High Sierra Topix

Saturday, 16 September 2006
Dragon Peak (12,995') via the southeast ridge
Photos: http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/554201517LpsGDy

Weekend plans fell apart again, so I sent out an e-mail to see if anyone was hiking. BobR met me at Onion Valley, and we dayclimbed Dragon Peak! I was having altitude problems, and this hike kicked my butt. But it was an awesome climb!!!

Great pics! Great views from the top. BobR was a mountain goat in a previous life! And that slab! Hmmm......so is it too late to join the circus and become a tightrope walker? That's probably the training I'd need to traverse that crack that Bob appears so nonchalant on!

SN - Congratulations on Dragon Peak! That's one I'd like to try. Independence Peak is another one I'd like to try in that area.

Wingding,
Independence is on my list too. I didn't make it the first time, but on my descent, I found the route that I should have taken. I went a few chutes higher which resulted in a lot of extra climbing. I'll be doing Dragon again next year! Such a kewl peak!!


Trekker,
BobR is an animal! At almost 71 he keeps going and going! I was using all 4's and he just walked like there was no exposure. I guess with his climbing experience you get used to exposure.

Here's an interesting story on his first ascent of Whitney :retard: at age 15:
http://www.ridgenet.net/~rockwell/Climb ... bStory.pdf


I dayclimbed Woolyback on Sunday, out of Cottonwood Lakes. Its not named on the maps, but the guys from CLMRG (China Lake Mountaineering Rescue Group), including BobR, have names for a lot of the unnamed peaks. Woolyback was named by Carl Heller. That's wehre I'm finding out about the peaks I've been climbing lately (Trailmaster, Gamblers Special).

After this hike, I met PatH from this forum!
Still working on photos.

Nice photos and especially dramatic climbing shots. Bob R is one cool customer. I would be clinging tenaciously to the rock on that traverse if I even had the guts to do it; I suspect I don't.

SN....Those are really wonderful pictures! Great how you both documented each other on parts of it especially that ledge.

I don't know about that ledge..I too do not know if I would have the guts to cross it ..I keep going back and looking at the pictures of them and wondering.

The reflection ones are gorgeous..there all beautiful!
Congratulations on another beautiful peak

I was getting dizzy just looking at those pictures of Dragonback. You go girl!

Thanks, giantbrookie, MadeInTahoe and Ranboze. The exposure is there, but there are good handholds. I couldn't do the 'no hands' thing like Bob. It was a lot easier than the exposure on Russell



Sunday, 17 September 2006
Photos from Woollyback (12,840'):
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/554201605cKZVOO


No one replied for a Sunday hike, so I almost didn't go (tired from Dragon Pk). I went anyway (with no beta/just pics I saw Fri), and made the summit!

Great weekend!

Sunday June 10,2007; Rachel and I drove up to Onion Valley to hike Dragon Peak. we started about 730 and had a casual pace to the summit. we only saw one other sole all day long and he thought he was on the way to Keararge Pass. I think he was not happy to find that he had missed Heart Lake - but he got the better trail out of the deal(in my opinion).

saw some Polemonium in bloom. the final push to the summit includes a short(20ft across) class III-IV move that gives an extra thrill to the already stunning views - some chose to bring a short rope for this section.

on the way back down we had about 5 nice glisade runs back to the upper of the 2 unnamed lakes. total trip time was almost 9.5hours. although some clouds did blow in - it was still shorts weather all day. yes I even glissaded in shorts. Dragon Peak tops out at 12,956 so I did not quite get back up to 13k this week.

pictures for the viewing - in a few days I should have some from Rachel to add:
http://tomcat-rc.smugmug.com/gallery/2985672#P-1-15

next time will have to do the Dragon to Gould loop - anyone up for some added mileage

Thanks for the shots, great to do a quick up and back trip. Should still be some snow if I can get a permit for a bp trip in late July.