Mt Ericsson via Lucy's Pass, Kings Canyon Park
Notes by piero scaruffi | Other California destinations | California hikesPictures
Roads End to Lucy's Pass or Milly's PassLucy's Foot Pass (3780m, 36.69676/-118.42334) is located southeast of Lake Reflection (36.6997 -118.4457), which is located south of East Lake. Lucy's Foot Pass allows one to cross the Kings-Kern Divide just west of Mount Ericsson (4140m, 36.6972/-118.4143). It is virtually impassable from the north side. There is snow and ice for most of the year. When the snow is gone, the slope is easily class 3 and the scree is deadly. From Roads End to Reflection Lake it's about 23kms. The trail is well-maintained to East Lake (but read about crossing the creek here) and marked with cairns beyond that. However, best is to leave the trail before the tributary that comes down from the eastern peaks. This tributary causes a number of small crossings on the trail between East Lake and Reflection Lake. Shortly before this watery part, the trail requires 50 meters of bouldering. You are best off leaving the trail exactly before the bouldering part. Leaving the trail just before this bouldering/watery part (about 2 kms before Reflection Lake), one climbs up a steep slope to the left. If you are lucky, you will hit a use trail that makes your life easier. (Just be careful that the use trail continues east towards Harrison Pass). If not, just coast the creek to the north and you'll get to the oblong lake from which it flows, Lake Jimi Hendrix. Coast Lake Jimi Hendrix to the left/north (you may find a sort of natural "road", a wide flat path) heading southeast. There is a tiny lake above to the left. Ideally you want to head for the land between the two lakes. If you picked the right route, you'll enter the moraine above the oblong lake at a vantage point. Now cross the creek that comes down from the east and turn right (south) into the moraine to the south and Lucy's Pass is the steep wall right in front of you. A series of hilly formations lead gradually to the wall, but the wall is really what it appears to be: a hellish class-3 climb on extremely slippery and loose rocks. The grip is almost never firm. On the way down this "pass" can be fatal, especially if you have a huge backpack.
When you reach Lucy's Pass you finally see Mt Ericsson on your left (east).
It is still quite far from the pass. It has several summits. The register is
on the flat massive one.
Milly's Foot Pass (3730m), just north of Mount Genevra, is just slightly lower (36.6858/-118.43) and is the lowest point in the Kings-Kern Divide. Milly's Pass is visible from East Lake to the left of Mt Genevra, but hard to see once you get closer to Reflection Lake. The route is intuitive though: get to Reflection Lake and head up the slopes to the left of Mt Genevra in the general southeastern direction. The pass is just a narrow notch between two mountains. When you get to the top of the pass, you see Lucy's Pass about one kilometer to your left. The Kings-Kern Divide is a 10 km horizontal ridge (from Thunder Mt in the west to Junction Peak in the east) that separates the Kings River basin on the north from the Kern River basin to the south, and that connects the Great Western Divide (Thunder Mt and mountains to the south) with the Sierra Nevada (Junction Peak being in between the Palisades and Mt Williamson). The KK Divide can also be reached from Shepherd Pass via a trail that ends at Lake South America, very near both Lucy's Pass and Milly's Pass. While there is no official trail, one can therefore hike in a few hours from East Lake (the southeastern terminus of the trail coming from Roads End) to Lake South America (the northwestern terminus of the trail coming from Shepherd Pass). Harrison Pass (3880m) might however be an easier (if longer) option to achieve this trans-sierra route. After leaving the trail south of East Lake, stay left (north) of Lake Jimi Hendrix and keep following the creek east. After passing one lake to the right, one lake to the left, climbing a massive wall with a spectacular waterfall, you reach the glacier announced by the twin lakes. From the second twin lake you have the best views of the west face of Mt Stanford and in front of you is the 1km long barrier of Harrison Pass that connects Mt Stanford and Mt Ericsson. From here the slope to the latter looks deadly. However if you make it to the pass, you will see that it is just easy class-2. Expect lots of bouldering and perennial snow patches before you reach the pass. Once on the other side of the pass, you are exactly north of Lake South America. The easiest way to cross the Kings-Kern Divide is a chute that starts from the middle of Lake Reflection (northern side) and is located between Lucy's and Milly's passes. Click here for more information on crossing the Kings-Kern Divide. Lucy's Pass: 
Kings-Kern Divide: 
Topomaps The direction of Lucy's Pass from the Reflection lake trail: 
Stay between the two lakes: 
Lucy's Pass from the moraine: 
Lucy's Pass: 
Milly's Pass from Lucy's Pass: 
Milly's Pass from the east: 
Mt Ericsson from Lucy's Pass: 
Kern-Kings Divide: 
Harrison's Pass from the south: 
Harrison Pass and Mt Ericsson: 
Harrison Pass and Mt Ericsson: 
Milestones (and 2009 times):
GPS coordinates:
|
Pictures of these hikes
My page on Kings Canyon hikes Driving directionsDirections for Roads End from the Bay Area. Take 101 south, 152 east lo Los Banos (about 1 hr 30') to 99 (about 2hr), 99 south to Fresno (about 300 kms, 2h 30'). In Fresno, take 180 east and follow it (the freeway is not completed yet, it will go through town and then turn left into Kings Canyon Ave) to the Big Stump park entrance (85 kms, 1h 15') to the fork with Sequoia Park (5') to Grant Grove village (3kms, visitor center, restaurant, water, restrooms, market) to Cedar Grove (50 winding kms, 50', via Kings Canyon Lodge 20', Boyden Cavern 30', Kings Canyon border 40') and then (10 kms) Roads End. Park at Roads End, at the first parking lot, marked by the sign "Information".
Links:
Camping near Roads EndSeveral options:
Information (2007)
|