A Summer of Peak Bagging

In general, we are not mountain climbers. We prefer to look at mountains from the safety of a lovely tranquil lake.  This year we have climbed Gaylor, Dana,  Stanton, Lewis, Campito, Clem Nelson, Glass, Boundary, Chocolate and some random elevation number only high points.  You might be asking the obvious question, why?  Glass and Boundary have long been on my list to climb.  Why?  No idea really.  They just seem to have captured my imagination.  Dana was on Bob's list.  The others were just convenient for lunch or a view.  Oh well.  Hopefully next year we will be back to our regularly scheduled lake bagging adventures.  In the meantime, some photos of where we went and what we saw.

First up, Gaylor Peak.  We climbed this when the weather was stormy and we were at Yosemite trying to get a good workout in a short amount of time.

Nice view of Mts. Dana and Lewis

Kuna Crest

Prickly Phlox

Mountain Jewelflower

 False White Mountain and Granite Lake

Dwarf Alpine Paintbrush

Oh, and this prominence is Gaylor Peak

Glass Mountain was a fun, short, steep hike through obsidian.

Obsidian fields.

Penstemon and phlox

Where the Glass Mountain marker lies

Did I mention the trail is steep?

Where the actual high point of the range is.

For some reason where the USGS placed the survey marker, and where the high point of the mountain is, are different locations.  So, we decided to visit both, about half a mile apart.

Where we are headed to after our high point peak bagging.

Crowley Lake and the Sierra

The White Mountains where Boundary Peak is located.

Some people have artist talent for the summit register.

More Dwarf Paintbrush which is green this time.

I have no idea what this flower is.

One of two rare locoweeds that we could never sort out to species.

A harsh and beautiful landscape.

Totally Terrifying Dome -- I wanted some time in Yosemite, but road construction has limited options.  We climbed an unnamed dome that I won't be repeating.

Off to a good start with Sierra Penstemon

Totally Terrifying Dome, nope nope nope, never again.

This might have been the best way up, but we did something stupider.

Mountain Pride

Yes, the views from Totally Terrifying were lovely, .  The ascent and descent were not to my liking,  So, nope, nope, nope.  Never again.  

Well, this is long enough for today, so the others will go in future blog posts.

White Mountains Exploration

 

With a camping and hiking trip planned in late July with our friends BJ, Bob and T, and wildfire smoke messing up a large portion of the area, we had to find someplace to go with good air. The White Mountains along the CA/NV border looked good. This mountain range holds a large population of the oldest living organism on earth, the Ancient Bristlecone Pines. Susan and I have day hiked this area dozens of times over the years, but there were areas in the range that we had never been able to access. With friends along and several high-clearance 4X4 vehicles for safety, we were set to see some new country. 

First up was a quick day hike up to the top of Campito Mountain for lunch. 

Bob and T enjoying the lunch view from the top of Campito Mountain

We then headed for our first destination, Cottonwood Basin on the east side of the range. This required a steep 4X4 descent off the top, past an old mine, and into the basin at 10,000 feet elevation. Once on flat ground again we set up camp and watched the rain showers for the rest of the afternoon. 

Ancient Bristlecone Pine

Coming down the hill. If you look closely you can see BJ's 4Runner

An old cabin at the mine site

Young Bristlecone

Evening in the Cottonwood Basin

The next morning we put together a loop hike through the basin in the White Mountain Wilderness that would take us along the North Fork of Cottonwood Creek. This creek starts near the top of the 14,000+ White Mountain and has been designated a National Wild and Scenic River. It also holds a population of federally endangered Paiute Cutthroat Trout, transplanted there from their original range in Silver King Creek for conservation.  

Elk (or Meadow) Thistle

A 100+ year old arborglyph from the days of sheep grazing

Larkspur

After our hike we traveled back up out of the basin and over to Crooked Creek Canyon for a descent down to a campsite near Station Peak, our objective for the next morning. The hike up to the top was short and steep, with some tricky talus at the top, but worth the effort for the amazing views. 

Station Peak on the left

Talus near the top

From the top of Station Peak we could see back into Cottonwood Basin

From the top of the peak, looking down Crooked Creek and into Death Valley

From there we backtracked up Crooked Creek and took the other 4X4 road into the basin and the South Fork Cottonwood Creek for a lovely evening of exploration and camping.

Old cabin along Cottonwood Creek

Pinyon Mariposa Lily

Pinyon Mariposa Lily has purple anthers, unlike the similar Leichtelin's (Smokey) Mariposa Lily

More very old arborglyphs

Camp along the South Fork Cottonwood Creek

Crawling out of Cottonwood Basin

A four day trip into this amazing area only touched the many things to see here. We'll be back!