High Sierra Topix

I met up with Niko (HST "Silky Smooth") at his house in Lone Pine, which he has the great fortune to share with his partner Liane and their two fine dogs. What a place to live! Liane skis and climbs very well too, but was willing to hold down the job and dog duties while we played in the hills. Niko had the bright idea for us to get to know each other's skiing style by taking a full day to ski above Onion Valley.

Niko in his front yard.





I believe he wanted to judge my "woeful inabilities" shared beforehand... perhaps to decide whether I was a good bet for a partner deeper in the mountains. He took me into steepish places, nearly to the top of Kearsarge Pass, and then we skied back down. He skied far ahead, and so mostly missed my falling down descent style, and so, mistakenly thought I was skiing fine. I made it back down is all. On this day trip we were able to don the skis after just a quarter mile of hiking on dry trail. We met many other skiers, so this is another of the good spots for late season skiing. Here are a set of images from that first effort:











It would seem that I have left Niko in the snowy dust, but no, it's just that his skins kept coming unstuck.


Now we're back in the proper order. That's University Peak on the left.




Our chosen route shown in blue, followed the summer trail. I have used the red route in the past, as a more direct path to the pass, but this time, with the steady heat, we thought it more risky. Mt. Gould above.

Heading down to Onion Valley; the town of Independence looking insignificant in the vastness.



Owens Valley and Mount Williamson-- we headed north to Big Pine, and on up the North Fork of Big Pine Creek.



I might have called our second shortened trip: "Hiking our skis into the Eastern Sierra."  Niko showed me a nice new (but still heavy!) way to do this-- the carrying of the skis with boots attached technique, but I still prefer the old way, with the skis attached to the snow.  








Water Birch.





Looking down valley toward the South Fork of Big Pine Cr.




We are both happy to be here, and happy to have shed our packs.  

We both agreed that what doesn't kill you, is good training. In fact, the walk with skis up the north fork of Big Pine Creek is beautiful.  Our first destination was to be Second or Third Lake, which both lie beneath the stunning beauty of Temple Crag.  From there we had many lofty goals to ski and climb onward and upward toward marvels like Contact Pass, Mount Winchell, the Cloudripper, or Temple Crag itself.  Niko had mapped out a nice long Circuit Tour of all the numbered lakes-- 1 through 6.  These are worthy goals, but less satisfying if done in a misty cloud or heavy snow.  So we cut things short, enjoyed a light and friendly snow storm, which came on without much wind, and really beautified the terrain.  The weather report, and the look of the sky, predicted more of the same, so we just enjoyed our two days and a night up in Big Pine Creek, and agreed to return to play another day.


We reached Third lake here in time for the predicted snowstorm.  We decided that we liked the view from Second Lake better, and returned there to camp on the rocky terrace NE of the lake.




North Pal., Thunderbolt Peak, and then Mount Winchell in the distance.



Niko's fly setup sheltered us both nicely.  



The following morning May 3rd, after three new inches of snow.



Below is a set of Temple Crag images, getting steadily more snow covered:












The snowfall opened up a nice ski route around the margin of Second Lake.


We skinned up the slopes to the east of Temple Crag for a few downhill runs.

Niko actually enjoys the downhill skiing, gathering speed and that sort of thing, so he skinned up and skied down, while I did a dignified tour around the now snowy margin of Second Lake.  I did manage two lesser downhill runs-- locking in the heels and turning a bit without falling.  This was a strange new thing for me.
Niko told me to lean forward, and some other tricks that I have since forgotten.  He has some years of backcountry downhill experience, which gives him literally unfair edges over me, but I don't care; I feel falling a lot hardens a person, making me more durable.  Don't broken bones become thicker and stronger?
Here is more of our short but beautiful trip in pictures:


This was high enough for me.  I skied down into those trees, managing not to hit one.





Niko went higher up, and then descended, making controlled turns.  Very cool.







When it wasn't snowing the scenery was fantastic!  But we felt we were in for more, and worse weather, which shut down our big plans to climb and ski tour all around.  We decided to pack up and leave early.

Lamont Peak.



My final solo, mind-blowing trip was a night and very long (12 hour) day exploring a new area of the far Southern Sierra-- that is, Chimney Peak Road, and some of its wonders.  That road was described by Victor, and Niko and Liane also use it to reach some of their rock climbing areas.  They showed me a map, and a picture of craggy Lamont Peak, and I was inspired to check it out.  I camped near the trailhead, and left at dawn for the three mile hike up a few of the crags of Lamont.  Luckily, the first I attempted was not the peak, but the second one was easier and proved to be the summit.  It was a great place to be, and I stayed up there for three or four hours.  Swifts were whizzing audibly by, and Redtail Hawks were soaring around, plus maybe one Golden Eagle high above.  Best of all was first to hear the piercing screams, and then to see a pair of Peregrine Falcons flying together, and perching on some of the lower cliffs.  One disappeared into the vertical rocks-- almost surely a nest site for them.  Many holes and deep cracks were marked white with bird shite, and with my binos, I am certain that some held the nests of at least the Swifts, and Swallows, and probably other species too.  



