George Creek up Williamson in 2024?

[fgaipa]

Next spring, 2024, I’ll turn 74. My first overnight hike of any kind, to Mt. Brewer, was 1990 when I was forty. Though I never stop thinking of myself as a novice, I’ve been hiking the Southern Sierra roughly twice a year ever since, nearly always alone.

I’ve done a number of summits and acres of nasty talus fields, some necessary, others due to poor route finding. In ’92, after crossing from Deerhorn Saddle over Stanford's summit to Gregory’s Monument, I popped two vertebrae in a fall, crossing the Kern Divide south to north in the wrong place. Despite the pain in my back, I walked out over Longley Pass and through Sphinx Lakes to Roads End, drove home, and was back the following spring. Given my thirty-some years' experience, I haven’t done all that many summits, maybe fifty. Among those that took some work: Sill, Tyndal, Agassiz, Goode, Gabb, Goddard, Black Giant, Kaweah, Cal Tech. My most recent was Julius Caesar must be three years ago. Nearly always Class 2 with occasional lapses, due to poor route-finding, into Class 3 or an isolated no-ropes, never-again-and never-at-my-present-age Class 4 move.

Williamson is the only Class 2 fourteener I haven't done. I’d very much like to do it before I age out, but neither side looks like a thing to attempt alone. The west side, with Secor’s mumbo-jumbo about black stains and dead-end chutes looks dangerous. I think I must have stared at it, looking for those stains, the year I did Tyndal. George Creek sounds more like my kind of thing, but the BHS restrictions to Dec. 15-Jan. 1 or Apr. 15-May 15 make it too look extremely unlikely. I’ve never done winter; I've only once or twice seen hours-long rain and never seen serious snowfall, so wouldn’t go in December. That leaves spring with heavy river crossings, cold, and likely snow-slogging, while a second heavy snow season could wipe it out entirely.

Two or three partners would be even better than one, but at this point I’m not seriously looking and I certainly wouldn’t go this December.
Even without responses here, I could easily bail on the idea. I’m curious, though, what discussion this will prompt. About Williamson, about George Creek, and about hiking with strangers.

Thanks for any comment,

fg

[c9h13no3]

George Creek sounds more like my kind of thing, but the BHS restrictions to Dec. 15-Jan. 1 or Apr. 15-May 15 make it too look extremely unlikely.

The Bighorn Sheep thing isn't a problem anymore. The route is open year round.

[Wandering Daisy]

My husband and I did that route a long time ago when date restrictions were in place. We did it in early May. We crossed the creek several times to get on the easier side and high water made this hard. However, the creek is loaded with willows that had not fully leafed out so it may have been easier with respect to bushwhacking. The climbing route had a lot of snow, which with crampons, we found quite easy. I do not know what it is like without snow. As for 2024 you would benefit from snowfields not melting over the winter so perhaps snow would linger well into next summer. I guess what I am saying is even if you can go any time of the year now, the early season has its advantages.

I think I am already "aged-out" to repeat the climb. All I can do is wish you the best of luck. Although a bit nasty to get there, I think it is a wonderful area and a nice route. I would encourage others who are qualified to seriously consider joining you.

We also went back another year to do the peak next to Vacation Pass (cannot remember its name). That drainage is also very beautiful, and you could day-hike up there just for the views after you do Williamson.