On April 11-12, 1970 I backpacked on a ten mile round trip with Gil Beilke, Uel Fisk and John Webster up Pinyon Creek in the John Muir Wilderness.
The Pinyon Creek trailhead is located 4.7 miles from Independence. Pinyon Creek Road leaves Onion Valley Road and heads southwest. After 0.2 miles turn right at the fork and right again at another fork 0.7 miles later. Continue another 0.3 miles where the road ends next to Pinyon Creek.
From the trailhead at about 6,000', follow the use trail that ascends on the north side of the stream and follow it to the basin north of Mount Bradley. We had a long snow clumb to 10,800'.
After a windy night we climbed on icy snow to the broad slope below Mt. Bradley, which I had climbed in 1965 (here). The others climbed Mt. Bradley while I climbed 12,500' Center Basin Crag #5.
I had good views of snow covered center basin, Forester Pass, Junction Pass, Mt. Brewer, etc. I glissaded most of way to camp and from camp down several thousand feet on the way out. Good Trip.
Route map up Pinyon Creek to climb Center Basin Crag #5
Center Basin Crags southwest side from Center Basin
