A Difficult Segment of Unmaintained and Untrailed Route Finding

The Lower Ford of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River
is
30.00 miles South of Highway 4 at Lake Alpine on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, hiking across most of the
length of the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

The Lower Ford of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River
is
4.57 miles North of the Saint Marys Pass TYT Trailhead on Highway 108.

Backpacker
Resources and Hiker Information

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

Information

TYT MAP       CARSON-ICEBERG MAP        BOULDER LAKE TO PCT MAP

MILES AND ELEVATIONS       FORUM

The above are our Trail Options from Boulder Creek

Backpacking Trail Guide
page

North
on the
TYT

Lower Ford
to
Boulder Lake junction

East
to the
PCT

Boulder Lake Trail

Backpacking Trail Guide
page

South
on the
TYT

Sonora-Saint Marys Pass Trailheads

TYT Hiker
Options

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hiker has a range of significant hiking alternatives other than hiking this last very difficult unmaintained segment of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail along the the upper reaches of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus to Saint Marys Pass, which is depicted below.

Most skilled and observant hikers will find this difficult section quite refreshing, and be drawn by exactly the same qualities that warn others off.
The key is to understand if this segment of trail is within your capabilities. It's not highly used. I found no footprints above a very low point of this section. No matter how many can do it, few do.

In any case, you don't have to hike this difficult section of unmaintained trail.

Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hikers enter the valley of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River where we hike over Jenkins Canyon into Arnot Creek and through its trailhead onto the Clarks Fork Road.
We encounter our first hiking alternative at Jenkins Canyon. We could have hiked up to the PCT via Highland Lakes to Wolf Creek Pass.

Carson Iceberg Backpacking Options off the TYT
Do It!
Our First Option was to break off the TYT back at the Jenkins Canyon trail junction to hike up to the PCT via Highland Creek and Lakes.

Our second option was to hike up Arnot Creek to the PCT where we dropped down to Arnot Creek through Woods Gulch.

Our next option off the TYT to the PCT will be through the Disaster Creek Trailhead at the end of the paved Clarks Fork Road.

This Boulder Lake trail junction is our last trail up to the PCT from the TYT.

I consider the "standard" route of the TYT only one of many alternative routes we can hike across or around the Carson Iceberg Wilderness. I say hike them all.

Trail Recommendation
I strongly suggest that only the strongest most experienced hikers who are capable of basic navigation and reasonably skilled at route-finding undertake the standard TYT route through the Clarks Fork over Saint Marys Pass. It's a rough go both physically and in terms of route-finding, so make sure you're up for the task.

Second Option
Skip It
Our Second Option is to go around this whole section of trail when we first enter the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River. Rather than turning Left, South up the Clarks Fork Road to hike this difficult section of the TYT we turn Right to begin hitching towards Highway 108 with the goal of resuming our Southbound hike on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through Kennedy Meadows Pack Station. This option completely skips the Clarks Fork section.

We hit it and split it...

Options
PCT Hike-Arounds
Our PCT hike-around option are many, and all involve hiking various routes up to the Pacific Crest Trail around the Clarks Fork section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. The trails and terrain of the Carson Iceberg Wilderness presents us with a lot of option to do this.
I noted our route options on previous trail guide pages North of our current position here at Boulder Creek. We can transition from the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail via Highland Creek above Spicer Meadow Reservoir as well as through the Arnot Creek, Disaster Creek and the Boulder Creek trail junctions along the Clarks Fork Road.
These previous trail options to our North as well as the Boulder Creek trail here hike us up to the Pacific Crest Trail where we hike various lengths of the PCT South to Sonora Pass, or we can bend loops back to our starting trailhead.

The Pacific Crest Trail intersects with Highway 108 through Sonora Pass a mile East of where the Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite hikes through Saint Marys Pass Trailhead onto Highway 108.
Though we have many route options for just how we hike South on the PCT and TYT, they all end up bringing us down to Highway 108 in close proximity to each other.

