Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Picket Creek access from Gallats Meadow

I want to get up into the Picket Creek drainage, especially the lowest lake before it drops down to Rockslide Lake. I have heard of people going up the slope from the Colby Pass trail, starting somewhere near Gallats Lake. I went by there a couple years ago, but didn't see an obvious route. Is there a relatively easy route, class 2 or easier, to get into the Picket Creek drainage from the Colby Pass trail?

It seems to me getting to the lake you want by leaving the trail near Gallats Lake seems foolish, if you wanted to get way back into the drainage it would make sense but looking at the map: it seems far more logical to carry on down the trail until you are much closer to that lake and then try to find a route up.

http://www.sierra-trails.com/kaweah/cover1v9.htm

this guys all over there

There is a reasonable class 2 route from about the 9500 ft level on the Colby pass trail directly to the lowest lake in the Picket Creek drainage.