Cartridge Pass beta

[lambertiana]

I might be heading to Lake Basin this summer. I was there in 2010, and I heard that after that summer (at least within a few years after) there was a rockslide that changed things on Cartridge Pass. Are there any special difficulties to watch for, or specific route advice? In 2010 I didn't have any problem going over Cartridge Pass.

I will most likely go up Cartridge Pass from south fork Kings, and exit Lake Basin via Marion Lake and Red/White/Gray passes, which is the reverse direction of what I did in 2010. I'll have to watch things to make sure I don't miss the start of the uphill on the old Cartridge Pass trail from the bottom of the south fork Kings.

[commonloon]

Over the years I think I been over it 2 times N->S and once S->N. Did it last year North to South. Very little snow, talus/rocks were reasonably stable. The use trail seemed fainter on the pass than when I had done it before. The south slope also seemed slippery, but not in a dangerous way other than falling down and getting scraped up. The biggest "Change" I noticed this last time was the bushwack along the south fork. It seemed worse that I remember. Plan extra time for it. I started North of the river, crossed over then crossed back. I was following a faint use trail on the south side for sometime; I just looked at Caltopo and the USGS map layer seems to show this as a "Trail." There is the talus field (where a large rock slide stoppped/fanned out) on the north side, that this seemed to be avoiding, but you may want to consider just rock hopping or not...

Have fun!

ps: I think I have some photos. Will look.

[commonloon]

Well, not too useful. I thought I had some photos of the south fork bushwack. Here are North and South side from last year.

[Wandering Daisy]

I have always stayed on the north side and down pretty close to the creek. There are several talus cones that go to into the river. Personally, I would rather hop rocks than beat through brush. I found many game trails close to the river and the talus cones were not that bad.

One year the trail on the south side of Cartridge Pass was washed out from a recent rainstorm and it was quite unstable and slick.

By the way the eastern of the two large lower lakes just above 3300 on the south side of pass has great camping and good fishing too at the outlet. This is the large lake next to the trail just before you drop down to SF Kings River.

[CAMERONM]

I have done the south-to-north a few times in recent years and did not notice anything of concern. Walkable and pretty stable.
I like the pass N-S as it is a series of "steps" of a few lakes and plateaus.