Northern Yosemite backpack questions

[BigTubs]

Ice Lake pass is easily managed and Incredible Hulk is worth a look. Here's some shots of Ice Lake and the terrain below. We went around the wall on the East side of the lake and the route we chose had us doing one Class 3 move with significant exposure, but otherwise easy walking.

Edit: Saw you have 8 folks - I wouldn't plan to camp at Ice Lake; I remember 2 tents was a squeeze and nothing flat

[agfhst]

Thanks, BigTubs, very useful. I like to see pictures of the terrain beforehand when I'm leading a group, and particularly like seeing what looks like the cliffs that Secor mentions. Hopefully won't be much snow or ice by August, although I see the snow's been picking up a bit in the last few days.

[NancyJ.sierrahike]

Upper Spiller canyon, lots of great spots to camp and plenty of water. Horse Creek Pass, as an exit-the top is a boulder descent that could hold snow depending on snow year, but not too likely in August..route-finding down is visual-just pick the path that works the best, but staying closer to the left is generally the best, then it cuts left again. Rock Island Lake is one of my fave spots-so remote-never had company there (except for wildlife). We came up xc from just below Rock Island pass, and another time from the PCT just above Seavey Pass-this required a compass, bushwacking, creek-crossing/climbing but so spectacular. We also went XC from Spiller over into Matterhorn-just below Whorl, then down a wildlife trail into the canyon-we camped in the lower part of the canyon across the creek-you can find multiple sites, just not immediately next to one another. Hope this is helpful

[agfhst]

Thanks for the helpful info, NancyJ. Likely will exit via Little Slide Canyon rather than Horse Creek Canyon, so Spiller Canyon will probably have to wait. But another part of the plan is to hike up the canyon running from north of Seavey Pass to Rock Island Lake, which sounds like the route you used, so appreciate that info especially.

[Wandering Daisy]

I have done both Horse Creek Pass and Little Slide. Horse Creek is easier except the short initial drop rock (I had snow in August 2010 and had to wait an hour until sun hit the snow and softened it enough to kick steps). Little Slide is tricky to get into the canyon by Maltby Lake. Once you get down you also have to wade the creek. Little Slide is definitely more scenic but I did not like it. Late season there is no water from the trail until you reach the first lake. There are small streams earlier, but they dry up in late August.

You can go over the pass to Crown Lake ?Mule Pass. It is a good trail and the trail down is very nice.

Looking up Horse Creek headwall on south side

Maltby Lake

Maltby Lake

[c9h13no3]

Once you get down you also have to wade the creek. Little Slide is definitely more scenic but I did not like it.

Robinson Creek was a log jam crossing for me and my 6 months pregnant wife in 2020. The big winter of 2023 may have rearranged things since.

See, I personally hate Horse Creek. The multitude of use trail braids I find really ugly, and I always end up doing something unpleasant (bushwhacking, talus hopping, on a loose slope). If the FS had the budget (lol), that trail would really benefit from becoming official & maintained, at least up to the point the rock climbers branch off from the backpackers. Anyways, a lot of this is personal preferences, but that’s mine.

Daisy’s post is a reminder tho that the trail by Barney Lake is A+, the view of Crown Point from Barney might be the best view in the Twin Lakes zone. Both Crest crossings by Peeler & Crown lake are super chill and I find them both more scenic than Horse Creek. The avalanche debris fields from 2023 are also cool.

Barney Lake

[Wandering Daisy]

I waded that creek way back in 1998. It was waist deep, no log jam. There really was not much of a use-trail at that time. Later (trip when I took the photos) a day-hike to look down at Maltby Lake was really enough for me. At an end of a long trip it is nice to just coast out on a trail.

One reason not to go down Horse Creek is that you miss the beautiful Matterhorn Canyon. If you are behind schedule and have to just get out, then Horse Creek is a quick. I really had little problem with the brush. The annoying thing was that I was really thirsty and could hear water deep below the rocks but could not get to it.

[agfhst]

Food for thought, thanks for the responses, Wandering Daisy and c9h13no3. We’ll be entering Yosemite via Barney Lake and then Peeler Lake Pass (likely) or Rock Island (Snow Lake) Pass, so we’ll get those views. And we’re definitely hiking up Matterhorn Canyon.

For the last-day exit, Ice Lake Pass/Little Slide Canyon fits in a little better with the current plan for the rest of the trip. It sounds doable, even if there's a tricky spot or two, and I figure it leaves Mule Pass as a nearby alternative in case there’s a preference or need to stay on trail. Having said that, based on the comments, I'm going to think a little more about a Matterhorn Pass-Horse Creek Canyon exit.
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[Wandering Daisy]

My comments on Horse Creek Pass were based on NOT coming from Matterhorn Canyon. I have not done that part, but I think if you go that way it would be much harder than Little Slide.

[agfhst]

No worries, Wandering Daisy, that’s what I understood. When you said we’d miss Matterhorn Canyon I figured you were thinking about a different approach to Horse Creek Pass, like hiking up Spiller Canyon.

It’s getting over Matterhorn Pass that doesn’t fit well into the current plans for the trip – crossing the pass would either be adding 1000 ft of climbing and maybe a little scrambling to the end of a long day, or adding that to beginning of the last day and making the exit longer and harder, as you point out.