This was one of the interesting parts of the trip, as we were not really clear on where Grouse Creek Lake was, even after using Google Earth to make a best guess.   We had passed the cutoff trail many times, so we knew how to get to the canyon and it was just a question of where we would stop.   Once in the general area we were perplexed but after a bit of searching we decided on a campsite close to water, and what would turn out to be the lake outlet.   One fine point however, the lake was not there!!!   Dried up, gone, nice grassy hills but no lake.   The point of this was to get George close to Relief Peak, so at least we accomplished that.

Up early and off to catch the top of Relief Peak.   All three of us made it up to a tarn below an access ridge to Relief Peak (bone dry as well) and then George and I made our way up to one of the ridges.   As we gained the crest, beside the great views of Granite Dome and the surrounding area, there was what we guess was either a weather station or communications relay station.   The ridge from here got dicey and even George turned back.   But as he was determined to make the peak, he descended back to the tarn and took a more direct route to gain a closer ridge and the peak!   I hung out and took some of the pics below and went back to camp to get ready for the hike out to Kennedy Meadows.

Granite Dome	Geo n Geo at Camp	Lewis Lakes	Lower Relief Valley

This was one of George's shortcuts but with a rather quick elevation gain and an attempt to catch the peak from the back end.   Looked easy enough on the topo, but it quickly changed, as many things do in the mountains.   The hanging valley we hiked up was rather spectacular and dramatic, especially the cirque that bordered Blue Canyon Lake and the ridge above Kennedy Creek Canyon.   We got to a point where George saw a line up to a saddle and then up to the Peak, so off he went and I turned back to explore the other side of the canyon we had just navigated.   I soon found a graveyard of uprooted Whitebark Pines that looked like they had been done in by a snow slide many years ago.   Further down I also found some young Mountain Hemlocks sharing the soil.   Meanwhile, George had gained the saddle but once up saw that the rest of the climb was unstable and decided to head back.   Problem was the slope he had come up did not look as appealing going down, so he did the safe thing and descended down the other side to the Kennedy Creek trail and back out to Kennedy Meadows.   As he was late in coming back, I guessed that he had looped around so I jumped in the Pilot and headed down to KM to pick him up.   I should have stayed and waited, as he hitched a ride with a good looking lady and had to abort the trip when he saw me coming down the roadway.   Sorry about that George!!!   That night we were treated to some spectacular skies from a lingering weather system over Nevada combined with smoke wafting in from a small fire near the Donnell Lake overlook.

Two peaks, one day.   We awoke to a good breakfast and off to the St Mary's Pass trailhead.   Sonora and Stanislaus Peaks were the goal.   It was a gorgeous day as the sun warmed the endless array of peaks, ridges and hi-country scenery.   We made quick work of the climb up to the pass and after a short stop started for the peak.   You cross a small plain dotted with purple lupine against the red volcanic mix, and then head up the ridge to gain the top.   From here the views are 360°, from a birds eye view of the Sonora Pass area, downrange into Yosemite, the Sweetwater Range eastward, Carson-Iceberg to the North and the Dardanelles to the West.   Two wind caves allow you to stay until your heart is content.   And with George, that happens fast as there is still another peak to bag.   Off we go cross-country eventually merging with the trail that leads to the base of Stanislaus Peak.   Some very fascinating rock formations greet you as the peak comes into full view.   George spies his target and off he goes. I decide that one is enough and head back to help break camp with George Sr.   Along the way in this rather desolate, exposed section, all of a sudden a small trickle of spring water  gives birth to an exploding display of yellow flowers!!!   A nice touch by mother nature.  
We actually have a timetable to hit as we are to meet Barry for dinner in Bridgeport.   Back in 2004, he was kind enough to pick us up at Leavitt Meadows and drive us over to the Twin Lakes trailhead to start our trip, thus saving us time retrieving our SUV on the way out.   The plan was to treat him to dinner as we did not get a chance three years prior.   We hooked up right in front of the Bridgeport Court House, which I believe was used in a John Wayne movie, and off to a real dinner...   Our goal for the night was Queens Mine at the base of Boundary Peak (Nevada high point) so we finished a filling dinner and headed out for a 2 hour drive, or so we thought.   I will continue this tale next page and leave you with some pics to gaze upon.

