Mount Williamson

Overview

Mount Williamson is one of the great peaks of the Sierra Nevada. It is truly awe-inspiring: rising 9,000 ft from the Owens Valley, it commands ones attention from great distances, overshadowing & overpowering everything surrounding it. Its incredible bulk is matched only by its complexity- steep facesare framed by seemingly never-ending, sinuous aretes; countless gullies & couloirs separate enormous buttresses; spires tower above the onlooker...

In addition to the true summit, the East (14,125') & West Horns (14,160'), the massif's subpeaks, intimidate the would-be climber; while diminutive when viewed from the summit, the opposite is the case when one is separated from the summit plateau by them! Precipitous drops beckon one (or not!) to the voids surrounding them, the sense of exposure enough to make the most seasoned of mountaineers balk. The scene is reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings. Traversing from the summit of the East Horn across the West Horn to the summit plateau requires 5th class climbing (or rappelling; it should be noted that even if rappelling, however, comfort with 5th class terrain should be mandatory here).

The most common way to climb Williamson is via the standard Class 3 West Face route. The climb itself is not overly difficult, but getting to the base of the climb is a different matter altogether. The most common approach involves an 11 mile hike to 12,040’ Shepherd Pass, followed by an arduous traverse of the glacially carved Williamson Bowl. The Williamson Bowl area may look fairly flat on your topo, but it has lots of small ups and downs. You have to weave around lakes and climb up and over many large boulder-strewn hills just to get to the base of the route.

It is important to note that hiking the trail to Shepherd Pass (12,040 ft) is not a casual outing! The trailhead is only at 6,299 ft! In addition, the people who built the trail must have been on crack because parts of it have switchbacks that gain about 3 ft in 100 yds, and at one point it descends almost 1000 ft when it should be going up!

Getting There

SHEPHERD'S PASS TRAILHEAD (standard approach):From Independence, head west on Market Street for 4.2 miles. Turn left on Foothill Road, which is a gravel road. After driving on Foothill drive for 2.7 miles, you will pass a sign with a hiker symbol on the right and a “Symmes Creek” sign in the center. Keep left and continue for another 0.5 mile. Then, turn right at the intersection where the sign says “Shepherd Pass Trailhead.” Drive another 1.4 miles along a rough gravel road (but still passable with a low-clearance 2wd vehicle) until reaching the trailhead.

According to Charles Altman (using GPS), the distance, from the trailhead, to:
* Anvil Camp = 8 1/4 miles
* Shepherd Pass = 10.3 miles

Red Tape

Update: As of early 2011, Inyo National Forest, with the blessing of bighorn sheep recovery team of scientists and forest service biologists, has rescinded the long-standing bighorn sheep closure on Mt. Williamson.

As it stands, the only restrictions are the grueling approach, and the standard Sierra Eastside trailhead quotas.

When To Climb

Update: The long-standing bighorn sheep closure on Mt. Williamson has been rescinded.

Early season attempts mean lower snow-lines (which, pending adequate snow travel skills, make things considerably easier past the Pothole, where the trail degenerates into a talus and scree affair, not to mention Shepherd Pass itself (know how to use your crampons & axe)!).

The mountain has been done in the winter, but one only need read Harding's first winter ascent account of the northeast ridge (with John Ohrenshall over New Year's!) to get an idea of the corresponding suffering involved (not to mention associated avalanche risks and all that wintery stuff). You have been warned :)

Camping

There are several good camping spots along the trail to Shepherd's Pass. Mahogony Flat is the first camping area you'll get to. It is the first big flat area up the canyon. The most popular area is Anvil Camp, at the 10,000 ft level, 2 miles before Shepherd's pass.

The Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep

The Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (ovis canadensis sierrae), in contrast to populations elsewhere, are in the midst of a battle for survival. Unregulated market hunting (bighorn sheep in the Sierra Nevada have been protected from hunting since 1878), disease transmission from domestic sheep, & predation from mountain lions have been the largest threats to their recent existence.

In addition, the simple constant stress of survival in the harsh alpine environment, coupled with that induced by human presence, makes their continued existence questionable. It is because of these factors that closures on the mountain are in effect.

Due to their small numbers, there is a corresponding lack of biodiversity- only a herd in New Mexico has less. There are only 5 herds of bighorn sheep scattered throughout the Sierra- one of these is the Williamson herd.