Let's Do This Thing
Below on this guide page we explore our first option, hiking the classic Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route through the Upper reaches of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River over Saint Marys Pass to Highway 108.

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The Lower Ford

Our arrival at the lowest ford of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River is marked by easy to see ducks on the South bank of the river. Note that the power of the Spring thaw may remove existing ducks.

Duck on the South shore of the lowest ford of the three fords across the unmaintained segment of the TYT through the upper Clarks Fork.

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Segment IV

Lowest Ford to the Northwest Edge of Clarks Fork Meadow

Images and Guide
Lowest Ford South up to the Northern Edge of Clarks Fork Meadow

Film
Clarks Fork Meadow North down to the Lowest Ford

route distance
.66 of a mile of poor route-finding conditions with some wild ducks

8370 to 8800 feet
+430 feet

video duration
13:21

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

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Duck on the South side of the lowest ford.

South of here the trail melts into little more than a route through the terrain. North of here the trail expands, its various pieces connect up with increasing regularity, and we can begin to Dream of soon seeing maintained trails.

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Last-First Blaze

A few hundred yards South of the lower ford hiking through dense forest we encounter a dried out trench of a Spring flowing tributary surrounded by blazed trees.

I note this location as the last blaze (or blazes) Southbound hikers will encounter along this section of trail, or the first that Northbound hikers will encounter.

South of this point the trail fades significantly, disappears more than it appears, and begin approaching the bottom of the very stiff climb up a jumbled mountainside leading up to the North edge of Clarks Fork Meadow.

Difficulty increases dramatically South of this position.
But it's a short pull up to the North edge of Clarks Fork Meadow, where we're going to stay at the deluxe site there.

North of here the trail widens, deepens, and we experience decreasing obstacles. South of here it disappears.

Is this our First blaze below Clarks Meadow?

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

Yes! Detail of our first-or last blaze, depending on our direction.

First blaze below Clarks Meadow. The trail gets considerably easier and real unmaintained trails begin North of here while the trail deteriorates South of this point into a route.

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Gateway Ducks

These two duck sit at the bottom of the steep climb up to the edge of Clarks Fork Meadow. Note how the ducks were placed on two boulders that the trail route threads through. Thus the term "gateway" ducks...

I like that. A fitting marker for the difficulty of the upcoming route South.

Though I made the gateway ducks marking the East Carson River Trail along the Pacific Crest Trail I did not construct this gateway, but I totally approve! It is really hard for even the dullest hiker to miss gateway ducks...

From this point South the trail route becomes dependant upon our route-finding skills. If we have skills of observation, analysis, and good decision-making skills we will maintain the old route and occasionally encounter the relief of hiking on trail bed.

If we do not have route finding skills we will wander off the proper route which will make us work considerably harder and lengthen the time it will take to make our way up to Clarks Fork Meadow.

Ducks at the base of the steep climb up to Clarks Fork Meadow. Here the steep climb South up to Clarks Fork Meadow begins in earnest.

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

Space Ducks-Rough Terrain-Shards of unmaintained trail route

I did not take a lot of pictures of this section as I was fully employed by the tasks of working like a dog, constantly scanning and studying the terrain to find a duck or point of terrain logic that would guide me to my next position, or working my way through on my best guess about the progression of the route through the terrain to my next position of observation and analysis.

I took the image below after locating this duck as I pondered my next move. Then I put the frkn camera away and made it.

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Look! A duck! Let's go that way!

Duck below Clarks Meadow.

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Scenes at the end of Clarks Fork Meadow

We cannot mistake our arriving or departing the North edge of the Clarks Fork Meadow. Here the trail transitions radically through this narrow pinching of the neck of the canyon that marks the Northwest limit of Clarks Fork Meadow.

Climbing Southbound up out of our struggle up the short section of steep rocky mountainside below the meadow presents us with an inviting scene: a beautiful green meadow flat sits behind a beautiful rock channel containing a mini-waterfall flowing into a beautiful mini-pool which flows through a mini-granite "pocket" gorge, all surrounded by inviting shady forests of lodgepole pine.

