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Pico de Orizaba - November 21-27, 2009 : Trip Report at: http://tinyurl.com/yd3qzuy There are 255 photos in the gallery.

Pico de Orizaba - November 21-27, 2009

Trip Report at: http://tinyurl.com/yd3qzuy There are 255 photos in ...

Updated: Nov 30, 2009 9:26pm PST

Thor Peak - November 21, 2009 : I wanted to head up high for one last time before heading to Mexico for a climb up Pico de Orizaba. I climbed the Southeast Couloir and descended the Secret Route. There are 36 photos in the gallery.

Thor Peak - November 21, 2009

I wanted to head up high for one last time before heading to Mexico fo ...

Updated: Nov 28, 2009 11:11pm PST

Mt. Whitney Main Trail - Friday the 13th (11/13/09) : Third Friday the Thirteenth of 2009 happened to fall on a flex-Friday, so I headed up the Main Trail. There are 79 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Whitney Main Trail - Friday the 13th (11/13/09)

Third Friday the Thirteenth of 2009 happened to fall on a flex-Friday, ...

Updated: Nov 15, 2009 6:43pm PST

Mt. Whitney Main Trail - Veterans Day, 2009 : November 11, 2009. Another climb up the Main Trail of Mt. Whitney, this time to test out the new MICROpikes. Cool traction device. Since I knew the conditions, I left the axe and crapmpons behind. The weather was mostly cloudy and it was cold and windy most of the day. This was 21x for '09 and 71+x. 4 to go to make the 25 summit goal I set for myself earlier this year. There are 59 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Whitney Main Trail - Veterans Day, 2009

November 11, 2009. Another climb up the Main Trail of Mt. Whitney, ...

Updated: Nov 11, 2009 7:34pm PST

Mt. Whitney Main Trail - November 7, 2009 : Another climb up the Main Trail of Mt. Whitney, this time to test out the new LaSportiva Nuptse double boots and also to clean up the Halloween decorations from last week. The boots are very cool, but heavy. The weather was good, except for a bit of cold wind on the summit. This was 20x for '09 and 70+x. I'm gaining confidence that I'll make the 25 summit goal I set for myself earlier this year. There are 79 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Whitney Main Trail - November 7, 2009

Another climb up the Main Trail of Mt. Whitney, this time to test out ...

Updated: Nov 08, 2009 8:50am PST

Lone Pine Waterfall - November 1, 2009 : On a slow last day of the season at the Whtiney Portal Store, Doug asked if we'd like to go see the Lone Pine Waterfall. Mike, Peter, Ofelia, their daughter Jessica and I joined Doug for the hike/climb down for some spectacular views. There are 27 photos in the gallery.

Lone Pine Waterfall - November 1, 2009

On a slow last day of the season at the Whtiney Portal Store, Doug ask ...

Updated: Nov 02, 2009 9:53am PST

Mt. Whitney Main Trail - Halloween Day, 2009 : When I heard that Halloween was going to be on a Saturday this year, I decided I had to head up for a climb of Mt. Whitney with a costume. Mike and I headed up from the trailhead together, but within a few minutes, he was long gone. It was already light when I got to one of the really good shortcuts, so I headed up it instead of the trail. I never did see Mike again on the ascent, but received a message from another climber that he had headed down about a mile short of the summit. We hooked back up part way down the Switchbacks and hiked out together, arriving back at the Portal a little too late for one last burger. It was a day of mixed emotions as the SAR for a missing climber came to an end with the discovery of his body at the base of Mt. Muir. This was 19x in '09 and 69+x ascents of Whitney. There are 85 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Whitney Main Trail - Halloween Day, 2009

When I heard that Halloween was going to be on a Saturday this year, I ...

Updated: Nov 02, 2009 8:29am PST

Lower Boy Scout Lake - October 30, 2009 : In the sack until 8:45am, I didn't leave the Portal Store until after noon. I headed up to Lower Boy Scout Lake for a little exercise. There are 53 photos in the gallery.

Lower Boy Scout Lake - October 30, 2009

In the sack until 8:45am, I didn't leave the Portal Store until after ...

Updated: Nov 01, 2009 8:11pm PST

Mt. Marsh Attempt - October 25, 2009 : I had originally planned on climbing Mt. Whitney, but changed plans to Mt. Marsh when Mike Mellin said he was available for the weekend. We headed up the Main Trail to Consultation Lake to have a look at the couloir that leads up to slightly north of the peak. The lake was not frozen, so we would have had to traverse around the east and south ends of the lake to get to the couloir. We decided to head up towards Trail Camp and have a look at any possible traverses into the couloir from there. After a short break near Trail Camp, we headed up the slopes directly above Trail Camp towards Whitney Pass. The climb up took what remaining strength I had left in my legs, so when we climbed over the crest, I called it a climb. Mike attempted to get to the summit of Marsh but "cliffed out" on a false summit. We climbed up to Discovery Pass and then descended via the Main Trail. The day was about 10 hours; pretty respectable considering how much of it was on snow. There are 102 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Marsh Attempt - October 25, 2009

I had originally planned on climbing Mt. Whitney, but changed plans to ...

Updated: Oct 25, 2009 10:01pm PST

Cirque Peak - October 24, 2009 : Mike Mellin and I headed up to Cirque Peak via the South Forks Trail and climbed by the South Ridge. There are 39 photos in the gallery.

Cirque Peak - October 24, 2009

Mike Mellin and I headed up to Cirque Peak via the South Forks Trail a ...

Updated: Oct 25, 2009 8:58pm PST

Owens Peak - October 23, 2009 : Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-14). Stats: 29:33Thirty Minutes Flat 66:37 60 Minutes Slabs 86:32 Summit 02:21 Round Trip. There are 24 photos in the gallery.

Owens Peak - October 23, 2009

Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-14). Stats: 29:33Thirty Minutes F ...

Updated: Oct 25, 2009 8:54pm PST

Alabama Hills Rock Climbing - October 18, 2009 : Nick, Emily, Mike, Rick, Arthur, Kurt and I did some climbing in the Alabama Hills. It's been over two years for me, so the arms got pumped in a hurry. There are 77 photos in the gallery.

Alabama Hills Rock Climbing - October 18, 2009

Nick, Emily, Mike, Rick, Arthur, Kurt and I did some climbing in the A ...