As we finished dinner and sped off to find the dirt road that would take us to the base of Boundary Peak, the weather was starting to look a bit iffy, but it was hard to tell with the mix of clouds and smoke from some of the fires in the area.   We were headed for Highway 6 and a cutoff dirt road at the site of a former brothel.   Well, we made the left turn at Benton and started to look for the road as darkness was setting in.   We spotted a road that was opposite to a large tank as was in our directions,  and after unlocking the gate, we headed along a pretty rough road.   Barry had told us it was an easy drive but this was far from it.   After about 15 minutes the road became more of a washed out gully and we had to stop and turn around.   It was not making much sense, especially after reading several trip reports that indicated people had made it to Queens Mine in compact 2 wheel drive cars.   It was not looking good for our tight schedule, so as we got back to route 6 and headed North we started to conjure up alternate plans when all of sudden we passed another large tank and George suspected that we had made a wrong turn.   A quick u-turn and back to the road that George had spotted and we found the right one.   This was more like it!   By now it was dark, and as we climb up to 8k ft, a few times on the road we came across small owls just standing in the road.   Did not get a good look at them to identify, so if you have an idea of what they were, please drop me a note.   We finally made the parking lot and with the help of the Pilot's headlight, the tents were pitched and we settled to sleep.

This was the " big kahuna" day.   Over 4k up and another back.   The Nevada high point!   We started early and climbed up to the trailhead saddle and then ran a ridge up to the next saddle.   This is where you meet the Eastern trailhead and start a series of two climbs.   The first takes you right up a scree field with so many blazed trails that you can actually get dazed and confused about which way to go.   My advice, just spy out the best route as all trails lead to the same spot.   Once here, the full view of the route up and the peak itself pops at you as you crest another saddle.   This is very barren country but it has charm and a feel of raw mountain.   I decided to remain at this point and George continued on to catch another state high point.   As I lunched on a sandwich, I followed George on his way up the ridge, and at one point a set of F18s flew over the peak and one of the aircraft gave him a wing wiggle.   Pretty cool.

Trailhead	First Look	Up From Canyon Saddle	Summit

As I headed back, one item on the To Do list was to catch some pics of Bristlecone Pine that I had seen scattered on the hike up.   There were several good examples, and as I was shooting the top branches of one, a Clark's Nutcracker settled in for his glamour shot.   These are majestic trees and are part of a family of the oldest living organism with the famed Methuselah just miles away in these same White Mountains.   Germinated in 2832 BC, this tree is 4839 years old and the location is a guarded secret to prevent vandalism and the curious from accidentally bringing on its demise.   An even older tree, Prometheus, was cut down in 1964 to determine its age and would have been 4894 years old today.   I would venture that in the 60's before the advent of current non-evasive technologies, this was the only way to accurately determine tree age.   You have to wonder if the geologist that cut this down had to choose between the two and just picked the wrong one.   The act of discovery can be wonderful, fateful and destructive all at the same time.
We all joined up again in early afternoon to explore the area mines and littered remnants of those operations.   According to archives at the University of Reno this area produced gold, silver lead and copper.   A 1982 survey shows that this area was discovered in 1862, started production in 1873, with revivals in 1905 and 1907.   A copy of this report is available at the following link > > http://www.nbmg.unr.edu/scans/0780/07800016.pdf       The hillside looks like some gigantic coyote has been busy for many years carving out new dens.   And among the remnants was a steam engine produced by Aetna Iron Works Pendergast & Smith, San Francisco in 1876.   I have a few shots below.

Bristlecone Pine	Clark's Nutcracker	Abandon Mine	Steam Boiler

This was our one goof off day.   We rose and had a peaceful breakfast of blueberry pancakes, broke camp, packed up the Pilot and headed for lunch at Lee Vining.   Once our bellies were full again, it was up Tioga Pass and into Yosemite.   We had reservations at the White Wolf Tent Cabins and enjoyed a quiet afternoon and the chance to shower up and get clean.

Last climb for the trip.   John Muir said it best, " This I may say is the first time I have been at church in California, led here at last, every door graciously opened for the poor lonely worshiper" , as he was the first to scale this peak.   We started off early in the morning to catch the cooler weather, following the trail until the ridges above started to make sense on where to leave the trail and start the scramble up.   An obvious saddle was our target as we crossed thru a semi-dense band of trees and proceeded up a variation of granite ledges and loose rocks, with intermittent ducks to guide the way.   As we rose, the views across Tuolomne Meadows exploded all around and each step up revealed another burst of this beautiful landscape.   I could sense what John Muir felt as he scrambled up towards the peak and the reverence that surrounds you in places like this.   It is to be experienced.   George made it to the bottom of the summit block but wisely did not attempt the class 5 short surge without protective gear.   The drop was an easy 1000 ft...   We met back at the Pilot and it was time to head out and pick up George Sr. and head home.

White Wolf	Cathedral Lake	Mt Connes	Cathedral Peak