Seeking insight late June conditions North-South Lake

[sethboston]

Hi All,
I have enjoyed reading everyone's trip reports, insights, and advice here for years. I would love to get your take on potential conditions on the North Lake/South Lake loop this year in late June. Understanding that weather/conditions can't be predicted, I figured this group would have the best level of knowledge to guestimate snow and water crossing levels on this loop, starting up Piute Pass/Evolution Creek/Bishop Pass. I have had a handful of multi-night experiences in the Sierra, but I am hoping to do this loop as my first solo trip. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[FrankPS]

I think it could work, but would likely be a poor choice of timing. Maybe you are limited on when you can go, but August would be much better.

That early in the season you risk mosquitoes and difficult river/creek crossings. (I've forgotten what creek crossings there are on that route)

A couple of years ago, there was a bridge out over the San Joaquin River. I believe it has been rebuilt but you might want to double check. Especially if you are going early season.

It's a great trip so have fun!

[sethboston]

I appreciate that Frank. Late summer is not an option for me as I balance work/home schedules. I am wary of going too early such that Evolution Creek is a bit much or my pace will be bogged down with snow. I may be able to push things back another 10-14 days, getting into early July, but am not sure how different conditions might be.

[balzaccom]

The difference between late June and mid=-July is significant, particularly because we usually get at least some heat wave in that time period. And while the stream crossings are certainly to be considered carefully, I would also think about the ascent/descent of Lamarck Col early in the season. Lots of snow makes that...interesting.

[dbargaehr1]

I think it could work, but would likely be a poor choice of timing. Maybe you are limited on when you can go, but August would be much better.

That early in the season you risk mosquitoes and difficult river/creek crossings. (I've forgotten what creek crossings there are on that route)

A couple of years ago, there was a bridge out over the San Joaquin River. I believe it has been rebuilt but you might want to double check. Especially if you are going early season.

It's a great trip so have fun!

There were several bridges out from the 22-23 snow load. Are you referring to the main one involving the Pacific crest Trail? We came across the bridge at Hemlock in the Isberg pass area that year and completely a non-option to cross. Twisted sideways.

[FrankPS]

I think it could work, but would likely be a poor choice of timing. Maybe you are limited on when you can go, but August would be much better.

That early in the season you risk mosquitoes and difficult river/creek crossings. (I've forgotten what creek crossings there are on that route)

A couple of years ago, there was a bridge out over the San Joaquin River. I believe it has been rebuilt but you might want to double check. Especially if you are going early season.

It's a great trip so have fun!

There were several bridges out from the 22-23 snow load. Are you referring to the main one involving the Pacific crest Trail? We came across the bridge at Hemlock in the Isberg pass area that year and completely a non-option to cross. Twisted sideways.

IMG_6267.jpeg

I was referring to the one (one of them) on the North Lake to South Lake loop. Since that was the hike the OP was asking about.

[maverick]

Hi sethboston,

Maybe supplying a little more information about your abilities will give members the opportunity to give you feedback inline with your skills levels.
viewtopic.php?t=4205

[kpeter]

I did the loop the last week of July in 2011, which was a very wet year. It was probably the equivalent of the first week of July in a more normal year like this one. Even so, there were significant crossing and snow issues. Note I did not do the col but hiked down Piute Canyon. Note that this trip was before the damage to bridges and so whatever bridge issues there are can be added to this list of challenges. There were four significant bridges on the loop that I recall, two crossing back and forth across the San Joaquin, one crossing Piute Creek at the confluence with the San Joaquin, and one crossing Dusy Creek as the Bishop Pass trail climbs out of LeConte canyon to Dusy Basin.

1) West Fork Pinnacles Creek where it crosses the trail in Piute Canyon. If you hit it at the wrong time it is a torrent, and so frothy that you cannot see the bottom. When I got there on July 29 it was more reasonable. But two weeks earlier an experienced hiker here posted that he had to climb upstream and pull himself across hanging on to tree branches. At that point, I would have turned around, but small streams recede as fast as they rise, and it was not too bad when I was there. If you go over the col you would avoid this.

2) Evolution Creek coming up to Evolution Meadow. It was just doable for me on July 30, but it started to rain and may have become impassable again shortly after. You can get lots of information on this crossing since it is a biggie on the PCT, and the ranger usually posts advice along the trail too. The meadow crossing was my best option, but being waist deep in ice water is not fun, and you can't walk quickly when you are that deep. Hint: go a bit upstream and cross at a diagonal heading partly downstream, so the current will push your legs forward and you don't have to fight it.

3) The crossing of the Dusy Branch coming up to Dusy Basin from Leconte Ranger Station. The trail crosses twice--the higher elevation crossing has a bridge, but the lower crossing does not. I camped and waited to cross it in the morning when it was much lower. Unfortunately, I did not take a picture. There were people who were finding ways to hop across it by jumping from slick boulder to slick boulder, but I was not willing to try that. In the morning, it was only knee keep and quite simple. But when I arrived at 4 in the afternoon I was too tired to risk it. If the bridge on the recrossing is out (I have no information on this) the challenge might be even greater.

4) Also worth noting is that year I walked on snow from Sapphire Lake, over Muir Pass, and down past Helen Lake. The sun cups were tiring and annoying, after 6 miles of it. Getting down the outlet of Helen Lake was complicated by the snow in the slot canyon with a considerable vertical drop below 45 degree snowbanks to the rocks of the outlet below. The trail was only beginning to emerge from under the snow in a few places. I managed to pick my way through a safe route, but others were scurrying across very steep snowbanks with exposure.