High Sierra Topix

Since it seems there haven't been any climbing trip reports this year, I thought I'd post a few pictures of my trip up Mt. Williamson the weekend before last. I thought it was quite a feat to do it in 2 days, but then I discovered a scad of trip reports on Summitpost, etc., of people who do it as a day hike. And they throw in Tyndall since it would be too easy just to do Williamson in a day.

I've had it with Webshots so I tried Photobucket. It doesn't work -- the pictures are too big to reproduce here, so everything is cut off. I love technology.


OK, thanks to Copeg and Maverick, I think I've fixed it...
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Although there are a few agonizing switchbacks between Mahogany Flat and Anvil Camp that add close to a mile with virtually no gain (why why why???), the 11 miles and 6,000 feet up to Shepherd Pass never feels bad. My favorite sign in the Sierra:



I camped at the lake closest to the peak and had a nice morning jaunt to the top, with no one in sight. Part way up the infamous scree chute:



Looking back:



Nearing the top of the chute, it looks quite regal:



Then there's the Class 3 chimney. The last time I did this, there were tons of people -- I had to figure it out by myself this time. It's hard to capture it from the bottom, so here's a view back down from the top of the chimney. Santa Claus ain't getting down this any time soon:



A view toward Mt. Tyndall:



There was a small cairn at the peak this time:



A zoom of Whitney and Russell from the top:



And a dedication in the register to my father (I meant to say "your spirit is with me" -- maybe it's just as good as it is):

Congratulations, it looks like a lot of work but very cool.

Very nice Q! Happy to see you got your pic's up, really like the steepness in the
shot looking back down the chute. Also good to hear you got up/down without
getting injured this time.
Someone had extra time when on the summit to build that cairn or they were trying
to get the peaks summit from 14375 to 14378.

Nice report. Your photos really capture the essence of that climb. That is indeed a nice peak.

Cool TR! I'm amazed at people who do Big Willie in a day. Heck, two days is quite a feat. If you consider the 11 miles & 6000' to Shepherd Pass, two miles of hopping from one loose boulder to another in the Bowl, 1600' of loose crap in the gully, and climbing a 100' crack at the top, it's the toughest mountain I've climbed.

I was there a week before you. I use Picasa:

https://picasaweb.google.com/toejamhike ... directlink" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Great report and photos. The class 3 looks scary!

toejam wrote: I was there a week before you. I use Picasa:

https://picasaweb.google.com/toejamhike ... directlink" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TJ, I particularly like the summit celebration photo.

Learned that from an army colonel on Mt. Rainier. It's so goofy I can't help myself.


The class 3 part isn't bad since it's there's not much exposure. In fact it's a relief compared to the loose crap in the gully. The worst part was that I first tried to avoid the bottom of the crack going up the left side but got to a slick spot with nothing to hold on to.