Deadman Canyon Loop

Across the river you can see some falls, which roughly marks the route to the lakes and tarns on Glacier Ridge. Meanwhile, anybody up for a waterslide?.

The Waterslide

Deadman Canyon Loop - By D.W.Donehoo (All rights reserved)

One of the real charms of this trip and particularly this canyon, is the "giant steps" of the canyon (as opposed to the shorter "steps" in the entrance of the canyon). The first stream crossing was at one big step, Deadman Meadow was an even larger flat step and later, Ranger Meadow is an even larger flat step, followed by the last step at the head of the canyon below the pass. Each time you climb up to and crest a step, you are smacked in the face with an astonishing view! While the scenery has been marvelous so far, from this point on it just gets better and better. Continuing down the trail and enjoying the level respite from our climb to this point, the trail makes an easy ford of the river. The level walking allows the hiker a chance to admire the towering unjointed granite walls and the new views unfolding up canyon. As the climb steepens, a new wonder unfolds in the form of one of the most impressive cascades in the Sierra. The unjointed point 10750 towers above the river and here the granite was strong enough to resist the immense glacier that once filled this canyon. All the glacier managed to do was polish smooth the entire width of the canyon, making a huge polished slope for the river to spill over, spread out and slide down to Deadman meadow. The whole cascade splits into two parts, divided by a group of trees that managed to get a foothold into the bedrock. And if this awesome scene were not enough, a series of waterfalls and cascades come tumbling down from Glacier Ridge across the river, its foaming roar adding to the music of the river cascade. On a warm late season day, one might find a good spot to slide down a safe section of the cascade, but be careful: this is no place for an accident. As you get to the top of the cascade and next to the river, you can marvel at a river that is here spread out very wide and only about an inch or so deep in most places. Looking at the falls across the river, I am tempted to follow the cascades to their source on Glacier Ridge, to the many small lakes and tarns in the cirques above. Perhaps some day....