High Sierra Topix

Hey there,

This weekend a group of friends and I will be heading to Thousand Island Lake via the Rush Creek trail. We will be camping in the Clark Lakes/Summit Lake area on the first night. I was wondering if anybody has any recommendation or preference as to which lake to camp at? I have used this trail before, but never camped in this area. How is the fishing?

Once we get to Thousand Island Lake, I was thinking of bagging Banner or Ritter. Is it possible to access either one of these peaks from TIL? I couldn't find any trip reports on approaching from TIL. Maybe someone can let me know if this is possible or even worth it for that matter. I am experienced with off trail navigation and class 3 climbs.

Thanks for any help!

Are you and your friends climbers? I only ask because neither of those peaks are hikes. Over at Summit Post, the descriptions of routes to the peaks include suggestions for ice axe and crampons, which aren't something to mess with on an actual climb if you have no experience with them. While there are routes labeled class 2 - class 3, it's also terribly easy to get into the wrong notch or off the route into class 4 or 5.

Bob Burd's writeup is over here: http://www.summitpost.org/mount-ritter/150499
There are route descriptions and trip reports in the left column.