Big Five / Little Five Lakes Loop

Monarch Lake way down there below the slopes of the "pass". One of the many slog tracks or groves scaring the slope can be seen below. Those lines on the sides of Mineral Peak may be from mining.

A Long Sandy Slope

Big 5, Little 5 Lakes Loop and Sawtooth Pass, August 4th to 7th, 2000.

The "trail" below was another matter altogether, and the kindest thing I could say about the trail is: there was none. The Sawtooth Pass is one of the worst and challenging "trail" passes I have ever done, more like cross country in effort due to the "trails", or lack thereof. What a heap of steep sand, sand covered slabs and treacherous footing! I spent a fair amount of time looking down trying to pick out the best route and observing others on their way down. To my left was a used looking chute going almost straight up a steep and deep sandy slope. Not my first choice. Directly below me I saw myriad trails of use that did not seem connected to anything. To my right I saw trail that looked safer and easier than the stuff to my left, and it also looked heavier used and maybe even maintained at some time in the past. So I picked up my pack once more and began to follow the most used and safest parts of the trail, when there was one. Several times I had to sit and scoot to lower myself down a tricky slab, or walk and slide sideways down a steep sandy section. I rejoiced that I did not have to walk up this mess with a heavy pack! Anyone going up this heap would slide back one step for every two taken upward. Ugh!