I took a trip in Trinity Alps June 15, 16.
Swift trailhead 6 miles from Trinity Center.
Up to Granite Lake and over the pass to Deer Creek
Up to Black Basin, Mumsford pass, and Mumsford basin down to Swift Creek, out.
There was snow on trail most of the time over 6500 feet. Good I had a GPS with a track of the trail. And I knew where the trail was without GPS.
Looking up at Granite Lake pass from the east side, about 500 feet below the pass:
There was a lot of snow to walk over but the slope was never more than about 50% (100 feet rise for 200 feet run). Except maybe the last 100 feet:
Looking over the other side (looking west). No snow right at the beginning, then about 500 feet of snow slope:
Looking up at Deer Lake and Deer Creek Pass. A lot of snow. That’s steeper. I didn’t even think about going up there – maybe a couple weeks from now:
Walking down Deer Creek, bear eating plants next to stream 250 feet away from me. When it saw me, it sprinted away. I tried to get picture but it was too fast – should have taken video : )
I put my bag of cheese on a snow bank and some critter ate some of it. Oh well, I can share. I just bit off the mouse gnawed part:
Deer bugged me at Deer camp where I stayed the night, about 1/2 mile from where the bear was. Every time I’ve camped there there’s been a deer:
Looking down from from Black Basin:
Looking down from 7200 foot Mumsford pass towards the southwest – no snow. That’s Deer Lake and pass in the background.
Looking down Mumsford pass to the northeast:
Total snowfield for 500 foot elevation. Right at the top the slope is more like 100% – 100 foot drop for every 100 foot run. I sort of did a sitting glissade, out of control for 50 feet, then the slope lessened.
Looking back up:
There was perfect spring snow – not at all icy and little postholing. Nighttime temps weren’t below about 45 F. This would have been impossible (for me) if it had been colder and icy.
There was about 1.5 miles over 6500 feet at Granite Pass, almost totally snow covered.
3 miles over Black Basin to Mumsford Pass. About half of that, southwest of Mumsford Pass, was melted out.
