Caltech Peak, you ask? Yes, indeed, it does exist. Though not well known, the peak presents a considerable challenge to any interested summiters, due to its respectable height and relatively remote location.
Despite these obstacles, Caltech undergraduate Brent Kious and I decided to attempt the peak. Inspired by Professor Chris Brennen 's emotional account of his ascent and armed with the detailed information provided by Mike Kaneshige 's excellent summary of his combined Mt. Whitney and Caltech Peak trip , we set out in early September, 1998 to reach the summit.
After careful anlaysis of topographic maps and trail mileages, we concluded that three days would allow sufficient time for an out and back summit attempt. We were gravely mistaken.
In an effort to travel light, we had foregone a tent, bringing only a tarp for an emergecny bivy. This proved quite an oversight when some vigorous afternoon thunderstorms set in with strong, unusualy steady rains. We heard later that this was in fact the first rain in two weeks, and would be the only rain for the next week as well.
Saddened by our experience of enduring the rain with no real shelter, and weakened also by a moderate case of altitude sickness encountered upon crossing the first (Kearsarge) pass of the hike, we made a decision to abandon our summit attempt and head back home. However, before departing, we resolved to try the peak again. The next time, we decided, we would allow four days.
And so, only two short weeks later, we departed again for the summit. This time, Brent and I were joined by Caltech undergraduate Dale Parkes. Our trip began at 9,193 feet, at the Onion Valley campground, where, having learned from our experience with altitude sickness, we had spent the night acclimatizing.
We departed from camp a bit before sunrise, shortly after 5 am. The terrain rapidly progressed from beautiful to breathtaking as we walked past several lakes and waterfalls on our 2,650 foot climb to 11,823 foot Kearsarge Pass.
Note: The photos below are a mixture of photos taken on both the first and second trips. However, since the route was the same, for the sake of simplicity I have mixed them here. The photos taken on the first trip are so indicated with a "*". These photos may therefore be out of context in terms of lighting, weather, etc.
* Mark in Onion Valley, on the way up to Kearsarge Pass.
The night of acclimatizing had paid dividends, as this trip over the pass proceeded smoothly. Crossing the pass around 7:30 am, we descended into the basin on the other side. As we descended, the Kearsarge pinnacles provided a dramatic landscape to the south. Continuing our descent, we passed Kearsarge Lakes (10,896) and Bullfrog Lake (10,610).
* The Kearsarge Pinnacles, as seen from slightly below Kearsarge Pass.
* Alpenglow on a peak above Kearsarge Lakes.
A reflection of the High Sierra in Bullfrog Lake.
Continuing down a steep set of switchbacks below Bullfrog Lake, we walked through the very lush (and very buggy) Vidette Meadows, elevation 9,580 feet. On the way down, there were several rewarding views down into the meadows.
East Vidette rises above Vidette Meadows.
Passing through Vidette Meadows, East Vidette loomed above to the west. This dramatic peak has been noted as a possible candidate for a more technical ascent in the future.
East Vidette peak as seen from Vidette Meadows.
Passing the site of our first campsite on the first attempt, we pushed onwards to camp a camp at 10,105 feet, 9 miles from the Onion Valley trailhead. Here we encountered a pair of friendly through hikers on the John Muir Trail (which we had picked up near Bullfrog Lake) who were very interested in our tarp shelter rigged only with webbing. (The lessons from our previous trip had been forgotten over two weeks). They were also very grateful for the bits of meat and fresh fruit that we were able to share with them, luxuries not available for those on the trail for several weeks straight.
Our first attempt on the peak had educated us as to the difficulties posed by Forester Pass. Accordingly, we decided to opt for an all or nothing attempt on Caltech Peak, located just a few miles past the pass. We would leave the bulk of our gear in camp, set out early for the peak, and return to our campsite by dark.
We departed camp at 4:00 am the following morning, and began the strenuous 3,000 foot ascent to Forester Pass. Following Bubbs Creek, the route up the basin above Vidette Meadows offered fantastic views.
* Center Peak rises above Bubbs Creek.
* A view back dcwn Vidette Meadows on the way up to Forester Pass.
* A meadow between Vidette Meadows and Forester Pass.
As the sun rose, we continued our ascent upwards towards the pass. In the glacial basin immediately below the pass, we passed a partially frozen lake of stunning beauty.
* A panormaic view of a lake just north of Forester Pass.
Continuing onward, surrounded by granite glowing in the early morning light, we could not help but pause to take in the scenery.
Mark and Dale in the morning glow, just shy of Forester Pass.
Finally, shortly after 7:30 am, we reached Forester Pass, at 13,180 feet, the highest point on the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails. Already almost 7 miles from camp, we began the descent down the back (south) side of the pass. As we looked back at the pass, we could only imagine the intimidation felt by hikers approaching the pass from this side. Barely visible from below, the southern approach notches into the sheer rock walls on its ascent to the chimney like pass.
Forester Pass, as seen from the south side.
We soon reached a point where our route to Caltech Peak would take us off trail to the west of the John Muir Trail. After some intial difficulties in accessing the route described to us by previous hikers, we began the initially steep scramble up the southeast flanks of Caltech Peak. The remainder of the route to the summit proved much less difficult, and sometime just before noon, we reached the summit.
From 13,832 feet, the views were extraordinary. Taking in the view, we paused to read the summit log, filled with names of other Techers (students, professors, and deans) who had come before us. We also admired the commemorative plaque left behind by Professor Chris Brennen .
The plaque atop Caltech Peak.
Rising winds alerted us to the weather that was slowly moving in, and due to the long distance between our current position and our shelter back at camp, much of it above treeline, we concluded it was time to depart.
The trip back was steady but seemingly eternal. Despite a rather unnerving hailstorm encountered amidst a dreadful lack of cover on the north side of Forester Pass, we arrived safely back at camp at about 4:30 pm. Exhausted, we reflected on the day's effort of 5,800 feet of climbing on 16 miles of trail, all of it at elevations above 10,000 feet.
Well positioned by our efforts on day two, we concluded that we could in fact complete the trip in three days. This we did, returning to Onion Valley around 2:30 pm on day three, completing a total trip distance of 34.2 miles.
A thank you to Mike Kaneshige for his trail mileages and elevations along the Onion Valley to Caltech Peak route.