Baxter Pass

[tomba]

I finally hiked Baxter Pass in August. I’ve done Taboose, Shepherd, and Sawmill passes several times. I was surprised to find the Baxter Pass trail to be much worse. Especially the middle section on the east side.

At the first crossing of the main creek, it wasn’t clear where to exit the creek bed. I found my way after scrambling up the eroded banks and pushing through some bushes.

Below the second crossing, there were some tall stinging nettles. I could still faintly feel their stings the next morning.

At the second crossing of the main creek, the exit was again not visible. But this time, there was a much taller, steep slope covered in dense bushes. Large logs also blocked the way. I trusted the MapBuilder overlay on CalTopo (rather than the old trail location marked on the topo map) and, after some scrambling, I found the trail.

From there, the trail becomes hard to follow. Often barely visible, frequently lost. I was hoping to make it to the campsite marked on the topo map, by headlamp if necessary, but hiking this trail in the dark was not feasible. After sunset, I found a marginal, unused camp spot at about 2800 m elevation, right by the trail under a pine tree. Apparently, I was not the first one, as I found a rusted can nearby in the morning.

Higher up, there were multiple washouts where the trail was not visible. Some cairns helped. The MapBuilder overlay also helped a lot. It was quite a bit worse than similar terrain on Sawmill Pass trail. A lot of pushing through overgrown thorny bushes.

Before the trail made a major turn northward, it became easy to follow again.

On the west side, I met some out-of-state hikers doing a Sawmill-Baxter route as preparation for climbing Mt. Whitney. They told me they were questioning their sanity. Another group of older hikers, after climbing Baxter Pass, told me that this was “trial by fire”.

I may not take this trail again anytime soon. The trailheads to the south (Kearsarge) and north (Sawmill) are more convenient for reaching most locations that I like in that area.

I wonder if some people take this trail because it is easier to get permits.

[wsp_scott]

Thanks for posting that info. I've done Shepherd and Taboose in the past and have my eye on Sawmill for a future trip.

It is a shame when a developed trail is allowed to "disappear"

[Harlen]

Nice work Tomba--better you than me. I have only descended Baxter, all the way to Independence. What did you think of the view west to Mt. Clarence King from the lower Baxter Lakes? I thought it had a "White Matterhorn" look.
Where did you go from there?

[tomba]

A cross-country loop around Mt. Clarence King and out over Baxter again. I will be posting some TRs, including this one.

By the way, the west side of the Baxter Pass trail is much better. The trail section below Baxter Lakes, before the traverse to Dollar Lake, is non-existent in some places. The N-S traverse to Dollar Lake through the talus slope has a well-defined trail that is washed out in a couple of places. Near Dollar Lake, it is easy to lose the trail.