I'm looking for a backpacking loop in the Palisades. I came across this old article in Backpacker magazine: https://www.backpacker.com/trips/kings- ... palisades/

The route given goes over 5 passes, and includes quite specific waypoints:

WPT001
Location: 37.171055, -118.566041
WPT002
Location: 37.084074, -118.54321
Knapsack Pass
WPT003
Location: 37.095269, -118.525074
Thunderbolt Pass
WPT004
Location: 37.087614, -118.491978
Scimitar Pass
WPT005
Location: 37.120388, -118.534222
Jigsaw Pass

So, I started making maps and HOLY LEVITATION BATMAN, the contours on these passes are Squished. I mean, really squished! According to my own look at caltopo, a moderate one of these has like 2.6:1 slopes, or 53-74 deg. Is this completely insane for anyone wearing a pack unroped, except for maybe Honnold? Or am I being a wimp and not considering the micro-terrain? Or maybe I mis-measured?

***Anyone who has any experience with any of these passes - any beta would be much appreciated.

I recall the "gray wall" near Tahoe to be improbable looking, but very doable with sections with a slope of 0.55. 4X this just seems nuts.

At the end of the Backpacker article it says: "Editor’s Note: Our author hasn’t hiked this trip. "

Anyone who knows of a nice loop that could be done in only 4-5 days, well, that would also be much appreciated.

Thanks,

-TPC

I've been over Knapsack, Thunderbolt and Potluck on various trips carrying full pack with climbing gear, thought T-bolt the hardest of those. Haven't done them, but having seen them, I don't think at this point (older, softer) I'd like to carry a load for several days out over Scimitar or Jigsaw.

Also, might want to ask this in the California forum if you haven't already.