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Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 5:25 pm
by Alpenglow
Hi everyone. I am starting to get more into peakbagging and am comfortable on Class 2.

Have done Mt. Dana, Tioga Peak, Mt. Starr, Mt. Hopkins and Mt. Conness. Have lots of hiking experience but looking for some other good introductory peaks to gain more experience with cross country and scrambling.

Thanks

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:57 pm
by Deb
From South Lake, Bishop Pass trail can get you Hurd, Chocolate, Cloudripper, Goode and Agassiz - all done by Class 2.

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 8:45 pm
by fedak
Everything on the Tahoe OGUL list is class 3 or lower (sans Jeff Davis)
http://climber.org/wsc/OGULlist.html

You can also go through the SPS list and pick out the class 1/2 stuff:
http://www.climber.org/data/SierraPeaks.html


Plus you can take a look at the peak list in my profile- I'm not a technical climber so everything on my list is technically "easy"... :D

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:43 am
by Tom Kenney
Peaks along the south side of Humphreys Basin - Glacier Divide and some outliers. The rock is varied, and generally good. Lots of CL 2-3+ to play on. Peaks I've done that I can recommend:

Muriel Peak
Peak 12,123 (near Muriel Lake)
Wahoo Peak
Matthes Peak (Peak 13,000+ near Packsaddle Lake)

Of these, only Matthes Peak is really big, requiring a bit more energy investment.

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 4:49 am
by Ambret
Three other peaks that you might consider:

Mt Lamarck from North Lake (southwest of Bishop) is a great hike. 14 miles roundtrip, beautiful scenery, and a fun scramble at the end if you skip the Col and ascend directly up the southeast slope.

Mt Langley south of Whitney is a long hike -- 21 miles roundtrip via New Army Pass, but there are several lakes to camp by if you do an overnight. At the end, if you miss the trail to the summit, there's some fun scrambling (I'd guess easy Class 3) up the southwest side.

Another mountain in the Whitney area is Lone Pike Peak. It's about 11 miles roundtrip from the Whitney Portal, much of the way on the trail to Meysan Lake (also worth a visit, though you turn south off of the trail to ascend Lone Pike Peak about a mile before Meysan Lake). Lone Pine Peak features a chute to the summit plateau, which as 3Deserts mentioned regarding Independence, will be two steps forward, one and a half steps sliding back down on the scree. But the view from the summit, which includes Langley, Whitney, Muir, Russell, Williamson and a bunch of other mountains, is well worth it.

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 5:50 am
by Deb
Langley is an absolute drag of a slog unless you access it from Tuttle Creek and you're talking overnite or long ass day.
Instead of Lamarck, get on Tom Ross (the other end of Lamarck Col), more opportunity for scramble than Lamarck and same distance.
North Lake without going over Piute Pass, get some Class 2 to Class 5 ascending George Davis from Emerson Lake - I super enjoyed that one as a quick and satisfying day. Rarely visited peak; summit register is from 1949.

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:58 pm
by phydeux
South fo the Whitney zone/north of Langley is the Meysan Lakes area. Its surrounded by Lone Pine Peak, Mt Mallory, Mt. Irvine, Mt. LeConte. First three are class two scrambles, LeConte has a little 'high' class 3 near the summit.

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 2:02 am
by Jesus Malverde
FWIW,
for the peaks represented/selected, not necessarily the accuracy of the beta:
Climbing California's Mountains by Jay Anderson
http://www.amazon.com/Climbing-Californ ... +mountains

at the very least it will get you thinking and planning..
Good luck!

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:27 am
by BHunewill
I agree with Jesus Malverde's comments regarding the book. It is good for ideas but the distances and gain are misleading.

Hoffman, North Peak, Shepherd's Crest, Levitt Pk and Dunderberg are all easier and shorter peaks with straightforward routes.

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 9:47 pm
by Alpenglow
Wow thank you for all the responses! You guys have gave me many ideas.

BHunewill - I have done Hoffmann already I forget to mention that. It was very enjoyable.

-All the best

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:30 am
by mrchad9
Clouds Rest has the best views in Yosemite. Feels exposed but really isn't.

Re: Good Peaks to do in the Sierras for beginning peakbagger

PostPosted: Mon Jul 22, 2013 4:25 pm
by 96avs01
^^^+1