Glacier Pass Sawtooth Pass + Big Five Lakes Hiking Loop Park

Instant coffee (Starbucks VIA). Sawtooth Peak Reflected in Columbine Lake - I was really glad I had stayed up at Columbine and had views like this in the morning instead of trees and mosquitos. Eventually, the tree cover recedes revealing an idyllic alpine meadow that stretches up canyon towards the Great Western Divide and Sawtooth Peak. We never win anything! Day 4: day hike back into the Nine Lakes Basin to explore. I am sure the views of those lakes would be great though. Anybody hike sawtooth pass to big 5 lakes. The view from the top is spectacular, and leads me to benefit number 3: 3) You can see Glacier pass from the top of black rock pass. It was super sunny and hot in the evening sun, and the trail was just so steep and rocky. There is even a whole webpage dedicated to this on the NPS website. There is no one correct route, but we did our best to slowly and carefully get up to the top of the 11, 800 foot pass. Savor the top of the pass, looking back across the Great Western Divide towards the East Side, before studying the route down to Monarch Lakes. Just wondering, has anyone done this recently?

Glacier pass sawtooth pass + big five lakes hiking loop trails
Glacier pass sawtooth pass + big five lakes hiking loops
Glacier pass sawtooth pass + big five lakes hiking loop area

Glacier Pass Sawtooth Pass + Big Five Lakes Hiking Loop Trails

Beyond the crossing, continue downhill to the junction with the Timber Gap Trail and turn left to return to your car. Don't despair; the scenery through this section, including cascades on Timber Gap Creek, views north toward the Alta Peak massif and Tablelands, and patches of colorful wildflowers will compensate you for your loss. This lake stole my heart. If you plan on using a stove or making a fire, be sure to obtain a free California Fire Permit. The views from the Kawaeh Gap are great and Precipice Lake and the surround area are gorgeous. Glacier pass sawtooth pass + big five lakes hiking loop trails. 5 hours of tight turns on a single windy dirt road that climbs over 6, 400 feet.

Small, quick drying towel (REI mutli towel mini). Wool outer socks (People Socks Moreno 4-pack). Columbine Lake is a stunning place to camp! You follow a creek for much of the hike, but near the top of Timber Gap I do not recall there being many sources of water. I took a left on a clearly visible use trail at the sign saying "trail" with an arrow to the right, and followed it north. Glacier pass sawtooth pass + big five lakes hiking loops. Since we went in September, marmots weren't an issue and we didn't have to marmot-proof our truck.

Glacier Pass Sawtooth Pass + Big Five Lakes Hiking Loops

The meandering creek cuts a sluggish ribbon through the canyon bottom, while clusters of wildflowers brighten the grassy tussocks surrounding you. It's always best to call the ranger stations before starting your trek to ask about the conditions of the mountain passes and get an idea of what equipment they recommend. 6 miles; +2, 500 ft / -2, 000 ft; Big Five Lakes to Precipice Lake. Backpacking the Five Lakes Loop in Mineral King. In regards to fires Justin… you are at elevation I would check with rangers as to if you can have a fire. In fact, both of those places are more scenic than Big Five Lakes. I prefer a picaridin based spray because it does not damage plastics and synthetic fibers like high concentration DEET sprays do. After a big pointless up & down, you'll arrive at the junction for the upper Big Five Lakes. You'll steadily climb for another 2. I personally prefer Big Five over Little Five Lakes because the landscape is so much grander (I mean, it is in the name: Big Five Lakes).

The trail gains about 700 feet in 0. Once we reached Precipice Lake, we set up camp and took pictures of the beautiful lake and surrounding area. Glacier pass sawtooth pass + big five lakes hiking loop area. Perhaps I would want to avoid 1, 2011 at 10:46 am #1765171. It was a beautiful apex. Stuff slid off their packs (due to the steepness) and then went over the edge. From the ranger's updates, we knew there were 3 snow patches to cross. Once out of the trees, the trail opens up to a gorgeous alpine meadow, with Sawtooth Peak dominating the skyline.

Glacier Pass Sawtooth Pass + Big Five Lakes Hiking Loop Area

I only postholed up to my waist once, but of course that was when my leg decided to cramp. The campsites aren't directly at Pinto Lake, which is off-trail, but water can be obtained from Cliff Creek behind the campsites. The PDF mentions 3, 810ft - that's just the first pass. Elevation Gain/ Loss: 10, 000 ft. Time to complete: 3-5 days. Our trip itinerary for the WT was approved and we were given a permit!!!

Let's protect our precious natural world. The Kaweah Peaks Ridge was splendidly reflected in the lovely lake just downstream of Lake 10, 476. Note to self: save enough food & water for the end so you're not dying for the car. First, Mineral King plays host to a lively population of marmots – particularly during early summer – that struggle to tell your radiator hoses from proper food. You could also hike a couple additional miles and camp at the larger lake. As a result, there has been a lot of uncertainty about snow levels. Exhausted, hungry, and still in search of camp, we marched on, fueled by the dazzling meadow views that continued to unfold before us. Pinto Lake has plenty of campsites and bear lockers to store provisions. ElizabethJul 30, 2011 at 12:19 pm #1764679Richard CullipBPL Member. And oh my, the summit wowed in every direction: Columbine Lake, Black Rock Pass, and the forested Mineral King Valley below. We proudly stood at 11, 700 ft, the highest we've ever climbed in our hiking careers.

I did not use my crampons but I was very happy to have my ice axe. Lakes Two through Five lie separate from Lake One, and none of them have bear lockers. Along with my sleep. Moreover, Lost Canyon was my favorite part of our trip thus far. The final ascent of the loop takes you to Sawtooth Pass. Unfortunately, we were too exhausted to truly appreciate them. It was a modest incline that I found difficult with a full pack, but it was child's play compared to what was in store for us the days ahead. Take Timber Gap Trail from Sawtooth Trailhead, continue on Black Rock Pass Trail after Cliff Creek, camp at Pinto Lake. They're probably OK in Big Five because it doesn't get a lot of visitors, but check with Mineral King R. S. like everyone says. After filtering water and refilling our bladders, we heated up our dehydrated meals for dinner. What are the snow levels like?

Nearby Lodging + Camping. There was a group of 4-5 ladies who started the hike with us, but they soon outpaced us. The sky turned into a glowing cocktail of blues, oranges, pinks, and purples. This otherwise average lake has an exceptional view of this impressive set of peaks. Tags: Big Arroyo, Big Five Lakes, Black Rock Pass, Cliff Creek, Cliff Creek Falls, Columbine Lake, crystal lake, Little Five Lakes, Lost Canyon, Lost Creek, Mineral King, Monarch Creek, Monarch Lake, Pinto Lake, Redwood Meadow, Sawtooth Pass, Sawtooth Peak, Timber Gap. The wise among us had wrapped our cars in tarps. This let me avoid Blackrock Pass coming out of Little Five Lakes Basin. I had never seen the ranger station, so I took a slight detour around the lake and found the ranger's home, a yurt. Lowest Big Five Lake, Lake 9, 830 - On a previous trip, I had visited the other Big Five Lakes. Once we finally topped out at the steepest part of the climb, I thought we were nearly there, and we were, but the last half mile or so seemed to drag on forever.