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MOUNT BREWER


A solo ascent of the East Ridge of Mount Brewer (Class 2), Kings Canyon National Park, CA,

June 20-22, 2007

(Click image for larger view)

"I might never see 'em but my common sense tells me the Andes is foothills and the Alps is for children to climb. These HERE is God's finest sculpturing. There ain't no laws for the braves ones. Ain't no asylums for the crazy ones. There ain't no churches except this right here. And there ain't no priests except the birds." Del Gue, Jeremiah Johnson, 1972.

June 20, 2007 - Approach to East Lake

 

I departed the Onion Valley trailhead at 9:30 am, having given a ride to some PCT hikers up to the trailhead from Independence. I reached Kearsarge Pass at 11:25 am, and proceeded on to East Lake, arriving at at 3:30 pm. I looked for a camp above East Lake, hoping to avoid mosquitoes, but they ended up being worse higher up. I found a suitable camp above East Lake around 4:30 pm.


1. Kearsarge Pass, 11:30 am

2. Looking towards the Kearsarge Lakes and Mount Farquhar


3. Bullfrog Lake from Kearsarge Pass


4. Kearsarge Pinnacles


5. View from the John Muir Trail near Vidette Meadows.

From left to right: Center Peak, East Vidette, Deerhorn Mountain, West Vidette and Mount Brewer.


6. Bubb Creek. Crossing the creek was not a problem

even this early in the season - I took off my shoes and waded

through the deep water, aided by sticks.
7. Towards East Lake.

8. Camp just above East Lake


9. In camp. Lots of mosquitoes.

June 20, 2007 - Climbing Mount Brewer

On ascent day I departed camp at 6:25 am and, making better time than I had expected, reached the summit at 9:40 am. There were no difficulties, though some of the snow on the north side of the ridge forced me to stay right on the crest, where the occasional third class move was encountered. I followed the excellent route laid out by Bob Burd. I departed the summit at 10:30 am after leaving a note in memory of my friend and colleague John McMillan, who passed away in 2007. I reached camp at 12:45 pm and moved it to East Lake to get away from the mosquitoes (better success this time - almost no mosquitoes at East Lake). With a lot of day left, I took a bath in the creek, had lunch and hiked to Lake Reflection in the afternoon. This lake is known to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the High Sierra, and I was not disappointed.


10. Mount Brewer on the day of the ascent. The East ridge is the left skyline from the summit.


11. Full view of the East ridge.

12. Resting.


13. South Ridge, looking towards South Guard (to the right). On the left side, Mount Tyndall, Mount Russell and

(barely visible behind Mount Jordan) Mount Whitney. Photo taken from the base of the headwall leading to the South ridge.

 
14. The summit of Mount Brewer (right-hand horn) from the ridge.

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15. Class 2 headwall to the South ridge.

Follow the ledges left to a notch in the ridge.


16. Summit register box

17. My entry in the summit register. 


18. Summit self-portrait.

19. Such a landscape! From left to right, Mount Williamson,

Mount Tyndall,, Mount Russell and Mount Whitney.

In the foreground, Mount Genevra and Mount Jordan.


20. Self-portrait on the summit.


21. North Guard (to the left) from the summit. The Palisades are visible on the horizon.

22. The East ridge and East Lake, from the summit.


23. Mount Brewer, from the descent.


24. One of the forks of Ouzel Creek, nearing camp.

25. East Lake, from its northern shore, on the way to Lake Reflection. Ahead, Mount Genevra.

 
26. Mount Jordan and Lake Reflection.


27. Evening light on Lake Reflection.

 
28. Back at East Lake, looking North.


29. Evening in camp on the North side of East Lake.


30. Camp. 

June 22, 2007: Hiking Back

 

On the last day of my trip I departed East Lake at 7:49 am, reached Junction Meadow at 8:49 am (another uneventful crossing of Budd Creek), took a lunch break at Bullfrog Lake at 11:30 am, and reached Kearsarge Pass at 1:15 pm. There I met a very nice person from Malibu, called Richard Whitney - he was a long time Sierra hiker/climber and was just starting a 9 day solo trip. I departed the pass at at 1:50 pm and reached my car at 3:15 pm. By 10 pm, I was back in Santa Barbara.

31. Hiking back to Onion Valley.
32. Bullfrog Lake, where I stopped for lunch.

 
33. University Peak, from the Kearsarge Pass trail.

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