Tom Grundy's 2018 Sierra Challenge Day 4 Knapsack Pass Peak Page

8-06-2018 Today we started from South Lake and cruised fairly quickly up the familiar trail. This was my first time up to Bishop Pass this year and the dead deer (from sliding on ice the previous winter) were a little spooky and very stinky. Above the pass I mostly was able to keep up with Robert and JD as they cut cross country avoiding a bit of meandering and elevation gain on the trail and we almost caught up to a faster group when we rejoined it. Partway down through Dusy Basin we left the trail to head towards the way up the peak. Originally we were planning to go fairly directly but without much snow it looked like the safer and more sure alternative took a longer way around a ridge. First we crossed the drainage by some lakes (we scoped for later swimming) and then headed up to the ridge. I opted to head onto the ridge a little sooner than most (with a bit of extra scrambling) and Iris followed. Once we were on the ridge there were spectacular views and nice scrambling up to a sub-peak. There we could see some of the others heading for Giraud Peak as well as the fastest people ahead on the days challenge peak.

Mt Goode reflected in Long Lake

dead deer on the way up Bishop Pass

Dusy Basin - Mt Agassiz is Rt of center, Bishop Pass to the left

Iris climbing up onto the ridge

Dusy Basin from the ridge

Chris on top of a peak along the ridge

It was a pretty uneventful slog along the not so steep talus on the south side of the ridge up to Knapsack Pass Peak. There were a bunch of people on the summit and we enjoyed the views, plus some posing and photos. Bob headed off to the South to bag a bonus peak but I opted to head back the way we came up.

view towards the Palisades from the summit

Iris and the view SW from the summit

view from the summit looking southish

We didn't take the easiest way down which resulted in some fun but unnecessary scrambling. Then at the lake we swam a bit. It was refreshing but not icy. I ended up hiking back over Bishop Pass with Iris and Michael and we decided to detour up to Ruwau Lake for a cold dip and then up to Chocolate Peak and down to Long Lake for a final plunge. Swimming is a lot more fun with friends and when it isn't cloudy and cold. The race for the "aqua" jersey was heating up.

downclimbing a steep part

folks swimming

lakes and mountains from Chocolate Peak

Iris going for her signature cannonball into Long Lake

I spent quite a bit of time chatting in the parking lot before driving over to N Lake and getting to bed by 9:30. I was pretty exhausted. I think I drank a container of soup and ate some crackers for dinner.

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