Red's Meadows to Taboose, suggestions for peakbagging?

[bcrowell]

Thanks, all -- lots of good info there!

To clarify, we both have a fair amount of cross-country experience (mostly in the San Gabriels), have both done a little class 3 (e.g., Tehipite Dome). The general idea of doing peakbagging and some Sierra High Route are the basic ideas we've agreed on for the trip. My doubts about class 3 stuff such as Mt Darwin are because class 3 is such a broad term, and also because carrying a heavy backpacking pack makes it more difficult to do that kind of thing.

[Wandering Daisy]

Here are some no-rope climbs along the JMT. Class 3 definitly is a broad catagory! The peaks I climbed were done when I was doing a lot of rock climbing so they may be more than you want to tackle. I usually had rock shoes with me when I did any class 3 routes. If you want to do class 3 climbing I would not recommend wearing big boots. Having an approach shoe or rock shoe with sticky rubber makes a lot of difference.

My #1 rated climb is north rib on Tyndell. It is class 3 - exposed slabs, if you are comfortable with that. You basically start a bit southwest of Shepherd Pass. I used rock shoes on this climb. I descended on the south side to upper Wrights Lakes - very spectacular but lots of talus from the summit to the upper lake. Then it was an easy walk over Rockwell Pass (easy class 2).

Split Mountian - easy class 2. Nice view. A 14'er. Not particularly interesting climbing.

Although I have not done it, I have heard good things about Mt Iszaak Walton. Northeast Ridge. Exposed ridge climbing.

Thunderbolt, SW Chute No. 1 (if you do High Route into Barrett Lakes). Class 3. The summit block is 5.8 but the peak register is located below the summit block. Many do the peak without doing the summit block.

Mt. Fisk, southwest ridge, from Sapphire Lake. Nice ridge that is a series of boulder moves over lots of big blocks - none exposed. At any time you can go over onto the east slope for class 1 slog.

Mt Sill from unnamed lake east of Potluck Pass (if you do High Route). Southwest slope, class 2-3. Nice climb. Tricky route finding. 14'er. I did this climb in tennis shoes! There is some snow and I was able to get over the snow because there were big sun-cups.

I have not done it, but East Ridge of Ruskin is a reported to be a good ridge climb. Class 3.

If you drop over to East Lake/Reflection Lake/Harrison Pass instead of the JMT, East Ridge on Mt Brewer is very nice, easy class 2. Again, I used rock shoes, although you do not need them.

Milestone and Midway make a nice two-peak day if you go up into Milestone Creek. East side, easy class 3 on Milestone; East Ridge Class 2 on Midway.

Mt Jordan, easy class 3 with Cl 4 summit block. I have not climbed this. I do not know if the class 3 climbing is worth it if you have to skip the summit block.

If you have already done Mt Whitney, you may want to instead do Mt. Muir on the way out.

I am sure there are many others. You may want to contact the LosAngeles Sierra Club SPS section. They are the main "peak bagging" orgnaization and could give you suggestions. You can also look at their website trip reports - climber.org

[AfterSeven]

SO what did you end up climbing! Did you do the full Sierra High Route? What Peaks did you bag?