R04/R01 TR: Shoulder Season in Ionian Basin ~ October 2013

[RoguePhotonic]

Lake Confusion may be bare but it sure has nice waters and good views near the outlet.

[tseaney]

Great TR. I've done that cross country route before and staying high on the Eastern side of the canyon is the easiest route. Just as you found out the gorge gets pretty tight. The valley East of the river is a bush-whack nightmare! Beautiful Country and great fishing up there.

[Bluewater]

I apologize for my super late response, I had forgotten about this trip report until now!

Thanks Rochchucker! That was a Solomid, just barely big enough for me and gear but I love that shelter.

Rogue I agree about the view from the outlet of Lake Confusion. It's a pano looking both directions of Goddard Cyn. I've got more photos to add from the rest of this trip.

Tseaney that cross country route was fun. I just wish I had taken the high 'road' along the east ridge from the start:)


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[Wandering Daisy]

You left us hanging! Do we get to hear the rest of the story?

[Bluewater]

Thanks for the encouragement! Much of this trip was inspired by one of your trip reports WD, so it's the least I can do to give back:)


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[balance]

Hmmm. Did you thank your gaurdian angel?

I've tried glissading on snow. Probably won't try it on granite, all things considered.

BTW Bluewater, thanks for the info on the other post about tarps. So is that your Solomid in the rock field at Lake 12,280? That's a good example of a tarp functioning above treeline. It looks like you used rocks for tie downs. Couldn't get stakes in that ground, could you?

[Bluewater]

Day 3 Continued:

Lake Confusion:

Lake Confusion

Martha Lake and Mt. Goddard from Lake Confusion Pass:

Martha and Goddard

Goddard Canyon from Lake Confusion Pass:

Goddard Cyn Pano

Lake Confusion Pass is described as Class II by Secor and according to his directions the route follows a very steep granite wall. I read about a alternate route on a TR from Wandering Daisy that follows a bench on the ridge then leads to an easy use trail and switchbacks to the Goddard Canyon below.

Steep wall down to Goddard Canyon via Secor's Lake Confusion Pass. . . ouch:

What?

. . . or the alternative, a meadow along the ridge:

Nice Ledge

By the time I reached the entry to Ionian Basin via Goddard Pass the storm clouds were gathering across the canyon. It was getting colder in the high elevation and the waterfalls were mostly frozen along the way. I was taking note of all the possible places to make camp in case I needed to hunker down along the way. By the time I reached Ionian Basin I could see the storm clouds starting to drop snow right behind me. Soon the snow and high winds arrived. I backtracked through the blowing snow to a small level spot just below a ledge on the shore of lake 12,280 at the base of Mt. Goddard. This lake was completely bound by boulders except for one small level spot which was just large enough for my shelter.

After getting settled in I tried to go outside to make dinner but the wind created a chill that was freezing my fingers. I only brought glove liners and a pair of Zpacks waterproof/breathable cuben rain mitts. I was wishing I had brought some down mitts.

I ended up waiting out the storm for 16 hours in my MLD cuben Solomid. I was concerned about being able to get around in the snow the next day but fortunately most of the snow had melted by the afternoon.

Looking back at the storm clouds gathering above Martha Lake:

Storm Approaching

Frozen waterfalls, now that's cold:

Frozen Waterfall

Scrambling over Goddard Pass:

Goddard Pass

Lake 11,951, Charybdis and Scylla in the background:

Ionian Basin

After the snowstorm at 12,280 feet:

After the Storm

to be continued.

[Bluewater]

Day 4:

The next morning, camping below Mt. Goddard:

Camp below Goddard

A rare flat camp site:

Campsite

By morning the skies were clear and the sun had transformed the area. The rest of the trip was warm and beautiful. I spent a few hours wandering through the Ionian Basin, sometimes following faint use trails and even a few cairns. I had planned on camping below Scylla the night before but the long storm meant I had to cut things short and keep moving. I passed lake 11,951, Lake 11,818 and the famous pink and purple rocks on the way to Lake 10,232 in Goddard Canyon.

Lake 11,951:

11,951

Lake 11,818, Scylla in the backgound:

Ionian Basin

Land bridge over Lake 11,818:

Lake Pano

Finger Peak from Lake 11,818:

Finger Peak

Alpine reflection:

Ionian Basin

Pink Rock

Waves of rock:

Waves

1,600 foot drop off to Goddard Canyon just beyond waves of rock

Finger Peak from Pink Rock

To be continued.

[Bluewater]

Day 4 Continued.

I followed the various benches and granite slabs down from the outlet of Lake 11,818 toward Goddard Canyon and Lake 10,232 below. There were a few good areas large enough for several people to easily camp.

waterfall

One of the many benches on the way to Lake 10,232:

bench

Lake 10,232, the headwaters of Goddard Creek:

goddard headwaters

The headwaters of Goddard Creek:

headwaters pano

Lake 10,232:

alpine

Ancient:

tree

Dinner at sunset on Lake 10,232:

reflection

Day 5:

The next morning I woke to a beautiful view of the sunrise on Finger Peak. My first goal of the day was to cross Finger Col. The cross country travel in the basin was straightforward and before long I was at the base of Finger Col. . . or at least what I hoped was Finger Col.

Early morning on Finger Peak:

finger basin camp

Finger Peak basin, Blue Canyon Peak:

finger basin pano

Finger Peak basin:

finger basin pano 2

to be continued.

[Bluewater]

Day 5 Continued:

Blue Canyon Peak and Finger Peak:

Finger Pano

The route up to Finger Col:

Finger Col route

This was my first time over Finger Col so I wasn't exactly sure where it was. The actual 'finger' is on the other side so without a clear landmark I just aimed for what seemed to be the best spot.

I realized that if I couldn't find the way over I would have to backtrack two days and over two more passes to get back. It felt strange to be in such a remote area and completely reliant on information available in guide books and online at highsierratopix.com. I am always grateful for the people who generously share their experience in the High Sierra. Maybe this will help someone else considering the route.

Finger Col from the east:

tarn

Finger Peak:

finger peak

finger peak 2

Headwall on route to Finger Col:

finger peak 3

As I got closer to the mostly vertical wall I started to see a few cairns leading the way to the col. There was a steep drop-off along a very narrow cliff band but the route was Class II the whole way. The views from the top were amazing.

Class II route to Finger Col?:

finger route

A small cairn leading the way to Finger Col:

class II?

View east from Finger Col, all the way to the Palisades:

view

View west from Finger Col, Cathedral Lake and the rest of Blackcap Basin:

view

to be continued.