Anyone been to Donohue Pass this month?

[jeni]

We leave TM on 7/17, over Donohue Pass, and end at Silver Lake in the June Lake loop. Bringing mosquito geer for sure; but wondering what the snow and stream crossings are like.

[kcnjhnsn]

Up there last weekend. 100% snow coverage at the pass and about 1-2 miles below on either side - at least some snow down to the footbridge in Lyell Canyon. Hiker traffic has kicked a good set of steps on both sides of the pass, though, so the trail is navigable though confusing in some places. Bring a good topo map, for sure.

Stream crossings in Lyell Canyon were all either on bridges/logs or snow bridges when I was there - snow bridges may be melting now, making the higher crossings trickier. I'm not sure which way you were planning to go to Silver Lake - but the inlets to Gem and Waugh Lakes were going like mad. Hip-deep and fast. Good hiking poles will help, but be careful. Definitely be prepared to have wet feet!

Here's a picture of Donahue Pass - I did a loop beginning at Dana Meadows just east of Toulomne, up to Parker/Koip Peak/Gem Pass, around Gem and Waugh Lakes to Donahue and back down to Tuolomne on the JMT. Stunningly gorgeous up there right now and nearly empty of people...just be prepared for water, much of it frozen! Have fun!

[Whiplash]

kcnjhnsn:
I'd be really interested in how the trail was from Dana Meadows, over Koip Peak Pass, around the west side of Gem Lake and past Waugh Lake to where the trail joins the JMT. This is my planned start of my hike to Mt. Whitney.
How was the traverse over to Koip Peak Pass after the big switchbacks?
Any other info would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks,
Whiplash

[zonachris]

Great Pic. Thanks for sharing.

[kcnjhnsn]

Whiplash:

Switchbacks? Oh, yeah, here they are on the map...funny, people seem to be cutting them in the snow...

Up to Parker Pass is patchy-ish snow - more snow than bare ground, though, I'd say, but the trail isn't too hard to follow. The pass is clear but there's a lot of snow on the other side. I think I ended up too low in the canyon below the pass and had to scramble back up to the trail below Koip Peak Pass. You can actually see the trail well in the talus going up to Koip Peak Pass - I think the wind is just blowing all the snow off that slope! Again, going down the other side, lots of cross-country in the snow. I ended up just aiming for Alger Lakes (frozen) and picking up the trail from the far end of the lower lake.

There's snow going up to Gem Pass, but when I was there it looked like someone had come through with a string of pack horses - !!! - and basically shoveled a path in the snow. Made it easy for me On the other side of Gem Pass, much less snow, but stream crossings a much bigger issue around Gem and Waugh Lakes. Be prepared for high, fast water. The crossing right below the JMT junction had a good set of logs, but before that you're on your own.

Hope that helps! Here's Alger Lakes from just below Koip Peak Pass.

[jeni]

Thanks for the news! We should have fun. I assume mosquitos were horrendous?

[Whiplash]

kcnjhnsn:
Thanks so much for the detailed report. Its going to be August before I make that trip, but this info will really help.
Thanks again,
Whiplash

[jeni]

kcnjhnsn, Thanks for the input. We decided to modify our trip to loop back to TM instead of leaving a car in the June lake loop and having no choice but to make those stream crossings at Wahgh and Gem. It made it a much easier trip and I have no problem spending more time in Lyell Canyon - one of the prettiest spots I've seen in Yosemite. We had a bear and a fox in camp, not to mention more marmots and deer than anywhere else in the Sierras by far. ~Jeni