High Sierra Topix

Hello all,

I'm looking at options for a long day hike. Secor lists the saddle between Conness lakes and Roosevelt lake as North Peak Pass. I've been on both sides of this and I seem to remember it being mostly sandy sort of stuff. Secor says about west side: turn NW go .5mi then turn SW; presumably to navigate around the steep/cliff band of sorts I see on the topo. I've already done Secret Lake/McCabe pass, etc. and this knocks off a couple of miles. I'm considering this or a Conness "shortcut."

Has anyone done this route? It is loose?

I'm a level 4 backpacker w/ numerous X-country passes.

Thanks much.

I don't know if I've actually gone through the low point itself, but I have twice gone higher (ie next saddle to N), traversed north to stay above the cliff bands and then dropped down on Roosevelt. I think the low point steeper and blockier whereas going high gets one onto the sandy west slope of N Peak. I know the high route works beautifully at a pretty mellow class 2, but I haven't done the low one. I don't know if fishing info is relevant here but note that the fish population in Roosevelt has been killed.

Thanks much, that is good info.

I actually went on Sunday. I hiked SHR from T-meadows to E. ridge of Conness, summit, then came down west side to Young lakes and back.

May try to incorporate the North Peak "Shortcut" in the future. I spent a super crazy windy night once at Roosevelt, with a flat tarp, having to re-config it at like midnight. I had stopped/camped there because of some killer alpenglow... I think I remember fish at McCabe though(?). Fishing is always relevant ;-)

Although I did not fish, I camped at Upper McCabe and walked by the lower McCabe Lake. I did not see any rises at all at Upper McCabe. Did not note any fish at lower lake but did not spend enough time there to say for sure. Upper McCabe is NOT linked to the other McCabe Lakes; the outlet runs down a steep cliff into the valley to the north. The lower large lake (where the trail starts) links to a small lake upstream (which I did not go to).

Here is a photo of Upper McCabe Lake that shows the ridge between McCabe Lake and Roosevelt Lake

Lower McCabe is linked to Middle McCabe via a stream. Upper McCabe drains into the same valley, but below all three lakes.

Lower McCabe certainly had fish ten years ago...

Upper McCabe had Fishies three years ago. We did McCabe pass from secret lake. Day hiked/fished around the east side of upper and hiked up don't be a smart pass to the saddle with Roosevelt. Loved it. Originally planned to go up smart pass and over to Young lakes but we opted to go down to GA, waterwheel, and then out to Tuolumne.

Good to know. What species of fish were in Upper McCabe Lake?

I think Rainbows. https://sierrafish.com/lakes/upper-mcca ... ake-tc.php

Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Thu Nov 22, 2018 11:57 am Good to know. What species of fish were in Upper McCabe Lake?

Russ is correct about rainbows. Historically there were also browns. A few years ago I had a fish almost to shore that I am almost certain was a brown.

Thanks all for the fishing beta.