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We met Abe at the winter closure for Wild Basin Friday evening at 8400' and slept a few hours before our early start. We began hiking at 1:41 a.m. to make the most of the gloomy forecast and set out for the remote Isolation Peak.
We followed a packed trail for about 2 miles and then strapped our snowshoes for the untouched snow ahead.
We continued to follow the trail to Ouzel Falls. The bridge at the falls was demolished but we didn't have trouble crossing with the deep snow.
We planned to hang a left towards Ouzel Lake at the first trail junction after the falls but missed it in the dark and took the next junction which required a short but strenuous bushwhack through the trees to gain the base of the east ridge at around 9800'.
In the trees at first light
The snow depth eventually began to relent as we emerged from treeline and gained elevation on the ridge so we removed our snowshoes and stayed on top of the exposed talus for the remainder of the hike to the summit.
The most we saw of the sun
We ran into a herd of bighorn sheep on the ridge!
The herd Baby!
From the plateau at around 12500' we took a brief detour to the summit of Mahana Peak at 12632'. From Mahana we descended about 350' into basin above Isolation Lake and stashed our snowshoes before climbing the remaining 800' of aesthetic rime covered talus to the summit.
The boys on the summit of Mahana with Isolation ahead Climbing the rime Rime Reaper
We summited at 11:30 a.m; just under 10 hours from when had started that morning! The summit was an impressive, exposed block of boulders blanketed in rime. After a few celebratory photographs we began our long descent.
Summit disperski My 140th 13er! The rime covered summit ridge Exposure from the summit Interesting
We skirted the summit of Mahana and followed our tracks down the ridge, through the trees and back to the trail.
Following our tracks through the snow In the heart of the bushwhack on the way down Crossing back over the broken bridge at Ouzel Falls
We arrived back at the trail head at 5:04 p.m replete with aches and pains but happy to have been able to withstand the frigid temps and successfully day trip such a distant peak in winter conditions! Happy December!
Our route!
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Super effort, people, and excellent report! I assume the bridge was broken from the flooding? Haven't been back there in quite awhile. Thanks for your post!
Nice beta Kylie. You'd make a good engineer. Tough conditions. Can't say I'm too disappointed to have missed out - I might have pulled a Sarnelli and turned back prior to the 12er
Excited for the rest of the season! 12/12/2013 12:15am
Thanks Andyouseeme! I don't really mind Cougar
It was chilly Kay but we pretty much were moving the whole time and did a good job of snacking frequently to stay warm - next time you'll have to join!
Dillon, Dave, Brian and I did that route in November, with far less snow - your trip was much tougher. Great work! Isolation's summit block is pretty sweet! I couldn't tell from your report if you got there from the east ridge or if you went the more direct south ridge. We did the east ridge, then returned over Mahana.
Hahaha I like your profile picture Barry! Michael just showed me that video! Only two peaks, only one 13er and NO which o' wich!
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A great effort with nice pics to boot.
