High Sierra Topix

Has anyone done Cartridge Creek between Lakes Basin (Marion Lake) and the Middle Fork Trail? I can see small pieces of the old trail on Google Earth but it looks basically overgrown. I can see what seems to be a reasonable route, but hard to tell. Also, what is the condition of the trail from Copper Creek TH to Simpson Meadow? What is the first water sources along that trail once you start up from Simpson Meadow? I am thinking of a loop using both these routes and trying to decide clockwise (down the trail and up Cartridge) vs counter clockwise (down Cartridge and up the trail).

Daisy,

I recall there are a couple of TRs on Cartridge Creek travel. I bet the tread is still there but from the TR is seems that brush has overgrown much of the trail. As I recall from my one trip down to Simpson the East Fork of Dougherty is the first/last water before Simpson. This leaves you with the choice of long dry uphill out of Simpson (with relatively light pack) or bucking brush going uphill (also hot and dry). Pick your poison!

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The bush is bad on Cartridge Creek, it is slow going, and depend on the day, hot.

As OR mentioned, East Fork of Dougherty Creek is you water source. The trail is hot, steep, and has a mix of manzanita, forest, and sand. All the trails that access Tehipite and the Monarch Divide are the steepest on the western side of the Sierra (Tehipite Trail, Copper Creek Trail, and Lewis Creek Trail).

So are you saying that the trail down to Simpson Meadow from Granite Pass is also overgrown? I have been on the upper part of that trail as far north as the States Lake trail junction, but not farther. Does anyone go from Roads End over the Monarch Divide and down to Simpson Meadow with horses anymore?

I guess the question also relates to the trail along the Middle Fork. But this trail is fairly visiable on Google Earth.

I expected Cartridge Creek to be overgrown and the trail gone for all practical purposes. I figured it would take an entire day to go down and more than a day to go up. So do you think it compares to Enchanted Gorge?

Thanks for the TR links, however, 1975 is a long time ago!! Would think things would be even more overgrown by now.

So are you saying that the trail down to Simpson Meadow from Granite Pass is also overgrown?

No, only the lower sections below Dougherty Meadow.

I guess the question also relates to the trail along the Middle Fork. But this trail is fairly visiable on Google Earth.

Trail is fine along the Middle Fork, highly doubt there will be any damage to the sections around the Devils Washbowl this year, or the foot bridge near the JMT.

I expected Cartridge Creek to be overgrown and the trail gone for all practical purposes. I figured it would take an entire day to go down and more than a day to go up. So do you think it compares to Enchanted Gorge?

At least a day, there were only very small sections visible in the mid 80's and it was slow going. It is right up there with Lower Goddard, Muro, or Kendrick.

Thanks for the TR links, however, 1975 is a long time ago!! Would think things would be even more overgrown by now.

Exactly, my last trip thru that canyon was 30 years ago, highly doubt any trail crew did any clearing of it.

As someone has rather astutely etched into the trail marker sign at the Simpson Meadow/Horseshoe Lakes junction, "No water = death."

Rogue has done it and he said it was pretty awful. Not nearly as bad a the Muro Blanco since that was just so much longer. I believe it was more brush than the Enchanted Gorge but not nearly as much loose rock.. from memory of what he said. I also do vaguely remember him saying the trail is not in great shape on the Middle Fork, but that it does exist.

I looked down from Marion last year. I was considering it for a future hike. I think the bad bush wacking is near the bottom.

I did do the trail along the middle fork from the JMT to Simpson also (west bound). The only part that wasn't well maintained, was a bit overgrown, was the 1st couple of miles near the JMT junction and then was fine as you traveled to Simpson. If you came down the creek then you would miss that section I think, but then obviously have to content with its bush wacking section.

Water can be a bit of work as the trail is often high above the river, and after Simpson the 1st bit of really steep switch backy mule worn trail doesn't have water sources until you essentially make the lakes up top.

Not sure if that was really helpful.

The river and canyon have such a wild feel to them. Love it!

A trail crew cleared and maintained the trail through Tehipite last August. A crew of women from a CC team spent more than a week between Simpson and the top of the switchbacks. No bridge over the river tho.

I will be going through this year sometime documenting the status of the Theodore Solomons Trail, possibly on an administrative permit, depending on when my trail boss talks to the park about an agreement to get our crews on the southern part of the trail from Mineral King to GTW.... also I'll be fishing. I may investigate Cartridge - always been interested in that part.

The section between the trailheads at Wishon and the park boundary is on our list but it's uncertain as to when we'll clear it, likely on a couple of weekends in August or September.

Has anyone done Cartridge Creek between Lakes Basin (Marion Lake) and the Middle Fork Trail?

WD, I've done that route a handful of times over the years and recommend you try it. It is a classic bushwhack between Triple Falls and the junction with the Simpson Meadow Trail. Coming down is easier than going up, as gravity is your friend if you're fighting your way through overgrown patches of manzanita and cottonwood. Navigation is easier going down too.

From Triple Falls heading down, stay on the north side of the creek, well away from the creek to avoid the worst of the cottonwoods. If you are lucky, you will come across remnants of the old JMT -- or perhaps just ramdom game trails. The last time I was there, about 10 years ago, I got lucky and was able to traverse my way down, mostly via a decent (but overgrown) trail. I lost the trail about a half mile from the junction and just muscled through from there. When I lost the trail, I was well above the creek.

Going the other way, up to Triple Falls from the junction, look for a large campsite in a grove of tall conifers about 100 yards upstream from the junction, on the north side. The creek is close by. Were I you, I would locate this campsite, then traverse up veering slightly away from the creek, hoping to intersect the old trail or, failing that, a path of least resistance as you traverse up to the base of Triple Falls. My first time up here, I stayed close to the creek and the going was miserable. The second time was late season and I just walked in the creek bed -- which worked pretty well, although it was slow going.

Once you get to the base of Triple Falls, there is a good use trail that takes you up to the top of the falls. At this point, you are done with the bushwhack. You can motor up to the lake basin fairly quickly from here but signs of a trail are sporadic until your get to the basin proper.

I posted photos from my various masochistic past trips here but Photobucket won't display them unless I pay them, so I'll have to repost the photos. I'll try to do that soon.

Mike