A fine ancient campsite sits under the edge of the forest to our Left, across the ford. I'll bet the Natives kicked it here for a thousand years of Summers, then the Westerners afterward, and now us.

The scene in the mini-gorge at our feet is reminiscent of the granite formations at Carson Falls along the East Carson River, but in a miniaturized form. It is kind of like a scale-model, except that it is real.

The Middle Ford

This North edge of the Clarks Fork Meadow also locates the middle ford of our journey up the Clarks Fork. A few steps above the mini-fall a series of granite rock stepping-stones makes this an easy ford during low water flows.

Though the lower ford's location does not set off mental alarms, this middle ford does. The lower ford is in a location that would allow the river to widen rather than deepen during high water flows while this middle ford sparks my unease: This ford would be downright dangerous during high water flows.

Its narrow granite channel would deepen dangerously and focus this deeper flow into a powerful current that could easily sweep backpackers over the mini-waterfall below, which would be generating terrifying power during high water flows of the Spring Thaw. Not a pretty picture.

This middle ford at the North end of the Clarks Fork Meadow should be a serious consideration and concern for hikers planning a trip through here during times of potential high water flows. Possibly hikers could ford further to the South where the river's flow could potentially spread out across the meadow sufficiently to lessen fording dangers. Maybe not.

Remember, of all the things that can kill you in the Sierra Nevada fording and lightening are the most successful at dealing death to backpackers. Don't make stupid decisions. Always carry sufficient food and preserve sufficient energy to turn around and/or reroute when facing obstacles of death.

Overall Impression
North and South
To our North the Clarks Fork Meadow terminates abruptly, overlooking a grand view of the steep canyon walls wrapping around the chaotic scene of a great jumble of massive granite boulders tumbling in slow motion down the throat of the canyon.

We veer Left of the North edge of the meadow to find the route down the mountain if we are hiking North.

To the South behind the granite waterfall we see the inviting green of the almost-flatness of Clarks Fork Meadow bending away to our Left, Southeast, moving gently upward to eventually put itself under the sheer upper sections of the headwaters bowl we must climb through to make our escape from the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

We will find segments of this shrinking meadow running Southeast like pearls along the string-line of the narrowing Clarks Fork River. The Clarks Fork Meadow has already been segmented by forest intrusions, squeezed down into a series of small bright green shelves of glowing meadow separated and surrounded by the deep shadows of the encroaching lodgepole forest.

Our best route South pushes up into the forest around the North edge of this series of meadows.

It appears that this meadow was much larger in the past, before expanding tendrils of forest broke it into smaller segments and subsequently began shrinking each segment down within a closing circle of trees. My impression is of a series of small almost-flat meadows descending like a series of green steps, separated by forest, down from the upper canyon under the headwaters bowl.

It appears that they don't run cows up here to graze anymore, which is allowing these meadows to fill in. I'd say the route up has deteriorated enough to keep the grazing stock out.

Each step down to a lower, or up to an higher meadow section is separated and surrounded by dense lodgepole forest making this a hike through alternating sections of dark shadows and vibrant light.

South of the North edge of the Clarks Fork Meadow all trail bed disappears. Note that the trail route as defined on this 1979 USGS topo map ends at the Northwest edge of the Clarks Fork Meadow.

Between this point South to where we jump on the trail coming up from Saint Marys Pass we are on relying on our own route finding skills and a few "wild ducks."

A deep feeling of isolation is imparted by this short segment of our hike by the combined factors of natural quiet, the lack of trails, and resulting lack of people and signs of human.

It's a nice feeling.

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The approaching sunset's horizontal lighting brightens up the canyon wall below Clarks Fork Meadow along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route.

Our Southbound route came up here via the steep flank to our Left, out of view of this image.

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

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Waterfall at the ford at the end of Clarks Meadow.

At the North end of Clarks Fork Meadow the river, now flowing at the volume of a creek way up here, flows through a hard rock channel before tumbling down the canyon below.

