High Sierra Topix

some lesser known peaks in the Eastern Sierra that turned out very fun http://peaksforfreaks.blogspot.com/2013 ... 48-mt.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Another fabulous TR Eric! Thanks

Another great report that really captures the climbing spirit. I climbed those peaks way back in 1978 and there was a ton more snow. I did the peaks by the 'conventional' easy routes so the routes weren't that interesting, although the steep snow in the Treasure Col couloir required ice axe and crampons that summer. I have a scar on my right calf from a fall I took off the snow of that couloir into one of the cracks between the snow/ice and rock on the side. As my feet flailed around during the fall and one of my crampon points caught my calf and slashed it. The north ridge route on Johnson looks elegant indeed. You work out really nice routes on some fine aretes.

Your trip reports are always well done. When someone asks me for a good introductory class 3 route on the east side, I always include Johnson's North Ridge. Reasonable approach with short exposed climbing on good rock. The knife edge section when covered in snow can spice it up.

Nice TR and photos, thanks for sharing. The N Ridge of Johnson is one of my favorites!

Yes, very nice report. Thanks you for taking the time to show us the way.

Wow, good job, too bad I didn't see this until now. We tried to go up (just) Mt. Gilbert a few weeks ago, and something about this climb killed me. I could not believe how long and tiring the boulder hopping was. We made it to the base of Treasure Col, realized it was not climbable (way too steep on loose sand), and tried going up to Pk 12640, but it too was so sandy and loose, we gave up about halfway (I knew we still had about 800 feet of sand to climb up to Gilbert on the other side of the Crest). Besides, the scenery was bleak down below, it did not motivate me to continue.

Perhaps if I would have read this beforehand, we would have tried to head up toward Pk 12640 earlier instead of boulder hopping all the way to Treasure Col. Never again will I try and plan a hike that involves traversing a moraine. Just awful.