July 2004 

 

... Continued From the north end of Saddlebag Lake, we first hiked a well worn trail through a series of lakes, then grunted our way up some grassy meadows which quickly yielded to granite slabs.  The slabs tilted ever more steeply until we found ourselves on a knife-edge blade of rock with a sheer drop to McCabe Lake on one side and the Twenty Lakes basin on the other.  The exposure was serious but manageable -- somewhere on the scale between "Hey, that sure kept my attention" and "Oops, I think I just shit my pants".  Surprisingly, I felt pretty comfortable the entire way up the ridge, with the only spicy part coming as we did a steep friction traverse below the crux of the route.  In retrospect it may have been funner and less scary to stay on the ridge proper.
Note:  clicking on any photograph will present a full screen version.
	Bob in Gap #1.  Bob gets creative in dropping down into the first gap along the NW ridge.
	"Um, This is Not Class 3 Dude".  Mark getting slightly off route on some vertical rock on the other side of the first gap.  An easier way goes below and left of this little problem.
	On the Ridge.  Sam, Michael and Mark on the ridge.  The slabs could be walked on easily in this part, but were tilted such that a misstep meant a long tumble down into McCabe Lake.
	Getting Steeper.  Sam climbing a fun part of the ridge.
	Looking Back.  View down the ridge with Michael above the second gap.  Shepherds Crest is the peak on the left.  Black Mountain, South Peak and Lundy Canyon are on the right.   Below left:  Sam Mills high on the ridge.   Below:  looking across the face of North Peak to Tioga Pass.  Mt. Dana visible on the horizon.

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