This rock channel starts with a nice little waterfall, pools up below, then flows through the bottom of a "mini-gorge" before flowing off the North edge of the meadow.

In the image above we can see the rocks we used as stepping stones where we crossed over from the Northwest to the Southeast side of the Clarks Fork.

We ford where we enter the North edge of the Clarks Fork Meadow.

Below we see the view when we turn around and look off the North edge of the meadow.

Sunset colors deepen view from Clarks Meadow in the Carson Iceberg Wilderness.

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Segment V

Clarks Fork Meadow

Images and Guide
Clarks Fork Meadow South up to Headwaters Bowl Exit Route

Film
Headwaters North down to Clarks Fork Meadow

route distance
.59 of a mile of route finding with some wild ducks

video duration
14:32

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

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Clarks Fork Meadow

From the Northwest edge of Clarks Fork Meadow South to our climb out of the headwaters bowl we will be in the section of the USGS map designated as "Clarks Fork Meadow," though we will be hiking through dark forest as well as alongside bright meadow.

I say "alongside bright meadow" as we are going to do our best to put as much distance between our route and the mosquito-filled green meadow. The route South is situated on the North side of the meadow as close to the surrounding canyon wall as practical, to provide the greatest distance from the moisture, mosquitoes, and quagmire nature of the meadow as possible.

Though the map depicts a great open meadow through this section my observations indicate the meadow is much smaller than indicated on the maps and is broken into meadow segments by intervening forest intrusions.

About a half-mile South of the North end of Clarks Fork Meadow brings us to the upper and final ford of the Clarks Fork. Here we will find ducks and a carved tree that indicate the location we cross over to the South bank of the Clarks Fork.

Our exit out of the South end of the Clarks Fork Meadow follows a small creek about 200 yards South of the upper ford that flows into the Clarks Fork down from the South rim of the headwaters bowl.

We'll ford, then proceed cautiously upstream until we find the creek feeding into the Clarks Fork from the South. A little scouting will show us if this is the channel in the surrounding cliffs that we can follow up to the top of the headwaters bowl.

There's an old wild duck at the base of the route up the cliff, but we can't depend on it being there.

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View North from the Northwest end of Clarks Fork Meadow.

There are lots of nice places to sit in the granite features, drink a hot chocolate, watch the evening shadows lengthen while listening to the melody of the river tumbling through its rocky channel with the breeze blowing through the trees.

The deep peace that ensues after such hard work validates all aspects of the experience.

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View North of the end of Clarks Fork Meadow

Hiking South from the North end of Clarks Meadow we hike over a couple of the ridge arms descending off the North wall of the canyon under Stanislaus Peak.

We get up and out of the meadow. We'll see a faint animal/backpacker route up around the North edge of the meadow.

Below we've turned around to look Northwest back down at the route we've taken hiking South from the North end of the Clarks Fork Meadow. You can see we've climbed around the North edge of the meadow.

The gap in the mountains signifying the end of this section of forest and meadow, the North end of Clarks Fork Meadow, is between the pinching V of the gap we can see across the top of the forest in the middle distant center of the image.

I had chosen a high route around a bend in the meadow and was rewarded with the reassurance of a few "wild ducks" and a good route showing that other hikers had also chosen this route through the terrain.

Keep our eyes open and we will see a rough line of wild ducks bringing us high up to skirt around the North edge of the extent of Clarks Fork Meadow.

Duck pointing way North overlooking the tapering end of the Clarks Fork Meadow segment of our route below.

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

Dropping back down to River/Meadow level North of the upper ford finds us skirting along the edge of the meadow.

Narrowing segments of meadow with pressing forest along length of meadow segments.

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Granite wall on the South flank of the headwaters bowl approaching the very upper reaches of the Clarks Fork, Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route.

Looking Southwest across upper section of Clarks Fork Meadow.

The canyon narrows and steepens above us entering the Clarks Fork headwaters bowl.

We begin to feel a subtle pressure as the canyon narrows under steepening walls, a pressure of competition for space in the increased density of forest, which seems to increase the pressure of forest on the remaining meadow segments.

