High Sierra Topix

Hi. I am new to this forum. I hope I can add to the good information already given.

I went over Pants Pass a few years back, from Kern-Keweah side to 9-lakes basin. Instead of using one notch, I used the easier lower angle ascent to the left saddle from Kern-Keweah and then traversed right on the ridge to the "proper" pass. There was one small step to come down where I had to lower my pack into the pass proper, otherwise it was moderate class 2. It was not hard but route finding was a bit tricky. The south side was tedious scree. Glad I was going down and not up! There was actually a piece on the internet about doing the pass this way. I thought it worked out quite well.

I have also gone over Pyra-Queen Col from Keweah Basin to Nine Lakes Basin. The talus is quite steep and a bit loose a few places on the Keweah Basin side. The key is to not go directly up the drainage, but stay to the left and traverse into the main gully quite near the top. My biggest problem was that there was a 50mph wind howling and it blew me over several times. And the pass itself would have been hard to find were it not for some well placed cairns. It is really hidden from the Keweah Basin side, but very obvious from the Nine Lakes Basin side.

The descent north of Black Keweah peak was steep scree with one tricky rock slab. There was a band of icy snow that I had to lower my pack down and cut a few steps with a rock. (I did not have an ice axe or crampons, only trekking poles) I am not sure that snow would be there in all years. There is a lot of tedious talus to hop before you get to Nine Lakes Basin.

Pants Pass is the easier of these two passes.

Thank you, npallister. That's good information!

I should clearify the Pyra Queen Col description. From the Keweah Basin side you want to stay RIGHT (north) of the main drainage (you actually go past some ponds) before traversing into the talus-filled main drainage. (left of the drainage IF going from Nine Lakes Basin to Keweah Basin) The more you can stay out of the main drainage, the better. You traverse a considerable distance on a high snowfield after leaving the main drainage to reach the pass that is on the south end of the broad saddle. I think this pass would be really scarey for someone who does not have mountaineering experience. It certainly would not be my preferred route to get to Keweah Basin. I had originally planned on going out via Keweah Pass but it looked worse! I did not try it. At the time, there was little snow on Keweah Pass and it looked like horribly loose large talus blocks.

Thank you, Wandering Daisy. I've now read enough harrowing descriptions of the various steep talus passes that my friend Radnord and I have decided to approach Kaweah Basin from the north, from the Gallats "Lake" area. Instead of approaching via Nine Lake Basin, we'll approach via Lion Lake Pass and Triple Divide Pass. This new plan appears to involve more fun route-finding anyway.