Frank and Stella prepare their gear.
We pause at the May Lake flush toilet.
Bill snaps a panorama photo at May Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Mount Hoffmann and May Lake
Frank has an audience while he crosses the outflow of May Lake.
Frank and Stella climb the well-worn use trail above May Lake.
Mount Clark can be seen in the distance.
Bill presses up the use trail as it skirts the top edge of a long slab.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill and Stella follow the cairns and faint use trail through the boulders.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Frank (at left) climb the use trail from May Lake to Mount Hoffmann.
Stella pauses while climbing the sandy slope of Hoffmann.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill walks vigorously up to the summit plateau.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill crosses the horizon above.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Hoffmann's thumb
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella rises into view.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Half Dome through the smoke to the south
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Marmot on Mount Hoffmann
This one was eating the green shrubs. Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella climb the summit pinnacle.
Bill considers his next move.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
A convenient crack eases the way.
Don't look down!
Although it may look like I'm inspecting Stella's backside, I'm actually shielding her from the sharp drop-off to my left. Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella rises into view at the summit.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill rises into view at the summit.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank captures Stella's final moments on the climb.
Mount Hoffmann benchmark
Bill, Frank, and Stella on Mount Hoffmann (10850ft)
Frank and Stella enjoy the summit of Mount Hoffmann.
The north face of Mount Hoffmann
Tuolumne Peak (l) from Mount Hoffmann
At the right, the sun shines on North Peak.
Mount Dana, Mount Gibbs, and Mammoth Peak (far right) from Mount Hoffmann
Mounts Lyell and Maclure from Mount Hoffmann
The Merced Range from Mount Hoffmann
Lunch break
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill and Stella at the summit of Hoffmann
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill sets up his camera for a second group photo.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill, Stella, and Frank at the summit of Mount Hoffmann.
Meanwhile storm clouds are building to the north.
Bill maneuvers his legs through a crack while trying to avoid getting groined by a sharp rock while Stella looks on.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella works her way through the same crack.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill breaks out his sticks for the rest of the descent while Stella makes her way down some slabs.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella take the use trail past Hoffmann's lesser pinnacles.
Frank and Stella enjoy a small snowfield on the summit plateau.
Frank explores a promising crack leading to the top of Hoffmann's second-highest pinnacle.
Stella enjoys the vast expanse of the Hoffmann Plateau.
Frank makes a beeline to the next nearest pinnacle.
Frank explores the pinnacle.
May Lake lies far below the pinnacle.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Meanwhile Bill climbs from a different direction.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill finds a good route up to the high point.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill at the summit of the pinnacle.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank watches Stella climb the pinnacle.
Hoffmann's Thumb and a couple pinnacles from Hoffmann's northernmost pinnacle.
Stella watches Frank climb the pinnacle.
Meanwhile Stella finds a way up to the north summit of the pinnacle.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill photographs Stella on the north summit of the pinnacle.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella on the north summit of the pinnacle
Frank enjoys the view from Hoffmann's northern pinnacle.
Bill photographs the second highest pinnacle that we did not climb.
View down the steep side of the pinnacle.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
May Lake lies far below.
Bill crosses the plateau to another pinnacle.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Two hikers descend a steep chute between two pinnacles.
Bill makes his way along the arete of the third pinnacle.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank climbs the arete of the third pinnacle.
Frank makes his way around a boulder perched atop the arete.
Frank arrives at the high point of the pinnacle.
Meanwhile Stella waits out of the wind below.
Bill sits atop the summit of the third pinnacle.
Hoffmann's Thumb is at the far right. Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank sits atop the summit of the third pinnacle.
Bill stands near the summit of the pinnacle.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank carefully makes his way down from Hoffmann's eastern pinnacle.
Frank climbs down the convenient steps.
Stella and Frank descend Hoffmann's Plateau.
Frank (in blue) and Stella (in white) descend from the summit plateau.
Storm clouds roil.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella descends the use trail to May Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella takes a break on the use trail to May Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank takes temporary refuge in a snow cave.
Rain clouds have already overtaken Hoffmann's pinnacles.
Decaying wood on May Lake trail
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Graupel storm!
Fortunately we were already inside the car when it struck.
About 2-3" of graupel fell in Tuolumne Meadows in about 10 minutes.
Graupel build-up on the car.
Fortunely, there was no apparent damage to the car. But, the sound of it hitting the roof was deafening.
Clouds swirl over Mammoth Peak and Mount Gibbs.
Post-storm clouds over Lee Vining Canyon
Conditions remain threatening for the rest of our drive back to Mammoth.
