Frank and Stella get ready to go.
Stella walks across the dam catwalk.
Bill looks for the faint use trail leading into Hall Valley.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill walks on the well-worn use trail.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill and Stella pause at the spot where we leave the trail.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill and Stella start climbing some slabs.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Some discussion ensues about which way to go.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Frank pause on their climb from Hall Valley to the East Ridge.
We continue climbing slabs.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Then we climb some terraces.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
View of the White/Conness notch (at center of photo)
Frank and Stella follow me up a green runway.
Bill heads to the top of the ridge on the green grass.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella walks up the runway.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
While Bill waits on the ridge.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill stands on the ridge.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
I start up the East Ridge while Frank and Stella start from below.
Bill waits on a large rock.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella gaze up the east ridge.
Panorama from low on the East Ridge
(l to r): The East Ridge, Mt. Conness, North Peak, Twenty Lakes Basin, Greenstone Lake, Saddlebag Lake, Mt. Dana (at the far right).
North Peak juts into the sky across the valley containing Conness Lakes.
The granite slope immediately opposite is the northern spur off the East Ridge recommended by Roper as a descent.
Stella sits comfortably away from the edge of the cliff.
Shepherd Crest (l) and Excelsior Mountain
In between is Sky Pilot Col with its contrasting rock.
Bill starts up the East Ridge, sticks in hand.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank finds his route below.
Stella heads directly up the spine of the ridge.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella on the East Ridge
(l to r): Lundy Canyon, Twenty Lakes Basin, and Saddlebag Lake
Stella finds a convenient crack to climb.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Frank continue on slabs slightly off the spine of the ridge.
Bill finally puts away his sticks and follows Stella using his hands.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella nears the top of a slab.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Then a short down-climb.
Frank climbs another slab.
Stella follows Frank up the slab.
Stella reaches a high point along the East Ridge.
In the background, l to r: Lundy Canyon, Twenty Lakes Basin, Dore Ridge, and Saddlebag Lake
Bill is satisfied with the climb so far.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank is also satisfied.
But there's more!
Frank pauses climbing to enjoy the view from the East Ridge.
Frank continues up the East Ridge.
There is even a faint use trail in places.
Bill and Stella follow.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank finds the best route on the ridge.
More slabs.
Stella pauses at a level spot.
Stella walks an easy part of the climb.
Bill climbs a steeper part.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill and Stella press up the climb.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill uses his hands.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
We reach a sandy plateau between two technical sections of the ridge.
"You mean we have to climb that?!"
Dunderberg Peak on the far side of Lundy Canyon
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank presses on to the next part of the climb.
Frank and Stella climb higher over sand and rocks.
We pause to enjoy a snack break before tackling the next section.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Alpine Lake lies tucked in its isolated basin below.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella gazes down at Hall Valley.
From here Green Treble, Maul, and Spuller Lakes are clearly visible.
Bill starts up the next section.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
North Peak from our high point on the ridge.
An impasse
We reach a narrow spot on the ridge that requires crossing a deep notch, then continuing atop a narrow arete.
Frank and Stella at a high point on the arete
Stella, Frank, and Bill at our furthest point on the arete
Stella and Frank sit for a photo at our farthest point.
The rock overhangs the notch to the right. Below is the seldom seen Lake Alpine, tucked in a bowl high on the East Ridge.
Bill leads the retreat off the arete.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Frank watch while I investigate a possible escape from the ridge.
Can one descend (and if necessary) climb this chute?
I couldn't see the entire route beyond the large white rock, but given the footprints in the sand, I figured there might be a route this way. Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill climbs out of the chute.
My conclusion: Yes, one could probably climb/slide down this way to the south side of the East Ridge arete. But, it looked difficuilt to climb up, should that be necessary. And, I could not be sure the route didn't get cliffed out. Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella waits on more level ground.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
A possible Class 2 route to the summit plateau lies to the south side of the arete.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill starts down the spine of the ridge.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill uses his sticks on the descent.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella descend a steeper section.
Bill peers down the slope toward Conness Lakes.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill marches down the ridge clacking his sticks all the way.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella descend the East Ridge.
Other hikers can be seen at our first arrival point on the east ridge.
In the background is the north end of Saddlebag Lake.
Bill and Stella descend the ridge.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella descend.
Bill and Stella descend the east ridge.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill descends a crack.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella descend the same crack.
Stella descends carefully, one step at a time.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella does a split.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Frank move off the ridge line.
Bill looks for the easiest path.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella down-climb some larger blocks.
We traverse toward easier terrain as we descend.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
We pass by a patch of last winter's snow.
Frank finds himself in a slot.
Conness East Ridge (technical part)
We got as far as the notch with the overhanging rock indicated by the arrow at the left. Other spots along this ridge look more challenging than the spot at which we turned around.
Frank enjoys the view while eating lunch.
Our descent route to the north of the East Ridge
This route takes us down to the lower Conness Lake, from where a use trail leads back to Saddlebag Lake.
Frank continues down the other side of a narrow slot.
Frank climbs down a short cliff.
Frank and Stella draw near to the bottom of the descent.
Our descent route from Conness East Ridge
Bill continues down to lower Conness Lake on a grassy slope.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
North Peak dominates the view to the north of lower Conness Lake.
Our final descent is on a grassy slope.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill checks his GPS track while waiting for Frank and Stella by lower Conness Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella near lower Conness Lake
Mt. Conness is in the background.
Still water at the outflow of lower Conness Lake
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Ring grass
or smiley-face grass
We descend to Greenstone and Saddlebag Lakes.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella descend a broad slab near the outflow of Conness Lakes.
Bill descends to Greenstone Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella descends to Greenstone Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Greenstone Lake panorama
Shepherd Crest (12015ft) juts into the sky at the left, Tioga Crest (11911ft) is at the center-right.
Colorful arctic willow (Salix arctica) likes to grow near the rocks.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill waits by Greenstone Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella crosses the inflow to Greenstone Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank, Stella, and some other hikers proceed along the trail from Greenstone Lake.
Sun sets over a dark Saddlebag Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
End of day over Twenty Lakes Basin
View from the west side trail alongside Saddlebag Lake
On the "klinker" trail beside Saddlebag Lake
Mount Dana dominates the skyline at the south end of Saddlebag Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella emerge from around the corner on the trail.
Saddlebag Lake water level is low.
Bill waits on the catwalk.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
The channel before the dam is deepest on the east side.
