Trip Report
Rockbound Lake and an Unnamed 12,000' Peak

by this just in
Sunday August 10, 2014 7:14pm
We had plans to do Seven Gables, but unsure how our new puppy would do, we decided on a remote lake named Rockbound. On the edge of Ansel Adams Wilderness and YNP, this area is not well traveled and we felt like we were the last people on Earth. Except for all those airplanes, but then again is an airplane actually on Earth?

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My best friends and me entering my favorite Wilderness.


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Granite Creek


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The Gooseberries are small this year.


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Chetwood Cabin


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Fungus


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More Fungus


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Mindy found her first partial arrow/spearhead.


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Potential for coolest bouldering pic ever.


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Getting close, but each step feeling far.


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11.5 miles in 6h40m. Not an easy trail, but well worth it.


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Golden Hybrids

Day 2

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Rockbound


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Blanc Dahlia


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Rockbound


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Blue Lake. Foerester Peak on the left and we thought the right peak looked cool, so gave it a go.


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Top of Bench Canyon


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We did this route almost a year ago exactly. Ritter's western slope is Class 2, but this year had significantly less snow than last year and last year didn't have much either.


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Who would have guessed some talus?


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From here the talus was getting steeper and our puppy wasn't having fun. Mindy said she would wait and let me continue.


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Mount Lyell on left, Rodgers Peak middle, and Electra Peak on right. Add them to the list.


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Mount Ansel Adams is the next closest peak and I had originally thought I was on it.


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Star King to the West.


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Foerster Peak. If we didnt have the pup, this would have been a cool traverse.


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Smoke buries Shuteye to the South.


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Next time bring a pen or pencil. One ascent last year, three in 2012, and one in 2009. First entry was from 1989.


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Lyell Fork of the Mouse's River.


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Hello old friend.


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Summit Selfie. Though I did do some climbing to the summit, this is definitely a cool Class 2 route.


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Adu laughs at the pup. She is a mountain goat at heart.


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Two hours of rain, hail, and lightning, but Thor showed mercy on us.


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Till next time.



  Trip Report Views: 4,287
this just in 		About the Author
this just in is a climber from north fork.

Comments
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Aug 10, 2014 - 07:19pm PT
Brother, that looks like you had an awesome time!!

This is what we need a whole lot more of around here!!
yanqui

climber
Balcarce, Argentina
  Aug 10, 2014 - 07:20pm PT
Beautiful shots of a beautiful place
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Aug 10, 2014 - 07:28pm PT
TJI, my awesome daughter wants to know why you stole her dog....
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Author's Reply  Aug 10, 2014 - 07:48pm PT
Haha Bruce, does that pup do OK going up talus, but needs to be carried down it? If so, maybe I did steal her dog.

Thanks yanqui.
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Aug 10, 2014 - 07:54pm PT
TJI, no, he actually does well both ways, but sadly he's getting old man knees even as a youngster. Top notch critter though, as it appears you have. Amber was looking over my shoulder and said "Whoa, he stole my dog!"
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
  Aug 10, 2014 - 08:03pm PT
OMG, that is gorgeous. Beautiful pictures of a beautiful place. I really love your TRs.
xo Phyl
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
  Aug 10, 2014 - 08:27pm PT
Cool.

I think in the middle shot, you are seeing Half Dome instead of Starr King. Here is a shot of Half Dome from a similar angle.
from
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/838578/LAID-TO-REST-on-the-back-of-Half-Dome
clinker

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
  Aug 10, 2014 - 08:29pm PT
Cool area and TR.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Author's Reply  Aug 10, 2014 - 08:48pm PT
Thanks Phyl!

Clint, looks like you are right as usual. I've taken pictures from Gale Peak of what I thought was Starr, now I'm gunna have to check those ones too. Thanks.

Thanks Clinker.

Edit:
Starr King from Gale. Good eye Clint.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
  Aug 10, 2014 - 08:53pm PT
Trailhead?
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Author's Reply  Aug 10, 2014 - 09:02pm PT
Isberg TH.
Take to The Niche, then go on Stevenson Trail for about .5 miles, then go towards Chetwood Cabin for 1.3 miles. From here you follow a trail that hasn't been maintained in awhile called Long Creek Trail for 4.4 miles. It ends at Long Creek and you follow this creek up to Rockbound for about 3 miles. You end up being almost directly West of Ritter. Can't beat that for a backdrop.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Aug 10, 2014 - 09:04pm PT
quite nice!

good time on the 11.5m too!
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
  Aug 10, 2014 - 09:12pm PT
Oh I loved this. Great pics as always, this just in. Hope to bump into you some day out there - one of the best things going in ST is your constant weaving of excellent pics and good vibes.

