North Palisade from Knapsack Pass

At 14,248 ft North Palisade is the third highest mountain in the Sierra Nevada Range and the fourth highest in California.

Dusy Basin from Knapsack Pass

Looking west from Knapsack Pass Dusy Basin descends rapidly to Le Conte Canyon below.  Both the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail pass through Le Conte Canyon.

Aperature Peak at Sunset

It sure looks different from Dusy Basin than it does from Bishop Lake.

Isosceles and Mount Winchell

Unnamed Ridge

Knapsack Pass is to the left of the peak on the left.  Giraud Peak is to the right of the peak on the right.  This section made the best skyline.

Camped Near Isosceles

Knapsack Pass

North Palisade from Dusy Basin

Mount Winchell and North Palisade from Dusy Basin.  The Peak in the middle is Thunderbolt Peak, which is a subsidiary peak of North Palisade.  Apparently in order to qualify as a mountain in the US, a peak has to have 300 feet of topographic prominence.

Bishop Pass

Dividing Ridge

This series of peaks makes up a ridge that defines the border between the Bishop Creek valley on the right and Dusy Basin on the left.

Last Look at Bishop Creek

Bishop Creek runs out of Bishop Lake through Saddlerock Lake, Long Lake and eventually back to South Lake. The peak in the center is Hurd Peak.

Approximate location in Google Earth.

Mountain Wildlife

People who came up from Le Conte canyon to the west reported of seeing deer and bears, but above timberline, the biggest animal I saw was this marmot.

Sunrise on Mt. Goode

Sunset Behind Mt. Goode

Aperature Peak

The "Inconsolable Range" forms the eastern boundary of the Bishop Creek valley. The major peaks in the range are Cloudripper, Picture Puzzle and Aperature Peak. It provides a spectacular backdrop for the entire hike from South Lake to Bishop Pass.

The map actually shows a trail over Jigsaw Pass, which is the curved saddle on the left side, but I couldn't see it from where I was.

Long Lake Review

I took this picture shortly after I crossed 11,000 ft. I had to walk slowly and not stand up too fast.  Spearhead Lake in the foreground, Long Lake in the background.

approximate location in Google Earth

Bishop Creek

Bishop Creek is fed by snow and rain in the valley between Bishop Pass and South Lake.  Even this late in the year there is enough water that laying in my tent at Bishop Lake, the creek seems deafening.

Long Lake Trail

Looking back along Long Lake.  The unnamed peak in the background is on the north side of South Lake.

Long Lake

Long Lake with a view of Mount Goode in the background.

approximate location in Google Earth.

Chocolate Mountain

Chocolate Mountain with Cloudripper in the background.

approximate location in Google Earth

Picture Puzzle

I spent the night at the south end of the valley, just below Bishop Pass. I was surrounded on three sides by dramatic, jagged high mountain peaks.  This one reaches up to 13,300 ft.

Approximate location in Google Earth.

Hurd Peak

I recently spent 4 days and 3 nights trekking through the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains (map)

Hurd Peak dominates the skyline from South Lake all the way to Long Lake. This picture is taken from South Lake right at the beginning of the trip. (link to location in Google Earth)

Mt. Whitney

At 14,497 ft, Mt Whitney is the tallest mountain in the contiguous

United States and the 24th highest peak in North America
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_the_highest_major_summits_of_North_America)
It can be seen from the desert valley below at 3,700 ft.
In this picture it doesn't appear to be the highest, but it is the
peak closest to center.