Trip to Sawtooth Pass/Peak in Mineral King
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:02 pm
Three of us from Kern River Valley Hiking Club made a day trip to Mineral King last Tuesday (June 26). We climbed up Sawtooth Pass, and then two of us went on to Sawtooth Peak. Here are the photos, which were all taken by Holly and Gre (pron. Gray), since I made a dumb move and dropped my camera off the mountain 
http://moondust.smugmug.com/gallery/3067783
About the marmots - we stopped at the ranger station and asked if it was safe to park at the trailhead. He told us we should still park across the road near the ranger station. We parked, and as we were getting our gear together, a big marmot ran right by us, scurried under a little Ford pickup, and jumped up into the engine compartment! I ran back to the ranger station to tell him, but all he said was that he walked over there throughout the day. He seemed quite unconcerned about the marmot. I went back and we scared the marmot out by banging on the hood of the pickup, but we decided then and there to use the orange plastic fence we had brought to wrap up our vehicle. I figured if the marmot had some easy pickin's it would leave my car alone if it was harder to access. So don't believe that your car is safe next to the ranger station!!
I would like to do Sawtooth Peak again, since we were unable to locate the summit register. It was getting late and we didn't have a lot of time to look. I also suspect there was an easier way to get to the summit. At least one trip report I read said he made it from the Pass to the summit in just over 30 minutes. We took about 90. And KathyW, you were very brave to sit on the summit block!!
http://moondust.smugmug.com/gallery/3067783
About the marmots - we stopped at the ranger station and asked if it was safe to park at the trailhead. He told us we should still park across the road near the ranger station. We parked, and as we were getting our gear together, a big marmot ran right by us, scurried under a little Ford pickup, and jumped up into the engine compartment! I ran back to the ranger station to tell him, but all he said was that he walked over there throughout the day. He seemed quite unconcerned about the marmot. I went back and we scared the marmot out by banging on the hood of the pickup, but we decided then and there to use the orange plastic fence we had brought to wrap up our vehicle. I figured if the marmot had some easy pickin's it would leave my car alone if it was harder to access. So don't believe that your car is safe next to the ranger station!!
I would like to do Sawtooth Peak again, since we were unable to locate the summit register. It was getting late and we didn't have a lot of time to look. I also suspect there was an easier way to get to the summit. At least one trip report I read said he made it from the Pass to the summit in just over 30 minutes. We took about 90. And KathyW, you were very brave to sit on the summit block!!