Fall is one of my favorite times of the year in the Sierra. This time of year comes after the summer monsoon thunderstorm season but before winter storms roll in off the Pacific burying the high country in snow. The result is weather that is characterized by numerous clear and crisp days interspersed with the…
Tag: high sierra
Little Lakes Valley to Morgan Pass
The trailhead at Mosquito Flat in the Rock Creek area is one of the highest trailheads in the Sierra at just over 10,000 feet and provides easy access to wonderful hiking, climbing and trail running at Little Lakes Valley. The visitor less inclined to travel many miles will find quintessential High Sierra scenery within merely…
Robinson Peak
The Sawtooth Ridge region is one of the most scenic in all of the Sierra. I visited this area earlier in the summer climbing Matterhorn Peak, Finger Peaks and Kettle Peak in an aesthetic loop – the “Sawtooth Loop.” The highlight view was from Finger Peaks with a complete panorama of impressive Sawtooth Ridge from…
Tulainyo Lake: The Cleaver and Mount Carillon
Photo album here. Tulainyo Lake sits in a desolate bowl 12,828 feet above sea level nestled between four peaks – Mount Russell, Mount Carillon, Tunnabora Peak and The Cleaver. It is one of the highest lakes in the contiguous United States and impressively large for its altitude. Due to its elevation and shadowing effects from…
Kaweah Queen & Lawson Peak via Kaweah Gap
Each of the past four years I have run the High Sierra Trail to Hamilton Lakes, Kaweah Gap and nearby Precipice Lake. The rugged beauty of this region never ceases to amaze and inspire, from the sapphire blue of Hamilton Lakes and Precipice Lake to the sheer granite walls of Angel Wings and the Valhallas….
“Lion Loop” – Lion Rock and Triple Divide Peak
The “Lion Loop” is a spectacular large loop that I designed out of Wolverton utilizing the High Sierra Trail and the Tablelands to access one of the most remote corners of the High Sierra along the Great Western Divide. Lion Lake is the centerpiece feature of the route and is absolutely stunning with Triple Divide…
Mount Stanford and Kings-Kern Loop
Mount Stanford is a very attractive mountain located on the Kings-Kern Divide straddling Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. At 13,973 ft, it’s just shy of fourteen thousand feet so it doesn’t draw the attention comparable to Sierra fourteeners, but it’s just as impressive of a mountain in terms of stature, difficulty to surmount, and…
Sawtooth Loop: Matterhorn Peak – Finger Peaks – Kettle Peak
Photos here. The “Sawtooth Loop” is a spectacular route through one of the most scenic regions of the High Sierra and a personal favorite. I call this particular route the Sawtooth Loop since it circumnavigates an impressively rugged subrange of the Sierra crest known as Sawtooth Ridge that straddles Yosemite national park’s northern boundary and…
Onion Valley to South Lake
An Onion Valley to South Lake trip has been on my list for a number of years. The route largely follows the JMT on arguably one of the most scenic stretches of the trail and includes Pinchot Pass and Mather Pass (and Glen Pass if all trail is taken). The trip is 65 miles all on trail,…
Goddard & Reinstein Fastpacking
I joined Joel for a two day fastpacking adventure to one of the most remote and incredible regions in the High Sierra. The route included Mount Reinstein, Mount Goddard, Ionian Basin, Goddard Creek, Finger Basin, and Cathedral Lake. We accessed from the westside via Courtright Reservoir/Maxson Trailhead which entailed many trail miles. On the way…
Leor Pantilat's Adventures