Darwin Lakes boulder avoidance?

[scottmiller]

I'll be hiking over Lamarck Col and along the Darwin Lakes. Years ago, I did a day hike from Darwin Bench up to the col and back, and I don't remember much of a boulder challenge, but then again I didn't have a pack on. However, most of the reports I read about the Darwin Likes describe difficult large bouldering. I'm OK with the basic bouldering stuff, but I don't like the big boulders. I'm getting too old for those moves.
So, is there a trick to avoiding big boulders along Darwin Lakes? I'm thinking about Puppet Pass, where almost all bouldering can be avoided by sticking to the wall at the north side of the pass. Armed with that knowledge, Puppet Pass was easy peasy. I'm wondering if there is a similar secret sauce for Darwin Lakes.
Thanks, - Scott M

[Wandering Daisy]

There are several use-trails from the pass down to the canyon floor. Once in the valley floor, with good route-finding and occasional scouting, you can avoid a lot. There are occasional class 3 scrambling moves that you may have to do. In generally stay low and use the numerous short grassy stringers among the big boulders. It is a bit slow, but I have never had a problem with the boulders. That said, I have done a lot of big boulder-hopping in my backpacking and climbed a lot in the past. Darwin Canyon may be a bit more challenging to boulder-novices.

[windknot]

Agreed with WD. As we came down Lamarck Col into Darwin Canyon a couple of years ago we passed a backpacker who was literally cursing the f***ing boulders that he had just come through. We passed the opposite way without incident. I think the reputation this section gets is entirely a function of the Lamarck Col-Darwin Canyon route being heavily traveled by folks who otherwise primarily stick to trails. And in fact, the short stretch of boulder hopping along the upper two lakes is the only part of this "off-trail" route that indeed doesn't have a well-defined use trail. But it's level and stable, so not nearly as challenging as navigating talus up/down a slope.

[freestone]

Seems like most hikers stay on the northeastern side of the lakes, that's what I have always done.

[paul]

I managed to avoid the boulders completey by going through on skis in the spring.

[giantbrookie]

As noted above the easiest way around/along the Darwin lakes is along the north shore with the best route fairly close to lake level. If done right there are not too many large boulder fields to be crossed. I recall there is one unavoidable boulder hopping spot along the western part of the north shore of lake no. 4 (counting from downstream end) and another one about midway around Lake no.3.

[SSSdave]

Most of that route is bedrock and turf grass with only the boulders along lake #4 an issue. Compared to places like nearby Alpine Col, where boulders are truly huge, it is a minor annoyance. On the way down from LC, don't drop down to lake #5 that are piles of talus (11720+) but rather stay right in the grassy zone traversing over to the inlet of lake #4. Then climb up. This is where most, tired from the downhill effort make the mistake of refusing to climb higher, staying near the lake edge.

The problem in boulder paths is choosing to follow obvious lazy use paths staying close to lake edges where largest boulders tend to end up because that is where the slope gradients ease up. At the lake #4 wider mid lake boulders, best to stay up a bit then drop down then back up.

In any case, the rest of the route down to Darwin Canyon has considerable minor ups and down across bedrock and wide debris. A greater obstacle is the glacierette east of the col once the easy to boot through winter snow has melted off leaving rock hard ice. View on Goggle Earth.

[Wandering Daisy]

Although in theory, large boulders usually end up lower down, along the lake edge, Darwin Canyon and getting around Goethe Lake both have better routes close to the shore. The slopes higher up are usually steeper, and even if boulders are smaller, they are less stable.

[SSSdave]

When I wrote about climbing higher on the 2 lake #4 routes, I'm not talking very much higher than the lake edge. Notice how the topo shows it less steep between 11680 and 11720 lines which is also where smaller boulders show on Google Earth. Went through the first boulders in 1980 by the shore and that is what people don't like especially in one spot. The next 2 times I took people through there, I first scouted that higher red line. To be clear, the next time someone does it, they might take some photos and report back.

DCL4.jpg

[c9h13no3]

Obviously the easiest way to avoid boulders is to walk through the lake.

What do I win?