June 8, 2021

Planning -- the Ionian Basin

This area has always fascinated me -- and I have yet to pay a visit. Back when I had the Mount Goddard 15 minute quadrangle map, I noted that this map was all rock and lakes with little green -- but you can taste this if you cross Muir Pass on the JMT. The Ionian basin has no trail; it is all cross country travel. It is also an area of metamorphic rock. Dark rock, lots of talus, lots of lakes hidden in their own nooks.

Getting started

The game is to get to Muir Pass somehow. You could hike there on the JMT, starting with the usual Bishop Pass or Piute Pass entries. Bishop Pass would be the more reasonable choice of these two by far. The other option would be more direct routes over Lamarck Col or Echo Col. I went over Lamarck Col in 2006. It is well known, fairly popular, and with shrinking snow fields, the miniature glacier that guards the north side of the pass is hardly an issue. If it is, it can be passed on rock to the left. The pass is at 12,900 feet, so some acclimatization is well advised before pushing over it.

Echo Col is a more direct route to Muir Pass, which may actually cheat you out of some beautiful country (Evolution and Sapphire Lakes) you would visit going over Lamarck Col. The sensible person would hike from the Lake Sabrina trailhead (9128 feet) to Moonlight or Echo Lake (11062 and 11602 feet) and spend a night at least becoming acclimatized. Moonlight Lake looks like it has more level ground and potential for nice campsites.

Secor says that Echo Col is class 3, with ice axe required. 12400 feet. Whether this is still true given current snow conditions is anyones guess, but I am not one to trifle with snow and ice. The correct pass is right (west) of the saddle at the top of a chimney marked by a black rock. It is not the easier looking pass to the left (east). Once over the pass, go around lake 11428 on the west and make your way down a talus filled chute to bypass a cliff and join the JMT.

Black Giant Pass

This is the eastern entry to the Ionian Basin. If you came over Echo Col, head west on the JMT to someplace south of Helen Lake and head south to the obvious saddle west of Black Giant. Descend the west shore of the lake that is south of the pass (lake 11828). Make a steep descent to the west then pass many lakes to the north side of Chasm Lake.

Now you are in the Ionian Basin and can wander and explore as you please.

Wanda Pass - 12440 feet

This is a sensible option if you came over Lamarck Col. Leave the JMT at the outlet (north end) of Wanda Lake, pass Wanda Lake on the west and head south up a gradually steepening slope to the obvious saddle (Wanda Pass) on the Goddard Divide. Descend to the east shore of Lake 11592.

Pass lake 11837 on the south, or avoid lake 11592 entirely and countour at about 12400 from the pass. Secor says that a narrow ledge leads up, across, and around the cliff to lakes 12,160 and 12,120. Pass those lakes on the south to get to the west shore of lake 11818. Continue on the west shore of lake 11818 to Goddard Creek Pass

One fellow says "navigation and travel is much more straightforward in the Ionian Basin than I anticipated from the maps". This is pretty much what I heard from a friend who visited there -- getting around was no big deal.

Goddard Creek Pass - 12,240+

This is a route from Martha Lake to the Ionian Basin (or vice versa in my case). Reversing Secors description -- Cross Lake 11818 over the two peninsulas that almost touch. Ascend northwest to lake 11951. Pass lake 11951 and ascent northwest, skirting the north shore of a small lake. Head southeast (seems unlikely looking at the map?) to Goddard Creek saddle.

Martha Lake to Davis Lake

One description of the "direct route" between Martha and Davis describes it as "fairly easy walking". Another person describes it as "mellow class 2". A good route is fairly obvious on the topo and the post I link to above has details. A variety of things are possible.

Davis Lake

I read lots of discussion about crossing the lake on a penninsula, apparently you hop a stream. As near as I can tell the idea is (if going from west to east) to travel along the north side of the lake, cross to the south on the penninsula, then continue east on the south side.

Goddard Canyon

There is a good trail from Martha Lake down the Canyon to the JMT. One fellow said he covered the distance from a campspot in trees below Martha Lake to the JMT is approximately 2 hours! It may be possible to take a direct route up the ridge west of and alongside North Goddard Creek to Davis Lake, but I am willing to bet that the best way is to simply hike to Martha Lake and head to Davis Lake from there.
Have any comments? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's hiking pages / tom@mmto.org