This quiet, subtle pressure builds as the space disappears between the converging canyon walls, and this pressure leaks into our minds as an increasingly pressing need to understand where we are and find the easiest way out of here is at the forefront of our thoughts.

Our navigation imperatives play out across terrain formed by the changing requirements of plant survival, across a battle between forest and meadow.
We pick our way carefully across this battleground, as it's forcing us to search carefully for our route out as we climb higher up between sheer rock walls that again seem to be growing higher and closing in around us as we move deeper into the headwaters bowl.
The headwaters bowl is bringing us into a narrow space filled tight with darkness and light, dark forest and bright meadows and rising rock walls around, and around all the massive boulders that have broken off the surrounding walls.

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

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Bear crap, old. No moisture.

It's light as a feather and crisp as a potato chip.

The Sierra Nevada Mountains is a study in contrasts. Transition zone between Dark Forest along bright upper reaches of Clarks Meadow.

Blaze at the upper ford. Facing Southeast.

A great boulder alongside the Clarks Fork with a rock on it shows us the location of the ford before we see the carving on the tree above.

Southbound hikers must pass the tree, and turn around, to see the blaze above.

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

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Duck at the top ford of the Clarks Fork fork of the Stanislaus River.

These great boulder appear to have tumbled off the surrounding cliffs.

Segment VI

Headwaters Passage

Images and Guide
South from Upper Clarks Fork Meadow up Southern Headwaters Exit Route to top of Headwaters Bowl

Film
Into the Headwaters of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River down to the River from the South side of the Headwaters Bowl

route distance
.97 of a mile of no trail no ducks

9040 to 10400 feet of elevation
+1360 feet

video duration
12:14

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

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Butterfly

Likely a Satyr Anglewing, if my identification is correct.

Butterfly upper Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

Butterfly Forum

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The Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River

Flowing as a tranquil creek below the headwaters bowl.

Creek flowing out of the Headwaters Bowl of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

We're looking almost directly East up the last bit of the Clarks Fork in its headwaters bowl. Here we find the channel up through the surrounding cliffs off to our Right, to the South.

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

The Last or First Wild Duck

At the base of the Southern Passage cutting its steep route South through the rock channel up to the rim of the headwaters bowl we find this big wild duck.

Though leading to no particular trail this duck marks the position of the granite channel above and the beginning of the hike North through Clarks Fork Meadow below.

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Wild Duck
Wild Duck at the base of the rocky channel out of the headwaters bowl. There are no more ducks from this position to the resumption of trail where we join the trail coming up from Saint Marys Pass Trailhead.

This is the top and last duck for Southbound hikers below the rocky channel climbing out of the base of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River to the top of its headwaters bowl.

Northbound hikers will find this duck is the first is a series of wild ducks leading down to the North end of Clarks Fork Meadow.

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Channel into and out of the Clarks Fork Headwaters Bowl

The rocky cliffs are descending to the Right (West) of the channel out of the Headwaters Bowl.

Terrain making up the South wall of the headwaters bowl near the rocky channel we will climb up to the top of the headwaters bowl.

Majestic rock lining the South side of the Clarks Fork headwaters bowl. This view to the Southeast is from the lower reaches of the rocky channel up to the top.

View East at the top of the River and the Eastern Extent of the Headwaters Bowl

Climbing between the top and the bottom of the headwaters bowl we get a couple of views East at the womb of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

The low point in the distance is Saint Marys Pass.

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Rough country along the South flank of the headwaters bowl of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River looking Eastward.

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

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Inviting Forest at the base of the Rock Channel

Looking down at the base of the Clarks Fork headwaters bowl.

This is a happy sight for Northbound hikers, indicating that our route does indeed bring us down to the Clarks Fork hidden in the forest below.

Upper section of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus from the hiking route from the bottom to the top of the Headwaters bowl.
Note the descending slope on the other side from Stanislaus Peak indicating the narrowness of the headwaters bowl along the upper reaches of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

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View Northeast at very upper reaches of Headwaters Bowl

While climbing North-South between the base and top of the headwaters bowl we are able to observe the details of the upper reaches of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus to our East.

