High Sierra Topix

Banner Peak is arguably one of the most beautiful and picturesque mountains in the Sierra. I did not take this picture with Thousand Island Lake in the foreground looking southwest.
I set up camp below Ritter (on the left) and Banner Peak (on the right) looking west.
I inserted arrows in this picture showing my route up the eastern face of the saddle between Ritter and Banner.
This is the steep chute I had to climb to gain the top of the saddle.
This is the backside of Banner Peak looking up.
The only real advice I can offer is as follows: once on the backside keep climbing to climbers left. Ignore these false summits. You need to cross the rib to the left before you can see the true summit ridge.
This picture from the summit shows a view of Thousand Island Lake on the left.
It is a long drop down from the summit.
The climb back down the backside included this field of soul crushing, loose talus.
The chute down was just as steep but at least is was stable snow and ice.
Thanks for reading my post.

-Russ

Those pics form the summit are giving me vertigo....

Thanks for the TR and cool pictures Russ, last time on Banner I could barely see past 1000 Is Lake and Garnet because of smoke from the Tehipite Fire in 08.

Nice! It looks like you could see Mono Lake from up there. Thanks for the photos.

Awesome climb! Looks like a bit more snow would've made travel easier? Any plans for Ritter (or have you already climbed?)

cefire wrote:Awesome climb! Looks like a bit more snow would've made travel easier? Any plans for Ritter (or have you already climbed?)

Cefire, thanks for asking about Ritter. I attempted the summit the next day (7/16) but I took the wrong chute. I will try to post my report today.

Yes, I will try again to summit Ritter, hopefully soon. I am putting out an invite to you to join me. I now am confident I know which chute to take.

Thanks,

-Russ

Haha, I just read your Ritter TR!! I'm there if you are headed that way again sometime soon

Thank you very much for the intel..! hiking the SHR portion through the Minarets in a couple of weeks ... wow, the snow melted fast!

Fantastic photos and TR Russ; nicely done !

Thanks for sharing - congrats on the summit!