CLASS/DIFFICULTY: Class 2
LOCATION: Sierra National Forest/Ansel Adams Wilderness HST Map
ELEVATION: 10560 feet
USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Mt Ritter, CA
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: I crossed from west to east in mid-July 2018 -- winter 2017-18 had lower than average snowfall. The greatest challenge coming from the west is the climb up from Dike Creek -- it is 1250 feet of steepness along the stream that empties the basin above. First through meadows and then more rocky terrain. Near the lip of the basin there is a notch to follow on the left/north side of the stream, parts of which are like climbing one extension ladder after another -- Class 2 scrambling in my book. From the basin it looks as though there are two options to go over the pass, one left/north and the other right/south. I took the south option, which put me on a descent path that looked significantly less steep than the north route. During the final stage of the ascent I made use of a snowfield (out of frame to the right in the first photo below) to make relatively rapid progress and then crossed a shallow sloped boulder field to the top -- easy Class 2 hiking. The upper portion of the east side is somewhat steeper with a short stretch of loose gravel right at the top followed by fractured slabs and stable talus lower down. Straightforward Class 2 hiking all the way down. Hope this helps.
Dennis
- McDonald Pass from the west -- I passed over the low point on the right/south
- McDonald Pass from the west near the top
- McDonald Pass from the east near the top
- Typical rocks and slabs on the east side
- Alternate/northern low point of the pass viewed from the east
- Looking down on Dike Creek from below McDonald Pass basin -- this is the chute/ladder I found
- Minarets from below McDonald Pass basin
- Minarets from just below McDonald Pass -- this snow field is out of frame to the right in the first photo above
- Iron Creek drainage from McDonald Pass