The terrain was pretty easy, but steep in spots. The loose sand was a bit annoying going up but it helped for a quick descent.

Taking a break about 1/3 the way between the upper lake and the summit. The views are getting pretty awesome!

Up towards the north ridge.

Four Gables and the upper lake.

Bear Creek Spire, Mt Morgan, and other peaks to the north.

Mt Tom. Still higher than us - it's about 400 ft higher than Basin Mountain. The foreground gives an idea of the angle of the slope we were climbing.

The summit is finally close and the rocks are getting a bit bigger. We ditch our poles for the final few hundred feet.

Pavla, and the two lakes we passed on our way up.

The north ridge was really neat, seeing all the 'teeth' from above.

It's just a big pile of rocks.

Hellooooo Sierra! The lower lake is visible waaay down there.

David is on the summit.

So is Robin

Mt Tom and the north ridge of Basin

Here comes Pavla!

David on the summit with Mt Humphreys

Looking south - from left to right:
Palisade Crest (Mt Sill is the prominent one), very distant is the Whitney region, then in the middle foreground are the Piute Crags, Mt Lamarck, Mt Emerson, to the right and a bit more distant is Mt Darwin, then Goddard, and then Humphreys right in front of us on the right.

Mt Humphreys

View to the west. Four Gables in the foreground. Behind that is Merriam/Royce/Feather. Behind them is Seven Gables, one of my favorite peaks ever. To the right - Hildegard, Mt Julius Caesar, Bear Creek Spire.

View northwest towards Mono Divide

Way to the north I could make out what was probably Banner/Ritter and the minarets.

Mt Tom

Bishop and the Buttermilks

McGee Lake

Coyote Flat

Me, Robin, and Pavla on the summit. Woohoo!

Our slope and the view

Me just off the summit.

Descending - I'm pretty sure I took this picture about 2 seconds before Pavla realized the drop off was there.

Our descent route - straight down the slope, curving over to the second lake on the left, then back down to the first lake. There is a cliff between the upper slope and that lower lake, which is why you have to go around the second lake.

Between the two lakes (the lower lake visible). And Mt Tom - we're coming for you tomorrow!

Slabby bedrock on this slope - nicer than loose talus.

The lower lake.

Looking at the cliffs above the lower lake, I think there might be a route through it but we didn't have enough beta or time to explore.

Nice beach.

Two possible routes through the cliffs - either up the green waterfally area on the left, or through the shadowy chute. It's a bit steeper than this photo makes it look.

Tom

Back down at Horton Lake, we tried to find a route around the other side of the lake but kept finding dead ends in marshy bushes.

Horton Lake

Sunset from camp, with the shadow of Mt Tom over Bishop

On Monday morning I stuck my camera out the tent door and took this picture. Moon setting over Four Gables

Our track from Mt Tom - old mining road switchbacks up to the hanging valley and then over to the Tungstar Mine. From the mine it's a slog up steep chutes and ribs to the summit. I believe it took us about 2 hours to get from the mine to the summit.

tommap

Starting off from the old cabins down by Horton Lake

Buh-bye moon.