What started out as yet another trip to Kearsarge Pass turned into something far nicer. I happened to have brought ice tools with me so one look at the NW side of University Peak was more than enough temptation to veer left and go climbing. Good route but a tedious descent down from University Pass back to Onion Valley.
FROM LONE PINE CG
SUNRISE VIEW FROM LONE PINE CG
ANOTHER VIEW FROM THE CG
SOUTHERN SIDE OF MT WILLIAMSON
A SHORT WALK ABOVE THE CG
GETTING ACROSS THE STREAM IS THE CRUX OF THIS WALK
COLORFUL SUNRISE SOUTH OF TUTTLE CREEK
PRE DAWN SKIES ON THE KEARSARGE PASS TRAIL
NORTH SIDE OF UNIVERSITY PEAK
GETTING UP EARLY HAS ITS BENEFITS
NORTH SIDE OF UNIVERSITY PEAK
THE COMPLEX NORTH FACE OF UNIVERSITY PEAK
OUT OF THE WOODS AND INTO THE ALPINE
MELLOW MORNING APPROACH
SERIOUSLY PERFECT APPROACH TO THE NW FACE
WANDERING THRU ROLLING HILLS ON THE WAY TO THE NW FACE
WISH THIS COULD HAVE LASTED LONGER
MT GOULD - RIGHT OF CENTER AND ABOVE THE PASS
MOUNT RIXFORD
GETTING STARTED
OK ... NOW WHAT
ROUTE DETAIL
NORTH WEST FROM THE CLIMB
ENTERING THE GULLY AT MID ROUTE
LOOKING DOWN A FEW MINUTES LATER
EASY BUT INTRICATE
EXITING THE SHADOWS RIGHT OF CENTER ON THE UPPER FACE
LOOKING DOWN THE FIRST STEPS ON THE FINAL SNOW SLOPE TO THE NW RIDGE
LOOKING UP AT THE LAST SECTION OF THE CLIMB
THE CLIMB IN REVIEW
WEST TO THE GREAT WESTERN DIVIDE
WEST PAST THE KINGS KERN DIVIDE TO THE FARAWAY GREAT WESTERN DIVIDE
HEAVY SNOW COVER AND MT STANFORD FROM THE TOP OF UNIVERSITY PEAK
DESCENDING THE SOUTH RIDGE LOOKING FOR UNIVERSITY PASS
NORTH PAST KEARSARGE PASS TO THE FARAWAY EVOLUTION GROUP AND PALISADES
EASY WALKING / SCRAMBLING TO THE MAIN SUMMIT
LOOKING DOWN THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PEAK
DESCENDING TO UNIVERSITY PASS
DESCENDING UNIVERSITY PASS
LOOKING BACK UP AT UNIVERSITY PASS