Favorite California Peaks?

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CoHi591
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Favorite California Peaks?

Post by CoHi591 »

It appears I'm going to have a large chunk of time this summer to spend hanging around the Sierra. I'll be based in Bishop and will be trying to fill all of my free time with backpacking and hiking and peak bagging. I've done the JMT twice but my experience in the area is somewhat limited otherwise. I thought about trying to do all of the Class 3 and below 14ers in the area, but I'm not terribly attached to that idea. I wanted to ask anyone who knows the area well for suggestions. Do you have a favorite peak (of any elevation) for scenery or fun scrambling? Any with a particularly gorgeous approach and/or epic lakeside camping? Solitude is a big plus, but I'm not terribly confident with off trail travel out. I have a few regular weekends for quick hikes as well as a 10-day stretch. Any info would be great! Thanks.
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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by ker0uac »

I am in LA through the Spring and my experience here is also limited, but I did Boundary Peak couple years ago and I enjoyed the remoteness. It's just across the Nevada border. Last month I did Telescope Peak in Death Valley, but I hear it is scorching hot in the summer. I am planning Middle Palisade in late Spring. It is supposed to have some pretty cool scrambling straddling Class 3/4 but I haven't looked much into it yet.
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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by FireOnTheMountain »

First off, stoked you didnt write "Sierras". ](*,)

2nd off, you cant go wrong down there. All the classics live up to their hype. Bear Creek spire, Emerson, Lone pine peak or Humphreys (never done), any of the peaks of Palisade traverse (just the hike up to the basin is lovely), Gayley. For sure expect choss on some of these....maybe look into gettin up some of the mellower 5th cl routes too with a guide or something! Sierra granite is fantastic.

Always wanted to hit up the Minarets too. Oh, and while you down there, check out what Tuolomne has to offer. Sounds like you been through having done the JMT so you can attest to its "aiteness".

Have fun!
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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by Craig Barlow »

You really can't go wrong with most of the peaks on the Sierra Club's Sierra Peaks Section around Bishop. There is some pretty tough scrambling in the Palisades, though. Some of my favorites in that area that are Class 3 or below are Haeckel & Wallace, Agassiz, Winchell, Scylla & Charybdis, and Mt. Goddard. There are trip reports and .gpx files to be found on all these at peakbagger.com. It's an awesome area. Have fun!
Last edited by Craig Barlow on Thu Feb 11, 2021 3:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by greenonion »

Take a look at Mt Russell right next to Mt Whitney. Haven't done it, however. Pretty dang exposed, so there's that. Would need a Whitney permit since it's inside the Whitney zone, but maybe easier to get if only doing Russell(??).

I've also been interested in Tyndall and Williamson. LOOOOONNNGG approach to both and most assuredly less crowded that Whitney's long approach. Tyndall is a very interesting looking mountain.

Mt Sill is close to Bishop and is among the other tougher northern Palisade peaks.

Wow, living in Bishop for a summer. YOU WILL LOVE THAT AREA!! Enjoy!
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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by 719BR »

russell's east ridge and williamson's west face are my two favourite sierra climbs. i would do either of them again in a heartbeat.

for dayhikes, russell is a long day but doable for someone who is fit and acclimatized. it's around 6k gain, and i think i did it c2c in about 12 - 13 hours. disclaimer: i did a traverse over the peak - up the east ridge and down the south gulley. i don't recommend this: i would go back down the east ridge. but i get why people would do this, as the east ridge is definitely a you-fall-you-lose route, bomber holds notwithstanding, so the descent on tired legs could be less than optimal. YMMV.

williamson is not a dayhike except for the justiners of the world, but there is a great camp location at the base of the route (lake 3733). there are actually a couple camp sites on the way to the peak, so if you want to spend some time in the area and get some other peaks, you can. when we did it, we hiked to anvil camp the first day (a very moderate day). on the second day, we hiked to the base of the route for williamson. we were going to do dayhike another SPS peak in the afternoon after setting up camp, but it rained on us. the next day we did williamson and then moved camp to a lake at the base of tyndall's north rib route (NOT the lake at the pass). the last day we did tyndall's north rib and then exited. it was a splendid trip, probably my favourite *overnight* sierra trip.

there are some other great day trips out of the bishop area - cloudripper, goode, etc. in these cases, the peaks may not be spectacular themselves, but the approaches sure are.

