dpsiebert - Aug 23, 2008 4:48 am Date Climbed: Oct 12, 2003
North Face
Dayhiked with Independence. Easier than I thought it would be.
yaknjorgl - Jul 2, 2008 3:31 pm Date Climbed: Jun 18, 2008
north face
fine scramble, class 3 moves, and the zigzag through the upper towers is spectacular, even climbed the upper snow patch to keyhole and summit block. A little disouraging finding a running trail off the south side, but I think I got the better views.
Dave S - May 2, 2008 11:39 pm Date Climbed: May 2, 2008
North Face
Nice scramble! Fun solo dayhike from Onion Valley. Descended via the Southeast Ridge to make a loop of it.
Brian Kalet - Apr 22, 2008 12:36 am Date Climbed: Apr 19, 2008
eric.hannan - Oct 22, 2007 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2007
Scramble
Did this in preparation for Whitney. Great hike from the Onion Valley route. The chain of lakes are not only great visually but a great place to camp. I am surprised that more people don't visit this area! It was cold and there was a good amount of snow on the ground and it also snowed a little. A group went with us with a broken tent, not such a good time in freezing temps!
Cool peak. I took the north side up and down. It was a long way up from the lake with 6" of snow. When I got to the summit ridge, it took me an hour to find the route to the summit block. For future reference, stay on the snow on the north side, don't cross over to the south. When I reached the summit block, I couldn't figure out which point was the highest. I climbed the three most likely candidates (just in case), but did not find a summit register anywhere (perhaps it was under the snow). One of those points was quite challenge (re: scary) to climb, so I didn't spend too much time on top of that one. Nice views from the top and really cool views of the mountain from down at the lake. My dog cut his toe during the ascent. He waited for me for an hour or so on the summit ridge. Then I followed his bloody tracks back to the car. He's alright now though, no worries.
lefty - Sep 18, 2007 12:33 am Date Climbed: Sep 30, 2006
Dayhike
I thought the pass to the east of University pass was a much better route even though it is farther from the peak.
BCL - Aug 17, 2007 9:50 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2007
North Face
Fun route. Very hazy out.
Bill Kish - Aug 12, 2007 11:23 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2007
North Face
2007 Sierra Challenge alternate peak. Pretty nice route with great views from top.
Fun hike up the north face from Mattock Lake. A few spots of class 3 but mostly class 2, a long way up the rib amid rapidly darkening skies. It started raining ice pellets while I was on the summit, so I quickly left, descending the east face to Robinson Lake. When I was in sight of the parking lot it starting pouring so rather than put on my rain jacket I decided to make a run for it, and of course I tripped and skinned my knee :( Nothing serious, just annoying.
Adamus - Jul 21, 2007 3:17 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2007
North Face
Awesome climb up with great views the whole way. Descending Univesity Pass was a pain though. Scrambled up Independence's west face as well. Found a lidless ammo box with a rusted can on top, no notebook though, so I added one and taped it. Hopefully somebody will place a new box...
Travis_ - Jun 26, 2007 7:22 pm Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2007
North Face Ascent, East slope descent
Beautiful climb. Always nice to do a loop, so we descended the east slope. HERE is a Google Earth GPS track of our trip with photos.
ChuckO - Jun 18, 2007 3:39 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2007
North Face
Nice route. Fun scrambling. A beautiful weather day in the Sierra's. Solo climb just soaking in all the beauty (and breathing hard!). Part of a three peak long weekend (with BearCreekSpire and Laurel).
chudder - May 25, 2007 2:46 pm Date Climbed: May 21, 2007
nice peak
May 21, 2007: South slope from Center Basin. Sandy/scree slog up from the outlet of the unnamed lake at the base of University's southern slopes. Took southern slopes up to the SE ridge near peak 3926, then traversed the ridge until reaching the last 150 feet or so of climbing. The whole southern side was melted out pretty good, though there were a couple of small icy patches. Register still missing its top, but everything inside was dry. If there is a Class 1 route up from Center Basin, I didn't find it!
August 24, 2007: Up the north face, down SE slopes to Center Basin.
