North Lake to South Lake via SHR, Bear Lakes Basin and JMT starting 8/4/19 Conditions help!!

[Mocs123]

I'm planning a trip from North Lake to South Lake August 4th through the 10th and was going to see if anyone had any condition reports of Puppet Pass (Carrol Col), Feather Pass, Bear Lakes Basin, or White Bear Pass. I assume that Piute Pass, Muir Pass, and Bishop Pass will all have been well traveled by the time we get there, but was unsure about the less traveled SHR passes we were going to try and use.

It appears the snow is melting fast so conditions are going to be always changing, but what are your thoughts on Microspikes vs KTS Crampons? What about an ice axe? I've done some glacier travel in Alaska and WRR in microspikes, but have never used an ice axe. We are experianced backpackers both on trail and off trail, but I haven't done many passes in the snow. We will be prepared to turn around it gets too sketchy, but would like to see Bear Lakes Basin this year if possible.

Thoughts on exiting Bear Lakes Basin via Seven Gables and following the East Fork of Bear Creek to the JMT vs. going over White Bear Pass and intersecting the trail near Lake Italy and heading to the JMT in these conditions?

How are the JMT Creek Crossings?


We will be prepared for mosquitos. I will have long nylon pants, a long nylon shirt, sun gloves, socks, and a OR sun runner hat - all treated with permethrin. I will also have a headnet and some DEET. I hope they are not going to be as bad as I fear. I generally have had really good luck places avoiding the worst mosquitos, but I may not be able to this year.


Thank you for your help

Route can be found here
https://caltopo.com/m/FPSH

[stevet]

Nothing current.

I hiked the Mono Creek to Humphreys Basin SHR segment in 2011, another big snow year albeit the end of August not the first of August. No doubt there is more snow now than then, and more/larger sun cups. That said, only Puppet Pass is steep and it was snow free. Feather Pass and White Bear Pass both had snow (probably 1.5 mile of snow run on the north side of Feather) but nothing so steep that microspikes can't handle and hiking poles can't handle.

If Puppet is still snowed/iced in then you might need crampons and an ice axe. Can't speak to East Fork Bear Creek near the JMT. In the high country you'll have no difficult crossings.

Bug-wise, plan for epic skeeters. You might hit a good time, but much of this SHR segment is marshy tundra so unless you have lots of wind you'll have lots of skeeters.

[Mocs123]

Thank you!

[frozenintime]

a long way down in this thread (https://backpackinglight.com/forums/top ... eys-basin/) there's a photo of carol col from this week

[Jimr]

The BP light shot shows the West side of Puppet. The East side still has quite a bit of snow coverage.

https://apps.sentinel-hub.com/sentinel- ... ates=false

[rlown]

Glad I moved my trip to mid Sept.

[maiathebee]

Are you back from your trip? I'm headed that way on Monday and am curious about any conditions info for Puppet, Feather, Dancing Bear, etc that you have!

[rlown]

We go in Sept 15th. Will be iced out and an easy hike. So, to answer your question, we haven't even started our trip over Carol Col.

[maiathebee]

We go in Sept 15th. Will be iced out and an easy hike. So, to answer your question, we haven't even started our trip over Carol Col.

I was asking the OP, who from his posted route should have returned by now as stated coming out on the 10th:

I'm planning a trip from North Lake to South Lake August 4th through the 10th.