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MOUNT HUMPHREYS


An ascent of the East Arête of Mount Humphreys (II, 5.4), John Muir Wilderness, CA,

with René Renteria, June 15-17, 2007

(Click image for larger view)

Friday June 15, 2007

 

After a day of sport climbing at Clark Canyon's Area 13, dinner at Angel's and a comfortable night in Mammoth Lakes, we set out for the one hour drive across Buttermilk Country at mid-morning on June 15. We were able to drive uneventfully all the way to the end of the road. The short hike to camp lasted 2 hours from the trailhead at 9,400 ft, and we reached our camp at Lake 10,960 around 2:30 pm. We hiked out to the cirque at the base of the Checkered Demon to check out the gully and arête we would climb the next day.

 

(photos named with an "r" in the filename are courtesy of René Renteria, © 2007)


1. Hiking up to camp. The town of Bishop is visible behind.

2. Hiking towards Lake 10,960.


3. Camp.


4. Lake 10,960 and the lower portion of the East Arête behind it.

5. Hiking closer to the Southeast Gully


6. The ice/snow couloirs on Checkered Demon (Kindergarten Couloir on the left, and Right Couloir on the right).


7. The Checkered Demon.

8. Hiking.

June 16, 2007 - The Climb

The timing of the climb was as follows: We departed camp at 5:30 am, reached head of SE gully at 8:30 am, reached the summit of Mount Humphreys at 1:45 pm, started the descent around 2:20 pm and reached camp at 7:30 pm.


9. Morning alpenglow.
10. Leaving camp towards the base of the climb.

11. Many-colored rock in the cirque.


12. Getting higher 

13. View of Checkered Demon from the Southeast Gully. Mount Sill and North Palisade in the background.

14. Approaching the top of the gully.

15. The arête climbing begins.


16. Typical exposure on the arête .


17. More arête climbing.

18. The arête, from about midway up the route.


19. René leads a fifth class portion.

 
20. Flaking the rope.


21. Reaching the flat part just before the summit headwall.


22. Buttermilk country in the background.

 
23. The flat portion of the route just prior to the summit headwall.


24. René and Checkered Demon.

 
25. Getting ready to climb the headwall.

26. Setting out to lead the mid-fifth class headwall pitch to the summit of Mount Humphreys.

 


27. Leading around and above some overhanging rocks.


28. Belaying René up to an intermediate station.


29. René leads up some fourth class rock to the summit.


30. On the summit.


31. Humphreys Basin to the West. Mount Darwin is the highpoint on the horizon, and the Evolution Peaks surround it.


32. René on the summit.

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33. Me on the summit.


34. More of me on the summit.


35. Looking towards Bishop from near the summit.


36. First rappel down the summit headwall.


37. The summit headwall. The route ascends the ramp on the left.


38. Looking back towards the headwall.


39. Down climbing the arête.


40. Second rappel bypassing another fifth-class portion.


41. Off rappel.


42. Stowing away the gear.


43. Satisfied.


44. Hiking back to camp.


45. More hiking back.


46. Evening light on Checkered Demon.


47. Back in camp.

Sunday June 17, 2007

 

We left camp around 8:30 am, reached the car at 9:30 am and were back in Bishop around 10:45 am.


48. Camp in the morning.


49. Self-portrait.


50. Checkered Demon and us.

 

51. Back at the car.
52. René.


53. Looking back toward Mount Humphreys.


54. Cleaning up in McGee Creek.


55. Buttermilk Country and Mount Humphreys.


56. Driving back across the Buttermilks.

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