Great climb. The register lid is gone and the plastic bag that covers the register has holes in it. If anyone is going up they should take a new register box. The register itself is a large book 11" by 17". Climbed the North Face decended the East Face.
boisedoc - Sep 11, 2006 5:39 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2002
Center Basin
Easy scramble from Center Basin on the JMT. I dont care what Secor says, it is certainly not class 1. Great views all around
derbilly - Aug 17, 2006 6:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2006
North Face
7th day of the Sierra Challenge. I decided to do a previous years challenge peak instead of East Vidette. Ascended the north face and descended via University Shoulder and Kearsarge Lakes.
Route: Southeast Ridge Date Climbed: July 16, 2006
Climbed the Southeast Ridge from Robinson Lake. The slope up to University Pass was full of soft snow so it was a little tiring. The views from the summit nearly without parallel in the Sierra. 360 degrees of breathtaking vistas.
gluballs - Jul 17, 2006 3:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2006
North Face
Great route. Except for having to hand jam up the 10ft of 'schrund of the last snow field to the summit. That was a little scary. I don't know how other did it this year. Saw no steps in the snow, but the log had climbers claiming a North Face ascent. Oh well! Great summit, great view, and a great time.
Route Climbed: North Face Date Climbed: November 5, 2005
Wanting to keep the upper portion of the route 3rd class and thinking that I could traverse the snow to the left of the top of the couloir to gain the ridge, I climbed the rock on the climber's left of the couloir. This turned out to be sustained class 3+ with some class 4. After reaching the snow at the top and to the left of the couloir (13,100) I discovered that this late in the season it was solid alpine ice. The lower portion of the ice was covered with a thin veneer of sugar snow. The ice wrapped around both sides of a peaklet at the top of the couloir. The planned traverse without crampons or axe was out of the question.
7.21.07 Summited with Jim via N. Face route. I do not recommend descending via University Pass and Robinson lake. While shorter in distance the seemingly endless morraine field will take longer. In addition it is easy to lose the trail immediately below Robinson lake.
dpsiebert - Aug 23, 2008 4:48 am Date Climbed: Oct 12, 2003
North FaceDayhiked with Independence. Easier than I thought it would be.
yaknjorgl - Jul 2, 2008 3:31 pm Date Climbed: Jun 18, 2008
north facefine scramble, class 3 moves, and the zigzag through the upper towers is spectacular, even climbed the upper snow patch to keyhole and summit block. A little disouraging finding a running trail off the south side, but I think I got the better views.
Dave S - May 2, 2008 11:39 pm Date Climbed: May 2, 2008
North FaceNice scramble! Fun solo dayhike from Onion Valley. Descended via the Southeast Ridge to make a loop of it.
Brian Kalet - Apr 22, 2008 12:36 am Date Climbed: Apr 19, 2008
Southeast Ridge (ascent); North Couloir (descent)Trip Report
eric.hannan - Oct 22, 2007 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2007
ScrambleDid this in preparation for Whitney. Great hike from the Onion Valley route. The chain of lakes are not only great visually but a great place to camp. I am surprised that more people don't visit this area! It was cold and there was a good amount of snow on the ground and it also snowed a little. A group went with us with a broken tent, not such a good time in freezing temps!
paisajeroamericano - Oct 18, 2007 12:04 am Date Climbed: Oct 14, 2007
Where's the Summit?Cool peak. I took the north side up and down. It was a long way up from the lake with 6" of snow. When I got to the summit ridge, it took me an hour to find the route to the summit block. For future reference, stay on the snow on the north side, don't cross over to the south. When I reached the summit block, I couldn't figure out which point was the highest. I climbed the three most likely candidates (just in case), but did not find a summit register anywhere (perhaps it was under the snow). One of those points was quite challenge (re: scary) to climb, so I didn't spend too much time on top of that one. Nice views from the top and really cool views of the mountain from down at the lake. My dog cut his toe during the ascent. He waited for me for an hour or so on the summit ridge. Then I followed his bloody tracks back to the car. He's alright now though, no worries.
lefty - Sep 18, 2007 12:33 am Date Climbed: Sep 30, 2006
DayhikeI thought the pass to the east of University pass was a much better route even though it is farther from the peak.
BCL - Aug 17, 2007 9:50 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2007
North FaceFun route. Very hazy out.
