Tom Grundy's 2023 Sierra Challenge Day 1, Doghead Peak

8-04-2023, Today started off at 5 am from the trailhead near the Twin Lakes resort. I didn't get to sleep quite as early as I would have liked the night before, but it was still light when I went to bed (around 9:15?). I got a little lost working my way south to the trailhead, but we made it there before some other challenge hikers and in time for the actual 5:05 start. I just tried to keep up with the main pack (I couldn't keep up with the really fast trail runners) as we started up the switchbacks. We hiked up in the dark past Horsetail Falls as it started to get light. I would have snapped a lot of pics with the zoom lens of the nearly full moon setting behind the peaks, but I figured it wasn't worth it with the phone or gopro wide angle fixed lenses. Eventually we got up to some steep hard snow so I put on the crampons to get up that. I didn't take a very good line and ended up on talus for a while before returning to the trail. The next snow patch was lower angle and I was able to do it without crampons. Before the pass I caught up with Chris Henry (who started earlier). We continued high over the pass and then over the pass between the Matterhorn and the Whorl Mountains. There Yumi took the lead by quickly donning her microspikes and tromping down the snow while we stayed on the side for a while before being forced to put on the crampons.

the moon over the peaks above the valley we were heading up
plus some people getting onto the snow

Chris scrambles up towards the pass while Yumi waits below

view west of the pass with Finger Peak in the center

We continued down the Matterhorn valley and then started side-hilling up the west side up to Peak 10,820 on the way up to Doghead Peak. On Doghead we debated the merits of doing Quarry Peak or Finger Peak as bonuses, but decided that the days were long enough and we should play it smart and easy for once. We headed back down dropping down into the valley on steeper slower terrain that we really wanted. Then we hiked back up to the passes and then the seemingly endless slog back to the trailhead.

Quarry Peak on the left and Doghead on the right from Peak 10,820

Quarry and Doghead from a little closer

Doghead summit panorama, Quarry is center right, the Matterhorn valley we came down is about in the center

After I left the trailhead I went and walked into the lower twin lake - the sun had set behind the mountains so it was extra refreshing and kept me cool for the drive to Saddlebag Lake with a brief stop at the Mobil.

looking back up the Horse Creek valley towards the pass

Horsetail Falls

Total for the day 2 peaks. Strava said 22.15 mi (moto gpower) and 9004 ft of elevation gain.

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