Cartridge Pass and Muro Blanco 2006

The second of our easy days, again reaching camp around 2pm.  Even started late on purpose!  Took a long break at the top of the pass to take in the view.  Saw our first people in two days, a group of five heading up the pass as we were coming down, then two people fishing at the lake we camped at.

Journal Entry:  Late start for a short hike—started just before 10am.  In an hour or so we were on top of Cartridge Pass—nice views of Bench Lake and Arrow Peak.  Fairly good trail all the way up (and down).  Easy downhill to the large lake, arrived around 2pm and found a campsite.  Can’t see to the bottom of the S. Fork canyon from the pass or from here.  Tomorrow we’re back to tougher days, goal around 8900 feet in Muro Blanco canyon.

We spotted this frog at around 11,000 feet elevation between Lake 10859 and Cartridge Pass.  I haven’t been able to positively identify this frog, my best guess based on a web search is that it’s a Pacific Treefrog.  It was about an inch in length, and had a black stripe on each side running from its nose to behind its eye.  Here it blends in quite effectively with the granite rock it was sitting on.

Lake Basin from near Cartridge Pass

Arrow Peak and the view south from Cartridge Pass

view south from Cartridge Pass

Lake 10859 is right of center

Bench Lake in the distance

Looking back at Cartridge Pass

Lake 10859

Bench Lake over the S. Fork Kings River canyon

looking east toward the Sierra Crest from outlet creek

Sierra Crest behind S. Fork Kings River canyon