Connector in the Silver Divide

[giulia]

Hi!
I just obtained some permits from Deer Lake trailhead and I'm putting together a 40ish mile route for two weeks from now. Sentinel shows there's still some snow in the area, but I'm hopeful for our Aug 11th start. I have cross-county backpacked in the Sierra several times preferring routes in the class 2 range - is there a connection between Big Margaret lake and Beetlebug lake that is in the class 2 range?
I'm including an image from RideWithGPS of the area and a link to the HST Map of the same

beadbug.png

HST Map

I have looked on Secor but in the Silver Divide section I didn't find anything that fit. Any suggestions?
Many thanks!
Giulia

[mschnaidt]

I've been through the pass between the Beetlebug Lake drainage and the headwaters of Silver Creek in July 2016. It's class 2-3. I named it Never Again Notch. I approached it from Anne Lake and crossed the ridge at about 3400 meters. The talus was loose up there, big and dangerous, hence the name.

After struggling and a few rides on large chunks of talus, we dropped some elevation, crossed a snowbank and then ascended in the smaller talus. That was safer and easier but still nasty. Here is a pic from the Beetlebug side (notch upper center).

Never Again Notch.jpg

and here is one looking back from the Silver Creek side (notch is upper left).

Looking Back at Never Again Notch.jpg

The hike down from the notch to Big Margaret has a fair amount of obstacles. Stay high on the ridge north of the creek for easier travel. Big Margaret is pretty amazing and the fishing was electric for 10in rainbows.

Evening at Big Margaret.jpg

Enjoy!

M