TR east lake and peaks 9/27-30/2018
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 10:52 am
Went for a great backpack trip started on Thursday 9/27 from Onion valley, started at 5am as we (Robert and I) or more me wanted to try for Deerhorn after we got to East lake (12m 4000elevation gain/loss). Beautiful weather, I have not been south beyond Kearsarge Lakes other than the whitney zone so this was all new to me with fantastic views!
So we made it to East lake a little after 11 set up our tents on the South side as that is where we were to meet Bob Burd and a few other friends coming in on Friday (Bob wanted Ericsson crags 2 and 3 as he got 1 and friends last year). We were also supposed to go in with sean O on Thursday but he didn’t want to start that early.
At 12:30 ish we made our way up a little further than the lake by Ericsson crags, and started to realize we still had 2000 feet of elevation gain left to bag Deerhorn and of course I had an ambitious plan for tomorrow as well, so I/we scouted the route up Deerhorn from the west(a path not taken very frequently from what I can tell! And also to look at the Minster a named peak that looks quite fun (more on these later)). Got back to camp after a very leisurely stroll and met up with Sean who had done west Vidette on the way in.
Friday we 3 started about 6 and headed for Marmot ridge a 300 prominence peak that I was hoping had a old register (we did not find one but Bob did later that day after coming in from Roads end). We dropped to the lake below north guard where Robert and I split from Sean. We proceeded to go up the East/ North Face route (Robert had done it last year). Class 3/4 with about 2 10 foot sections of low exposed class 5 again I don’t think many people go this way (route finding is difficult!). Went down the easier route towards Sphinx area and onto Brewer, I think it was 2ish and I wanted south Guard/sky pilot/ unnamed peak but didn’t want to go down to Lake reflection in the dark and we had another big day for saturday(Yes I make ambitious plans and often cut them short or not depending on attitude/fitness/how easy or do I want to come back someday!). So we decided after much debate to head down the East ridge to East lake instead..Not an easy task in itself lots of micro route finding. Close to the bottom Bob Burd yelled at us from above after doing Marmot ridge. Another great evening at East lake.
Saturday I started with everyone (a group of 7) heading for Ericsson crags 2 and 3, but decided to turn off and go solo to Deerhorn and hopefully the Minster. I had Secor descriptions of this side but after I got on the north ridge of Deerhorn I quickly realized the description was way off! Something I am finding quite often if one does not take a standard route. After going up 1 chute to the ridge I descended and traversed maybe a few more ribs till a chute up looked like it would work. Again reached the ridge and crossed over and traversed to the south (did see a couple ducks (maybe place by Teresa Gergen who did a similar route a few weeks before me and told me I may find her black sling)). I did find her sling and continued the traverse, all of a sudden lots...lots and big ducks so I turned the corner and yep the peak, an easy or easier than I had been on descent ands acsent to the actual peak, the register indicated I was there 1Day after a fellow Sierra Challege person was there with his friends (this peak thing is getting smaller)! Reversed the route easily and grabbed Teresa’s sling which for me was not needed and she told me that would probably be the case.
Got to the saddle of Deerhorn and The Minster where I spent lots of added time trying to get to what I hoped was the high point. Got into some class 5 a couple of times before wisely deciding to try another route. Went more to the south where it looked to be a class 3 route up (which was the case but still not a direct route) I placed some ducks in case of having to retreat from the convoluted route but made it to the top all class 3 or easier. Looked towards the west and below me was Bob and Sean, also looking for a route up after having tried a different but still unsuccessful route up, they ended up following my route and I passed them on the way down...always fun to beat Bob to the top of any peak! A quick sandy/plunge step down to the lake and a quick trip back to East Lake by 3:30 Hiked out on Sunday with Sean and Robert in a semi leisurely paced in 6 hours. Great trip want to go back for South Guard and some other unnamed peaks in the area that look REALLY fun.
Kristine
At 12:30 ish we made our way up a little further than the lake by Ericsson crags, and started to realize we still had 2000 feet of elevation gain left to bag Deerhorn and of course I had an ambitious plan for tomorrow as well, so I/we scouted the route up Deerhorn from the west(a path not taken very frequently from what I can tell! And also to look at the Minster a named peak that looks quite fun (more on these later)). Got back to camp after a very leisurely stroll and met up with Sean who had done west Vidette on the way in.
Friday we 3 started about 6 and headed for Marmot ridge a 300 prominence peak that I was hoping had a old register (we did not find one but Bob did later that day after coming in from Roads end). We dropped to the lake below north guard where Robert and I split from Sean. We proceeded to go up the East/ North Face route (Robert had done it last year). Class 3/4 with about 2 10 foot sections of low exposed class 5 again I don’t think many people go this way (route finding is difficult!). Went down the easier route towards Sphinx area and onto Brewer, I think it was 2ish and I wanted south Guard/sky pilot/ unnamed peak but didn’t want to go down to Lake reflection in the dark and we had another big day for saturday(Yes I make ambitious plans and often cut them short or not depending on attitude/fitness/how easy or do I want to come back someday!). So we decided after much debate to head down the East ridge to East lake instead..Not an easy task in itself lots of micro route finding. Close to the bottom Bob Burd yelled at us from above after doing Marmot ridge. Another great evening at East lake.
Saturday I started with everyone (a group of 7) heading for Ericsson crags 2 and 3, but decided to turn off and go solo to Deerhorn and hopefully the Minster. I had Secor descriptions of this side but after I got on the north ridge of Deerhorn I quickly realized the description was way off! Something I am finding quite often if one does not take a standard route. After going up 1 chute to the ridge I descended and traversed maybe a few more ribs till a chute up looked like it would work. Again reached the ridge and crossed over and traversed to the south (did see a couple ducks (maybe place by Teresa Gergen who did a similar route a few weeks before me and told me I may find her black sling)). I did find her sling and continued the traverse, all of a sudden lots...lots and big ducks so I turned the corner and yep the peak, an easy or easier than I had been on descent ands acsent to the actual peak, the register indicated I was there 1Day after a fellow Sierra Challege person was there with his friends (this peak thing is getting smaller)! Reversed the route easily and grabbed Teresa’s sling which for me was not needed and she told me that would probably be the case.
Got to the saddle of Deerhorn and The Minster where I spent lots of added time trying to get to what I hoped was the high point. Got into some class 5 a couple of times before wisely deciding to try another route. Went more to the south where it looked to be a class 3 route up (which was the case but still not a direct route) I placed some ducks in case of having to retreat from the convoluted route but made it to the top all class 3 or easier. Looked towards the west and below me was Bob and Sean, also looking for a route up after having tried a different but still unsuccessful route up, they ended up following my route and I passed them on the way down...always fun to beat Bob to the top of any peak! A quick sandy/plunge step down to the lake and a quick trip back to East Lake by 3:30 Hiked out on Sunday with Sean and Robert in a semi leisurely paced in 6 hours. Great trip want to go back for South Guard and some other unnamed peaks in the area that look REALLY fun.
Kristine
