asking for a ride/shuttle Pine Creek TH - Onion Valley?

or are you asking for a route suggestion same?

[hurricaniac]

Anything other than Jigsaw Pass will mean crampons and ice axes (therefore you may as well go over Bishop Pass). The Palisade Crest is pretty impenetrable by just hiking boots and backpacks. Even Southfork Pass (most direct route) is dangerous as hell in summer with the constant rock fall.

I wouldn't do it.

Southfork Pass, July 2013 (notice the crevasses and bergschrunds):

[cgundersen]

Hi Hannican,
I've been slowly catching up on this forum after an extended absence, and I posted a pretty pathetic report of getting stymied by both Southfork and Jigsaw last August. We had a lousy camera, so the photos of Southfork suck compared to what hurricaniac provided. Bottom line: if you're aiming for Southfork, definitely bring ice axes and crampons; maybe even a rope. Jigsaw looked much less problematic (we retreated from an impending storm), but since it runs into the Bishop Pass trail, you might as well head in at South Lake, as noted above. On the other hand, if you're really keen to see the northfork lakes (1-5), then Jigsaw is the way to go. One word of caution on day 1 is that you'll not want to camp much further than the two tiny tarns above 5th Lake, because there is dwindling water beyond that point..........unless, of course, you jam on over Jigsaw in one day, which would constitute one serious power hike. Regardless, hope you have a great time, and please post a trip report!
cg

[thegib]

You can go over Scimitar pass. It's not a big deal going up from the east, and it's your typical talus mess on the west side. Considerably less gnarly than South Fork pass.

[cgundersen]

thegib/hannican,
Yes, we thought we might get a little fishing in at 2nd/3rd Lake before aiming for Jigsaw, but Scimitar should have been on our radar, especially after the great report in the link here:
http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... t=scimitar" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Scimitar sounds like it has a couple votes!
cg