Carne Mountain to High Pass (page 18)

The High Pass trail, with Buck Creek down below

Besides, I reasoned, I could go take a look at it and if it truly appeared to be too risky, I could always backtrack and exit via Buck Creek and Trinity.

Mica agreed with me that this was a fine approach to the situation. I hoisted my pack back onto my clammy back and off we went, switch-backing up Liberty Cap on the fine trail to nowhere.

I guess they had originally built this trail as a planned reroute of the PCT, but found it impossible to keep open due to the winter avalanches constantly re-arranging sections of it. The trail, which was blasted out of solid cliff wall in parts, was discontinued at the 7,000' saddle overlooking Triad Lake. At several points along the way you can see sections of the old climber's trail the new trail more or less followed. The trail contoured high above Buck Creek and I could see the Carne Mountain High Route peeking up over Phelps Ridge to the east.

The end of the trail and first view of Triad Lake

Finally we stood upon the fabled spot overlooking awesome Triad Lake. The blue gem sat cupped in a rock bowl surrounded by steep, shattered cliffs. High Pass itself was not visible from the saddle, but I knew where it had to be and thought the route didn't look too bad after all. True, there was a long, steep snow slope and a whole hell of a lot of loose rock, but all in all it wasn't as bad as what I'd built up in my mind. I looked at Mica and we agreed that it was a "go!"

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