We can see that the headwaters bowl is shaped like a narrow horseshoe.

Looking East up at the Headwaters Bowl of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River from half-way between the top and bottom.

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Coming through the Rocky Channel

An adventure is composed of not knowing exactly what is going to happen next... and this section of the trail provides just that experience.

Up we go!

Coming through the Rocky Channel

Wall to Northeast as we climb up to our Right, Southeast.

Sweet granite cliffs along route between Clarks Fork River and the top of the headwaters bowl.

This is an amazing little piece of our route. A creek runs down from the top of the headwaters bowl through this channel in the cliffs to the Clarks Fork at their base.

Along the way are a series of sweet spots.

There were a couple of nice places one could camp here, up near the top and at the top.

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

Looking through the Top of the Rocky Channel at the top of the Headwaters Bowl

Sweet relief:
The channel eases its way onto the top rim of the headwaters bowl. We are pointing South, maybe a bit West of South.

We will turn Left, East as the channel recedes and the terrain opens up onto the broad flat wrapping around the top of the cliffs making up the Clarks Fork headwaters bowl.

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The final bit of our route between top of headwaters bowl and the River below.

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Segment VII

Cross-Country
between
Rim of Headwaters Bowl
and the
Saint Marys Pass Trail

Images and Guide
Cross-Country from Headwaters Bowl East (Southbound on TYT) to Saint Marys Pass Trail

Film
Off the Saint Marys Pass Trail cross-country into the Headwaters of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River

route distance
1.21 miles of no trail no ducks, but through open terrain

No overall elevation change

video duration
9:53

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

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Exploring the Potential ways down to the Clarks Fork

Working my way East around the South side of the upper rim of the Headwaters I explored this channel before rejecting it as a route down. I'd need wings for this one.

I took this shot after climbing back out of my exploratory probe down mountain.

The wrong way down to the Clarks Fork!

This is a bit East of the route down.

View from the Top

Stanislaus Peak tops the Northern ridgeline above the Clarks Fork viewed looking West from the rim at the top of the Headwaters Bowl of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

Stanislaus Peak from the Headwaters of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.

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Long View of the Stanislaus Drainage

Twisting path of Clarks Fork through the Western Flank of the Sierra Nevada Mountains from the top of the Headwaters Bowl.

Segment VIII

Saint Marys Pass Trail and Trailhead

Images and Guide
Connecting up with the Saint Marys Pass Trail below Sonora Peak South down to Highway 108 trailhead.

Film
Saint Marys Pass Trailhead and up the Trail Route Northbound.

By route I mean that when the trail up from the Saint Marys Pass Trailhead brings us above the elevation of the granite formation blocking the SE approach to Saint Marys Pass, and the trail draws near and above the creek, I begin looking West for a good cross-country route through Saint Marys Pass into the headwaters bowl of the Clarks Fork.

route distance
1.14 miles of well maintained trail

10400 to 9440 feet
-960 feet

video duration
16:53

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

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Wilderness Boundary in the Center of Saint Marys Pass at edge of Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River headwaters bowl

Our view is gazing Northwest as we climb Northbound making our way cross country into the Headwaters Bowl of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus on the other side of the crestline.

At our back is the Saint Marys Pass Trail which we exited.

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Carson Iceberg Wilderness Boundary around Clarks Fork Headwaters.

Unmaintained TYT Trail Reports

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Saint Marys Pass

Saint Marys Pass is the low point making up the saddle in the ridge on the Right side of the image, to the Right of the pointy feature above upper section of the granite feature.

My plan is to use the Saint Marys Pass Trail to put myself above the granite so I have a clear traverse from the trail to Saint Marys Pass.

Saint Marys Pass from the East side.

Camelback formation sitting at the base of the Southwest corner of Sonora Peak.

