Imogene Pass
It seems odd to do Black Bear Pass without completing the loop by also doing Imogene Pass, so that's exactly what we did. We found the trailhead after almost missing a turn. The trail runs along people's property, and some driveways and parking areas are there. The trail is quite narrow at the beginning and as luck would have it that is where we ran into some oncoming traffic. We managed to squeeze past, and then were on our way.
The views of Black Bear Pass at the beginning of the trail are always amazing. We couldn't believe we'd come down those switchbacks. They look so much worse from far away. Of course, being able to see Ingram Falls and Bridal Veil Falls along with the powerhouse was a bonus.
There are many mines along this stretch of the trail. That, coupled with the views of the valley below and Black Bear Pass, made it tough to keep our eyes on the road. You must, though, or it could spell disaster. We soon passed through the small tunnel and then we were at the Tomboy Mine and Savage Basin. The weather was still nice, and we had a great lunch taking in the sights.
After lunch we worked our way up to the summit. Of course, we posed for a picture at the sign. Surprisingly, the weather was not that cold though winter was on its way.
Just after the pass, we decided to skip the overlook as we intended to do a couple more trails after Imogene Pass. The descent was pretty quick for us. We drove past the loop near the Hidden Treasure Mine and were soon at the Camp Bird Mine. We kept going, heading for Yankee Boy Basin.
Reports from Other Days: 4
Use the arrows or dots to flip through the previews of the other reports for Imogene Pass. Click one of them to read more and see all of the photos from that day.