This is also Lamont Peak, which might be better called "Lamont Peaks."



Looking north from the summit, one can see all the way to Mt. Whitney, the Great Western Divide, and more, but all I could see well was Telescope Peak to the NE, towering over Panamint Valley. Too cloudy on my day there.



The bare rock, "Domeland" area to the NW runs across the upper center of the frame.  The road in the foreground leads there, and continues around to Kennedy Meadows, and elsewhere too-- ask Niko?



This picture is farther west a bit from the last.  I thought the spires  were "The Needles," but now I am not sure.


Due west are some cliffs over the Kern River, not far from Lake Isabella.



And south of Lamont Peak are the three higher peaks above Spanish Needle Creek-- is one called "Spanish Needle?"  The higher mountain to the right is 8,453' Owens Peak, which lies just a few miles north of Walker Pass. 


 
Okay, now that we know the general location of Lamont Peak, I need to thank Flamingo along with Niko & Liane for getting me there.  Victor's 2023 HST description of the mountains around Chimney Peak Road intrigued me, Victor had written:  

I see it's correctly named Chimney Peak Road. It's off Highway 178, approximately 9 miles west of Walker Pass. It provides good access to the PCT at Chimney Creek Campground, plus day-hiking Lamont Peak, Sawtooth Peak, and Spanish Needle.Anyway. . . yes I did go in Jan31-Feb1, 2023, and I successfully climbed Lamont and Sawtooth with snowshoes over two consecutive days.

So I learned that it is Chimney Peak Road, not Canebrake Rd., and that these peaks are possible to climb, at least for a Flamingo.  Right now the place is beautiful!  It is full of flowers, some yellow asters are in full blooming phase, and sometimes covered a half acre.  Bush Lupine, Indian Paintbrush, and some new species, like the big pink/violet Evening Primrose, and a big, spreading form of Bush Poppy.  For me the hike had such a wild, big cat feel that I chose not to linger over photography and bird-watching.  I felt a distinct sense that I may be prey, and that really sharpened my senses, and kept me hyper-alert.  Being out there through dawn and dusk, on a day with periodic cloudy white-outs, increased my level of caution.  It is humbling to be on the food chain, and it crossed my mind that this is a good place to have a couple of partners, or at least a good dog, and a knife.  Sorry for the drama, here are some of the pretty flowers, and nice scenery:


This must be a cousin to the Mule Ears flowers.

This peak is at the northern end of Lamont Peak's craggy ridge.  In the middle left you see Chimney Peak Road as it wends its way toward Kennedy Meadows.  The cliffs seen in the lower right are where I saw the Peregrine Falcon pair, plus Swifts and Swallows and their nest sites.


Acorns nibbled by mice.



Pinyon Pine is a dominant tree species, along with the Oaks.



I was surprised to see a few small Sugar Pines, with their telltale giant cones.



















From my own high perch atop Lamont Peak, I gazed out into the area called "The Domeland Wilderness," which looks like a place where one can walk long distances on pure bedrock terrain, and farther off to the northwest are some taller granite towers, which might well be a craggy area called The Needles" in SEKI, that I visited in my rock climbing youth.  Here is part of the description I just found:  "Breathtaking and shrouded in mystery, the Needles are a series of enormous granite spires that stand watch atop a narrow ridge that sits high over the Kern River in Sequoia National Forest. This is a climber's paradise: perfect rock, beautiful scenery, minimal crowds, and adventure in abundance.The area was originally explored in the early 70's by Fred Beckey and a handful of other Californian climbers, and in the late 70's more and more new routes,..." I followed a better climber up the classic 5.9 route "White Punks on Dope."  (We did not name it.).  This trip reminded me of some great, and lesser-travelled areas to return to in the Southern Sierra.  I wandered back very slowly from Lamont Peak, and reluctantly back to the road.  I spent a total of 11 hours over about 7 miles, just hunting with binos for wildlife-- especially Mountain Lion.  I truly enjoyed the flower blooms, and a lot of cool songbirds, some flying in and out of their nest sites.  I saw Nuthatches, Western Bluebirds, Brown Creepers, yellow-rumped Warblers, Chickadees, and several species of Woodpeckers.  I could hear, but not see the amazing Canyon Wrens, whose eerie, descending whistle seemed to be the song of the place.
It was a really good, three part trip. 

fantastic phots. Thanks for posting

great stuff harlen