Approach to Mather Pass

It's 3 miles and 1,500 vertical feet from Palisade Lakes on rocky, poorly built trail to Mather Pass (12100). Another moonscape. Another beautiful day on the roof of the world. Everyone we encounter is in great spirits. After clearing the pass at 12:20, it's a long, bruising downhill on the scree to a mostly flat, lonely stretch across the barren Upper Basin. By the time I cross the South Fork of the Kings River at 8.5 miles, I feel like I've had my head in a microwave (it was the time spent lingering at the pass, most likely). I can feel my neck and hands burning, even though I have sunscreen slathered on. That stuff is of limited benefit at 12,000 feet.

Mather Pass

I had an interesting unscheduled detour in the afternoon. Just as I was expecting to cross the river and begin the steady switchbacking climb to Lake Marjorie, there's a fork in the trail. Looking at map and compass, I think the left crossing is the JMT and the right is some rogue camp trail. I take the left and climb some nasty switchbacks for about two hours, finally coming out of cover with a creek paralleling my trail on my right. This isn't right. I know it. Another look at the map, another check on the compass and I realize I've taken a rogue trail to Taboose Pass -- one of two Taboose connectors leading to the JMT. And this one is not where it's supposed to be on the Harrison maps!

At this point, more chagrined than angry, I'm glad I know how to use a map and compass. I have a hunch (a correct one, as it turns out) exactly where I am. But in order to see the landmarks for compass bearings, I must go almost to the pass (which is much more attractive than some guidebooks make it out to be). Before I get to the point where I can look down on the town of Big Pine, there's a fork to the second Taboose Pass trail, which goes around the shoulder and back into the basin holding Lake Marjorie. I take this trail, with due haste.

Fortunately, I don't have to climb all the way to windswept Lake Marjorie (11,132). Once I get off the Taboose Pass Trail and back on the JMT, it's just 15 minutes to the first of three unnamed lakes, at 10960. While I was up at Taboose, Erik scouted a fine flat spot well away from the lake shore. A nice place to end a good day, albeit a day with a five-mile detour and an extra pass for me. I do feel badly for Susan, who'd worried a bit and doubled back down to the river to look for me.

Erik encountered the gaggle of three old gals we've been roughly pacing since Rosemarie Meadow. We think they're at another unnamed lake just above us. We believe Hobbit is there as well. Those four are the last of the Edison Lake contingent still keeping pace with us.

Saw six northbound, no southbound today.

Total mileage: 15.5
Time out: 9:30
Time in: 6:10

Odd glacial erratics, Mather Pass

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