Called off a second attempt on Banner Peak (via Ediza lake) last Saturday after a long session with the Mammoth Lakes Rangers on Friday. Though the forecast was 20% chance of T-Storms for Sat.-Sun., the radar looked much more menacing. The whole eastern side of the Sierra. According to them it was the remnant of a hurricane that caused all the landslides in Mexico the week before. Stayed there inby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Bummer. I stayed at porcupine flat sat. night after getting chased out of mammoth (attempting Banner again). Hoped to get clear skies on Sun. for a dayhike of Unicorn. Couldn't see farther than the nearest tree as it turned out. Did finish reading Kurt Vonnegut's "Cats Cradle" in an empty Olmstead Point parking lot though. Weird. Didn't seem bad enough to close though. Hope it's not perby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Great stuff, Lyell is definitely on my list. Any route details? I'm assuming that's McClure in the background. Did you gain the summit via the Lyell/McClure saddle, and how much glacier travel did you do? I was going to try for Banner Peak this week out near Mammoth, but might be persuaded to do Lyell. What trailhead did you take? Great photo. any more posted? Rolandby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Finally made it to Mt Conness. Was going to climb it on labor day, but saw alot of people in the park, and decided to head through to Big Pine and try Middle Palisade (didn't make it, but the south fork of big pine creek is awesome). After humping up 3000 feet with a full pack just to get to the approach as in Middle Pal, I decided this week to stay at Sawmill Campground instead, where I had to cby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
In the event I can't get a permit for young lakes this weekend, does anyone have any idea how difficult the east ridge is from saddlebag? Looking for class 3 at most, and many of the trip reports are routes that are somewhat technical. Thanksby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Looks like class 3 to me unless there's a trail in there somewhere.by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hey Dale, have you climbed mt lyell? I know you were thinking about it.by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks for the input. for some reason I always thought Young Lakes would be an easy permit to get, but it looks like I'm wrong. Yeah Nancy, that's good to know about the route exposure. In Secor's book, as well as Summitpost, they claim that near the summit, the class 2 route has some exhilarating exposure (drop-offs), though the climbing itself is still essentially class 2. If I can get a permitby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thinking of Mt Conness this weekend via Young Lakes and then, according to Secor, a class 2 climb from there to the summit. How hard is it to get a permit for Young Lake right now, considering it's a holiday? Also has anyone been up there lately? Was thinking of middle palisade out of big pine, but coming from SF, conness is alot closer. Thanks Rolandby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Walked through much of the campground yesterday for a dayhike out to Elizabeth Lake. The trail starts at the end of Loop B. Looked dry and free of snow to me. alot of work going on there as well. When I got back to my car later in the day, workmen had put in a satelllite dish. It wouldn't work according one of the workers. The signal was being blocked by a tree.by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Great Pics. That's just the beginning of the crest? Pretty impressive. Definitely going to scope it out when I'm there.by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Yeah, I was there last weekend. Going in on last friday, the sun cups weren't too bad, but by sunday afternoon, they were a royal pain in the a$%. I always bring the snowshoes when there's still so much snow, though this time I'm pretty sure I just want to dayhike, so I don't really plan on using them. That's what I figured about the east side. According to Secor, easy class 3 on #1. Would liby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Did you and Chick-On go up the east side of #1? I'm going back up there tomorrow, but this time, I'll just try some day hikes up the Budd Creek drainage rather than snowshoe out and camp at Cathedral Pass. Still bringing my snowshoes though. There was so much snow last week, that I'm not convinced that most of it has melted off. Probably stay at one of the Inyo campgrounds. I think there areby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Great picture. Is that shot from the summit of Echo Peaks?by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Crocker Point is also a sweet spot to camp. Short hike from Dewey. Stayed there once in the winter with the sierra club, and once last halloween. nice view looking down on Bridalveil Falls, as well as the headlamps of crazy people on their false ledges hanging off of El Capitan. The spot above Dewey is also though.by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks Chick-On, but mine is hardly ever used, so it's like new. 4 twinkies weigh 2 ounces?by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
