Circle the Cirque Crest

At the top of the first steep old JMT trail section still below the high point of the pass trail, you have views of the peaks that form the lip of the bowl that is Lake Basin.

At the Top of Cartridge Pass

Circle The Cirque Crest - By D.W.Donehoo (All rights reserved)

The view of the alpine upper basin and nearby peaks, all of which I have read about, were something to behold. Ahead was Dave making his way to the pass. The trail here, aside from a short snow field section, was quite good and actually got better the farther up it went. All in all I would say this trail section was as good as any maintained pass trail, and the whole trail pass was as good as, say, Glen Pass. I had no trouble getting to the top of the pass on this good trail.

On the north side of Cartridge Pass you can look east along the crest for this view.