Advice for Off-Trail: In Lamarck Lakes out Kearsage Pass
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 9:50 am
Route: Lamarck Col>JMT> Palisades Basin(Knapsack/Potluck/Cirque Passes)> Dumbell Lakes>Dumbell/Cartridge Passes>Whitefork Pass>JMT>Basin Notch/60 Lakes Basin> Kearsage Pass
My hiking partner and I are both and class 3 backpackers (from the PNW) looking at the above route for a mid september trip. Experienced with Class2 travel with a full pack. Used to do a lot of rock climbing, curious to see how (class 3) potluck pass goes with a pack. Have hiked at elevation before; no issues so far, but plan on spending the night before the trip at onion valley. Some snow travel experience (my partner has more), but would prefer to avoid anything that would need an ice axe. Planning on taking 9 days for the trip. I typically aim for ~20mile days on trail and ~10mile days cross country. I have a few questions about route choice and any input would be appreciated. This is intended to be an ambitious trip for us, and will be the longest sequence of cross country travel I have done. My backup plan would be to just hike the JMT through this section or bypass some of the basins on the JMT if I need to dial down the difficulty of the trip for whatever reason. On to my questions.
1) I am not sure how to balance the later-in-the-year of a mid september trip with the high snow this year. If there are still lingering patches of snow even in mid september, which parts of the route should I be worried about the most. (I would want to avoid steep exposed slopes that would require an ice axe. Would you expect the cornice above Amphitheater lake still be problematic?)
2) Recommendations for access to the Dumbell lakes from Palisade lakes.
Option1: JMT/Mather pass to Upper Basin/Upper Basin Cross/Cataract Creek Pass.
Option2: JMT down the golden staircase, up Cataract Creek, over the pass.
Option3: Further down the JMT, over Adventurer/Observation Peak Passes.
3) Still planning out where each day will end. Any recommendations for definite must see areas to stop and make camp? For example, Should I plan on stopping at the Dumbell Lakes, or plan on making it over the pass to setup camp in the Lakes basin?
4) I have a couple of days extra in the plan, in case we need the buffer to acclimitize to the altitude or the off-trail is more difficult than expected. If everything goes perfectly, and we have extra time and energy, is there anything near this route that would be a mistake to miss? Loop out through Gardiner Basin? Side trip to Center Basin?
Thanks for any input you may have. I'll bring a camera and be back on the site to write up a TR sometime in the fall.
My hiking partner and I are both and class 3 backpackers (from the PNW) looking at the above route for a mid september trip. Experienced with Class2 travel with a full pack. Used to do a lot of rock climbing, curious to see how (class 3) potluck pass goes with a pack. Have hiked at elevation before; no issues so far, but plan on spending the night before the trip at onion valley. Some snow travel experience (my partner has more), but would prefer to avoid anything that would need an ice axe. Planning on taking 9 days for the trip. I typically aim for ~20mile days on trail and ~10mile days cross country. I have a few questions about route choice and any input would be appreciated. This is intended to be an ambitious trip for us, and will be the longest sequence of cross country travel I have done. My backup plan would be to just hike the JMT through this section or bypass some of the basins on the JMT if I need to dial down the difficulty of the trip for whatever reason. On to my questions.
1) I am not sure how to balance the later-in-the-year of a mid september trip with the high snow this year. If there are still lingering patches of snow even in mid september, which parts of the route should I be worried about the most. (I would want to avoid steep exposed slopes that would require an ice axe. Would you expect the cornice above Amphitheater lake still be problematic?)
2) Recommendations for access to the Dumbell lakes from Palisade lakes.
Option1: JMT/Mather pass to Upper Basin/Upper Basin Cross/Cataract Creek Pass.
Option2: JMT down the golden staircase, up Cataract Creek, over the pass.
Option3: Further down the JMT, over Adventurer/Observation Peak Passes.
3) Still planning out where each day will end. Any recommendations for definite must see areas to stop and make camp? For example, Should I plan on stopping at the Dumbell Lakes, or plan on making it over the pass to setup camp in the Lakes basin?
4) I have a couple of days extra in the plan, in case we need the buffer to acclimitize to the altitude or the off-trail is more difficult than expected. If everything goes perfectly, and we have extra time and energy, is there anything near this route that would be a mistake to miss? Loop out through Gardiner Basin? Side trip to Center Basin?
Thanks for any input you may have. I'll bring a camera and be back on the site to write up a TR sometime in the fall.