Bill Kish - Aug 12, 2007 11:23 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2007
North Face2007 Sierra Challenge alternate peak. Pretty nice route with great views from top.
metasyn11 - Jul 25, 2007 7:52 pm Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2007
North FaceFun hike up the north face from Mattock Lake. A few spots of class 3 but mostly class 2, a long way up the rib amid rapidly darkening skies. It started raining ice pellets while I was on the summit, so I quickly left, descending the east face to Robinson Lake. When I was in sight of the parking lot it starting pouring so rather than put on my rain jacket I decided to make a run for it, and of course I tripped and skinned my knee :( Nothing serious, just annoying.
Adamus - Jul 21, 2007 3:17 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2007
North FaceAwesome climb up with great views the whole way. Descending Univesity Pass was a pain though. Scrambled up Independence's west face as well. Found a lidless ammo box with a rusted can on top, no notebook though, so I added one and taped it. Hopefully somebody will place a new box...
Travis_ - Jun 26, 2007 7:22 pm Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2007
North Face Ascent, East slope descentBeautiful climb. Always nice to do a loop, so we descended the east slope. HERE is a Google Earth GPS track of our trip with photos.
ChuckO - Jun 18, 2007 3:39 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2007
North FaceNice route. Fun scrambling. A beautiful weather day in the Sierra's. Solo climb just soaking in all the beauty (and breathing hard!). Part of a three peak long weekend (with BearCreekSpire and Laurel).
chudder - May 25, 2007 2:46 pm Date Climbed: May 21, 2007
nice peakMay 21, 2007: South slope from Center Basin. Sandy/scree slog up from the outlet of the unnamed lake at the base of University's southern slopes. Took southern slopes up to the SE ridge near peak 3926, then traversed the ridge until reaching the last 150 feet or so of climbing. The whole southern side was melted out pretty good, though there were a couple of small icy patches. Register still missing its top, but everything inside was dry. If there is a Class 1 route up from Center Basin, I didn't find it!
August 24, 2007: Up the north face, down SE slopes to Center Basin.
dshoshone - Sep 20, 2006 10:55 pm Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2006
north faceGreat climb. The register lid is gone and the plastic bag that covers the register has holes in it. If anyone is going up they should take a new register box. The register itself is a large book 11" by 17". Climbed the North Face decended the East Face.
boisedoc - Sep 11, 2006 5:39 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2002
Center BasinEasy scramble from Center Basin on the JMT. I dont care what Secor says, it is certainly not class 1. Great views all around
derbilly - Aug 17, 2006 6:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2006
North Face7th day of the Sierra Challenge. I decided to do a previous years challenge peak instead of East Vidette. Ascended the north face and descended via University Shoulder and Kearsarge Lakes.
Augie Medina - Jul 18, 2006 12:32 am
Route: Southeast Ridge Date Climbed: July 16, 2006Climbed the Southeast Ridge from Robinson Lake. The slope up to University Pass was full of soft snow so it was a little tiring. The views from the summit nearly without parallel in the Sierra. 360 degrees of breathtaking vistas.
gluballs - Jul 17, 2006 3:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2006
North FaceGreat route. Except for having to hand jam up the 10ft of 'schrund of the last snow field to the summit. That was a little scary. I don't know how other did it this year. Saw no steps in the snow, but the log had climbers claiming a North Face ascent. Oh well! Great summit, great view, and a great time.
soslaw - Nov 7, 2005 11:43 am
Route Climbed: North Face Date Climbed: November 5, 2005Wanting to keep the upper portion of the route 3rd class and thinking that I could traverse the snow to the left of the top of the couloir to gain the ridge, I climbed the rock on the climber's left of the couloir. This turned out to be sustained class 3+ with some class 4. After reaching the snow at the top and to the left of the couloir (13,100) I discovered that this late in the season it was solid alpine ice. The lower portion of the ice was covered with a thin veneer of sugar snow. The ice wrapped around both sides of a peaklet at the top of the couloir. The planned traverse without crampons or axe was out of the question.
7.21.07 Summited with Jim via N. Face route. I do not recommend descending via University Pass and Robinson lake. While shorter in distance the seemingly endless morraine field will take longer. In addition it is easy to lose the trail immediately below Robinson lake.