Now I know what your mug looks like, so I can say hello out on the trail/rock.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Author's Reply  Aug 10, 2014 - 09:42pm PT
Thanks Munge.

le bruce, big thanks man and likewise.
KabalaArch

Trad climber
Starlite, California
  Aug 10, 2014 - 10:14pm PT
I visited the Mt. Foresters region along time ago, 1970? (and I'm glad to see it's still there!) - from The Valley Side.

You certainly don't get to see the Minarets and the Ritter Range from this aspect too often.

Plus, I've always been keen to know what an Isberg approach might look like, if you know what I mean. The bears had given me my money's worth on the way in, overnight at Little Yosemite (“Bear Valley”). And on the way out too, adding a few more miles and about 3,000 more feets to an already long dayhke.

So thank you for the excellent photos of the path less taken – helping out with my own list.
Flip Flop

climber
Earth Planet, Universe
  Aug 10, 2014 - 10:21pm PT
Nice trip report. Thanks.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Aug 11, 2014 - 03:35am PT
Beautiful nature pics Justin!!!! Gracias!
anita514

Gym climber
Great White North
  Aug 11, 2014 - 06:58am PT
Great stuff, beautiful pictures and scenery.
Can't wait to head back there next summer.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Author's Reply  Aug 11, 2014 - 07:43am PT
Thanks W.L. Flip, Ezra, and Anita.

Cool to hear you have been to the area KabalaArch. Supposedly the pic of the Lyell Fork above was Ansel's favorite place in the Sierra. It sounds like you came in this way and looking down at the river and meadows makes me wanna check it out.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Author's Reply  Aug 11, 2014 - 08:21am PT
Ritter's Western Slope last year.

Exactly one year later.
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
  Aug 11, 2014 - 08:23am PT

A great TR with phenomenal photos...

And then, OT, I have to ask one question for the pure sound of it: Is Mindy on the Mind thread?
kaholatingtong

Trad climber
The fake McCoy from nevernever land.
  Aug 11, 2014 - 08:57am PT
i wana take a dog up there, looks like fun. thanks for the share, i can never get tired of these types of views.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Author's Reply  Aug 11, 2014 - 06:28pm PT
Thanks Marlow. The mind thread I believe was named after her.

Kahola, you should definitely do that.
MH2

Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
  Aug 11, 2014 - 06:58pm PT
Talus over brush any day. Beautiful high-spirited personable TR. Alway like it when other people join me in mis-identifying summits.
Ken M

Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
  Aug 11, 2014 - 08:21pm PT
Great TR.

I'm a occasional volunteer ranger for that district, and you may enjoy my fellow ranger's exploration to find Ansel's last camp:

http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,68712,68718#msg-68718

The last post of that thread links to a TR of the lakes up that basin.

For those who like the area of Bench Valley and would like to see the trails brought up to standard may want to send a note to the Forest. Believe it or not, these are actually paid attention to, in setting priorities for trails.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/contactus/sierra/about-forest/contactus
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  Jan 15, 2016 - 01:44pm PT
I want to bump this for the awesome bouldering photo possibility..wow that thing is exposed.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Author's Reply  Jan 15, 2016 - 03:39pm PT
Yeah V, that thing looks crazy. It was a little out of the way, but be cool to get some hands on it.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  Jan 15, 2016 - 03:50pm PT
It seriously may be the only boulder (that I am aware of at the moment) which may warrant a backcountry trip. At some point...wild feature.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Jan 15, 2016 - 03:57pm PT
nice bump for a nice TR.

The boulder goes at V8. Man I could had that. ;)
Risk

Mountain climber
Marooned, 855 miles from Tuolumne Meadows
  Jan 15, 2016 - 11:23pm PT


Out there. No place compares, for me.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
Author's Reply  Jan 16, 2016 - 09:18am PT
Beautiful pics TMJesse
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
  Jan 16, 2016 - 10:55am PT
Ah, man...I love the Sierra so much, and loved your TR. Thanks for bringing us along!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Jan 16, 2016 - 02:58pm PT
Definitely worthy thread!

Again!
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
  Jan 16, 2016 - 04:31pm PT
That's a great outing right there! Looks like fun.
John M

climber
  Jan 16, 2016 - 05:51pm PT
Ah.. Beautiful. I never made it to that area. Was near it over the ridge at Harriet, and Turner, Lyell fork, Edna, plus over at Isberg, Mclure, Cora, and a bunch I can't remember. Love that area. Thanks for posting up! Lots of good memories of that country.
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