Updated: Oct 19, 2009 5:44pm PST

WPSMB Thor Peak Group Climb - October 17, 2009 : The Third Annual Whitney Portal Store Message Board Group Climb. (My first time.) This year the climb was dedicated to the memory of Kent Ashcraft who died in a climbing accident nearly six months earlier. Thirty-three climbers made the summit via the Secret Route and two of the "east" couloirs in what turned out to be an amazing day. From Lower Boy Scout Lake, we were climbing "winter" conditions with summer-like weather. There are 181 photos in the gallery.

WPSMB Thor Peak Group Climb - October 17, 2009

The Third Annual Whitney Portal Store Message Board Group Climb. (My f ...

Updated: Oct 19, 2009 10:19am PST

Thor Peak - October 16, 2009 : I was just planning on shaking out the legs with a short hike up the Main Trail to have a look at the new snow. A short way up the "old" trail, I heard the voices of children. After a couple more switchbacks, I met four of the Ashcraft clan and had a short conversation with them about how the day went for them. It was nice talking to them. After reaching the Main Trail, I passed by Shin, and he asked if he could join me. We headed up on a contour towards the SE Couloir. (I don't think Shin had any idea where I was taking him.) About 200' below the crux, Shin decided to turn around. I headed up to the summit in snow that varied from boot deep to nearly knee deep. I headed down via the Secret Route, thinking that tracks would make it easier for any of the WPSMB group climb heading up this way the next day. There are 62 photos in the gallery.

Thor Peak - October 16, 2009

I was just planning on shaking out the legs with a short hike up the M ...

Updated: Oct 18, 2009 8:41pm PST

Wallace Lake - October 10, 2009 : Mike Mellin and I headed over into the Wallace Creek drainage for an attempt on Mt. Barnard, but we were moving a liitle slow and didn't make the base of the mountain until around noon. We knew we'd be in for a lot of x-c in the dark (or the alternate of a LONG walk back on the JMT), so we called it a day after having lunch at Wallace Lake. There are 85 photos in the gallery.

Wallace Lake - October 10, 2009

Mike Mellin and I headed over into the Wallace Creek drainage for an a ...

Updated: Oct 11, 2009 10:33pm PST

Mt. Whitney Mountaineer's Route Double - October 3, 2009 : The three of us who did a lot of climbing together this summer each picked a difficult outing: Me: Mt. Whitney from Lone Pine. Mike Mellin: Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead to Mt. Russell. (We came up short and ended up skipping Russell, but got Langley, Discovery Pinnacle, Muir and Whitney.) Jim Freeland: Mt. Whitney Mountaineer's Route Double. It was cold and windy, and it took a while longer than I would have expected, but we got it done! Two trips up the MR with the final descent down the Main Trail. This was 18x in '09 and 68+x ascents of Whitney. There are only 51 photos in the gallery. (It's tough to take photos when you're cold and tired.)

Mt. Whitney Mountaineer's Route Double - October 3, 2009

The three of us who did a lot of climbing together this summer each pi ...

Updated: Oct 04, 2009 8:19pm PST

Thor Peak - October 2, 2009 : Another climb of the Southeast Couloir of Thor Peak. I made the ascent in two-and-a-half hours and the round trip in four hours, fourteen minutes. This is quickly becoming my favorite workout route. There are 44 photos in the gallery.

Thor Peak - October 2, 2009

Another climb of the Southeast Couloir of Thor Peak. I made the asc ...

Updated: Oct 04, 2009 8:17pm PST

Owens Peak - September 30, 2009 : Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-13). Stats: 28:52 Thirty Minutes Flat 63:42 60 Minutes Slabs 80:59 Summit 02:22 Round Trip. In all the times that I've done Owens Peak after work, I've never, ever, seen anyone else. Until this climb. Two young men were heading down the final portion of the trail as I was heading up. When I returned to the Trailhead, I noticed that they were parked at the nice campsite opposite the parking area, so they must have been in the area for a few days. There are 19 photos in the gallery.

Owens Peak - September 30, 2009

Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-13). Stats: 28:52 Thirty Minutes ...

Updated: Oct 01, 2009 7:08am PST

Thor Peak - September 27, 2009 : Another climb of Thor Peak, this time by the Southest Couloir. There are 30 photos in the gallery.

Thor Peak - September 27, 2009

Another climb of Thor Peak, this time by the Southest Couloir. Ther ...

Updated: Sep 27, 2009 7:18pm PST

Candlelight Peak - September 26, 2009 : Mike and I were planning on heading over the Cleaver Col for an attempt on Mt. Carl Heller, but I didn't feel very chipper in the morning, so I stayed in bed. After breakfast, I headed up the Main Trail to Lone Pine Lake for a climb of the "East Ridge" (more of a NE Ridge, really) of Candlelight Peak. There is a long traverse to get to where the climbing starts and once you get there, it gets your attention in a hurry. Among the many hard sections is the down-climb to one of the notches on the ridge. I tried bailing off at this point, but the death chute that I chose cliffed out and I was forced to climb up some very technical terrain to get back up onto the ridge. On my fifth attempt to find some "easy" terrain down to the notch, I climbed up to the very top of the ridge and then was able to climb down (in a very round-about way) to the notch. There were a couple more puzzles to solve on the climb to the summit of Candlelight, but none of it was nearly as difficult as what I had crossed earler. After an short break on the summit, I headed down via the Meysan Lakes Trail. I finished off the loop on the NRT. There are 47 photos in the galley.

Candlelight Peak - September 26, 2009

Mike and I were planning on heading over the Cleaver Col for an attemp ...

Updated: Sep 27, 2009 7:15pm PST

Black Mountain - Sunday Peak - Portuguese Peak - September 20, 2009 : This was supposed to be a climb of Black and Split Mountains, but the trailhead description provided on the Hundred Peaks Section list is wrong, and by the time I figured out where I needed to be, I had lost interest in climbing Split. (Looking at the mileage numbers, it would have been easier to do them as separate climbs, rather than doing the traverse from Black to Split. When I finally got close to the start of the route to Split, I saw that it would have involved at least some bushwhacking, which I wasn't in the mood for.) Knowing that the Sunday / Portuguese Peaks combo would be fairly easy, I rode over there. I was interested to see whether anyone else had climbed Portuguese since I was there a couple of months ago. Someone did! There was one more signature in the register. I also found entries from a Tom Brown group and Jim Freeland that I had missed seeing on my previous trip up. There are 32 photos in the gallery.

Black Mountain - Sunday Peak - Portuguese Peak - September 20, 2009

This was supposed to be a climb of Black and Split Mountains, but the ...

Updated: Sep 20, 2009 9:25pm PST

Olancha Peak - September 18, 2009 : Olancha Peak has been on the list for a long time. I've seen enough photos of the approach from Sage Flat to know that I'd prefer to do it from the much prettier Monache Meadows side. Knowing that the Kern River would be at it's lowest at this time of year, I finally got around to riding to the Monache Creek Trailhead for the climb. I missed the Pacific Crest Trail blaze on the Gomez Meadow Junction sign and ended up walking all the way up to Olancha Pass. (I knew I had missed the PCT, but since I hadn't been to Olancha Pass, I figured I'd add it to the list of things I've done. I also had a look at the cross-country route, but decided heading back down to the PCT would probably be easier.) The boulder-hopping up to the summit was a lot longer and tougher than I thought it would be. A summit surprise of four cows had me busting up as I reached the top. (My friends in Nepal would probably consider this a good omen, since cows are sacred over there.) I headed off of the summit to the "north" to have a look at the terrain I figured they must have climbed. Because I was so slow, I headed back down to the trailhead via the PCT instead of trying the x-c route towards Brown Mountain. There are 41 photos in the gallery.

Olancha Peak - September 18, 2009

Olancha Peak has been on the list for a long time. I've seen enough ph ...

Updated: Sep 20, 2009 9:24pm PST

Mt. Russell East Ridge - September 19, 2009 : Jim Freeland and I joined Rafael's group for a climb up and down the East Ridge of Mt. Russell. This was the first time I've been up and down the route (3rd time's a charm?) and was also the biggest group I've ever been a part of in the Sierra. Although I was quite tired on the way up, it turned out to be a very pleasant day! (A prime rib dinner, compliments of Doug at the Portal Store, made for an outstanding ending to the day.) This brought a successful conclusion to my 13@14 summer project! There are 86 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Russell East Ridge - September 19, 2009

Jim Freeland and I joined Rafael's group for a climb up and down the E ...

Updated: Sep 20, 2009 9:16pm PST

Langley->Discovery Pinnacle->Muir->Whitney - September 12, 2009 : Mike's diabolical plan to add another peak to the Whitney Triple. We started from Horseshoe Meadows, heading up the Cottonwood Lakes Trail and climbed Mt. Langley, arriving a little after sunrise. After a short break, we headed down towards the Major General, but headed down a chute on the "west" side of Mt. Langley. We climbed up to Sky Blue Lake, sticking to rock as much as possible. After a short break, we headed up to Crabtree Pass. After another short break for lunch, we headed down to Upper Crabtree Lake and then up the Dreaded Sand Hill. After tagging Discovery Pinnacle (the fourth peak we had to settle for since none of us had the legs to climb and descend Mt. Russell), we did the traverse to Mt. Whitney on the Main Trail and then descended to Whitney Portal via the Mountaineer's Route. There are 99 photos in the gallery.

Langley->Discovery Pinnacle->Muir->Whitney - September 12, 2009

Mike's diabolical plan to add another peak to the Whitney Triple. W ...

Updated: Sep 13, 2009 4:34pm PST

Morris Peak - September 9, 2009 : 9 Miles at about 90 degrees after work on 09/09/09. There are 40 photos in the gallery.

Morris Peak - September 9, 2009

9 Miles at about 90 degrees after work on 09/09/09. There are 40 ph ...

Updated: Sep 10, 2009 7:34am PST

Labor Day Weekend, 2009 (09/05-07/09) : Len, Bill, Mike and I had plans for Thunderbolt, North Palisade and possibly Polemonium. We headed in across Bishop and Thunderbolt Pass on Saturday morning and then climbed most of the way up Southwest Chute #1 in the afternoon. Not being fun climbing, and knowing we'd be in for more of the same heading up to North Pal, we decided we'd just wander the Palisades and Dusy Basins on the way back to Bishop Pass. We climbed Chocolate Peak on Sunday evening. There are 227 photos in the gallery.

Labor Day Weekend, 2009 (09/05-07/09)

Len, Bill, Mike and I had plans for Thunderbolt, North Palisade and po ...

Updated: Sep 08, 2009 4:00pm PST

Mt. Russell East Ridge - September 4, 2009 : Mike Mellin and I headed up the North Fork for a climb of the East Ridge of Mt. Russell. As we reached the Russell / Carillon Saddle, we noticed that there was a very good chance we'd have precipitation. I wondered whether we should wait and see what would happen, but Mike suggested we head up. It was a fun climb, but we ended up being chased off of the mountain by a fast moving storm cell that dropped hail/grauple/snow and lightning and thunder. We bailed off of the South Face, Right Side to get to lower elevations faster. Kurt Wedberg and three clients had headed the same way, so it was a pleasant descent to the Whitney / Russell Col. There are 96 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Russell East Ridge - September 4, 2009

Mike Mellin and I headed up the North Fork for a climb of the East Rid ...

Updated: Sep 08, 2009 7:06am PST

Middle Palisade - August 29, 2009 : This trip was on the agenda several times this summer, so it was nice to finally get it done. Mike Mellin and I completed the day-climb in a little less than 14 hours. There are 123 photos in the gallery.

Middle Palisade - August 29, 2009

This trip was on the agenda several times this summer, so it was nice ...

Updated: Aug 31, 2009 7:31am PST

Mt. Whitney - August 27-28, 2009 : I asked around and was told by a few that the 100th Anniversary of the Smithsonian Hut on the summit of Mt. Whitney would be August 27th, so I planned to do an overnight on top to celebrate the occasion. It turns out that the actual date of completion is August 29th, but I headed up anyway. I ended up suffering a splitting headache on waking up on Friday morning, so all of the additional peaks I planned to tag on the way down were skipped. It's also the first time I didn't take a single photo on the way down from a summit. There are 74 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Whitney - August 27-28, 2009

I asked around and was told by a few that the 100th Anniversary of the ...

Updated: Aug 31, 2009 7:23am PST

Lower Boy Scout Lake - August 30, 2009 : East Ridge of Mt. Russell - No! Gamblers Special - No! Thor Peak - No! (All discussed and finally rejected because we decided we'd rather have an easy day.) After a tougher than expected day-climb of Middle Palisade, Mike and I slept in and had breakfast at the Whitney Portal Store. After breakfast, we were heading up the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, expecting to head up at the cascade for a climb of Gamblers Special. By about the Ebersbacher Ledges we were thinking in terms of just hanging out at Lower Boy Scout Lake. There are 21 photos in the gallery.

Lower Boy Scout Lake - August 30, 2009

East Ridge of Mt. Russell - No! Gamblers Special - No! Thor Peak - No! ...

Updated: Aug 30, 2009 9:52pm PST

Owens Peak - August 25, 2009 : Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-12). 4 months 'til Christmas! Stats: 29:00 Thirty Minutes Flat 65:00 60 Minutes Slabs 84:02 Summit 02:27 Round Trip. This was 13x on Owens Peak in 2009! I forgot my camera, so there is only one photo (SPOT Track) in the gallery.

Owens Peak - August 25, 2009

Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-12). 4 months 'til Christmas! Sta ...

Updated: Aug 25, 2009 8:56pm PST

Thor Peak - August 23, 2009 : Day 2 of the weekend with Mike Pyle. We had discussed the East Ridge of Mt. Russell, but the weather was not good for an exposed climb, so we set the Moutaineer's Route as an alternative. We ended up getting a later start than planned and the wind was already howling down the North Fork drainage before we even reached Lower Boy Scout Lake, so we headed up the Smiley Face Route on Thor Peak. The clouds made for spectacular scenery and even with the wind, it was not uncomfortable at all. Lots of long breaks along the way made for a fairly leisurely day. Mike, and especially Bret. enjoyed the descent down the SE Couloir. There are 173 photos in the gallery.

Thor Peak - August 23, 2009

Day 2 of the weekend with Mike Pyle. We had discussed the East Ridg ...

Updated: Aug 24, 2009 2:03pm PST

Trail Peak - August 22, 2009 : Jay had expressed interest in climbing Mt. Langley with me, but since he had done it the previous weekend, we decided that we'd have an easy day climbing Trail Peak. Mike Pyle (We'd been trying to hook up for some climbing for a couple of years now.) and his friend Bret Wilson were also along. There are 35 photos in the gallery.

Trail Peak - August 22, 2009

Jay had expressed interest in climbing Mt. Langley with me, but since ...

Updated: Aug 24, 2009 1:59pm PST

Meysan Lakes Trailhead To Mt. Whitney - August 21, 2009 : I made it to the summit of Mt. Whitney from the same trailhead two weeks earlier, but did not use the route I had planned to, so I headed back for a "make-up" climb. This time, I headed up to the LeConte Plateau via the chute left of the Mt. Mallory East Slope Route. (The East Slope chute was still full of snow near the top and I didn't want to have to figure out a way around it.) I climbed Mt. Mallory and then had a look at the opposite side ridge, but decided to climb down the route I climbed up and then headed towards Al Green Pass. I skirted high above Sky Blue Lake on my way to Crabtree Pass, dropped down to Upper Crabtree Lake and then headed up the Dreaded Sand Hill. (I don't see why backpackers use this route. There's nothing here that you couldn't see by spending a few minutes walking along the back side of Trail Crest and there's no comparison between this and the Crabtree Lakes drainage, Crabtree Meadows, Timberline Lake, Guitar Lake and the terrain above. Sure, it would add a few hours of walking.) Plans had to change after reaching the summit of Mt. Whitney. A storm moved in with snow flurries that had me worried about climbing down the Mountaineer's Route, so I headed down the Main Trail. Stats: 06:05am Leave Meysan Lakes Trailhead. 08:21am Arrive at Meysan Lake. 10:36am Mt. Mallory summit. 11:07am Al Green Pass. 12:37pm Crabtree Pass. 02:59pm Trail Crest. (Lunch and a feet soak at Upper Crabtree Lake.) 03:59pm Mt. Whitney summit. (9:54) (Interesting conversation with Dan Bishop and his niece in the summit hut.) 05:55pm Trail Camp. 06:41pm Outpost Camp. 07:31pm Finished with the semi-loop. (13:26) (16 minutes late for Dinner!) Thanks to Doug Sr. for the ride down to my car. I really didn't feel like finishing off the loop with a walk down the upper part of Whitney Portal Road. There are 118 photos in the gallery.

Meysan Lakes Trailhead To Mt. Whitney - August 21, 2009

I made it to the summit of Mt. Whitney from the same trailhead two wee ...

Updated: Aug 24, 2009 1:55pm PST

Mt. Whitney Mountaineer's Route / Mt. Muir - August 15, 2009 : Tracie had asked to have me take her up the Mountaineer's Route on Mt. Whitney. Mike Mellin joined us for a climb of Whitney and Muir on a MR -> Main Trail loop. There are 149 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Whitney Mountaineer's Route / Mt. Muir - August 15, 2009

Tracie had asked to have me take her up the Mountaineer's Route on Mt. ...

Updated: Aug 24, 2009 7:02am PST

Lone Pine Peak - August 16, 2009 : Mike Mellin and I were planning on going big, but neither one of us felt like it after a fairly long day climbing Whitney and Muir the day before. We settled on Lone Pine Peak (new for Mike) and got a really late start because of my car troubles. We made it down in time for food at the Whitney Portal Store Grill. There are 36 photos in the gallery.

Lone Pine Peak - August 16, 2009

Mike Mellin and I were planning on going big, but neither one of us fe ...

Updated: Aug 18, 2009 1:39pm PST

Owens Point - August 9, 2009 : A nice easy cruise for two minor peaks in the Horseshoe Meadows area with Mike Mellin. We decided to call the second peak Thacher Point. It's across (south) the meadow from Owens Point. There are 69 photos in the gallery.

Owens Point - August 9, 2009

A nice easy cruise for two minor peaks in the Horseshoe Meadows area w ...

Updated: Aug 10, 2009 7:46pm PST

Mt. Whitney From Meysan Lakes Trailhead - August 7, 2009 : A climb of Mt. Whitney starting out at the Meysan Lakes Trailhead. I headed up to the LeConte Plateau with the intention of climbing Mt. Mallory and then climbing down to Arc Pass. The scree slog up to the plateau put me behind schedule, so I skipped Mallory and Arc Pass, crossing Al Green Pass. From that point on, I was just guessing as to where I needed to go. I got across Crabtree Pass, but then headed west instead of contouring up and over to discovery pinnacle. I dropped down to the Pacific Crest Trail and climbed Mt. Whitney via the PCT/JMT. I walked down the Main Trail, arriving back a the car around 2:30am. There are 126 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Whitney From Meysan Lakes Trailhead - August 7, 2009

A climb of Mt. Whitney starting out at the Meysan Lakes Trailhead. I h ...

Updated: Aug 10, 2009 7:36pm PST

North Fork Wanderings With Doug Sr - August 8, 2009 : Too tired to do anything else, I hung out at the Portal until Doug said he was taking Jack and Betsy up the North Fork of Lone PIne Creek to show them the Slab Route that he believes John Muir used for his First Ascent of the Mountaineer's Route. Mike showed up just as we were getting ready to head up and joined us, making for a group of five. This was a really fun way to spend a few hours. There are 13 photos in the gallery.

North Fork Wanderings With Doug Sr - August 8, 2009

Too tired to do anything else, I hung out at the Portal until Doug sai ...

Updated: Aug 09, 2009 10:21pm PST

Peak 9172 - August 2, 2009 : The plan had been to climb Manzanita Knob, but the Forest Service Road to Osa Meadow was closed. Blackrock Mountain Motorcycle Trail was also closed. Instead, I rode up towards Monache Meadows and then wandered back down to Sherman Pass Road on OHV roads/trails. Along the way, I came across a logging road that led up towards the summit of Peak 9172 (Thanks to Bob Burd for the link to the Climber.org topo that showed the peak.) near Smith Mountain. I climbed a few of the highpoints on the summit, but didn't find a register. There are 44 photos in the gallery.

Peak 9172 - August 2, 2009

The plan had been to climb Manzanita Knob, but the Forest Service Road ...

Updated: Aug 03, 2009 8:47am PST

Lone Pine To Mt. Whitney - August 1, 2009 : Jim Freeland, Mike Mellin and I walked up Whitney Portal Road, climbed the Mountaineer's Route to the summit and then hiked down the Main Trail. Upon reaching Whtieny Portal (actually well before that), the decision was unanimous that we would call it a day here. This was six weekends in a row on Mt. Whitney and number 61x+. There are 72 photos in the gallery.

Lone Pine To Mt. Whitney - August 1, 2009

Jim Freeland, Mike Mellin and I walked up Whitney Portal Road, climbed ...

Updated: Aug 03, 2009 8:45am PST

Mt. Whitney Main Trail - July 12, 2009 : I woke up at 4:00am in order to watch some of the climbing in the Tour de France. When the climbing ended up being fairly boring (too many flat miles to the finish), I packed a few things and headed to Lone Pine to pull a Whitney Zone permit. By 8:10am, I was heading up to the Portal Store for breakfast. At 9:00am, I headed up the Main Trail thinking I'd see how I felt before making a decision on which peak(s) I'd climb. I felt good and was moving fairly fast, so Whitney became the goal of the day. I pushed hard enough to the summit of Whitney that even Discovery Pinnacle became more work than I wanted to do on the way down the mountain. Stats: Up: 4:10:51 RT: 7:45:43 This was a new Personal Record for a hike up the Main Trail. This was 58x+ on top of Mt. Whitney. There are 59 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Whitney Main Trail - July 12, 2009

I woke up at 4:00am in order to watch some of the climbing in the Tour ...

Updated: Aug 03, 2009 8:26am PST

Owens Peak - July 29, 2009 : Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-11). It was a warm day up on the summit of Owens Peak and the bugs were maddening on the way up. It's definitely a little too hot to try and push the pace up the mountain now and it shows in my time. Stats: 00:34 Thirty Minutes Flat 01:13 60 Minutes Slabs 01:36 Summit 02:37 Round Trip. This was 12x on Owens Peak in 2009! There are 20 photos in the gallery.

Owens Peak - July 29, 2009

Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-11). It was a warm day up on the sum ...

Updated: Jul 30, 2009 7:55am PST

Probability / 9468 / Sherman Peaks - July 26, 2009 : Completing some peaks that have been on the list for a while. I started out the day by riding out to Fossil Falls and climbing to the top of Red Hill (bka: Probability Peak). (My fifth volcano.) After a pitstop in Pearsonville, I headed up Kennedy Meadows Road to the Sherman Pass 4x4 Trail for an attempt on Sherman Peak. I was surprised at how tough the route is, getting lost at one point and ending up on Peak 9468 (a nice bonus peak). When I was back on track, I came across some really steep, rocky terrain that I didn't want to ride the bike up, so I ended up hoofing it for more than three miles x-c and on the road. When I saw how easy the terrain above the rocks was, I decided I'd try it on the bike. I made it across (Loads of sweat pouring out on that one!) and then rode back up to the top of Sherman Peak. The ride down the Sherman Pass 4x4 Trial was hair-raising (Lots of new-found respect for 4WD'ers! This is some nasty terrain they negotiatie!) and I was really, really glad to be back on pavement. There are 75 photos in the gallery.

Probability / 9468 / Sherman Peaks - July 26, 2009

Completing some peaks that have been on the list for a while. I sta ...

Updated: Jul 27, 2009 9:03am PST

Mt. Langley - July 25, 2009 : Mike and I had discussed the possibility of doing a day-climb of either Mt. Sill or North Palisade, but Mike's still nursing a sore knee and I had done a sub-3 1/2 up the MR, so I asked if a Mt. Langley climb would be an acceptable alternative. Mike agreed. We started up some time around 5:30am and finished before 4:00pm. Not bad! Mike wanted to try the ridge, rather than the typical scree slog. This turned out to be a nice alternative to the "put one foot in front of the other" normal route. There are 72 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Langley - July 25, 2009

Mike and I had discussed the possibility of doing a day-climb of eithe ...

Updated: Jul 27, 2009 8:57am PST

Mt. Whitney Sub-Four Hour - July 24, 2009 : I had to make a trip to Los Angeles on Thursday evening, so I couldn't pull a permit until the day of. I drew number 11 and ended up waiting quite a while to get my permit. Since there have been T-storms in early afternoon, I needed to get to the summit in a hurry. Stats: 0:14:45 North Fork junction. 0:35:06 Start of E-Ledges. 0:58:54 Lower Boy Scout Lake. 1:27:00 Clyde Meadow. 1:32:13 Passing Upper Boy Scout Lake. 2:15:14 Passing Iceberg Lake. 3:09:08 The Notch. 3:26:36 Summit of Mt. Whitney. 7:53:57 Round Trip. I walked down the Main Trail. The bad weather held off and the clouds made for spectacular scenery again. Since I found notes for three more Mt. Whitney ascents, this was 60x+. (Thanks Rick for your photos from December To Remember '06. I passed on carrying a camera up to the summit for that trip.) There are 55 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Whitney Sub-Four Hour - July 24, 2009

I had to make a trip to Los Angeles on Thursday evening, so I couldn't ...

Updated: Jul 27, 2009 8:54am PST

Sirretta Peak - July 19, 2009 : Headed to Pearsonville for an early lunch before riding up Kennedy Meadows Road over Sherman Pass to the Big Meadows area. Walked up the Sirretta Trail while being attacked by bugs on what had to be the hottest, muggiest day yet. Some lush portions of trail kept things a little interesting, but this isn't something that I think I'll repeat. The view of Big Meadow was the highlight of the trip. If it weren't raining so hard on the way down, I probably would have headed over to have a close-up view before riding home. There are 18 photos in the gallery.

Sirretta Peak - July 19, 2009

Headed to Pearsonville for an early lunch before riding up Kennedy Mea ...

Updated: Jul 20, 2009 7:54am PST

Triple Reverse (Muir/Whitney/Russell) - July 18, 2009 : Most people who do the Big 3 (Whitney / Russell / Muir) in a day start with Mt. Russell, continue on to Mt. Whitney and finish off with the relatively easy Mt. Muir. I've done it that way, but the first time I tried all three, it was in the reverse direction (hence the title Triple Reverse). I finally got it finished! The weather made things interesting all day. Rain / hail / grauple as I passed Mirror Lake. Blue skies at the summits of Mt. Muir and Mt. Whitney. A great light and sound show as I headed up the Artic Lakes drainage. I wasn't going to take the chance on climbing Mt. Russell in such conditions, but after sittitng around for a long time at the last tarn below, I decided that I didn't want to ever try this again, so I went for it. The climb out over the Whitney / Russell Col and then down the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek was very entertaining with more flashes of light over by McAdie. (I almost got a shot of some lightning.) I've now climbed Mt. Whitney four weekends in a row and this was 59x+. I'd previously done three in a row twice. There are 179 photos in the gallery.

Triple Reverse (Muir/Whitney/Russell) - July 18, 2009

Most people who do the Big 3 (Whitney / Russell / Muir) in a day start ...

Updated: Jul 20, 2009 7:53am PST

Sunday Peak / Portuguese Peak - July 15, 2009 : Sunday on Wednesday. After work! Looking at the map, I saw that it wouldn't be a lot of work to climb up Portuguese Peak also. Stats: 00:34 Sunday Peak 01:01 Portuguese Peak 01:21 Round Trip. There are 14 photos in the gallery.

Sunday Peak / Portuguese Peak - July 15, 2009

Sunday on Wednesday. After work! Looking at the map, I saw that it wou ...

Updated: Jul 15, 2009 10:48pm PST

Bald Mountain Lookout - 07/11/09 : Wanting to keep the streak of new peaks alive, I decided I'd try for Sirretta Peak (an SPS peak) on the day after my Big Willy / Tyndall double. Since I wasn't sure how the legs would react, I decided I'd also stop by Bald Mountain on the way out to Sirretta. Good thing I did! I was able to ride part way up the Sirretta Trail, but still had over 800' of climbing left to reach the summit, so I headed home instead. (Edit 07/14/09: According to the Wildernet.com website, Sirretta Peak Trail is off-limits to motorcycles and mountain bikes. I guess I didn't notice the sign as I turned on to the trail from the Cannell Trail. This might explain why the trail seemed so difficult to ride.) There are 23 photos in the gallery.

Bald Mountain Lookout - 07/11/09

Wanting to keep the streak of new peaks alive, I decided I'd try for S ...

Updated: Jul 13, 2009 10:36am PST

Mt. Williamson / Mt. Tyndall Day Climb - July 10, 2009 : Finally got around to finishing off the Big Willy / Tyndall Day Climb. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be this time around. (I bonked on the way up Shepherd Pass the last time I tried this and ended up failing to even reach the summit of Tyndall.) I didn't push it at any point during the climb or descent and was able to give a fellow climber a ride up to the Onion Valley Trailhead before driving home for some well-deserved sleep in my own bed. Stats: 2:18 Anvil Camp 4:27 Shepherd Pass 5:02 Williamson Bowl 7:50 Big Willy summit 11:49 Mt. Tyndall summit 13:38 Shepherd Pass 17:03 Finished. There are 106 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Williamson / Mt. Tyndall Day Climb - July 10, 2009

Finally got around to finishing off the Big Willy / Tyndall Day Climb. ...

Updated: Jul 13, 2009 10:33am PST

A Loooong Walk - May 15, 2009 : I want to ride a bunch of the trails up above Kennedy Meadows. A few of them are blocked by downed trees, so I bought myself a THIRTY INCH hand saw! Unfortunately, when I got to the first tree, it laughed at me and my 30" saw! Objective two was to climb Smith Mountain, Jackass Peak and Granite Knob. Unfortunately again, I was without a map! I had my GPS and what was supposed to be the coordinates for Smith Mountain. The third strike was that the waypoint that I picked up off of the Summit Post page on the mountain is wrong! I ended up wandering around some beautiful terrain, trying to get a view thru the trees to see if I could locate any of my objectives. I couldn't! And ended up walking what I figure must have been at least 25 miles all the way up to near Monache Meadows. Considering it was a failure all around (although I did summit Peak Unknown at 9173'), I was surprised that it was such a fun day! (EDIT 05/18/09: Thanks to MTB.com for the reference to Peak 9187.) (Message to the Forest Service: Please get these trails open to motorcycles soon. I spent 11 hours walking what I could have ridden in a little over an hour! Outstanding terrain!) There are 93 photos in the gallery.

A Loooong Walk - May 15, 2009

I want to ride a bunch of the trails up above Kennedy Meadows. A few o ...

Updated: Jul 08, 2009 7:32am PST

White Mountain + Others - July 5, 2009 : A blood boosing session... Since I had been feeling fairly fatigued lately, I decided I'd take it easy over the weekend. Saturday was a fun ride on the motorcycle up beyond Kennedy Meadows and Sunday was a long ride to White Mountain. Since the jeep road is such a boring walk, I decided I'd head "off trail" and hit as many of the highpoints along the route, both going out and coming back. I only found two benchmarks: McAfee on the way out and Mt. Barcroft on the way back. There are 102 photos in the gallery.

White Mountain + Others - July 5, 2009

A blood boosing session... Since I had been feeling fairly fatigued ...

Updated: Jul 06, 2009 2:49pm PST

Granite Knob / Jackass Peak - Independence Day, 2009 : Fearing the onset of long-term fatigue if I didn't give myself a break, I headed home after having a rought day on Muir and Whitney. Granite Knob and Jackass Peak would make for a really easy day. I headed to Pearsonville for lunch and fuel before heading up Kennedy Meadows Road to the pavement end on FS Road 21S36. A fairly short bushwhack lead to a little bit of class 3 to the summit of Granite Knob. On returning to the bike, I road the Albanita Motorcycle Trail to the Jackass Peak Motorcycle Trail for a really short hike to some fun scrambling to the summit of Jackass Peak. All told, I spent about seven hours riding (mostly) and climbing for two new peaks! There are 39 photos in the gallery.

Granite Knob / Jackass Peak - Independence Day, 2009

Fearing the onset of long-term fatigue if I didn't give myself a break ...

Updated: Jul 06, 2009 2:45pm PST

Mt. Muir / Mt. Whitney / JMT / Artic Lake / North Fork - July 3, 2009 : Another attempt at the Triple Reverse (Muir / Whitney / Russell). I was feeling tired legs right from the start and by the time I had a look at the North Face routes on Whitney, I wasn't willing to take the chance down climbing any of them. Since I had no desire to head down the Main Trail again, and didn't want to spend a few hours on the John Muir Trail, I headed down the west side of Mt. Whitney to Guitar Lake. After a long break, I headed up the Artic Lake drainage and then down the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. This was 57x+ on Mt. Whitney. There are 72 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Muir / Mt. Whitney / JMT / Artic Lake / North Fork - July 3, 2009

Another attempt at the Triple Reverse (Muir / Whitney / Russell). I ...

Updated: Jul 06, 2009 2:44pm PST

Mt. Jenkins / Owens Peak - June 30, 2009 : Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-10). Wnen I had tried the Mt. Jenkins Ridge Route a few weeks earler, I knew I would run out of daylight before reaching Owens Peak, so I settled for the single peak that evening. I decided I'd give it one more try, this time staying on the shady side of the ridge. Although still not pleasant, it did make it a bit easier. Stats: 01:21 Mt. Jenkins summit 03:00 Owens Peak summit 03:56 Loop complete. It is now feeling like summer. (I'd guess 85 on the summit of Owens.) I ran out of water (3 liters) on the way down, so if I do anymore of this this summer, I'll have to start carrying more. There are 31 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Jenkins / Owens Peak - June 30, 2009

Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-10). Wnen I had tried the Mt. Jenkin ...

Updated: Jul 01, 2009 7:39am PST

Mt. Langley - June 28, 2009 : I wasn't really planning to head back up to the Sierra, but when I woke up before 4:00am and couldn't get back to sleep, I packed a few things (no gear, whatsoever) and headed to McDonalds in Lone Pine for breakfast. Afterwards, I rode up the Horseshoe Meadows Road (Enough fun to make the day!) to the old Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead. It was a fun, fast hike (Really surprised by this!) up and down Mt. Langley. On the way down, I thought about Cirque and a few other peaks in the area, but decided to call it a day at one peak. There are 107 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Langley - June 28, 2009

I wasn't really planning to head back up to the Sierra, but when I wok ...

Updated: Jun 29, 2009 10:08am PST

Thor Peak - June 27, 2009 : The Day After (my Whitney Double). Amazing that the legs didn't complain too much about an ascent up the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek to the Smiley Face Route. Len, Steve and Laura climbed up at a less than leisurely pace, which was much appreciated. There are 48 photos in the gallery.

Thor Peak - June 27, 2009

The Day After (my Whitney Double). Amazing that the legs didn't com ...

Updated: Jun 29, 2009 10:07am PST

Mt. Whitney Main Trail Double - June 26, 2009 : Another check mark in the logbook (if I kept one)! (Edit: 07/31/09: I've since determined that these were my 55th and 56th "unofficial" ascents (I've done more, but can't confirm them.) of Mt. Whitney.) This was not nearly as hard as I expected it to be. I was truly amazed at the pace I was able to keep up for 3/4 of the trip. I forced myself to slow down on the last descent due to the fact that I noticed I was starting to get clumsy when I tried to keep the pace high. There are 88 photos in the gallery.

Mt. Whitney Main Trail Double - June 26, 2009

Another check mark in the logbook (if I kept one)! (Edit: 07/31/09: I' ...

Updated: Jun 29, 2009 7:53am PST

Smith Mountain - June 24, 2009 : A long motocycle ride... And a very short climb... For an SPS Peak... After work. Stats: 140+ miles on the motorcycle. (It would have been a bit less, but after riding up the fairly technical Jackass Creek Trail, I wanted to see what it wold be like riding "down" the Albanita Trail back to the Forest Roads, so there were a few extra "unnecessary" miles.) $4.95 for 1.65 gallons of fuel to refill the tank. 85mpg!!!!! 1.4 miles (maybe) on foot from the Albanita Trail parking spot to the summit and back. Up: 31:35 RT: 63:11 I don't think there is any way possible for there to be an easier peak on the SPS list! Day hiked... After work... Not caught out in the dark! There are 26 photos in the gallery.

Smith Mountain - June 24, 2009

A long motocycle ride... And a very short climb... For an SPS Peak... ...

Updated: Jun 25, 2009 7:14am PST

Baldy For Baldy Fund Raiser - June 20, 2009 : A fund raiser for Jason Minyard. Rick Kent was planning on 3, or more, summits and when other plans fell thru, I decided this would be a good way to spend a day. I finished 4; Rick finished 5! There are 48 photos in the gallery.

Baldy For Baldy Fund Raiser - June 20, 2009

A fund raiser for Jason Minyard. Rick Kent was planning on 3, or more, ...

Updated: Jun 22, 2009 10:55am PST

A Ridge Too Far - Mt. Jenkins - June 17, 2009 : Still not wanting to compare myself to the great effort I had up Owens Peak a few weeks ago, I decided I'd try for Jenkins / Owens via the Ridge Route. I didn't enjoy the ridge, and after climbing up Mt. Jenkins, I found a shortcut that would have saved a lot of time in reaching Owens, except for the fact that my pack was back at the Jenkins / PCT junction. After retrieving my gear, I headed north on the PCT to the next ridge over, thinking it might be a bit easier. It wasn't! (Thus the title of the album.) And when I bailed off of it, I ended up down in the gully enjoying loads of bushwhacking. There were lots of tracks (both human and animal) in the gully, so at least I'm not the only DS! I spent about 3:13 on this adventure. (Note: there's a lot of sarcasm in this description.) There is a lot of blooming cactus out there right now and that made the trip seem a bit more pleasant than it was. There are 28 photos in the gallery.

A Ridge Too Far - Mt. Jenkins - June 17, 2009

Still not wanting to compare myself to the great effort I had up Owens ...

Updated: Jun 17, 2009 10:14pm PST

El Capitan / Eagle Peak / Yosemite Falls / Yosemite Point - June 13, 2009 : Matthew's first trip to Yosemite National Park - Day 2. We had been planning on spending the rest of the weekend doing Mt. Hoffman and Mt. Dana, but because the weather forecast was bad, we decided to stay at lower elevations. We hiked up the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail and then headed to the top of El Capitan. After lunch up there, we headed back in stormy weather to Eagle Peak. On returning to the Yosemite Falls area, Matthew decided he'd rather rest for the long walk down while I headed over to Yosemite Point. On the way back to the Falls, I went cross-country to get a close look at the Lost Arrow Spire. The trip down the Yosemite Falls Trail was done in very heavy rain until we were almost back at the Valley floor. Stats: 08:14am Start 10:10am Top of the Yosemite Falls Trail (1:56 up.) 11:51am El Capitan (3:37) 01:42pm Eagle Peak (5:28) 02:55pm Yosemite Falls (6:41) 03:19pm Yosemite Point (7:05) 05:17pm Back at the Trailhead (9:03 RT). There are also some photos from Tunnel View. There are 173 photos in the gallery.

El Capitan / Eagle Peak / Yosemite Falls / Yosemite Point - June 13, 2009

Matthew's first trip to Yosemite National Park - Day 2. We had been ...

Updated: Jun 17, 2009 9:24am PST

Mist / Panorama / Four Mile Trails - June 14, 2009 : Matthew's first trip to Yosemite National Park - Day 3. While we were on Eagle Peak, we met a young man from Fresno who suggested that a semi-loop connecitng the Mist, Panorama and Four Mile Trails would be a good day hike. At the end of Day 2, we stopped by the Visitor's Center to get some more details and found out it was approximately 13.2 miles and 4000' of elevation gain. Sounded like a good way to end the trip! Stats: 06:59am Leave Happy Isles 08:08am Arrive at the top of Nevada Fall (1:09) (:18 faster than two days earlier.) 10:22am Arrive Glacier Point (Matthew was a ways ahead of me at this point.) (3:23) 12:29pm Arrive back at the Four Mile Trailhead (5:29). There are also a few photos from Olmstead Point, which we passed on the way back to Tioga Pass. There are 137 photos in the gallery.

Mist / Panorama / Four Mile Trails - June 14, 2009

Matthew's first trip to Yosemite National Park - Day 3. While we we ...

Updated: Jun 17, 2009 2:30am PST

Half Dome / Mirror Lake / Yosemite Falls - June 12, 2009 : Matthew's first trip to Yosemite National Park - Day 1. Sticking to our original plan for doing Half Dome on the first day in the park, we got a fairly early start from the Trailhead Parking. The weather was good for the climb, with a clear morning and only high clouds (keeping things cool) in the early afternoon as we finished. Stats: Up: 3:31 RT: 7:38. Considering that we spent nearly an hour eating lunch and wandering around the top of Half Dome, these are pretty impressive numbers! There are also some photos from El Capitan Meadow and Tunnel View. There are 130 photos in the gallery.

Half Dome / Mirror Lake / Yosemite Falls - June 12, 2009

Matthew's first trip to Yosemite National Park - Day 1. Sticking to ...

Updated: Jun 16, 2009 8:55am PST

Owens Peak - June 4, 2009 : Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-08). It was a beautiful day up on the summit of Owens Peak, made better by the fact that I bettered my Personal Record up the mountain by seven minutes. Cooler weather and relatively no wind probably made it possible. (It also didn't hurt that I took a few days off prior to this attempt. I'd also spent quite a bit of time at altitude recently.) Stats: 24:10 Thirty Minutes Flat 55:15 60 Minutes Slabs 71:23 Summit 2:18:55 Round Trip. There are 2 photos in the gallery.

Owens Peak - June 4, 2009

Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-08). It was a beautiful day up on th ...

Updated: Jun 10, 2009 7:07am PST

Owens Peak - June 9, 2009 : Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-09). Subtitle: Owens Peak without SPOT (left at the bike) and Water. (I had about 1 1/2 liters with me, but it was in bottles and I didn't feel like I had the time to stop and drink.) Not wanting to compare myself to last week, I decide I'd like to kick it up a notch and try for Owens and Jenkins from above the Gold Mine. I didn't realize how far it was along the Pacific Crest Trail to the Owens/Jenkins Saddle and almost turned around before reaching it. I lost the trail in a few places on the way up and down the Southwest Ridge of Owens Peak, but made it back to the bike without the aid of a headlamp. (Good thing as I still haven't checked to see if it's in the pack!) I'm guessing (low side) the distance is around 8 miles. Stats: Up: 2:18 RT: 3:55 There are 34 photos in the gallery.

Owens Peak - June 9, 2009

Owens Peak After Work (OPAW-09-09). Subtitle: Owens Peak without SP ...

Updated: Jun 10, 2009 7:07am PST

Candlelight Peak - June 7, 2009 : The original plan was to head up Mt. Langley with Mike Mellin. With threatening weather, we changed plans and were going to try an ascent of Mt. Mallory (a new peak for both of us). Mike started having problems with his problem knee a short way up the Meysan Lakes Trail and headed down. I continued up to Meysan Lake, but low visibility on what would be unfamiliar terrain, stopped me from climbing up to the LeConte Plateau. Since I didn't want to go home empty-handed (peak-wise), I headed up Candlelight Peak again. There are 64 photos in the gallery.

Candlelight Peak - June 7, 2009

The original plan was to head up Mt. Langley with Mike Mellin. With th ...

Updated: Jun 09, 2009 8:38am PST