Mt. Goddard, Lamarck Col pictures

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langenbacher
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Mt. Goddard, Lamarck Col pictures

Post by langenbacher »

I climbed Mt Goddard July 29. The scenery was truly beautiful. Thanks to the weather and the "autostitch" program I got some nice pictures (274 of them) and panoramas. The better pix and pano's are up on Webshots at http://community.webshots.com/album/552775663SpxVXb or http://community.webshots.com/user/langenbacher .

All the pictures are thumbnailed at http://Langenbacher.org/Goddard/Picture ... nails.html , but the webshots page is much better (unless you want to see the full sized versions of the panoramas)
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Post by SSSdave »

Goddard is certainly one of the best summits for views. Amazing number of alpine lakes can be seen far into every direction. In 1980 I did a solo trip also out of North Lake like you over Lamarck but approached via Davis Lake then base camped at Martha Lake so took the more standard route from that side. Then next year with a group climbed it once again. I do recall there being quite a number of Sky Pilots up there too. I have yet another Sierra road trip imminent this week and am still kicking around where I might fit in a second backpack in the Eastern Sierra. So am thinking of going over Lamarck Col to try a get a shot I tried on three mornings to shoot last summer on a big group trip but was shut out due to unusually breezy conditions. But what a pain lugging my huge pack up over that beast. ...David
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Post by giantbrookie »

Nice photos, and a nice area. Mt. Goddard to me has always been the symbol of the heart of the wild, trailless Sierra Nevada, as the old 15' quad that bears its name represents to me the crown jewels of the Sierras. My experience climbing Goddard brings back somewhat mixed memories, given how hard it was on me at the time.

That Wanda Pass route I remember as a royal slog over really grim talus; just looking at the photos make me pant and feel tired (even though they're gorgeous). I was too beat to appreciate the phenomenal view (well it must be, given that one can see Goddard from everywhere including here in Fresno on a winter day). I was there with my dad in 1977 and I was recovering from the first of my many knee injuries and in pretty lousy condition. We went over Haeckel Col to get in (big mistake-Lamarck is the way to go), bivouacked in the talus below the col and above Sapphire on the first night. Starting early, we then shifted camp to Sapphire and took off for the peak. I remember the seemingly endless traverse from Wanda Pass toward the peak. After getting tired of sidehilling on steep funky metamorphic talus, my dad and I decided that walking on the top of the loose narrow ridge was much better (it is actually vastly easier). I still recall my dad vanishing into the distance on the final summit approach while calling out to me and offering encouragement. Never have I been so tired in the mountains. With my dad's encouragement I made it back to Sapphire at about 10 pm, actually doing the pathfinding the last bit because my night vision was better. My dad actually paid dearly for that climb. While sidehilling from Wanda Pass some talus shifted and he took a hard body slam against the rocks, apparently absorbing most of the impact with his hip. That same hip would bother him for the rest of his life, eventually degrading to the point where he couldn't carry a full pack about 15 years later. I believe that may be the longest hiking day of my life (about 630 am to 10 pm), although I've three or four others that come close.

In any case, whenever I see Goddard I admire its stately form and the wonderful wilderness it represents, but my memories of the climb will forever be associated with the descriptor "death march".

On a more pleasant subject, I simply love seeing photos of Lamarck Col and that wondrous view of the N. faces of Darwin and Mendel that greet you when you crest out. That view, more than any other, has always meant "welcome to the Kings Canyon backcountry" to me. I probably enjoy that entry better than any other east side pass.
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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