Mount Hilgard is a remote peak of the High Sierra in the John Muir Wilderness. It is positioned to the west of Lake Italy on a southerly spur of the Mono Divide. The Mono Divide stretches from north of Recess Peak to Mount Abbot and is one of the more significant east to west oriented…
Author: pantilat
Silver Peak Loop
The Silver Divide is a spur of the Sierra Crest south of Yosemite and Mammoth Lakes in the John Muir Wilderness. Unlike the Sierra Crest which is oriented from northwest to southeast, the Silver Divide is oriented from west to east. The divide is entirely under 12,500 feet, which is modest in elevation compared to…
Complete Arroyo Seco
Arroyo Seco means “Dry Stream” in English but the Arroyo Seco River is anything but dry after winter storms when 1,000+ cubic feet of water per second regularly flow down the winding, narrow canyon. In fact, the Arroyo Seco River drains the east side of some of the wettest ridges in the Santa Lucia Mountain…
Glacier Ridge via Tablelands
Glacier Ridge is a massive granitic formation separating Deadman Canyon and Cloud Canyon, two spectacular glacial canyons with a signature U-shape. The ridge spans an impressive 8 miles and towers over 4,000 feet above the canyon bottoms. The high point along the ridge is 1.4 miles north of Copper Mine Pass Peak and provides arguably…
Mount Baldwin & Convict Canyon
Mount Baldwin is located in arguably the most geographically fascinating region of the High Sierra. McGee Creek and Convict Creek canyons wrap around the peak and each watershed is surrounded by colorful peaks including bands of brilliant red, white and gray rock. Mount Baldwin makes a strong impression when driving along 395 and especially along the…
Maclure High Route
Often times the best scenery in the Sierra is found between the canyon or valley bottom and the craggy ridge crests. The Sierra High Route is perhaps the best example of this straddling the sweet spot between the montane forest and the more arduous travel characteristic of the ridgelines. This post describes a much shorter…
Trinity Alps High Route Fastpack via Caribou Lakes
Note: It’s been awhile since I have blogged due to getting up to speed at a new job, but I’ve been adventuring all summer on the weekends with many routes that I hope to share over the coming months. For more “instant” content, see the sidebar below for Instagram photos. The Trinity Alps High Route…
Four Lakes Loop via Swift Creek
The easternmost part of the Trinity Alps is informally known as the Red Trinities due to the distinctive red rock present in this region. However, within the red rock is a section of white granite that is akin to the White Trinities to the west across the Stuart Fork of the Trinity River. This “island”…
Pick Creek Loop 2018
Pick Creek is a spectacular rugged creek that is a classic of the Ventana Wilderness. The centerpiece is stunning Pick Creek Falls which shoots over a ledge with an 80 ft free-fall into a large, clear pool surrounded by lovely grove of old growth Santa Lucia Firs. Just downstream of Pick Creek Falls is a…
Sea to Sky to Valley and Back: Stone Memorial Loop
Silver Lupine, Stone Ridge and Cone Peak The Stone Ridge Sea to Sky is a classic Big Sur route from the Pacific Ocean to the summit of Cone Peak ascending over 5,000 feet in a little over 5 miles. The Carrizo Trail combined with the North Ridge is the interior version of Stone Ridge Sea…
Leor Pantilat's Adventures