High Sierra Topix

This thread is on Taboose Pass, NOT Shepherd Pass.

As for Taboose Pass, I have done it late season a few times and never had any issues with no water.

There are 3 common areas to camp going up taboose...

1) The first is right at the first creek crossing on the north bank. It's quite small, maybe big enough for a 2 person tent. There is a great picture of it posted above.

2) About a quarter mile further up the trail from the first creek crossing after a switchback or two there is a bench with large ponderosa / jeffrey pines. This is at roughly 8400 ft. Plenty of space for tents, but there is no direct water access so you'll need to carry from the first crossing.

3) Right before the 2nd creek crossing, there are about 3 sites to the west of the trail. This is a good 1st day target if you don't get an early start or for those not in excellent hiking shape.

If you keep going past the 2nd creek crossing I recall there is 1 last established smaller site after the switchbacks where the trail gets closer to the creek before you leave the pine trees... elevation in the ball park of 9650ft. After that, there is not much until you get to broad flat at the top of the pass.

A timely trip report WD, thanks for posting, my son and I are scheduled to go in over Labor Day to summit Split Mountain. No fishing on that trip? , I have visited all those little lakes to the west of the PCT but all were fishless including Cardinal but just below Cardinal was a small pond with a healthy population of Rainbows.

I went over Taboose in May, and again in June of last year. There are 2 leveled out campsites of dubious legality higher in the canyon, before the steep section which begins at ~ 9,240'. They are very near the creek, and the upper site is slightly shaded by water birch trees. These campsites are arguably okay, as it would be very hard to establish a camp 100' from the creek in this area, as it is all boulders. Here it is:

Bearzy and I chose to use the site farther from the creek-- about 35 feet away.


Here is the closer, and better campsite; the creek is right by the big white boulder in the middle right, perhaps 25 ' from water.

RisetoDry wrote:

Right before the 2nd creek crossing, there are about 3 sites to the west of the trail. This is a good 1st day target if you don't get an early start or for those not in excellent hiking shape.

Are we perhaps talking about the same 2 campsites? I thought these were at the third creek crossing, but the map seems to show just one crossing before these camps.

Another option, for a longer day of hiking from the trailhead, is about a mile above where Rise To A Fly mentioned the last camping area at 9650.

At about the 10,400 ft elevation mark where the trail first comes to a substantial widening of the creek bed, there is a series of benches perched on a gentle ridge about 100 yards west of the trail and across the creek that hold a number of good sites with commanding views of Taboose canyon and its surrounding highlights. Situated not to far below the 2 part headwall before the pass, it is about a mile and a half to the top of the pass from those sites.
I slept in my tacoma at the trailhead and hit the trail on Saturday, September 7th, 2019, at about 5 am. I think it was about 95 degrees in Lone Pine the day before, but with the pretty early start the heat was not too much of a problem, and same with the water crossings. Saturday was a long day of hiking, but that particular camp spot allowed for a relatively short climb to the pass the next morningI believe that I held the dubious honor of being the last hiker to tackle Taboose pass that year and possibly the year after as well (see photo).

goddard's will wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:51 pm I believe that I held the dubious honor of being the last hiker to tackle Taboose pass that year and possibly the year after as well (see photo).

That's an impressive (and scary) photo! I'm curious which trail you ended up choosing to take back down. Also, how long did you have to wait before you were able to retrieve your truck? Since the trailhead is outside the burn scar I'm guessing it survived the fire even if the smoke and ash didn't do it any favors.

Druid, I continued my trip into Lake Basin and then back out over Pinchot pass and out to Cedar Grove campground. Picked up my truck (unharmed) over two weeks later.

The photo I posted was taken at 5:00 am on Sunday September 8, from my campsite at 10,400. It's the only photo I have of that spot so decided to post it. So as not to wander to far from the topic on this thread I will write a trip report and post it under 'Taboose Fire.'

Harlen wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 8:48 pm RisetoDry wrote:

Right before the 2nd creek crossing, there are about 3 sites to the west of the trail. This is a good 1st day target if you don't get an early start or for those not in excellent hiking shape.

Are we perhaps talking about the same 2 campsites? I thought these were at the third creek crossing, but the map seems to show just one crossing before these camps.

Those are the spots! Great pics of the dubious nature of them I distinctly remember how thick the water birches were in this area too... small and stunted but thick.

I believe it's the second crossing - the trail starts on the north side of the creek, crosses over to the south side around 8000ft, then back to the north at these small sites around 9150 ft.

I spent some time across the creek looking at the campsites that goddard's will mentioned. I recall they were pretty nice- even big enough to set up a small tent. I did not stay there because I had time to continue over the pass. They are very shady- a blessing if hot.