Mt Ritter Backpacking Trip

Ansel Adams Wildenress

August 31-September 5, 2006

It was a tough decision not to go to burning man this year. I decided to go backpacking with my two very good friends Olly and Dan instead. We traded the world of man made splendors at burning man for ones in nature that were every bit as visually and conceptually stimulating. The organic forms melting ice or the world reflected in a drop of water on a bed of moss, borderd on the psychedellic. While cotemplating the forces required to fuse aggrigates into metamorphic rock, or squirt a 100' tall vein of crystal into the crack in a monolith of solid granite seemed to dwarf the creative effort of man in the desert by orders of magnitude. At the same time, journeys into the unexplored macroscopic world reveal layers of fractal symmetry implying universal levels of coordination beyond our comprehension or control. It would seem that the community, visual stimulus, grandiocity as well as the spiritual implications could be found in the mountains as well.

Views of Mt Ritter (13,157') on the Left and Banner Peak (12,936') on the right.

Thousand Island Lake with Banner Peak in the Background

Looking down over 1000 Island Lake

Snowfield on our assent to Catherine Lake

The Arctic Zone (Where are the penguins?)

Assent to Mt Ritter

At the saddlebefore the final assent to the top

Looking down on the glacier that is part of the approach from the east (we came in from catherine lake on the west side)

At the top.

Relaxing after a grueling climb.

Wildflowers on the way down.

And Dan cooked us a well deserved gourmet dinner.

The next day we had a little time on our hands and decided to give Andy Goldsworthy a run for his money!

Cool Icebergs

Beautiful Flowers

Notes to Self:

-Used 27 oz fuel for 3 people for 5 days (~2oz per person per day) for . Coffe, Oatmeal, Cook Dinner, and After dinner hot drinks.

-To save weight, loose leatherman. washcloth will suffice instead of towel.

-Bring beef jerkey, less hot chocolate, no gatorade (emergenC lighter and better tasting)