Re: Not really a Secret Pass to Cold Canyon / Alkali Area Trippy

I'm just being really lazy...
Not super happy with the pix. Not sure they do the trip justice. An incredible area...
just like the rest of the park... Took too many pix and don't have time to really play with them
and do all the synths and 3Ds and really go thru them all and filter out the better ones
so just snagged a few along the way...

and here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/20Alkali

The area around Elbow Hill had a ridiculous number of huge blowdowns.
Saw 1 person in Yosemite... near Shepherds...
Bugs were terrible in one spot near a seasonal lake and hugely long meadow
that was a "wow... this is cool moment" followed by... "why did I have to
come down here and check this tupid pond out!"...
Went up 10 domes in the area... but there's gotta be at least 20.
Nice long granite ridges in some places... with stellar views.

That's my TR. Gabazillion cars at the THs... and yes, you can have solitude.

Why I love the place.

Have fun

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Wow! That long meadow is incredible. Thanks for introducing me to that.

Your rambles are a big part of what makes this site so great.

I'm always amazed at the tenuous locations some erratics are able to hang onto for 15,000 years. These are one of the coolest features in Yos.

Indeed:


Although I would not call her eratic to her face...

Otherwise not sure how long I'LL be hanging on

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Quote
chick-on
Indeed:


Although I would not call her eratic to her face...

Otherwise not sure how long I'LL be hanging on

Neither erratic nor old do we say. Each earns a different kind of trouble.

I mentioned a hugely long meadow. Sorry. I wasn't trying to lead anyone astray.
Actually the big meadow in the picture from Elbow... that meadow ... the trail (PCT) runs right thru/along it.
I was actually talking about a really narrow meadow which runs for a very long
distance that starts here: (Click here)
It's pretty interesting b/c it is slow turning to forest and you can walk a looong way in it.
Once you know where it is check out Google Earth historical imagery. (the current sat image sux... it's from winter-time)
Thanks for the post though. It's nice to hear stuff like that.
And also thanks b/c I hadn't looked at the sat.. and now I see that need to go check out the very headwaters of Alkali with another
large meadowy open area.

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Wow. I've been over Secret Pass many but I usually try to stay as high as I can... never even occured to me to drop down Cold Canyon. Look at how much cool stuff you found down there. That view up Spiller is awesome. I've been up near the head but never down below Whorl and it looks awesome. That's what I enjoy the most about your TRs, they tend to be stuff I wouldn't have thought of doing on my own and I get new ideas. Seems like everybody has a filter for what kind of trips they can see when they look at a map. My favorite trip there is Secret Pass to Don't be a smart Pass, then around Young Lakes and up Delaney Meadows (stunning, similar to your meadow below Elbow), past Skelton then back to Saddlebag via Roper's route.

Purty much it amounts to... hike here... look there... dang... gotta go THERE!
Gotta go sleep on THAT!

This area needs a few more trips. We didn't even make it to Virginia Lake or Mattie or Wildcat.
Wifie said she would go up Elbow or Wildcat... so after going up Elbow... headed
over to Alkali (there used to be a trail in that area) and tried to do the area justice.
West of Wildcat will have to wait until next time.
Wildcat itself is awesome and really wanted to take her there. Maybe late July.

Completely agree w/you on Skelton and Delaney Mdws.
(that's a great route in Oct. when no parking along Tioga) (hmm... )

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Whorl, domes, meadow. All great.

Thank you for the TR. It was neat to see so many places I've been - but from a different perspective. I've been all around the area you poked into. Looks like you guys had fun! Woo hoo! And even if you didn't get all the shots you wanted, the pics on Picasa were fun! More, please!

Found some time out of my busy schedule...
And did a few synths and put a few more pix in the set.

I just meant I don't think the pictures do it justice and I think I screwed up
and didn't take my nicer camera. Not as crisp as I'd like.

Here's Shepherds:


Synth of Shepherds with Upper McCabe:
http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=03732f8f-3b12-4a1c-a299-d7bd0696961e

Synth of a whole lotta Northern Yosemite (lack of snow is staggering) :
http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=364f213c-244f-4d73-810c-4e59bf6f3191

And if you remember "Skiing Clouds Rest"... here's skiing North Mtn Chute:
http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=2bf63de7-0743-463d-ac30-96c068085300

Zoom in and check out the tracks. Full screen is always the way to go.

Have fun (and have a great weekend... and 4th + )

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I take it some nutty uber-skier kick stepped his way to the top and swooshed down? I just went and read the "Skiing Clouds Rest" article. Okay.... I'm gonna stick to walking...

Thanks for posting your photos, including the 3D ones and the photosynths. They're always a joy to view!

(Personally, I need to start to deliberately shoot some photos that I can make into 3D anaglyphs. I always think about doing this before I head up to Yosemite, but once I'm there I keep on forgetting to do it. Maybe next trip.)

.

Got the word that your over on this forum...our Yosemite backcountry encyclopedia! Couldn't figure out how to PM on Yosemite News.

Thanks for the info on secret pass.

If you have a gps route of the yosemite side of secret lake pass, that would be helpful. Also, any pictures of the Yosemite side of the pass you could post or PM?

Don't be a smart pass doesn't appear to bad. I assume there won't be much snow when we go in later this month. Any cautionary notes or details about this particular pass going over to Roosevelt?

No problemo. Secret and Don't Be a Smart Pass are hugely popular route.
Secret 20 Lakes side .. there's a zillion ways up... I've never gone up the same way.
It's fun to pick your own way really... but there's a nice ledge system right from
Secret Lake itself... it looks like this-ish:

The border of Yosemite has incredible views and I recommend you walk some
of it for nice different views of Upper McCabe and beyond.
The route above is the typical trail way... there is a trail all the way to Secret...
but I actually prefer going to Greenstone and just xcountry to the west of
Cascade and just work up to Secret.
Here's the look from 20 Lakes Basin:

and the big grassy ledges you walk on (Secret Lake is below)

Yosemite side is much steeper.... certainly there are various ways down
but there is a use trail...
Looking back up the route looks like this:

For some perspective:


Hope that helps some... just get to the saddle and find the Yosemite sign... and then just work your way
down... you'll be right next to the rock walls if you're on the trail. Hiking sticks help immensely on descents
like this.

I have not done Smart Pass... Personally I've only gone to Roosevelt from Middle McCabe via a notch... Was there
a few years ago when they were removing fish from Middle... looked up and it looked do-able and would save me
going up and over to Smart.. worked a treat... asked the fish peeps if it was do-able... they had no clue...
so just gave it a go... no problemo.

Have fun on your trip.
Hope this helps you

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Don't be a smart pass had a snowfield at the top on the north side last October (also a low snow year.) The map shows it as a permanent snowfield. I'd expect to have to walk on at least a little snow. There is also some medium-sized talus getting to the snowfield on the north side. The south side is easy and should be clear of snow.

Edit to add photo (from October 2012):




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/2013 02:18PM by AndrewF.

Awesom- thanks Chick-on!

Stunning pictures! My list keeps growing...