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cgundersen wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 3:54 pm
Nice get Jim! I suspect that one could keep plenty busy trying to trace lots of those old trails which undoubtedly have fallen into disrepair either because they are no longer maintained and/or because they have been replaced by a trail taking a different route. After a very long gap between visits, I went looking for the old trail to/from Sawtooth Pass out of Mineral King. The new trail runs along the southern wall of the canyon before reaching Monarch Lakes and the final climb to the pass, whereas the old trail ran along the Northern side of the canyon. It took me a while to find the old trail and it was interrupted frequently by rock-slides which undoubtedly led to the re-routing. It spite of that, there was plenty of evidence of foot traffic on that route. It's more direct, but definitely more cumbersome these days.
For those with more IT moxie than I have, it seems that one could undertake an objective survey of "remote" locations based on the rarity of reports (like, TRs) of folks having ventured to said location. For instance, on that same trip out of Mineral King, I was somewhat surprised to find very few TRs on HST that mentioned Amphitheater Lake. Yes, the one that's all of two miles (or so) as the crow flies from the Mineral King parking lot. This continues the theme that proximity to "civilization" does not necessarily diminish tranquility. Still, it's been my experience that the more distance between you and a trailhead, the fewer folk you run into (unless you're on Roper's route). Cameron
I have only done the old trail like you said to go to Glacier Pass/Sawmill Pass, It goes straight up the mountain to the left or North. That was my first backpacking trip to Spring Lake and Cyclamen in 1980. I never been on the new trail to the south.
cgundersen wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 3:54 pm
Nice get Jim! I suspect that one could keep plenty busy trying to trace lots of those old trails which undoubtedly have fallen into disrepair either because they are no longer maintained and/or because they have been replaced by a trail taking a different route.
I've been curious about the old trails that used to continue down Big arroyo Creek, below the Soda Creek Confluence, that once tied into Rattlesnake Creek to the south, and Sky Parlor Meadow to the north. https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=36.441 ... o=r&n=0.25 I think that'd make a fine far side section for a big loop hike out of Mineral King. My research has concluded the old routes are way too obstructed with blow downs and understory flora to make it feasible as a XC without pack animal support.
cgundersen wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 3:54 pm
Nice get Jim! I suspect that one could keep plenty busy trying to trace lots of those old trails which undoubtedly have fallen into disrepair either because they are no longer maintained and/or because they have been replaced by a trail taking a different route.
I've been curious about the old trails that used to continue down Big arroyo Creek, below the Soda Creek Confluence, that once tied into Rattlesnake Creek to the south, and Sky Parlor Meadow to the north. https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=36.441 ... o=r&n=0.25 I think that'd make a fine far side section for a big loop hike out of Mineral King. My research has concluded the old routes are way too obstructed with blow downs and understory flora to make it feasible as a XC without pack animal support.
Ed
The trail from Big Arroyo to Rattlesnake Creek was in usable shape a few years ago, according to this trip report: http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthread ... ney_Portal
I had a loop that included this segment all planned for 2020 but my plans changed after the Rattlesnake Fire occurred. It's probably not a lot of fun to hike now. I doubt there's much left at all of those historic Sky Parlor trails.
Since we're on this theme, I'd looked into doing the old Cartridge creek trail to reach Marion Lake basin (about which there is some info on HST, and spotty hints of remnant trail visible on Google Earth)), but I need to get my buns into Blue Canyon/Tunemah first. Ian knows about that fantasy........Bottom line, there's plenty left to explore up there, but one needs to be prudent in this high snow year. Cameron
