On May 28-30, 1977, myself, Gordon Lee, Al Nikolaus, Frank Nikolaus, Randy Stevenson, Bill Caipen headed for Thousand Island Lake with the last four planning to climb Mt. Ritter from the west side. Since I had previously climbed Banner Peak and Mt. Ritter, Gordon and I planned to climb Mt. Davis.
Gordon and I left Lone Pine at 6 a.m. and picked up the others in Independence and left there about 6:45 a.m. Since the Agnew Meadows road was closed at Minaret Summit, we headed for Silver Lake on the June Lake loop. We hit the trail about 9 a.m., stopped for snacks at Agnew Lake, then proceeded up the southerly trail to Spooky Meadow and on to Clark Lakes, then via the direct route to Thousand Island Lake where we camped toward the upper end on a grassy bench.
The nine miles of trail and some cross-country had a few patches of snow above Agnew Lake but we camped on bare ground. Camp was made about 4:30 p.m. or so. We hit the sack about 9 p.m. and awoke around 6 a.m.
Cliffs above Spooky Meadow - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Toward Mount Lyell and Donahue Pass from above Spooky Meadow
Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak from near Clark Lakes - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak from near Clark Lakes - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak from near Clark Lakes - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak over a Clark Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Banner Peak from below 1000 Island Lake - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Banner Peak and Banner/Davis Pass over 1000 Island Lake
Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Banner Peak and Banner/Davis Pass over 1000 Island Lake
Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
After breakfast we left around 8 a.m. on firm snow to the Catherine Lake saddle between Banner and Davis. At this point Al, Frank, Randy and Bill headed around to Ritter Lakes to climb Mt. Ritter. They had soft snow in the afternoon plus some illness but made the peak between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Other climbers were coming up on ropes from the Banner/Ritter saddle.
Meanwhile, Gordon and I headed for Mt. Davis on firm snow slopes. We reached the top of a peak at 1 p.m. only to discover it wasn't Davis but Peak 11,979' climbed in 1975 by Smatko and Ross, et al, and named by them Mulberry Peak.
We decided Davis was more than we wanted to do so we headed back to camp, arriving about 4:30 p.m. The Ritter crew made it to camp about 8 p.m. (dark).
On Monday, we headed cross-country to the trail and on to Island Pass, then down to Rush Creek and past Waugh, Gem and Agnew Lakes to the car, arriving about 3:30 p.m. About 12 miles. The snow conditions were essentially good and the trip great. Have to go back for Davis another time.
Banner Peak, enroute to Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Mt. Ritter from near Banner/Davis Pass - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Mt. Ritter and glacier over Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Lake Catherine and route to Ritter Lakes - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Banner Peak/Mt. Ritter saddle and glacier over Lake Catherine
Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Banner Peak, saddle, Mt. Ritter and glacier over Lake Catherine
Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Banner Peak, saddle, Mt. Ritter and glacier over Lake Catherine
Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Banner Peak, saddle and glacier over Lake Catherine
Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Mt. Ritter over Lake Catherine, Gordon Lee - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Mt. Ritter over Lake Catherine - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Gordon Lee on the ridge toward Mt. Davis - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Banner Peak and Mt. Ritter from Mulberry Peak - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
1000 Island Lake, Garnet Lake, White Mountains from Mulberry Peak
Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Mt. Davis from Mulberry Peak - Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977
Kuna Peak, Koip Peak, Mount Wood, Mono Lake (right edge) from Mulberry Peak
Ansel Adams Wilderness - May 1977