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oliverka | profile | all galleries >> Mountain Trips >> South Lake (May 2024) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

South Lake (May 2024)

Solo trip to my usual spring camp behind South Lake. This time there is not enough snow cover along South Lake so I have to take the Treasure Lakes Trail. Next morning I start towards Thompson Ridge (or “Ski Mountaineers Peak”). With a few ups and downs across the large basin below Mt Gilbert I finally ascend the last nice slope to the ridge. Skiing is good on nice corn snow until the final deep and heavy snow in the trees near the tent. After spending all afternoon in the tent while thunderstorms bring rain followed by a long backbreaking night, I start up to Hurd Peak the next morning. Now it is a bit cooler and icy. I carefully work onto the final slope towards the peak when it becomes clear that on this N-facing slope I will only find either hard snow or breaking crust. I turn around, rattle down to camp and hike out soon. Alleine zu meinem üblichen Frühlingslager hinter South Lake. Diesmal gibt es entlang des South Lake nicht genügend Schneedecke, sodass ich den Treasure Lakes Trail nehmen muss. Am nächsten Morgen starte ich in Richtung Thompson Ridge (oder „Ski Mountaineers Peak“). Mit ein paar Auf- und Abstiegen über das große Becken unterhalb von Mt Gilbert erklimme ich schließlich den letzten schönen Hang zum Grat. Skifahren ist auf schönem Firn gut, bis zum letzten schweren Schnee in den Bäumen in der Nähe des Zeltes. Nachdem ich den ganzen Nachmittag wegen Gewitterregen im Zelt verbringe, gefolgt von einer langen Nacht, mache ich mich am nächsten Morgen auf den Weg zu Hurd Peak. Jetzt ist es etwas kühler und eisig. Ich arbeite mich vorsichtig an den letzten Hang zum Gipfel heran. Als klar wird, dass ich an diesem nach Norden ausgerichteten Hang nur entweder harten Schnee oder Bruchharsch finden werde, drehe ich um, rattere zum Lager hinunter und wandere bald wieder hinaus.
Evening start from South Lake
Evening start from South Lake		 Camp in the Treasure Lake drainage (10,050ft; 3060m)
Camp in the Treasure Lake drainage (10,050ft; 3060m)		 South Lake from above
South Lake from above		 Mt Thompson & Thompson Ridge
Mt Thompson & Thompson Ridge		 Mt Gilbert and the Thompson Couloirs
Mt Gilbert and the Thompson Couloirs
Highpoint on Thomson Ridge (~13,200ft; 4020m)
Highpoint on Thomson Ridge (~13,200ft; 4020m)		 Point Powell from Thompson Ridge
Point Powell from Thompson Ridge		 The Palisades from Thompson Ridge
The Palisades from Thompson Ridge		 Looking down the large basin between Thompson Ridge and Mt Gilbert
Looking down the large basin between Thompson Ridge and Mt Gilbert		 Evening in Camp
Evening in Camp
Hurd Peak in the morning
Hurd Peak in the morning		 Thompson ridge from the N side of Hurd Peak
Thompson ridge from the N side of Hurd Peak		 South Lake from the N side of Hurd Peak
South Lake from the N side of Hurd Peak		 Looking back at the basins from the hike out
Looking back at the basins from the hike out		 Sierra above Big Pine from Klondike Lake
Sierra above Big Pine from Klondike Lake

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