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University Peak & Virginia Lakes (May 2024)

Finally most roads to higher trailheads are open. We drive to Onion Valley TH (9,100ft) after work. We sleep just next to the car and start to Robinson Lake and University Peak the next morning. Bill and I are on our way towards University Peak E-face while James only wants to hike to the Lake and enjoy the day. Bill climbs to the top of the steep E-face gully, I only go to ~12,500ft. The gully above is poor skiing as I see by other group’s hard work skiing down. From my turnaround point its good corn skiing back to within meters of the car. Bill has to drive back home and James and I head further north to explore some tours around Virginia Lakes. We camp near Lee Vining and ski the mellow Black Mountain & South Peak from there. As James hates his ski boots, we never even put on skins all three days of touring and just keep booting up. Great views on Mono Lake both days! Endlich sind die meisten Straßen zu höheren Trailheads geöffnet. Nach der Arbeit fahren wir zum Onion Valley TH (2774m). Wir schlafen direkt neben dem Auto und machen uns am nächsten Morgen auf den Weg zu Robinson Lake und University Peak. Bill und ich sind auf dem Weg zum University Peak E-face, während James nur zum See wandern und den Tag genießen möchte. Bill klettert bis and Ende der steilen E-Face-Rinne, ich gehe nur auf ~3800m. Skifahren in der oberen Rinne ist nicht gut, wie ich an der harten Arbeit anderer Gruppen sehe. Von meinem Umkehrpunkt bis fast zum Auto ist bester Firn. Bill muss danach zurück nach Hause und James und ich fahren weiter nach Norden, um einige Touren rund um die Virginia Lakes zu erkunden. Wir campen in der Nähe von Lee Vining und touren von dort aus den gemütlichen Black Mountain und South Peak. Da James seine Skischuhe hasst, legen wir an allen drei Tourentagen nicht einmal Felle auf und machen alle Aufstiege mit ski am Rucksack. Tolle Aussicht auf den Mono Lake an beiden Tagen!
Morning in Onion Valley
Morning in Onion Valley		 Reaching the E-face of University Peak
Reaching the E-face of University Peak		 Looking towards Univerity Pass
Looking towards Univerity Pass		 Mono Lake vista
Mono Lake vista		 Black Mountain and Big Virginia Lake
Black Mountain and Big Virginia Lake
View of Mt Conness and North Peak
View of Mt Conness and North Peak		 High above Mono Lake
High above Mono Lake		 Reaching the summit
Reaching the summit		 Black Mountain (11,797ft; 3596m)
Black Mountain (11,797ft; 3596m)		 Buckeye Hot Spring
Buckeye Hot Spring
Not much snow on Dunderberg Peak
Not much snow on Dunderberg Peak		 A bit of postholing
A bit of postholing		 Reaching the summit of South Peak (11,400ft; 3475m)
Reaching the summit of South Peak (11,400ft; 3475m)		 James pondering the drop-in
James pondering the drop-in		 Looking back at South Peak and Black Mountain
Looking back at South Peak and Black Mountain

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