Stella and Frank stand ready to go in the cold morning air.
Horseback riders cross Lake Mary Road near the pack station.
Abandoned dump truck near Old Mammoth Mine
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
We take the upper fork.
Frank and Stella enjoy the view of the northern end of Mammoth Crest.
Old Mammoth Mine adit and trolley tracks
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella near Old Mammoth Mine on Sherwin Crest
Crystal Crag and Mammoth Crest are in the background.
Bill starts enthusiastically up the scree to the top of Sherwin Crest...
...but soon changes his mind.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
More trolley tracks to nowhere at the Old Mammoth Mine
Mammoth Crest is in the background, and the Mammoth Pack Station is nearby below.
Bill and Stella continue climbing above the mine shaft.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Frank climb the use trail to the nose of Sherwin Crest.
The shoulder of Mammoth Mountain and Lake Mary Road are in the background.
Stella makes her final push up to the nose of Sherwin Crest.
Mammoth Mountain from the nose of Sherwin Crest
Frank starts on the trail under the nose of the ridge, but soon retreats.
The slope to the left leads to the top of cliffs below, so a slip could be injurious or deadly.
Bill explores a possible alternate to the hazardous trail beneath the nose of the ridge, but soon changes his mind. "I hate climbing over talus!"
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella start out onto the talus.
Possible alternate route to the ridge.
I felt that the hassle of getting across the talus was not worth the effort, given the uncertainty of the route one can see being viable.
Bill peers into an Old Mammoth Mine adit.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bats apparently make their home in the shaft.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Frank climb the scree to my resting spot.
We find comfortable spots to sit and enjoy our lunch.
Frank descends next while Stella waits for him to be clear of any loosened rock.
Stella leaves her mark on the mountainside.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank starts on the Heart Lake Trail.
This was our last exploration for a route to the top of Sherwin Crest.
The Heart Lake trail climbs through a grove of aspen trees.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank at Heart Lake
The easiest ascent of Sherwin Crest is through the field of shrubs at the left.
Frank above Heart Lake
View of Ritter Range and Mammoth Mountain from Heart Lake Trail
Old Mammoth Consolidated Mine structure high on the ridge
Mammoth Consolidated Mine (0)
Mammoth Consolidated Mine (1)
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Mammoth Consolidated Mine (2)
Mammoth Consolidated Mine (3)
Arch Mahan was the owner of the mine.
Mammoth Consolidated Mine (4)
Mammoth Consolidated Mine (5)
Mammoth Consolidated Mine (6)
Looks like someone started to replace the valves on this engine.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Mammoth Consolidated Mine (7)
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Mammoth Consolidated Mine (8)
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Mammoth Consolidated Mine plaque
