TR east lake and peaks 9/27-30/2018

If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
Post Reply
User avatar
Gazelle
Topix Expert
Posts: 429
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 11:01 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: almost holbrook junction nv

TR east lake and peaks 9/27-30/2018

Post by Gazelle »

Went for a great backpack trip started on Thursday 9/27 from Onion valley, started at 5am as we (Robert and I) or more me wanted to try for Deerhorn after we got to East lake (12m 4000elevation gain/loss). Beautiful weather, I have not been south beyond Kearsarge Lakes other than the whitney zone so this was all new to me with fantastic views!
18370FEB-AAAF-47D5-A5A6-85468396D723.jpeg
C40247FC-645A-4D92-B9ED-763A18A8DAE0.jpeg
So we made it to East lake a little after 11 set up our tents on the South side as that is where we were to meet Bob Burd and a few other friends coming in on Friday (Bob wanted Ericsson crags 2 and 3 as he got 1 and friends last year). We were also supposed to go in with sean O on Thursday but he didn’t want to start that early.

At 12:30 ish we made our way up a little further than the lake by Ericsson crags, and started to realize we still had 2000 feet of elevation gain left to bag Deerhorn and of course I had an ambitious plan for tomorrow as well, so I/we scouted the route up Deerhorn from the west(a path not taken very frequently from what I can tell! And also to look at the Minster a named peak that looks quite fun (more on these later)). Got back to camp after a very leisurely stroll and met up with Sean who had done west Vidette on the way in.

Friday we 3 started about 6 and headed for Marmot ridge a 300 prominence peak that I was hoping had a old register (we did not find one but Bob did later that day after coming in from Roads end). We dropped to the lake below north guard where Robert and I split from Sean. We proceeded to go up the East/ North Face route (Robert had done it last year). Class 3/4 with about 2 10 foot sections of low exposed class 5 again I don’t think many people go this way (route finding is difficult!). Went down the easier route towards Sphinx area and onto Brewer, I think it was 2ish and I wanted south Guard/sky pilot/ unnamed peak but didn’t want to go down to Lake reflection in the dark and we had another big day for saturday(Yes I make ambitious plans and often cut them short or not depending on attitude/fitness/how easy or do I want to come back someday!). So we decided after much debate to head down the East ridge to East lake instead..Not an easy task in itself lots of micro route finding. Close to the bottom Bob Burd yelled at us from above after doing Marmot ridge. Another great evening at East lake.
0321BAE3-CD55-46E0-8A95-7E3C69BEF507.jpeg
751E7544-AA1D-4306-B576-BCE2F0809828.jpeg
2D4C1A0D-D996-43FE-A073-8700548E6F0D.jpeg
0B4518B1-B0A8-4E8A-B3A8-0441738ACEB6.jpeg
F8A91E5D-95BB-41B9-8E72-5331B5641364.jpeg

Saturday I started with everyone (a group of 7) heading for Ericsson crags 2 and 3, but decided to turn off and go solo to Deerhorn and hopefully the Minster. I had Secor descriptions of this side but after I got on the north ridge of Deerhorn I quickly realized the description was way off! Something I am finding quite often if one does not take a standard route. After going up 1 chute to the ridge I descended and traversed maybe a few more ribs till a chute up looked like it would work. Again reached the ridge and crossed over and traversed to the south (did see a couple ducks (maybe place by Teresa Gergen who did a similar route a few weeks before me and told me I may find her black sling)). I did find her sling and continued the traverse, all of a sudden lots...lots and big ducks so I turned the corner and yep the peak, an easy or easier than I had been on descent ands acsent to the actual peak, the register indicated I was there 1Day after a fellow Sierra Challege person was there with his friends (this peak thing is getting smaller)! Reversed the route easily and grabbed Teresa’s sling which for me was not needed and she told me that would probably be the case.
79781F51-CB3C-4DEE-B9A6-63D297FEC107.jpeg
6A92EF82-DA60-46C4-9710-CD562A64CD61.jpeg

Got to the saddle of Deerhorn and The Minster where I spent lots of added time trying to get to what I hoped was the high point. Got into some class 5 a couple of times before wisely deciding to try another route. Went more to the south where it looked to be a class 3 route up (which was the case but still not a direct route) I placed some ducks in case of having to retreat from the convoluted route but made it to the top all class 3 or easier. Looked towards the west and below me was Bob and Sean, also looking for a route up after having tried a different but still unsuccessful route up, they ended up following my route and I passed them on the way down...always fun to beat Bob to the top of any peak! A quick sandy/plunge step down to the lake and a quick trip back to East Lake by 3:30
3CF53BC1-A165-4820-BFB7-4BC46FBC7486.jpeg
301CE2AA-6A3E-4A46-A6FE-51B6E1B7CFB1.jpeg
9681489F-6491-4642-ADC9-320F948A0EB8.jpeg
Hiked out on Sunday with Sean and Robert in a semi leisurely paced in 6 hours. Great trip want to go back for South Guard and some other unnamed peaks in the area that look REALLY fun.
Kristine
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before. Albert Einstein
User avatar
davidsheridan
Topix Regular
Posts: 221
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2014 2:56 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: TR east lake and peaks 9/27-30/2018

Post by davidsheridan »

Wow, that is an adventure! Thanks for sharing. You have some serious skills! Looks like a great trip, high on adventure and scenery. I live vicariously through your peakbagging! Thanks for taking me to such heights!
User avatar
levi
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2018 12:45 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: TR east lake and peaks 9/27-30/2018

Post by levi »

Thank you for the adrenaline-filled report! I hope that someday I'll have the routefinding experience to tackle lesser-known approaches to peaks, like that northeast ridge of North Guard.

Bob Burd is still just this mythical figure to me... but maybe by next summer I'll find the time, stamina, and courage to join the Sierra Challenge for a day or two, just to see how quickly I fall off of his pace and that of other Sierra veterans :)
User avatar
Gazelle
Topix Expert
Posts: 429
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 11:01 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: almost holbrook junction nv

Re: TR east lake and peaks 9/27-30/2018

Post by Gazelle »

Sierra challenge is very fun you don’t have to do the whole 10 days (I did this year and got my ass kicked!). It is just a bunch of individuals that kind of get together to day hike.
The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before. Albert Einstein
User avatar
rightstar76
Topix Expert
Posts: 776
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 3:22 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: TR east lake and peaks 9/27-30/2018

Post by rightstar76 »

levi wrote: Sun Oct 07, 2018 4:07 pm Bob Burd is still just this mythical figure to me... but maybe by next summer I'll find the time, stamina, and courage to join the Sierra Challenge for a day or two, just to see how quickly I fall off of his pace and that of other Sierra veterans :)
Burd: The man, the myth, the legend! :)
User avatar
gary c.
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1479
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:56 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Lancaster, CA

Re: TR east lake and peaks 9/27-30/2018

Post by gary c. »

Excellent!!
"On this proud and beautiful mountain we have lived hours of fraternal, warm and exalting nobility. Here for a few days we have ceased to be slaves and have really been men. It is hard to return to servitude."
-- Lionel Terray
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 137 guests