Day 5 - Saturday, September 17. Woods Creek, just above the crossing.

Monardella odoratissima. Western pennyroyal.

Crater Peak and the slate on its flanks.

Mt. Wynne and the tarn above Twin Lakes.

Higher, the basin south of Pinchot Pass mixed rock, grass, and the last of the trees.

First view of the pass: between the two snow patches at left

The last stop before the climb to the pass was this grassy meadow.

Pinchot Pass is just up ahead.

The view south from Pinchot Pass.

The same view, taken in July 1987. It took me 24 years to get back! Heavy duty deja vu up here today.

Primula suffrutescens. Sierra primrose. There was exactly one in bloom up at the pass.

The view north from Pinchot Pass.

Coming down: the highest tarn.

Lake Marjorie and the lake above.

I found a nice campsite ... but it was occupied.

He finally moved after I hung around for a while.

Camp was in a somewhat sheltered bowl among the rocks.

Pinchot Peak at sunset.

Day 6 - Sunday, September 18. Layover day. A view to the Upper Basin, Mather Pass and the southern end of the Palisades from near Marjorie.

Down the JMT.

I turned on the Taboose Pass trail and popped out of the the trees about 50 miutes later. Taboose Pass and Cardinal Mtn. were ahead.

Looking back toward the South Fork of the Kings. The trail went around this high wet meadow. (In 1987 I believe it went right through it.)

Taboose Pass is known for its awful (to walk on) slate.

But it is pretty rock.

Taboose Pass, complete with a large old (and somewhat decrepit) wooden sign and a new metal one.