Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Lamarck Col advice

Off topic for Whitney..but pretty quiet here, so:

I need advice about a Lamarck Col hike planned for this coming August. We will be starting before dawn so I need some advice on an early section of the trail, or the semi-trail.

Two sources seem contradictory. My Starr's guide says "passing the east end of LOWER Lamarck Lake the trail turns south to switchback ...."

The other source has a map, showing the turn to be from the east end of UPPER Lamarck Lake.

http://tiocampo.smugmug.com/gallery/988055/1#45748257

Any comments are appreciated. We plan to do (along with some other routes over the course of 3 weeks), a two-day blast from North Lake to South Lake via Evolution. Rather than the long way over Piute Pass,we thought it might be more fun (and faster) taking the cross country route over Lamarck Col to Evolution Lake for the first night, then out over Muir Pass to South Lake the second day, traveling very light to do this of course.

Thanks, Harvey

Here's a link to my GPS track from when I dayhiked Mount Goddard (via Lamarck Col) with Bob Burd, Jeff Dhungana, and Matthew Holliman:

http://www.rickkent.net/ViewerPlus/viewphoto.aspx?ID=77570

We started at 2am and were completely in the dark from the trailhead to just past the col. I was also in the dark here on the way out. Fortunately Bob and Matthew had been there before.

You shouldn't have any problem following the trail to the vicinity of the Lamarck lakes, but beyond that I would recommend scouting things out beforehand or waiting for twilight. I recall some area there that in the dark was difficult to figure out. I had to resort to my GPS track. Above the forest it gets easy to follow again.

Note also that though you'll have daylight by then, getting around the lakes in Darwin Canyon is a bit tedious due to large boulders.

-Rick

As you are talking about largely cross country travel, there are several routes that are used.

The last time I looked at this subject, the most popular route took off from about halfway between the two Lamarck Lakes, I thought a little lower than your map shows.

Thanks guys.

Just wanted a little trail-wise help down low where we will be starting the first hour or so in the dark. No GPS.

Cross country part up higher will be in daylight.

Harvey

Just ran into this, not mine but looks accurate. There are waypoints in case someone decides to bring a gps unit.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2617301430059387516mrbvit

Harvey,

The cut off for Lamarck Col is shortly before Upper Lamarck Lake. It's a creek crossing almost immediately. I haven't been there this year but there was a sign pointing to where you should cross.

Have a great trip!

All the best,

Kurt