My GPS (Garmin) had no name for that lake, however, upon further review of my National Geographic map, it does refer to Cathedral Lake(s). I didn't make out the 's', and assumed it referred only to the lake at the end of the Cathedral Lakes trail. My mistake. The lake I referred to as unnamed and just beneath Cathedral Pass is more than likely upper Cathedral lake. Thanksby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Just got back from Cathedral Pass yesterday. Left from the Cathedral Lakes trailhead friday morning. I hurried up there thinking I'd better hurry because it's such a popular trail, but when I didn't see any cars at the trailhead, I suspected something was up. Having been on Mt Whitney the week before with temps at an astounding 70 degrees at 12,000 ft, I figured, I'd try Echo Peaks, and there wouby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Have to get out of the city. Thinking of heading out to Echo Peaks, dayhike or overnight. Came back from Mt Whitney on monday over Tioga Pass, and like the rest of the sierra, looked like alot of snow and but melting fast. Don't mind snowshoeing, but was wondering if the peaks themselves above the talus fans are free of snow. Thanksby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Though they told us to be at the mountaineering school in curry village at 8:30, by the time we got to Swan's Slab over near Camp 4, it was 10. We were done by 4:30. There were 4 of us, but I think they'll go up as high as 6 students. The cost was $118. They supply the harness, helmet and rope. You need to rent the rock climbing shoes. They don't give you a lift over to the climbing site once youby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I don't recall any PVC pipes, though that spot in the picture does look vaguely familiar. Maybe I was too busy looking ahead for the trail and just didn't see it. How about the tree duck. Did you see that?by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Took the beginning rock climbing class on thursday. With a guy named Jeff. Good instructor. Did alot of belaying and self-repelling over at a spot called Swan's Slab? Learned alot, though I probably won't be self-repelling anytime soon. I did learn that my shoes can grip a lot more than I thought with the right posture and sense of commitment to each step. Though I probably won't be doing the walby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Went ahead and signed up for their one day beginning class on thursday. What the heck. Thought I'd do some backpacking while I'm there. Does anyone know if it's possible to get to Tamarack Flat (maybe head over to el cap.) via 120?by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sorry for the confusion. The rock climbing class has nothing to do with Dana Couloir. I've already climbed Shasta and the mountaineers route on whitney with snow. I was merely thinking of mt dana in addition to taking the rock climbing class, but don't know how far caltran has plowed 120 on the lee vining side.by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm sitting around this week here in SF, and I can't stand it. Thinking of driving out to Yosemite this week and taking the one day rock climbing class. Anyone have any opinions on the courses there? Was on the south face of half dome heading to the diving board last week, and a few of the spots seemed a little sketchy. Chick-On was with me, but hell, he's got wings. I thought it might not be a bby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Well, I made it to the Diving Board with the help of SteveC's excellent picture of the traverse across the southern face of half dome, and Chick-On to lead the way, otherwise Bill-e-g and I might still be wandering around up there. The view from the diving board was fantastic. Seeing the sheer face of half dome up close is something that you really can't see anywhere else, even from the top; whicby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks Steve, I'm at the Yosemite Bug, but I pulled your maps off of the link you posted on the whitney portal before leaving SF. Bill, that picture from the diving board is awesome.by from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hey Dale, My hiking buddy just called me and said he's sick as a dog and can't go. Dang. Still heading out. All packed up and ready to go. That's great that your wife is getting into snowcamping. Very beautiful out there, and since most people don't like the cold, you have it all to yourself. Mostly. Anyway, if you're up that way Friday maybe we can hook up. My plan was to spend Thur and Fridaby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Hey Dale, Thanks for the update. I was supposed to come out there in March for a Sierra Club outing, but had some issues to deal with here. Legal stuff with lawyers etc., so I had to cancel. Now I realize my only escape from them is to just pack up and go where I can't be reached and hope they just do their job. I'm definitely bringing my snowshoes, and I can't wait to get out there. Shastby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Going with a friend to little yos. valley Thurs. Probably check out Clouds Rest etc. After camping on Mt Shasta last weekend and putting up with very deep snow right from the parking lot, and 92 mph gusts at the 8000' treeline, I'm preparing for alot of snow down there as well. I told my friend to bring some extra cord so he could anchor his tent in the snow, but he said he'd be surprised if therby from_mars - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion