Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Summer Sierra Hike Recommendations

Hello all:

Due in large part to much great information on this board, we successfully summited the MR last August. We had a fantastic trip and particularly liked the Class 3 climbing up the Ebersbacher Ledges and the final 400 up the first chute to the summit.

We're looking for a 5- to 6-day sierra hike that incorporates some of this type of class 3 climbing during day-hike outings along the trail. Suggestions are welcome and are much apprecisted.

-Ken

I'll throw my eponymous peak and its neighbor into the mix. Read through the Mt. Ritter writeups on my web site. Mt. Ritter can be done as a mostly-class-2 mixed snow and rock scramble as described in my '98 and '99 trip reports or as a tough 3rd-class climb up from the Ritter/Banner saddle. Neighboring Banner Peak is a high 2nd or low 3rd class scramble depending on whom you believe, and requires going up a nice snowfield and the top steep snow chute to the Ritter/Banner saddle.

You can camp above Ediza Lake, about 8 miles from the trailhead at Agnew Meadows and have a good base of operations for both Ritter and Banner. Alternatively, you can head up the High Trail from Agnew Meadows around Thousand Island Lake (about 10 miles) and over North Glacier Pass to Lake Catherine and up the west side to the Ritter/Banner saddle. From 1,000 I. Lake, you could take the John Muir Trail over the ridge to Garnet Lake and over the next ridge and down to Shadow Lake, which is on the trail up to Ediza. The '96 and '97 trip reports show the trail up and around 1,000 I. Lake and back to the west side of Ritter and Banner.

You could make this as easy or as strenuous as you'd like and have a couple of options for 2nd and 3rd class mixed snow and rock peaks along the way. Plus, it is some of the prettiest scenery around, although I may be a bit biased...

I have always wanted to take 6-7 days to go in at Cottonwood and come out at Onion Valley. Too many peaks there! Beautiful and climbs and scrambles abound along the PCT /John Muir...The only reason I have yet to do it is because I may decide to never come out once I get back in there on that one...Could spend months there.

Alan: I'll check out your webpage and the Mt. Ritter options.

Andrew: sounds great, but probably need more time for that one?

Thanks to you both.

-Ken

There are plenty of options to shorten it. You could come out on the MMWT or at Shepherds Pass.

A guide book with plenty of options would be Steve Roper's Sierra High Route. While the book primarily deals with backcountry routes along the crest, it does give options of peaks to do along the way. I would think that you could pick some part of the route (the sections he splits it into he claims can be done in about your time frame), then sit down with a map and Secor's book to pick a few peaks!

As a matter of fact, I might just do that right now...

Have fun! Sounds like a great trip!

-L

PS: Alan's suggestion of Ritter/Banner is the bomb! I definitely have that trip scheduled this summer! Besides, I have to finish what I started!

MooseTracks:

I'll check out that reference. Thanks!

-Ken

Roper's The Climber's Guide to the High Sierra and Secor's The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes and Trails are valuable references in addition to Laura's excellent suggestion of Roper's High Sierra Route

Lots of good ideas all three places.

I have always loved the climbs on Banner and Ritter and I agree with Alan. Beautiful scenery and I rarely see anybody out there.

Years ago I started a trip in Tuolomne Meadows and came all the way down and exited in Reds Meadow. Each day we would make our camp and then pick some peak to climb. One of those days we made camp at Thousand Island lake and did those two peaks. Well worth it.

Thanks all - still researching!