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Dayhiker Heaven

I spotted a fast moving hiker coming down the trail.
The Saint Marys Pass Trailhead access to both Sonora and Stanislaus Peaks makes this trailhead a favorite for serious dayhikers.

Gerry is a local day hiker dedicated to seeing the Sierra.

Deadman Creek and Highway 108

Descending to the Saint Marys Pass Trailhead at the bottom of our trail along the Western edge of the meadow feeding Deadman Creek situated between Leavitt and Sonora Peaks is visible with Highway 108 winding its way along its edge.

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Westbound Highway 108 turning into the Big V.

This is the bottom of the meadow off the West flank from Sonora Pass where Deadman Creek begins its flow down to the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River through Kennedy Meadows Pack Station.

Our Saint Marys Pass Trailhead is located along the North edge of this meadow about a mile West of Sonora Pass.

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Leavitt Peak and Massif

We get great views of the Leavitt Massif to our South and note Leavitt Peak's position in the surrounding terrain.

Leavitt Massif to our South.

Leavitt Peak is the peak to the Right down the ridgeline from the predominant peak, which is not Leavitt Peak but is Peak 10480.
Peak 10480 is the highest peak on the Northern flank of the Leavitt Massif. Leavitt Peak is what appears as a double peak, to the Right, and across the end of the gap at the end of the descending ridgeline from Peak 10480.

The peaks on the Left side of the image are all along the Pacific Crest Trail route over Leavitt Massif. That, my friends, is the Sierra Crestline South of Sonora Pass. The ridge descending to the Right of Leavitt Peak divides Deadman Creek's drainage on this side from Kennedy Creek's on its South side.

Views of Leavitt Massif and Peak
Let's take a look at these mountains approaching Sonora Pass from the North along the PCT, and take a close-up look at Peak 10480 from the PCT climbing up it, and then hike down the Pacific Crest Trail South from Peak 10480 to take a close-up look at Leavitt Peak too.

View South
Leavitt Peak peeking out from behind its own surrounding lower mountains, in this case the end of the tail of terrain descending South from the crest of Peak 10480.

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View North

Camelback lava formation on the Southwest side of Sonora Peak.

Sonora Peak

Dominating the scene to our Northeast. The Saint Marys Pass Trail runs up the Southwestern shoulder descending from Sonora Peak.

Sonora Peak to the Northeast.

The Pacific Crest Trail route almost reaches the rock formations on the Southwestern flank of Sonora Peak before turning down to Sonora Pass.
That rock formation is the volcanic formation on the upper far Right of the image above, below the top of Sonora Peak.

We're at the point where the PCT and TYT come closest together before they join trails entering Yosemite.

The map below Right shows where the trails swing close together off the Southwestern corner of Sonora Peak.

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High Sierra grasshopper at 9500 feet.

Living Things:
Insects

Saint Marys Pass Trailhead

The beginning, the end, or another way point on our endless trail.

Sonora Pass Region Hiking Map
USGS 30 minute topo map

Saint Marys Pass Trailhead.

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Saint Marys Pass Trailhead

Sonora Pass Trailheads

Northbound Hikers
If we are planning on hiking North through the Saint Marys Pass trailhead we are likely driving or hitching up Highway 108 to the trailhead. Keep your eyes open for the trailhead.

The nondescript sign marking the short dirt track up to the lonely Saint Marys Pass trailhead is easy to miss. The Saint Marys Pass trailhead itself is situated a short distance up a dirt road one mile West of Sonora Pass on the North side of Highway 108 above the great meadow.
The trailhead is situated along along the lightly wooded Northern perimeter of the large meadow that opens up below the Western side of Sonora Pass's gap in the mountains.
This meadow drains into Deadman Creek carrying the runoff from the Western flanks of the surrounding mountains down to the Middle fork of the Stanislaus River at Kennedy Meadows.

Our route, if hiking North through Saint Marys Pass, brings us and drops us into the top of the massive Western drainage off this whole section of the Western Sierra Crest into the top of the Clarks Fork of the Stanislaus River.
Or we have hiked South over Saint Marys Pass to enter the watershed of the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus, which drains the next segment of the Crestline South from the South flank of Sonora Peak, including the South and Western flanks of the Leavitt Massif, on down to the North flank of Granite Dome.

