Traversing to Hummingbird Pass

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After our aborted attempt at going over the right shoulder of Finger Peak, we decided to traverse along the side of the mountain toward Hummingbird Pass rather than downclimb along our original route.  A large scree and talus slope forced us to eventually lose all of the elevation we had previously gained.  We came down a very steep slope covered in grass atop large boulders where a stream flows from snowmelt further up Finger Peak.  While absolutely gorgeous, it was also rather treacherous with backpacks on.

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Coming back down into upper Blue Canyon.

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We followed a series of lush, wet benches amidst the rough granite cliffs and ridges toward Hummingbird Pass.

 

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Looking down toward the bottom of Blue Canyon, Tehipite Valley, and way out in the distance (if there weren’t smog), Fresno.

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A few of the lakes we hiked by the day before.  Not many people ever see these lakes from this viewpoint.

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Looking back toward the pass that we couldn’t get over due to snow.

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Crossing another seasonal creek.  The dry grass my dad is standing in was great fun to play with as a kid.  I used to build birds nests out of it wherever we camped.

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We had to navigate around this bowl of granite on our way over to Hummingbird Pass.  It took us some time to pick our way through safely.  Had we not found a way through, we could have had to backtrack down into Blue Canyon to find another route through.

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Looking up toward Hummingbird Pass.  If we can’t get through this pass, we have to backtrack back down Blue Canyon and try going over Coyote Pass.

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Walking through a big fissure in the rocks.  This area only melted out from the snow a few days ago.

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At the lake just below Hummingbird Pass.  When I was much younger, I looked down on this lake from above while having lunch on the ridgeline.  Now we get to hike around it and explore the area a bit.  Near the edge of the lake in the foreground, we found a very old campfire ring.  Fires are banned at this elevation now but back in the 1970s when the area saw heavy backpacking use, many people passed through and camped at this lake.  Now we might be the only people to go this way this year.

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This unnamed high altitude lake sure is pretty.

Up to the Pass on Finger Peak


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Heading up the rocky escarpment toward the pass on the shoulder of Finger Peak.  This is a seldom-used pass that, as far as we know, has never had a name.  We carefully picked our way up through the jumble of boulders, bedrock, and snow toward the summit with our old school Kelty packs.


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Looking down south toward Mount Whitney.  Somewhere out there looms several 14,000+ foot peaks.


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Finally up on the pass!  This is fun!

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Alas, we won’t be going this way.  The north face of the pass was an icy snow chute with little purchase for our boots.  We decided not to try and chance a decent, especially since we weren’t sure if we could get over the pass that drops into Black Cap Basin above Cathedral Lake.  If we had managed to get down into this basin, we could have become trapped and might have had to go down Disappearing Creek or the Gorge of Despair to get back out again.

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Looking toward the notch above Cathedral Lake.  My guess is that it is full of snow and completely impossible to get through without serious ice climbing gear.

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Looking up at Finger Peak.

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There are many beautiful unnamed lakes in this basin.  Mount Goddard rises in the background along with The Black Divide.


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Ice and snow everywhere.  It’s still too early in the season to get through this pass.

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Looking back down into Blue Canyon.


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What a crazy, beautiful world it is up here.

Morning at the Upper Blue Canyon Campsite

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Morning at our beautiful campsite above treeline in Blue Canyon did not disappoint.

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Watching the sun crawl over the high mountain peaks is magical.


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Finger Peak lighting up above our camp.  Our goal is to go over the pass to the left of the peak toward the Ionian Basin.


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What a gorgeous morning!