Seeking Advice on Day Trips out of Minaret Lake

[jonagold]

Hello! Looking for some input on Class 2 off-trail day trips out of Minaret Lake, where our family of four will be camping next week (August 19 onward). Our family of four with two kids 23 and 18 has many years of experience hiking and backpacking, including several trips to the Ediza/Minaret/Cecile Lakes area in earlier years.

We are strong hikers but not skilled at or interested in ice axe/crampon-assisted travel.

Would Banner Peak be mostly Class 2 coming from Minaret Lake?

Other ideas?

Many thanks!

[c9h13no3]

Banner Peak is a bad choice, ice axe required or a long detour to Lake Catherine (and then you’re still ascending snow, just lower angle). People do scratch out a class 2 ascent without an ice axe on Mt Ritter, but you’d want to know what you’re doing.

Volcanic Ridge is the obvious choice, morning light for the best views.

If the snow has melted off the Iceberg Lake snowfield, the classic route is to go over Cecile and out via Shadow Lake. Check the satellite before you go. You could also descend the NE face of Volcanic Ridge to get to Ediza Lake.

[jonagold]

Thank you! Very helpful.

[Harlen]

X2: "Volcanic Ridge is the obvious choice, morning light for the best views."

Another nice day trip is to wrap around Riegelhuth Minaret to the south, to reach Deadhorse Lake, and then hike up the next ridge to the west for a view of Michael Minaret. If comfortable, you can carry on down to the lake right below both Michael and Clyde Minarets. There may be a snowfield atop that second ridge, but it shouldn't be any trouble late in the morning. Hope you all have fun, Ian.

[Pietro257]

Too late, since you've already left, but the place to go is Minaret Mine. You can contour around to the old mine in an hour, and it's well worth visiting. You'll find all manner of cast-iron equipment, an old cabin, and a couple of old mine shafts. There is an old road down the canyon from the mine that takes you to the trail to Minaret Lake from Devil's Postpile. I've hiked down this old road a couple of times. It is still visible in places although it hasn't been used in 100 years.

[jonagold]

Too late, since you've already left, but the place to go is Minaret Mine. You can contour around to the old mine in an hour, and it's well worth visiting. You'll find all manner of cast-iron equipment, an old cabin, and a couple of old mine shafts. There is an old road down the canyon from the mine that takes you to the trail to Minaret Lake from Devil's Postpile. I've hiked down this old road a couple of times. It is still visible in places although it hasn't been used in 100 years.

Thanks for the Minaret Mine suggestion. Think of all the work it took to build and run that mine, so far from roads. There's lots of mining debris--and denuded hillsides--up where we live (near Nevada City, CA), but still this one would be worth visiting. Next time!

[jonagold]

X2: "Volcanic Ridge is the obvious choice, morning light for the best views."

Another nice day trip is to wrap around Riegelhuth Minaret to the south, to reach Deadhorse Lake, and then hike up the next ridge to the west for a view of Michael Minaret. If comfortable, you can carry on down to the lake right below both Michael and Clyde Minarets. There may be a snowfield atop that second ridge, but it shouldn't be any trouble late in the morning. Hope you all have fun, Ian.

Thank you! Volcanic Ridge was spectacular: wildflowers throughout the ascent, brilliant blue sky with fierce winds, incredible views from the top. Bighorn sheep droppings (I assume) all along the route. Though I have to say that Secor is not exactly accurate; he says, "ascend a long, grassy slope to the saddle that is west of the summit," but the saddle is east of the summit.

Deadhorse Lake and beyond we'll have to leave for another time.