Please respect these & tread lightly to help this majestic creature survive.

* External link on the Sierra bighorn sheep

* John Muir (himself a shepherd for awhile) waxes poetic about the bighorn sheep

External Links

• N. face trip report
  
  
• A first attempt at a dayhike - June 15, 2002
  
  
• A quick trip up the peak bagger route
  
  
• High Resolution Photo Mosaic of Williamson
  This is a high resolution (1024 x 483 pixels) mosaic of 10 photos of Williamson taken on July 21, 2003 from near Tyndall. Not all programs can display the full resolution, use Photoshop or Imaging on Windows to display at full resolution.
• Ultra high resolution (3.3mb) photo mosaic of Williamson
  This is an ultra high resolution (7424 x 2800 pixels) mosaic of 10 photos of Williamson taken on July 21, 2003 from near Tyndall. Not all programs can display the full resolution, use Photoshop or Imaging on Windows to display at full resolution. This image is 3.3 MB and make take some time to download unless you have broadband.

Mt. Williamson's high summit altitude combined with its huge elevation gain mean that under the right conditions (& for those with a penchant for the cold, snow, & suffering) some enjoyable ski & snowboards descents may be had. Check out fellow SPer Sierra Descent's Skiing Mt. Williamson's Bairs Creek Cirque' TR here.

Miscellaneous Info'

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

Viewing: 1-6 of 6

Craig Peer - Jul 23, 2004 11:41 am - Hasn't voted

Untitled Comment

It just feels like 1000 feet!!

Misha - Jul 22, 2004 8:03 pm - Hasn't voted

Untitled Comment

and at one point it descends almost 1000 ft

Small correction regarding this statement. It actually descends around 550 ft before going up towards Mahogany Flat. I verified with my altimeter twice :)

Craig Peer - Jul 23, 2004 11:41 am - Hasn't voted

Untitled Comment

It just feels like 1000 feet!!

asmrz - Mar 8, 2012 10:39 am - Hasn't voted

Via George Creek on skis

I would just like to add, that the George Creek approach to Mt Williamson (in April or early May) and a return from the summit, is one of the great (if not the best) ski trips of the High Sierra. The ski from the summit is over 10,000 feet long and if one hits the conditions just right, you can ski almost to your car. Unforgetable and recommended for backcountry skiers looking for great Sierra experience.

brichardsson - Jul 14, 2014 9:11 pm - Hasn't voted

trail wash out

A flash flood last summer (2013) washed out a section of the Shepherd Pass trail at approximately 10,000', just below Anvil Camp. It is necessary to hike approximately 100 feet upslope from the trail to cross near a large rockfall. There is a second washout a little higher as well, but is easily bypassed and is cairned.

RAM - Apr 12, 2019 11:37 am - Hasn't voted

Attempted Tyndall Climb 4/10/2019

Attempted to climb Mt Tyndall on 4/10/2019 from Shepherds Pass Trailhead (6300 ft). Mt Williamson is a few miles after Tyndall. We abandoned at 10,000 feet. We were the only ones at the trailhead for two days. Conditions: weather was clear with some 25-40 mph wind gusts. Deep snow starts at about 7300 ft., at about the 15th switchback, one hour in (there are about 55 switchbacks in the first phase of the mountain). Notes: The climbing grade was about 100-115%, which made the first part brutal. If you start early in the morning you can use crampons, but by 1 pm you're going to need snowshoes with a heel lift otherwise your feet will sink in to about your calves and thighs at times (very very frustrating). You will also need short trekking poles and actual snow boots (not waterproof hiking boots, snow boots). Where there are usually streams to replenish your water supply, there are none after 10000 ft (not that we saw), which means you have to melt snow for water. The grade was too aggressive and demanded more than we were willing to give for the first day and decided to call it at about 10,000 ft. We went elsewhere and climbed smaller peaks. What I learned: The importance of having a heel lift on proper snowshoes will make your life a lot easier. My calves were smoked after the first four hours of climbing straight up with a 45lb pack. Recommendation: Unless you have 4 days to give the climb and you're in extremely good physical condition I would recommend waiting until the snow melts to about Anvil Camp (maybe late May). It can definitely be done and it's absolutely beautiful up there, but I would leave this one to the pros.

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