Starting Backpacking Trips from Sonora or Saint Marys Passes
Drivers Eastbound on Highway 108 will pass a very noticeable waterfall climbing up the last steep section of Highway 108 to and through a gap beyond which the road flattens considerably entering the bottom of the substantial high altitude meadow spreading down West flank from just to the West of Sonora Pass.

The Eastbound Sonora Pass Road begins bending a long arc to the Northeast tracing out the perimeter of this expansive high altitude meadow on our final approach to Sonora Pass.
When the road bends enough to begin pointing us directly East we start looking for the Sign and road for Saint Marys Pass Trailhead on the North side of the road.
Westbound drivers along Highway 108 will find the Saint Marys Pass trailhead about a mile West of Sonora Pass.

We will notice a rather exposed car-camping site sitting on the South side of Highway 108 just a few paces East of the Saint Marys Pass trailhead sign. Better car camping sites are located a short distance West, down the dirt roads located along the North side of Highway 108 a short ways down towards the bottom of the meadow.

Sonora Pass Car Camping

Map with Car Camping sites noted near Sonora Pass

Sonora Pass Corridor Road Map

Use of Saint Marys Pass Trailhead
Very few Northbound hikers along the Pacific Crest Trail hike the mile West down Highway 108 to continue North on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route.

In fact there are very few backpackers who hike this 11.25 mile section of mostly unmarked and unmaintained trail between the end of the Clarks Fork Road and the trailhead at Saint Marys Pass.
We become aware of this fact as the trail fades away due to lack of use as well as lack of maintenance. The same is true in the Southbound direction. Very few backpackers attempt this section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hiking the TYT Southbound.

The vast majority of use at the Saint Marys Pass trailhead is by dayhikers. The dayhikers are primarily attracted the access the trailhead offers to Stanislaus and Sonora Peaks.

Backpackers along this section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail are discouraged by the steepness and difficulty of the unmaintained section of the TYT route between Saint Marys Pass and the Boulder Creek trail junction.
The Boulder Creek trail junction is located 8.69 miles North of the Saint Marys Pass trailhead, and another 2.56 miles further North brings us through the Clarks Fork Trailhead onto the paved road.
The Boulder Creek trail junction marks the point on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail where trail conditions South towards Saint Marys Pass begin deteriorating while the trail North to the trailhead at the top of the Clarks Fork Road is well maintained.

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Amenities at the Saint Marys Pass Trailhead
At the Saint Marys Pass trailhead there are a couple of flat sleeping spots under the nearby trees and a year-round stream just East of the trailhead. There are also a couple of nice flats and a primitive fire spot in the rocks on the rocky granite rise about 20 yards directly West of the trailhead parking.

Look West up the low rise at the left (South) side of the granite boulder up there for the sheltered little private site just West of the trailhead.

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Saint Marys Pass road sign from Highway 108.

Sign Missing as of July 2015, which makes the narrow dirt road difficult to locate...

Kennedy Meadows is nine miles West down Highway 108, Sonora Pass a mile to our East.

Hiking South through the Saint Marys Pass Trailhead onto Highway 108 finishes the 34.57 mile long section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail from Lake Alpine to Saint Marys Pass.

Good Work!

Sonora Pass Corridor Road Map

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Backpacking
Trail Guide

North
TYT

to
Boulder Lake junction*

Backpacking
Trail Guide

South
TYT

Kennedy Meadows
to
Relief Reservoir

Sonora Pass Trailheads

Backpacking
Trail Guide

East
to the
PCT
from the
TYT

Boulder Lake Trail

Backpacking
Trail Guide

South
PCT

Over
Leavitt Peak

Sonora Pass Trailheads

Backpacking
Trail Guide

North
PCT

East Carson River
to
Sonora Pass

Sonora Pass Trailheads