Most remote views, class 3 and below

[ColoradoCoHi]

Hey everyone - odd question but I was looking for suggestions on a peak that is Class 3ish or lower that feels extremely remote and has nothing but wilderness views around. I don't mind a super long approach, but I am thinking deep in Canadian Rockies style views, where I see nothing but wilderness and peaks, no towns, no roads, etc. What peaks or passes or basins or regions do you think would be the best to go for? I have done quite a bit of backpacking in the Sierra but about 85% of it on trail, and I am solo but comfortable with scrambling and exposure and high distance. I have spent a lot of time in the Ansel Adams wilderness outside Mammoth, as well as Dusy Basin and the Mt Langley area so far.

Thank you!

[Flamingo]

Hi there, welcome to HST. I'm reluctant to name any specific mountain, because I think half the fun is finding a peak that sparks your imagination.

I would suggest you hop into the High Sierra Topix map (link here). Turn on "13'ers" and "14'ers", and then explore peaks in the interior of the range. You can read on SummitPost about the difficulty of individual peaks, although most Sierra peaks (I'm guessing like 65%) have a route that is Class 3 or easier.

It sounds like you've already visited some great spots in the Sierra, especially Dusy Basin and Langley. As a clue. . . I would start at those locations on the map, and then explore the peaks that are a bit further interior in the range. Good luck!

[ColoradoCoHi]

Sounds like fun - thank you!

[Harlen]

Okay, I'll bite on that. How about Tunemah Peak? If you're fast (or in a hurry), you can reach and cross Mantle Pass on your second day (The trailhead could be either Wishon, or Rancheria Creek), and then reach Tunemah Lake on day three. From there you climb and somewhat loose and intricate ridge route to the south, and soon you will reach T. Peak. Some have called it the most remote peak in the Sierra. it's an easy class 2 romp along the ridge, with pretty wonderful views all around.

On the other end, in remote Yosemite border country, you might try one of the peaks that rise above the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River: Mt Foerster for instance. Also very remote and beautiful. By all means, make part of your approach, or descent through Bench Canyon. Good Luck! Ian.

[ColoradoCoHi]

Oh wow, these are excellent suggestions - I'm going to deep dive into the planning right now. Thank you so much!!

[paul]

Has anybody mentioned Mt. Goddard?

[wildhiker]

Mt. Goddard (height 13,564 feet) and Mt. Brewer (height 13,576 feet) are two high peaks with excellent views of the wild High Sierra in every direction. Both are set back on secondary ridges to the west of the main crest, thus providing views of long sections of the crest. Both are a long hike from a trailhead.

Mt. Goddard has the easier approach and even bits of a use trail to the top. Mt. Goddard was an important triangulation point for the 19th century survey crews because it could see - and be seen from - so much of the Sierra.

Mt. Brewer is interesting to history buffs, because it was the first high peak climbed by the Brewer survey in the 1860s and from it they first spied Mt. Whitney and the high peaks around it. The (exaggerated) attempt of survey crew members King and Cotter to climb over to Whitney from Brewer became the basis of a very popular 19th century book titled "Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada" (still in print! - see https://www.amazon.com/Mountaineering-S ... 0939666863). Brewer's journal from the survey was published as "Up and Down California in 1860-1864: The Journal of William H. Brewer". It makes for fascinating reading and is also still in print (see https://www.amazon.com/dp/0520238656). Mt. Brewer requires a long cross-country hike from the nearest trail and then scrambling over talus to the top.

These are the only two major peaks in the Sierra that I have summited myself (prefer hanging out in the lake basins) and both were well worth the effort.

-Phil

[Wandering Daisy]

Seven Gables. Not the most "remote" if that is your #1 criteria, but good climb, surrounded by scenic basins, access routes are very scenic from the very first hours.

[oldranger]

Mt. Goddard (height 13,564 feet) and Mt. Brewer (height 13,576 feet) are two high peaks with excellent views of the wild High Sierra in every direction. Both are set back on secondary ridges to the west of the main crest, thus providing views of long sections of the crest. Both are a long hike from a trailhead.

