[rubywrangler]

4th and final installment in the spring Sierra trip series... I had also wanted to check out the Hoover wilderness in fall 2020 but I got to the area at the same time as a huge snowstorm and just kept going south. So I was excited to spend my last few spring hiking days in the Sierra there. I was also lucky to hit it on the last weekend before permit quota season kicked in. I just had to get a self-issued permit from the ranger station in Bridgeport. The hike started from Annett's Mono Village resort just outside Bridgeport. From the resort's hiker parking area I headed up the Horse Creek pass trail. The trail switchbacks for about 1000' and then follows the creek up to the pass which is also the boundary of Yosemite. Tons of wildflowers were blooming along the trail. Rain threatened but never really materialized. I leapfrogged with 2 guys who were daytripping Matterhorn peak until we went our separate ways near the pass.

horse creek pass trail

matterhorn is around the corner on the right

I continued over the pass to the head of Spiller creek, then turned west and left the trail, heading for a saddle on Matterhorn's south ridge ("matterhorn pass"). I couldn't find much information about this pass but once I reached the base of the ridge, I followed footprints left and up a steep class 2 gully with one class 3 move. Then there was a short traverse north with one easy exposed move to get to the pass. The route was easy to find from below but would be less obvious from above. From Matterhorn pass it was easy walking down gentle rocky and grassy slopes into the next basin, and then up to Burro Pass where I picked up a trail to some lakes below Finger peaks, where I camped. This basin is pretty far from anywhere by trail, so I wasn't very surprised to have it all to myself. And what a spot! Incredible views of Matterhorn and Sawtooth Ridge.

head of spiller creek

matterhorn

looking down valley

up the gully on the left

matterhorn s ridge

basin west of the ridge, a finger peak beyond

came over the saddle left of center

matterhorn from burro pass

golden sawtooth ridge

camp

sunset

finger peaks

In the morning I explored the lake basin for a little while, then continued west on the trail, past the head of Slide Canyon and up to Mule Pass. On the way you get an obscured glimpse of a huge rockslide coming off Slide Mountain into the canyon - it is obvious where these places got their names. From Mule Pass at ~10,450, it was a pretty short walk up low angle snow and then sandy slopes to Slide mtn summit (11,084). IMO the best views were from a slightly lower point east of the true summit: all of sawtooth ridge, ritter and banner in the distance, and yosemite to the south.

finger peaks

slide mtn & crown pt

mule pass

looking back toward mule pass

slide mtn summit view

rock island lake

crown point

Originally I had planned to drop back down to Mule pass and take the trail to Rock Island pass, but while reviewing the map on the previous night I noticed there looked to be an easy cross country route directly from the slide mountain summit to rock island pass. So I dropped off the summit west on to a sandy plateau and then contoured around the slopes above rock island lake basin. There was some boulder hopping but it was pretty straightforward. Also, really excellent view of Rock Island Lake along the way.

plateau

rock island lake

rock island pass & crown point

After a short lunch break at the pass, I stashed my overnight gear and took a side trip up to Crown Pt (11,346). I zigzagged my way up sandy, moderately steep slopes to the summit ridge. The ridge started out broad and open, then a series of bootpaths led me through a maze of trees and up/over/around several false summits. The true summit seemed much further away than I had expected but had really great view of my day's route so far and my destination - peeler lake. I could have dropped straight down to the lake on crown point's NW ridge, but wanted to check out a few other lakes in the area so I headed back down to rock island pass, retrieved my overnight gear, and took the robinson creek trail down past snow, crown, and robinson lakes.

barney lake from crown pt

peeler lake

kerrick meadow

lake where i camped just barely visible in the center

snow lake

crown lake

a robinson lake

a different robinson lake

Then I had to climb back up to Peeler lake. This lake is pretty popular but also huge and I had no problem finding a nice campsite near the Yosemite boundary. But I was a little bit underwhelmed after my really amazing campsite the previous day. Also, the mosquitoes were horrendous. I tried waking up extra early to avoid the worst of them, but they were already swarming when it got light. I ate and packed quickly and headed out. Then it was down down down following Robinson creek back to Twin lakes resort. The upper part of the creek valley between the Peeler lake turnoff and Barney lake is gorgeous, with sparkling granite rising from bright green meadows. Below barney it transitions to more sagebrush and tons of balsamroot and other flowers were blooming.

peeler lake & crown pt

crown pt

sunset

peeler & crown

looking up valley from trail to barney lake

barney lake

barney lake

looking back

This was a really fun trip and a nice little backdoor into yosemite, only wish I had climbed Matterhorn peak! Another one I'll have to go back for. 28 mi, 9850' Map Photos

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Gorgeous! I did an in and out overnighter to Crown Lake, climbed a bit above it to a pass. Looks like I missed A LOT in the neighborhood.

[awilsondc]

[Stefan]

really great trips!!!