While going to school in Berkeley in the mid-60s, I would occasionally get the opportunity to do a ski tour into the Sierras. Seen here are tours to the Pear Lake Hut, in Sequoia NP, a tour over Kearsarge Pass to Charlotte Lake, in Kings Canyon NP, a tour into Whitney Portal and a tour to Matterhorn Peak from Mono Lakes. I also did a trip to the Peter Grubb Hut, which had great spring skiing on open slopes uphill from the hut, but I have no photos to prove it!
The trip to the Pear Lake Hut was in the company of a Sierra Club group from the Bay Area, and started from the Generals’ Highway. I used ski-mountaineering gear, which is now referred to as randonee or alpine touring. The photos below were taken with a 2¼ sq. camera (Rollie TLR or Hasselblad) .
We climbed Alta Peak from the hut, which provided fabulous views in all directions, including the Tableland to the northeast.
My tour into Kings Canyon NP started on May 1, 1965. It began from the east, and went over Kearsarge Pass. On this trip, myself and a climbing friend accompanied a snow surveyor, who was to take measurements at Charlotte Lake, and we stayed at the NPS hut located at the lake.
Mt. Whitney and Alabama Hills, postcard
Mt. Whitney and Alabama Hills, postcard
On the way up to Kearsarge Pass
Charlotte Lake, Sequoia NP
Whitney Portal:
Me, skiing on the slopes of Whitney Portal
Mt. Whitney, from Whitney Portal
Mts. Ritter and Banner (left) in the winter, from US 395
Matterhorn Peak. Also a 2¼ sq. negative.
Matterhorn Peak
