Gardiner Pass question

[Wandering Daisy]

I am going in Kearsarge Pass Thursday for 8 days in the Upper Kern via Forrester Pass. I will also come out Forrester Pass. Then I will resupply at Onion Valley and do a 6-7 day trip into Gardiner Basin. I will go in via Glen Pass. A loop would require coming out Gardiner Pass. I have never done that pass. If the pass looks ugly I will just turn around and go back out Glen Pass. Although it is shorter to go over Gardiner Pass to Charlotte Lake, regardless of the difficult of Gardiner Pass, is the scenery really worth it, when going back I can also poke around 60Lakes Basin and do a day-hike to Dragon Lake? Gardiner Pass to Charlotte Lake seems like a lot of in timber walking with few views.

[druid]

I've done your proposed Gardiner Pass route in the opposite direction. I don't think you would encounter any problems getting over the pass, it's much easier than Sixty Lakes Col. In the direction we hiked, on the way out from Charlotte Lake there are nice views of Charlotte Dome, followed by a stretch of timber walking. Views open up as you approach the pass, and then lake 10600+ just north of the pass has very nice views of Mt. Gardiner:viewtopic.php?t=22498. Here are a couple of additional photos of views to the south from just below and at the pass.

[Wandering Daisy]

Thanks for your input. The HST pass description implied a tedious, if not difficult, pass on the Charlotte Lake side. I have actually been on part of that trail when we attempted a technical route on Charlotte Dome, but not up to Gardiner Pass. I guess I will just decide when I get up there, if I turn back or go over.

[rormisto]

Hey Daisy! I've done that loop (and just realized I haven't written up a TR-- adding it to the list). Gardiner southbound is much simpler than northbound, I think. Heading south, there's hints of a use trail on the way up, and it seemed obvious (to me) which was the correct way to go. The other options are cliffs, and obviously so! This is not as obvious from the top of the pass. The south side of the pass was non-technical and easy walking, you get your pick of an avalanche field or woods.

On my trip, northbound, I had a hard time figuring out which notch was the right place to descend, and did a lot of walking along the rim looking for better vantage points.

I had a slightly harder time dropping into and out of Gardiner Creek at 9k' than the pass itself, though I was also so beset by mosquitos in June/July that I couldn't think straight. I hope you have an amazing time!

Oh, as far as the views go, I thought Gardiner Lakes proper (by Sixty Lakes Col) and the lakes on the north side of Gardiner Pass were lovely! You're right that Gardiner Pass to Charlotte Dome Climber's Camp is largely wooded, though the descent from the Climber's Camp to the lake can have nice views depending on the route you take. I was less impressed with the middle section of the loop, leaving Gardiner Lakes and heading down into the Gardiner Creek drainage.

[sekihiker]

Gardiner Pass will be easy for you.
And, yes, poking around in the Gardiner Basin is very worthwhile.
http://www.sierrahiker.com/GardinerBasin/index.htm

[stevet]

Daisy, I traversed Gardiner Basin from Sixty Lakes Basin to Charlotte Lake in 2022. No particular difficulties, and suspect you'll find it easy too. Gaia GPS shows an old unmaintained trail route, of which I found few visible traces until the final ascent of Gardiner Pass. I did stay left or right of the creek or the various lakes where the Gaia route indicated just walking what appeared the easiest route. The map below shows the basin, I marked red the section between Gardiner Creek and the lake at 9520', this was the only section I needed to spend anytime route finding. Had I found the old Shorty Cabin remains perhaps it would have been a clearer route up from there. Also, as you work your way down, get too close to Gardiner Creek and you'll be in the Willows.

On the south side of Gardiner the trail vanishes in the scree. As you descend, veer left/east-ish where ever a choice exists and watch for the trail coming in from Charlotte Lake at about the 10,000' level. Had I not been looking I might have missed it but as I started contouring at 10,000' I started encounter ducks and ultimately a well-travelled path.

[Trailguru]

Definitely bookmarking this loop. It's been a bucketlist trip for more than a decade now!