Mt. Goddard has the easier approach and even bits of a use trail to the top. Mt. Goddard was an important triangulation point for the 19th century survey crews because it could see - and be seen from - so much of the Sierra.

Mt. Brewer is interesting to history buffs, because it was the first high peak climbed by the Brewer survey in the 1860s and from it they first spied Mt. Whitney and the high peaks around it. The (exaggerated) attempt of survey crew members King and Cotter to climb over to Whitney from Brewer became the basis of a very popular 19th century book titled "Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada" (still in print! - see https://www.amazon.com/Mountaineering-S ... 0939666863). Brewer's journal from the survey was published as "Up and Down California in 1860-1864: The Journal of William H. Brewer". It makes for fascinating reading and is also still in print (see https://www.amazon.com/dp/0520238656). Mt. Brewer requires a long cross-country hike from the nearest trail and then scrambling over talus to the top.

These are the only two major peaks in the Sierra that I have summited myself (prefer hanging out in the lake basins) and both were well worth the effort.

-Phil

As I recall I could recognize Goddard from highway 99 in the San Joaquin valley. I also remember watching fireworks in the San Joaquin Valley from Brewer Lake the day I climbed Brewer Peak back in 83 so i suspect that on an unusually clear day you could see at least the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. My best guess for accesible peaks with no view of "civilization" would be Mt. Ickes and Mt Kaweah.

[giantbrookie]

I just noticed this. There are some nice suggestions here. I like Goddard and Brewer. I'll throw in a dark horse candidate of sorts. This is Foerster Peak on the Merced-San Joaquin divide. It really isn't much of a peak and is a simple walk up class 2, but because of its position west of the crest and on a major divide, the views are the best I've ever seen. To the west you can see through gaps in the Clark Range all the way to the Coast Ranges (kinda remember Mt Diablo, but could be wrong) to the north the views range to Tower Peak. Closer in there is the Lyell Group, Rodgers, Electra, and then this stunning western view of the Ritter Range. The view to the south is simply mind blowing owing to how low the forks of the San Joaquin are. You can see to the Kaweahs and Great Western Divide (including Brewer et al.), the Kings-Kern Divide (Erickson is particularly prominent), Williamson, Whitney. A bit closer you see the Silver Divide, Red and White, Red Slate, both Mt Morgans, the Abbot-Gabb-Hilgard-Bear Creek Spire Group, Humphreys, and eventually down to the Palisades, then University Peak (completing the visual "loop" I've described). The view from Foerster Peak was so outstanding I scanned an old 1994 photo of mine to annotate and put into one of my geologic papers (on Sierran uplift which was published in 2013). I labeled a ton of the peaks in that view for the benefit of geology readers who happened to be High Sierra enthusiasts. Anyhow I don't think much of Foerster as a peak but the view is off the charts. I climbed it as part of one of my very favorite dayhikes from a base camp I've done. I was at one of the Blue Lakes and the hike went over Foerster Peak into the Lyell Fork Merced, explored the upper Lyell Fork, then climbed over the top of Electra Peak, then finished with a mellow but entertaining off trail traverse back to Blue Lakes. Speaking of west-of-crest views, Goddard and Brewer were nominated, and I'll throw in Mt Erickson on the Kings-Kern Divide. Similar to Goddard and Brewer, you can see it from all over the place so you can see a lot from the summit. The only caveat for Erickson is that you shouldn't do it if you don't like exposure because the last move up the summit block is in fact supremely exposed. For crest, east-of-crest, views I like Mt Sill. In theory Mt Williamsonis better because it is super high (2nd highest peak in Sierra) but set off east of the crest. The long sight line stuff from Williamson is great but so is the closer-in stuff such as Tyndall, Russell, etc. On the other hand, the view of the Palisades from Sill as well as the western views into some of the wildest parts of the Sierra are pretty amazing when taken together. Returning to west-of-crest, I like the views from the summits of both Mt Reinstein just west of Goddard and Finger Peak (which is really set off by itself). Finger is such a beautiful summit, too.