Years ago, and I can't currently recall what year, Basilbop and I did the trip you, Torero14, are proposing, except that we didn't stay at either Merced Pass Lake, but stayed in a burnt out bit of forest, second day was Lower Ottoway... stayed on trail the entire way. It was high summer and no snow, no water crossings of note. I can remember bits and pieces of the trip, especially from Lower Ottoway to Triple Peak Fork, but otherwise not uniquely memorable. We've done the Merced River canyon so many times now, bits and pieces blur together, but it's a favorite!
A few years later, back in 2005, in a high-snow year, on July 4th weekend, we chose to do a variation of the Red Peak Pass Loop. We knew there would be snow and had lightweight instep crampons (I don't recall Microspikes back then...), and light, but "real" ice axes. We had two others hiking with us. We went by Ostrander Lake on trail and then XC until we hit "trail" into Buena Vista Lake. We ran into snow as we hit the trail near Buena Vista and the lake was still iced over and had snow on it. We found a bare (but not really dry) patch of ground and pitched on that. Next day XC over Buena Vista Ridge... which was mostly dry... the talus drove one member nutty and we dropped off the ridge (stunning views) to a more easily-traversed section, which was also dry. As we contoured our way to Merced Pass, the snow picked up but the sign for Merced Pass was visible. Our friends decided to bail and take the trail down to one of the Merced Pass Lakes and haul out from there. Very much the right decision for them, it turned out.
Basilbop and I continued to Lower Ottoway. No snow on the ground, but the creek crossings were FULL. If not raging. There was one, which I think is one of the branches of the beginning of Illilouette Creek, which was roaring. And we hunted long for a log to cross on. And that was a doozy. We butt-scootched over it because it was broken in the middle on a rock above the creek. Our feet barely cleared the log. It made a shallow (though I would have preferred more shallow "V"
. It was big. And thankfully solid. At that time, I was not about to try to walk across that ripping water. Would it look as bad to me now? I think still, yes. This wasn't a ford that we even thought about during or remembered from that first drier trip.
The Ottoway creek ford was WIDE and deep and cold. But, thankfully, slow moving at the normal trail ford. We just walked through. Bottom of my hipbelt was at water line - I'm 5'5". It was 7 PM (I remember that. thinking jeez, I'm gonna be wet the rest of the "day"
. Other than cold and deep, it was not an issue to cross, for which I was very thankful after that last crossing. We scurried to Lower Ottoway and ran into almost 100% snow coverage. We found a flat rock and pitched on that. From that point on, the trip had nearly 100% snow on the "trail". Lower Ottoway was mostly iced with snow, Upper and Red Devil were frozen over with sun cups. We used the instep crampons on the way up and over the pass. The sun cups could help (they were almost like steps, or hurt - if they were too soft to step on the edges, and my foot went in, the "bend" of my shoe wasn't fun. Yes, I was wearing stiff Trail Runners, not boots, and overall, I was thankful, I was! Wet or dry, with the trail runners, we could keep moving.
On the north side of Red Peak Pass, we stupidly tried to take a break on a big exposed rock. Getting onto it and eating was fine. Stepping off, I couldn't reach far enough to strong enough snow and broke through with one leg- and fell on my chest. Not fun, but I was okay. Was reminded to be very wary of any snow/rock junction! Ice axes soon came out and in use instead of hiking poles. It was slow going over the deep sun cups down, but it was freaking lovely. We heard running water under the snow (nothing visible from the top) and avoided the sound best we could.
We camped on a dry rock near Red Devil lake, also iced over with sun cups. Though we'd only gone a few miles since Lower Ottoway, it was mid-afternoon when we settled on the rock. And my lower lip was so swollen I could see it. My nose hurt on the inside (light burn). As carefully as we cover ourselves and try to sunscreen, my runny nose (always runs when I'm active) and hankie had rubbed off the sunscreen, and though I usually re-apply well, with the trickiness of the pass, I didn't try to do that for hours. And I paid a price. I was pretty darned burned. As bad as ever without blisters, thankfully. Painful, though. Backs of my hands were incredibly painful, and I put on thin black windbloc gloves to protect them from the direct rays, which hurt. It was HOT.. July 4 weekend, clear blue sky. Surrounded by snow.
As planned, the next day we XC'd down Red Peak Fork (almost immedialy left snow after Red Devil) to the Merced River and passed some of the lovliest slabs of rock with water sheeting over them. In hindsight, we should have dropped a bit more and camped down there. But gotta say camping on the rocks surrounded by snow was something truly special.
Anyway, after we hit the Merced (which was FULL), we XC'd east to the trail, over the bridge to the other side of the Merced and scooted down the trail to Merced Lake HSC backpacker's camp. We ran into a ranger who was nice, kinda surprised to see us. He did a double-take after reading our permit. We'd been out 3 nights and had crossed a lot of country, which you can't really do without XC. It finally started to click and he asked a few questions. But then he warns us about a flooded creek crossing up ahead and that it was dangerous and we should take care.... Jeez. At this point, I'm freaking DONE with water crossings for the trip and I was very respectful of the power of water... So I'm a bit concerned as we continue on... And it turns out this thing is barely over knee deep, hardly moving and the logs that are "floating" on it are big and hit bottom as soon as you put some weight on them. I could have easily walked through it, but I stepped on the logs and ended up jumping on the big "floating" one to get some of the pent-up adrenaline out. I was a bit miffed, but I realize the rangers play it conservatively.
I have no idea how bad the water levels will be this year. The snow distribution this year is a bit odd.
So, probably TMI... but suggested takeaways: if you think you are facing snow, take the right gear, know how use it. Respect the power of reflected sun! Respect water, frozen or not. Respect the sun. (I wear gloves of one type or another all the time while hiking. Sun gloves are a favorite!) Get to Lower Ottoway as quickly as you can. Take your time through the most glorious section of the trip from Lower Ottoway to past Red Devil Lake. Stunning country with or without snow, IMO. And enjoy the Merced River canyon. Lovely.
Enjoy!
You can see the pretty, but ultimately annoying sun cups and other
pics here.