onion valley is my favourite part of the sierra and not far from bishop. i've got countless trips in the area, and just about anything you do out of these is going to have breathtaking scenery.

permit issues: day hikes out of the bishop area are usually ok without a permit, and in fact much of the sierra is, including onion valley. overnight permits are cheap but will fill up well in advance in most cases. russell you do still need a permit (because as mentioned you need a whitney zone permit), and unfortunately only climbing russell does not give you a leg up on the competition. there is a way to get around this, however, and that is to get an exit only permit for the whitney zone. this would require you to enter from another trailhead. there still is quota, but it's not the tourist route quota, and you don't need to enter the lottery. to include russell, the most logical way is probably via shepherd pass. this was a route i had looked at previously, and one i may still do: https://caltopo.com/m/5LER.

there is another way that you could get williamson, and tyndall, and russell (and whitney and muir if you wanted), but it would require much more significant off-trail travel which you said is not your strong suit. but i have a route for that as well if you decide you are interested.

at any rate, beyond remembering that CA class 3 is stiffer than CO class 3 (let the flame wars begin), it's a great area and you'll have plenty of opportunity for fun.

also, just because it was suggested, humprheys is class 4 and not class 3. in case that matters.
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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by don_solo »

Lone Pine Peak near Mt. Whitney is always a good option with no permit required. Cloudripper is also a cool obscure 13er with relatively easy access and a nice summit.
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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by nyker »

That sounds great!

My favs so far (not all in the Sierra):

Whitney (Main Trail, Mountaineers Route, MT Direct chute option, latter two best done in snow or mostly snow)
Mt Langley
White Mountain - cool high desert with large Bristlecone forest on the drive up
Mt Gould and Kearsarge Pass - awesome area, you can take an additional trip to Rae Lakes (though you might have seen that on the JMT)
Mt Dana
Half Dome
Mount Shasta
Telescope Peak
SoCal Peaks-San Jacinto, San Bernardino, San Gorgonio, Mt Baldy
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CoHi591
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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by CoHi591 »

Thanks so much for all the info everyone. It appears I have a lot of planning to do. Russell has been on the list for sure, excited to see a few on here that I haven't heard much about so I'll get to researching.
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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by thebeave7 »

So many awesome scrambles in the Sierra, rock is far more solid than CO in general, but the routes are a bit more exposed.
If you're looking for Class 3 and below here are my personal recs (some repeats of what's been said)
University Peak, fairy short but a nice scramble great views.
Mt Russell via E Ridge (permit required), classic line, great easy fun.
Mt Williamson, I've done it as a day run and overnight, it's a long way into a remote but pretty area (note, bighorn sheep closures).
Middle Palisade, super long and continuous class 3 to the top. The Palisades just rock.
Mt Emerson, a bit chossy, but great views of the surrounding Bishop Creek area.
Mt Agassiz (mentioned above), stellar Palisade views.
Telescope Peak in the shoulder season, it has such massive prominence.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head, but there are so many, and so many more once you bump up into the class 4 level.

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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by bdloftin77 »

Don’t want to derail this thread too much, but thought it might be a good place. Does anyone know when the roads to the standard Telescope Peak TH and to the Bristlecone Pine grove on White Mountain Peak are accessible? I was planning a trip out to both (and Eureka Dunes/Death Valley) in late December, but then found out that the White Mountain road is seasonally closed. And the road to Telescope has also been closed recently. Want to take advantage of my new job with 3 day weekends, though, before it’d get too hot for Telescope?

As for the original thread, I’ve only done Whitney, Muir, and White Mountain Peak in that area. But would recommend them all! Whitney I did the standard route. Reminiscent of Pikes Peak from Barr, at least the distance. But really pretty! Tall white cliffs, waterfalls, cool views from Whitney. Muir was a fun scramble. Some people shun White Mountain Peak because there’s a 4wd road to the top, but I still thought it was a cool experience. So prominent too! And super high above the valley floor.

If I lived in that area, I’d probably go for Russell, Telescope, and some of the nearby 14ers as well as others people have suggested.
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Re: Favorite California Peaks?

Post by Monster5 »

April - November with the perpetual drought which is now normal. Shave off a month either end for less snow, but snow makes certain talus heaps nicer.
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