Stella and Frank are bundled up this cool morning.
At Saddlebag Lake Trailhead
Bill is about to make mincemeat of the puny railing in his way while Stella looks on.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
The true perspective...
At Saddlebag Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella start on the trail around Saddlebag Lake.
Frank works his way over the klinkers.
First view of Shepherd Crest
North Peak (l) and Shepherd Crest (r) from Saddlebag Lake
Stella poses before Greenstone Lake, North Peak (r), and Mt. Conness (l).
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Bill regroup.
North Peak is at the left.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Bill march toward Shepherd Crest.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
North Peak
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Bill on the trail to Steelhead Lake
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill and Stella model Shepherd Crest.
We leave the main trail here.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Shepherd Crest from Steelhead Lake
Stella and Bill start toward Steelhead Lake and Shepherd Crest.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella crosses an arm of Cascade Lake.
Stella climbs down from a dome of granite.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill crosses a dome of granite.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill continues up the use trail to Secret Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
View of our route up Shepherd Crest from Secret Lake
Stella happy to be at Secret Lake
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Frank boulder-hop over to my resting spot.
Bill waits on a square rock.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Bill start up the rocks.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella at the top of the first pitch of rocks...
..where she tries to shatter more rock by emitting a high pitch.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella climbs near the base of the cliffs.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank (lower left) climbs the steep, loose rock to the shoulder of Shepherd Crest. (1)
This is the toughest part of the climb up Shepherd Crest.
Where to now?
Stella high on the rocks. Steelhead Lake, Saddlebag Lake, and Mt. Dana are in the background.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella (lower left) climbs the steep, loose rock to the shoulder of Shepherd Crest while Frank (right) waits with his camera.
Stella works her way up the loose stuff while Frank takes photos.
Stella stands on the shoulder of Shepherd Crest.
North Peak is in the background.
Bill presses up the talus.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank labors in the talus.
Frank is the small figure at the lower center.
East summit of Shepherd Crest from the false summit.
Shepherd Lake lies below. Excelsior Mountain is at the right.
Stella works her way up to the false summit.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Panorama from the summit of Shepherd Crest
(l to r): west side of the East Summit (and high point of Shepherd Crest), Excelsior Mountain, Lundy Canyon, Mt. Warren, Saddlebag Lake, Mt. Dana, North Peak and Mt. Conness, Sheep Peak and Upper McCabe Lake. Between Mt. Conness and Sheep Peak one can see the peaks of the Cathedral Range, including Half Dome at the right.
Bill atop the East Summit snapping his panorama (1)
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank stands on the false summit at lower left.
Saddlebag Lake is in the background.
North Peak and Mt. Conness (r)
Steelhead Lake (l), Cascade Lake (r) and Secret Lake (bottom)
Stella arrives at the false summit.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
McCabe Crest Panorama
(l to r): Saddlebag Lake, Mt. Dana, Steelhead Lake, North Peak, Mt. Conness, Cathedral Range, Upper McCabe Lake, and Sheep Peak.
Stella and Frank on the false summit
Stella starts toward the East Summit.
Frank and Bill on the East Summit
Stella is the red figure between them on the false summit. Stella decided she had had enough climbing when she got to the false summit.
Bill on the slightly higher west side of the East Summit
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank stands upon the eastern end of the East Summit.
(l to r): Mt Scowden, Mt. Warren, Dore Cliff, Saddlebag Lake, Mt. Dana are in the background.
Bill stands upon the slightly higher western end of the east summit of Shepherd Crest.
In the background are (l to r) Sheep Peak, Tuolumne River Canyon, Tower Peak, Finger Peak, Whorl Mountain, Matterhorn Peak, Virginia Peak, Twin Peak, Camiaca Peak, Gabbro Peak, Dunderberg Mountain, and Excelsior Mountain (the ugly pile of rubble on the right).
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill makes his way back to the east side of the East Summit.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Bill stands upon the eastern end of the east summit of Shepherd Crest
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank enjoys the view with lunch.
North Peak (l), Mt. Conness, and Sheep Peak (r)
Frank on the east side of the East Summit
Someone stacked a few rocks on the eastern side of the East Summit (seen immediately to the right of Frank), perhaps to make that summit higher. I considered knocking it down not as an act of vandalism but as an act of safety. The third highest rock in the stack looks like a good hand support when making the final step to the summit, but it won't support one's weight without shifting. I almost accidentally knocked the pile down on my feet, which could have caused serious injury.
Frank makes his way down from the East Summit.
Frank walks near the edge.
Bill on the descent from the false summit
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank makes his way across the talus.
Bill starts down the loose stuff.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella descends the loose stuff.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella glissades on the loose stuff.
Stella pauses on her descent.
Bill at the top of the lower pitch of rocks.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella and Frank make their way down the upper pitch of loose rock.
Bill and Stella descend the lower pitch toward Secret Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella on the lower pitch of rock.
Frank and Stella make their way around Secret Lake.
Bill and Stella descend the use trail toward Steelhead Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Frank and Stella descend the use trail toward Steelhead Lake.
Frank and Stella on the opposite side of Cascade Lake.
Shepherd Crest rises in the background.
Frank descends using sticks.
Passing a couple of tarns on the way back to Saddlebag Lake.
Stella and Bill on the trail returning to Saddlebag Lake
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Here comes Frank.
Bill and Stella head toward the shady side of Saddlebag Lake.
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella crosses the outflow from Greenstone Lake.
Stella on the Saddlebag Lake trail
Stella and Bill on the shady side of Saddlebag Lake
Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.
Stella on the Saddlebag Lake trail
Mt. Dana is in the background.
Frank on the Saddlebag Lake trail
Shepherd Crest rises in the background.
Frank starts across the dam.
Stella, Frank, Bill enjoy our last dinner in Mammoth.
using house lights only
Stella and Frank at dinner
using bounce flash (which requires me to take the photo so that I can aim the flash)
