Re: Post Trip Report _Red Peak Pass the Slow Way Part 1

Mid July I did a loop over Red Peak Pass from Glacier Point. I had received encouragement from this forum that in a light snow year mid-July was not to early to go over the Pass.
I started out headed up Illilouette Creek . The first day is always hard for me, so I found a nice campsite about seven miles in and called it a day.



The next day I headed to Lower Ottoway Lake. The day clouded up, and I had the mosquitos for company as I headed up the hill. Spent a lovely evening at the lake.


Day 3 dawned cloudy and I had some concern that thunderstorms might hit just as I reached the pass.
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After stalling a bit, the weather looked better and off I went, hitting Red Peak Pass mid day
Heading down the north east side, Red Devil Lake looked inviting.

I had seen almost no one since just beyond Glacier Point

Red Devil Lake made a fine third night camp, which happened to be my birthday.


Continuing down my personal empty Yosemite trail I spent night four along Triple Divide Fork ,

to continue on day 5 past the cascades where the Merced Peak Fork joins the Trip Divide Fork.

I was relieved when I got gone to the main Merced River. I had heard about the bridge being out

and the piles of blowdown. This went on for at least half a mile.



That's a lot of trail work. The ranger at Merced Lake said they were up there for over a month.
To be continued...................

Thank you for posting this! From Lower Ottoway onwards, you did the trip Basilbop and I wanted to do over the 4th of July weekend, but my ankle was too squawky back then... So thanks for showing me the conditions this year! Wow on the blowdowns and bridge damage, though it looks like the river was quiet, probably crossable without bridge? Looking forward to more.. but leaving soon, so may not be able to say thanks later, so... thanks!!!

I crossed using the bridge, there was no closed sign on the other side, the side I was coming from. Seemed fine, no movement. The river was low enough that I probably could have waded.

Those blowdowns are what had me and a buddy say F-THIS last year and turn it around back to mono meadows. I'm tempted to try it again this year with 5 days off over labor day weekend.
I'm curious to see the rest of your report!

Nice report - I hit the same Blow Down last year early July and it's nice to see they have cleared the path - They had not started clearing it when we had got there and it was quite the bear getting around the trees for our group

I just finished the JMT from the Valley to Reds Meadow - the Blow Down on the trail from about Trinity Lakes to Reds Meadow was pretty bad but the trail was fully cleared - If the one above Washburn took a month, I can't imagine how long the Reds Meadow one took

Thanks for the trip report.
Went over Red Peak pass a number of years ago and loved it, particularly Lower Ottoway lake and the area around Red Devil. Your pictures inspire me to plan a return trip. Thank you!