High Sierra Topix

We were camped just down the outlet of Sailor Lake. We had hiked in the day before for the sole purpose of getting up on top of Picture Peak. We had agreed on a 6am departure from camp and about 5:45am Vinny was waking me up telling me that I was lagging already. Picture Peak is the unofficial name for the peak that sits right above Hungry Packer Lake in the Sabrina Basin. If you've been to Hungry Packer then you've seen this picturesque mtn. We had planned on trying the cl.4 SE Ridge that seemed fun and then to descend down 1 of the SW gullies before packing up and heading home. On the way up to the ridge I suggested to Vinny that we should just ascend and descend the same way, mostly because I didn't feel like finding ourselves in something cl.5 on the way up. So around we went through the boulders to the SW gullies. We took what appeared to be the 1st gully but maybe was actually the 2nd gully? Either way, this route appeared to go up, whereas the "1st gully" didn't appear to go anywhere. The route is loose, really not much fun. Vinny got up out of the chute to the climbers right and appeared to find a good solid route avoiding the loose mess. If one is careful, it is really not terrible. Once at the top of the chute we kept staying to the right and the summit becomes somewhat obvious. We topped out onto the summit and enjoyed ourselves for a bit. We had to hike back to the car still so we didn't hang out for long. We chatted about nearby peaks and as the views are amazing, you are still on the east side of the crest, so there is a lot you cannot see despite being above 13k'. We found the register placed by gazelle but we had no writing utensils, rookies lol, and none were present at the register either. Oh well. We descended the way we came and the descent was not as bad as I thought it was going to be based on my experience going up. Again, if 1 is slow going and careful, the looseness is not terrible. We had helmets on for both the ascent and descent just in case. We took a different route back to camp so we could go by Moonlight Lake. We got back to camp, washed up a bit and packed. From our camp to the summit and back it was 4.12 miles and took us a total of 6h 5minutes. A nice morning journey. On our way out we met a guy who had just climbed up what he called "Donkey Peak" which seems to be between Baboon Lakes and Moonlight/Sailor. He went up from the east side from Blue Lake and came down the West side to Sailor, sounds like fun. A super quick and fun trip with a buddy that I haven't climbed a peak with since 2019. Probably the only non Tahoe peak I climb this year but hopefully not.

Climbing to the peak and then hiking out to the car must have made for a very long day. Must have been awfully hard staying awake on the drive home. Thanks for the TR

awesome peak! I went on the ridge over to haekal and wallace that same day. donkey and that ridge is really fun with great views also. I try very hard to get any peak bob burd has not been to, a very difficult task! he has been on picture and got donkey this year

Hiking out after summiting definitely made for a long day! Luckily, Bishop isn't terribly far from me. My buddy had a longer drive home down to Orange County and he had to work the next day! I did not have to work. I spent the next day being lazy on a beach in Tahoe with my dog lol

Kristine, you make my "long day" sound easy.

Beautiful!! What is the name of that super turquoise lake in Sabrina Basin in your picture :O

marmotsgalore wrote: ↑Fri Aug 18, 2023 1:44 pm Beautiful!! What is the name of that super turquoise lake in Sabrina Basin in your picture :O

That is moonlight lake which is basically where the trail ends. Amazing lake for sure

Picture Peak was on my list for this year but didn't get up there before it got too cold. I've climbed your "Donkey Peak" (though I call it Baboon Ridge) a couple of times. It seems odd that someone would go east to west though since the west face is much steeper. I've always gone up to moonlight lake and climbed over the peak then there's a nice easy ramp to descend down to Baboon Lake.

Great trip Snooow! That's sure a nice summit. All I remember from my climb was that I absolutely did not want to go back the same way! I descended the south side and hiked happily back down the Moonlight Lake valley, and around to our camp by Hungry Packer Lake. Congratulations-- it sounds like you guys made it easily.
Cheers, Ian.

The Clyde Spires look impressive in your photos

Gazelle wrote: ↑Thu Sep 01, 2022 6:04 pm awesome peak! I went on the ridge over to haekal and wallace that same day. donkey and that ridge is really fun with great views also. I try very hard to get any peak bob burd has not been to, a very difficult task! he has been on picture and got donkey this year

Hi @Gazelle. While your multi groups were on the trail near the south end of Lake Sabrina on the way up, you all passed this person that was the lone guy with the large tripod. A quite photographically productive trip.

https://www.davidsenesac.com/2022_Trip_ ... 022-4.html

...After a reasonable night of sleep, rose at dawn on Wednesday August 10, 2022 then at 5:50am set out in shade of towering Table Mountain slopes on my left and reservoir waters on my right. Before reaching the George Lake junction, large groups of Bob Burd's High Sierra Challenge hikers, rapidly passed me on their way to climb Baboon Peak.