Goodale Pass
Peak · 11,000 ft · Mammoth Lakes corridor
Goodale Pass sits at 11,000 feet in the Mammoth Lakes corridor, a high-Sierra pass with avalanche terrain and reliable winter access. Consistently windier and colder than lower Mammoth Basin routes.
Wind accelerates through the pass by late morning, funneling from the west-northwest. Afternoon gusts routinely exceed 25 mph. Temperature swings 10 to 15 degrees between sunrise and midday. Snow coverage persists into late spring; assess slab stability before crossing avalanche slopes.
Over the past 30 days, Goodale Pass averaged a NoGo Score of 36.0 with mean wind of 15 mph and temperature of 23 degrees Fahrenheit. Gusts have reached 43 mph; expect similar volatility in the week ahead. Spring snowpack remains the dominant variable; check ESAC forecasts before committing to the pass.
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About Goodale Pass
Goodale Pass is a 11,000-foot crossing in California's Sierra Nevada, part of the high-altitude travel corridor between Mammoth Lakes and the Owens Valley. It lies east of the Mammoth crest and sits above the drainage system feeding Highway 395. Access from the west via the Mammoth Lakes basin requires alpine hiking or backcountry skiing; the pass connects to trails descending toward Big Pine and the Inyo National Forest. This is not a highway pass; it is a mountaineer's and backcountry skier's objective requiring winter skills, route-finding ability, and current avalanche forecasts from the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center.
Winter and early spring dominate the Goodale Pass season. The 30-day average temperature stands at 23 degrees Fahrenheit with a 30-day average wind of 15 mph, but individual days swing between well below freezing and the low 30s. Maximum wind in the rolling 30-day window reached 43 mph. Snowpack typically deepens from December through March, peaks in April, and remains substantial into May at this elevation. Afternoon wind becomes the signature hazard: the pass faces west-northwest exposure, and thermal effects combine with pressure funneling to drive sustained gusts by 2 pm. Morning departures are essential for safe passage and minimal weather exposure.
Goodale Pass suits backcountry skiers, mountaineers, and experienced hikers with winter navigation skills. Solitude is the primary reward: base popularity sits at 0.2, meaning crowds are negligible even on good-weather weekends. Average crowding over the past 30 days was only 2.0, indicating you will encounter few other parties. The trade-off is commitment; this is not a resort approach or a day hike from a parking lot. Plan for multi-day journeys or all-day alpine expeditions. Avalanche terrain surrounds the pass; weak-layer stability in spring is the critical factor. A single unstable slope can transform a morning ascent into a rescue situation. Check the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center forecast daily before the trip.
Nearby alternatives in the Mammoth corridor include Mammoth Mountain proper (lower elevation, higher traffic) and passes on the Inyo Crest that offer similar altitude and solitude but with different drainage and avalanche exposure. Shepherd Pass to the south is a comparable high Sierra crossing with greater prominence but steeper climbing. Goodale Pass rewards early-season planning and calm-morning execution; late-season slush and afternoon whiteout wind make afternoon crossings unreliable even in May.