Re: [pct-l] climbing along the JMT

[Bighummel@aol.com]

Mt. Banner and Mt Ritter are just under and just over 13,000 feet, 
respectively, and are the center pieces of the Minaret Range near Mammoth.  
Both are class 3+ climbs and usually require at least an ice axe.  Check out 
the cover of the California Guide book for a picture of these beauties from 
Ediza Lake.

Banner can be climbed later in the summer, early fall without any equipment 
from the North side from 1,000 Island Lake.  There is a small glacier 
splitting Ritter from Banner that leads to a saddle between them.  This 
saddle is also accessible from Ediza Lake using an ice axe and crampons, 
though, as the last stretch is very steep from the South side.  From the 
saddle it is a boulder scramble to near the top where it gets a little more 
dicey.  If you know elemental rock climbing you can climb the last 200 feet 
fairly easily and enjoy the 3,000 foot exposure to 1,000 Island Lake and an 
impressive view of the ramparts of Mt Ritter to the immediate west.

Ritter is class 3.5+ climb from the saddle and looks more intimidating than I 
have been willing to try.  John Muir describes in one of his classic writings 
of the first ascent of Mt. Ritter from the saddle with no ropes.  I think he 
had an alpine ice axe (read long handled).  He describes freezing at one 
point in shear fright at falling and willing himself through his fear.  

The simplest route up Ritter is from the valley on its south east side from 
Lake Ediza.  This high valley sits at about 11,000 feet and runs roughly 
east-west.  It is a simple scramble up from the main valley between Banner 
and Ritter up to this valley.  There are two or three routes from the North 
side of this high valley then to a glacier nested on the South west side of 
the peak.  These routes are the most technical part of the climb but just 
require ice axe and crampons.  The high glacier climbs gradually to the peak, 
an easy climb.  

The view from the top of Ritter is spectacular on a clear day as it is the 
highest point in a large area.  You can see into Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne 
Meadows, several ranges into Nevada, Mono Lake, all the way into the southern 
Sierra and Whitney, into the central valley and if you're lucky the coast 
ranges.

They are two of the most spectacular and scenic peaks in the Sierras, IMHO, 
and are two of the funnest climbs that I have done.

Have fun and tell us about it when you return to the list.

Taking one long stride at-a-time . . .

Greg "Strider" Hummel
* From the PCT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================