Coyote Flats, Vagabond Peak (aka Cloudripper Jr.) (13,374') and The Hunchback (12,311') (06.23-24.2012)
Heading out of Bishop, the road to Coyote Flats is sandy and smooth.
Cool terrain back in here, close to and similar to the Buttermilks.
As you start to climb the switchbacks the classic profile of Humphreys, Basin, and Tom come into view.
We're leaving the flat lands behind. Time to climb from 5k to 10k in about 5 miles. Steep, narrow, and rocky. Wheee.
We reach the first plateau. A bit bouncy but the giant Tundra did fine on what I had expected to be much tighter switchbacks.
Some ruts but not bad.
As we get higher the pinyons start to dot the landscape and interesting rock formations appear. It's the next ridge over and similar to the Druid Stones (climbing area). I even saw some stuff that reminded me of the Flatirons outside of Boulder, CO.
We're at about 9000 ft and the higher sierra peaks are starting to appear.
Gorgeous terrain in here.
Our caravan - us in the Tundra and Antony in the Tacoma.
On the flats, and we finally get a view towards the Palisades.
Heading in to Baker Creek. The road looks deceptively smooth in this photo. This was a really rocky, slow going stretch.
This is also the first peek at Cloudripper and Vagabond! (the two peaks on the right).
At the end of the road (wilderness boundary) there are several nice campsites and an old, degraded (but marginally functional) outhouse. We pulled into the first campsite since it had nice flat spots and some camp furniture (i.e. logs and rocks). This is at about 10,300 ft.
View of Cloudripper (left) and Vagabond (right) from camp.
All dolled up in my new Columbia gear for the hike. Lets go!
Starting up the on-again-off-again fishermans trail towards Baker Lake.
Baker Lake and Sky Haven (ridge) behind.
Sky Haven (Left), Cloudripper, and Vagabond.
In the dry meadows above Baker and below Thunder and Lightning lake. It looks like this should normally be a mosquito heaven but it's really dry. Especially considering the time of year.
The trail heads up to a plateau at about 11,700 ft.
I'm following the trail towards the low point.
Eventually I see Cloudripper (dark grey) and Vagabond (lighter grey) again. I'll hit the plateau and then follow the ridge back towards the peaks.
Reaching the broad plateau.
Cloudripper, Vagabond, and an unnamed lower point on the ridge (but you still have to go over it to get to the others. Wheeee unnecessary climbing!)
View to the northwest from the plateau.
From the plateau the cross-country starts off really easy. Sandy, straightfowarward. Up and over the intermediate bump. Well, easy except for the altitude thing. The unnamed bump is at about 12,400 ft. Up I go.
See? Easy.
I look to my right and see mt Humphreys (just peeking out) and Mt Tom (the dark distant peak).
Eventually I see Cloudripper (L) and Vagabond (R) again.
I get to the top of the unnamed bump at 12,400 ft and finally get a closer peek at Vagabond. Up!
It's a bit steeper but still quite easy going.
Looking back at the bump I just climbed over.
I can see the road to Parchers Camp/South Lake below. Mt Humphreys and mt Tom dominate the view to the North.
Looking back on the Hunchback. The Whites in the distance across Owens Valley.
I look over and see the tops of the gables along the Inconsolable Range. From the other side (the Bishop Pass trail) these look like steep, sharp, 2000 ft tall imposing granite pillars.
