Re: Donahue Pass?

Hello everyone, this looks like a great community I just stumbled upon!

I've got a trip planned from Tuolumne to Devil's Postpile, beginning 7/11. The rangers are telling me it could be dicey but they don't have detailed reports yet. Anyone here have info, speculation or other comment? I haven't done this section of the JMT before, but had planned on bringing instep crampons in addition to poles/cold-weather gear. Might I face steep (> 30 deg.) snowfields or hazardous icy conditions? Might Lyell Canyon be a mud bog?

All advice appreciated :-)

I'll tell you on the 7th or 8th.

I'm also very interested in any information about conditions around Donahue Pass. I'm planning on heading that way from Tuolumne Meadows on the 11th as well to begin a N-S JMT hike.

There's snow up there but I wouldn't worry about it, almost guarantee you there will
be foot prints/tracks in the snow. There are many many PCT hikers coming S-N
in addition to the multitude of JMT hikers. The two crossings were no big deal ... not
sure why some stayed E of the Lyell Fork since the trail was mostly clear of snow
and the crossings were ho hum. There will probably be much less snow since
there were some thunderstorms rollin thru yesterday.

This is what it looked like early Monday:

East of the Pass - Looking East:
(note we were not on the trail) (on purpose)


Looking West up at Donahue Pass:


At the Pass... looking North (the trail runs north of that tarn):


Can't say tooo much about the trail from Donahue to 1000 Island since we xcountried the entire way.
I doubt you'll have to deal with this:

(that's Banner peaking it's head out)

Have fun

If you want some other pix lemme know

Thanks for the update! Did you go all the way to Thousand Island Lake? I'd love to see some pictures from there and/or Garnet Lake.

-Joel



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2010 04:31PM by JoelD88.

Quote
JoelD88
Thanks for the update! Did you go all the way to Thousand Island Lake? I'd love to see some pictures from there and/or Garnet Lake.
-Joel

Take a look here:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,27023

There a few of 1000 Island

I guess I could answer your other questions.

Lyell Canyon - IMO not that bad. Yes, muddy in some spots. But not toooo bad.
Just wear low gaitors. (high gaitors I guess only if you don't have low ones)
Crampons / Spikeys - useless... save the weight... leave them at home.
Cold weather gear? huh? What's that? You're gonna be sleeping above 10K
I guess... so... whatever you're comfortable with. Just figure freezing.
I used a 25 degree bag. At high elevation I bring lightweight poofy jacket
and lightweight poofy pants. (wife had fleece pants) And winter cap.
Not much else. Once in bag down to no socks, no cap and lightweight underwear
top and bottom. (pretty much the same thing we do in winter).

Have fun