Chagoopa Plateau

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maverick
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Chagoopa Plateau

Post by maverick »

Is anyone interested in exploring the Chagoopa Plateau and
Kaweah Basin with me?
My plan is to ascend Chagoopa Creek and the go over to
Red Spur Creek and follow it all the way up to the last lake
at 11800ft.
Then go over Kaweah Pass(climb Mt. Kaweah on the way)
into Kaweah Basin out Pyra-Queen Col into Nine Lakes Basin
to Lion Rock Pass and down to Tamarack Lake and back to
Crescent Meadow.
It will be a 8-9 day trip with 2 days in the Chagoopa area and
2 days in Kaweah Basin.
Probably in July or earlier if snow condition allow.
I have visited all these areas except for the upper Chagoopa
Plateau.
There will be alot of solitude with some of the best
scenery the Sierra has to offer!!!
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Post by copeg »

I do plan a similar trip this summer but I plan a different route in. I've been turned back from Kaweah Basin a few times from many of the routes due to too many circumstances - I think this year I plan on trying from the north, starting from Rowell Meadow to Colby Pass, then into Kaweah Basin from near Gallets Lake. From there its up in the air which way I come back - Id like to explore Red Spur and Chagoopa Plateau - so I'll probably go over Kaweah Col then circle back that way. When I go is dependent upon the snowpack, but I was planning more mid to late summer rather than earlier. I'd be interested to hear more when your plans solidify.
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Post by maverick »

I have found ascending up from across Kern Point up towards
Picket Lake is an easier way of getting into the basin than
ascending closer to Rockslide Lake where I descended in Sept.
Once at Picket Lake, which by the way is great, follow the creek
up to a notch which you can gain easy access into Kaweah Basin.
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Post by copeg »

maverick wrote:I have found ascending up from across Kern Point up towards
Picket Lake is an easier way of getting into the basin than
ascending closer to Rockslide Lake where I descended in Sept.
Once at Picket Lake, which by the way is great, follow the creek
up to a notch which you can gain easy access into Kaweah Basin.
Thanks for the info maverick...that was pretty much the route I hoped to follow, but there are so many distractions over there who knows where I'll end up :D
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Post by AldeFarte »

Sounds like a cool trip. Take your rod, as Cutter states that Chagoopa creek has goldens and brookies. jls
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Post by giantbrookie »

Nice game plan. One can also explore more of the trailless basins in the Kern-Kaweah drainage by going from Kaweah Basin to the Picket Creek drainage and then over the ridge north of Pickett Creek (Pickett Guard Pk is at the east end of this ridge) traversing across the beautiful basins on the north side of it including Lake 10875 and Lake 11380 (all of this, including 11380, 10875, everything in Pickett and Kaweah Basins and all of the Red Spur lakes are fishless, however; within the Kern-Kaweah R. drainage, only the trunk stream from about lake 10480+ downstream has fish). One can surmount the ridge north of Pickett Creek either via the pass 11840+ WSW of Pickett Guard (looks to be the usual loose class 2) or going right over the top of Pickett Guard Peak (the way we did it--one short class 3 knife edge pitch just east of the summit just west of where the north ridge intersects the east ridge) One can then move into Nine Lakes Basin via Pants Pass. We did this in reverse in 2004 (Pants Pass,11380,10875, Pickett Guard via north ridge, Picket Creek, Kaweah Basin w side trip to Red Spur Lakes, Kaweah Pass to Chagoopa Creek). I didn't care much for Kaweah Pass, though. I found the steepest class 2 parts on the north side to be very sketchy with medium to large talus shifting and rumbling over an amazingly large part of the slope as we ascended it. It was even worse than the classically loose Kaweah class 3 stuff on the margins on the talus. Pants Pass is not as bad although certainly a "one at a time" pass in certain stretches (the top 50-100 feet of the east side is especially steep).

Anyhow, it looks like you'll have a heck of a trip. Very few ever get into that area.
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Post by maverick »

Hi Giantbrookie

I enjoyed Pants Pass and yes Kaweah Pass is very rocky but I dont
know if skirting around the shoulder of Red Spur into Red Spur Basin is
doable from the south or not. Im really thinking about trying it! I like
a challenge.
There doesnt seem to be any access from the top lake of Red Spur
Creek over into the basin. The best bet looks like going down to
10800 ft and following that elevation around into the basin.
Do you know anyone who has attempted this route?
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Post by giantbrookie »

maverick wrote:Hi Giantbrookie

I enjoyed Pants Pass and yes Kaweah Pass is very rocky but I dont
know if skirting around the shoulder of Red Spur into Red Spur Basin is
doable from the south or not. Im really thinking about trying it! I like
a challenge.
There doesnt seem to be any access from the top lake of Red Spur
Creek over into the basin. The best bet looks like going down to
10800 ft and following that elevation around into the basin.
Do you know anyone who has attempted this route?
You are indeed an adventurer. I think the Red Spur route is worth a try. I don't know anyone who has tried this, but to me that makes it even more attractive. It doesn't look easy, but on the topo it looks doable. Sidehilling between the 10800 and 11200 level (the only feasible place to traverse above the Kern) maybe possible but there are couple of gullies that look pretty dicey. I think the surest shot is to go right over the top of point 12785 of Red Spur, ascending it from the SW flank and descending the NE ridge. Once down to about 11200 you'll be on easy ground and it will be easy to reach the southeasternmost of the Red Spur lakes and from there traverse along the benches to Kaweah Basin.
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Post by SSSdave »

Amused you noticed that possible cheater route. A few weeks ago I planned out a 9-day trip from Mineral King over Sawtooth Pass that spends a couple days on the foxtail pine bench west below Red Kaweah. At the time noted your thread on the more remote eastern Kaweah benches so spent some time perusing my topos trying to figure out ways to reach those areas from any of the several possible trailheads. (too far with my weighty gear) And also noticed the topo lines traversing across the face might go without being too tricky. Likely are major avalanche paths with some loose scree in spots. Best one can do in places like this is note the potential on the topo, ask like you did for any others that might have checked the area out, and then simply eyeball it out when you get there while not be too stubborn about turning around for plan B if it looks too dangerous. ...David
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Post by maverick »

Hey Dave

Yeah I hear you. Im not one to proceed at all costs, since I solo
most of the time taking every precaution is a priority, rethinking dicey
situations several time before proceeding!!
I guess getting close to 50 comes with a little maturity.
Wasnt really looking for a short cut but rather would like to see the
upper lakes of Red Spur Basin. Now that this may be a route never
used before it makes it that much more interesting.
Your Yosemite trip sounded like fun, would have loved to be there when
the storm came in, but I wouldnt trust my little honda in that weather.
I may drive up there this weekend its only few hours from the Bay
Area!
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