Mount Gilbert

"Last day of a 3-day backpack in the Bishop Pass area. The day before I carried my pack over Hurd Col from Bishop Lake to one of the upper Treasure Lakes. The area was still almost entirely covered with snow. I headed south from camp, passing frozen lakes over sun-cupped snow to the base of Treasure Col. From here I made the exhausting climb to the saddle, ascending the 60 degree slope with the ice axe. The warm weather and good run-out made for a pretty safe climb. From the col, I dropped down a few hundred feet on the west side then made a long ascending traverse up Mt. Gilbert's SE slopes. I guess my angle was too shallow, because I almost climbed peak 12,800+ before looking behind me and seeing the higher Mt. Gilbert. On the way back, lots of good glissading and plunge stepping making for a speedy return to camp." — klotito • Jul 10, 2017

"I did this trip with the American Alpine Institute. We drove from Bishop to South Lake then hiked in over the John Muir Trail, first, and then over backcountry talus. We spent the next day practicing skills. On the third day, we had an alpine start. We hiked up to the snow bowl and the base of the North Couloir. Fortunately, there was no bergschrund and we proceeded to climb the excellent snow and ice up the fun 900-1000 foot couloir. At the top, it was a short scramble to the broad summit plateau. The views were breath-taking, as we could see Cloudripper, Mount Sill, Thunderbolt Peak, and countless other peaks. We walked the ridgeline over and rappelled down the cliffs to the near the snow bowl and hiked out." — dishsultan • Jun 11, 2012