East Side Sierra Nevada – April 2025 – Part Three

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Please click here for Part Two

 

“Far from the cares that are”

Robert W. Service

 

We were up before dawn, as is our norm, took advantage of the peaceful quiet, and eased into the hot spring water right out the back door of the camper. Years and cares dropped away as morning light came. Our coffee mugs were long empty when the Lady playfully asked, “Want breakfast in the buff? I’ll go make it.” My answer should not be hard to guess.

 

After a lazy morning and picking up a few supplies in Bishop, we contemplated buying a shovel. With our cautious pre-recession mood, we decided we’d made it this far, save our money, and would go without. But we would not forget it again. We headed west of Bishop into the Buttermilks. Why? The list, of course.

 

The Buttermilks got its name back at the beginning of the 20^th century when miners would stop at Inman’s dairy for a glass of buttermilk. It is now a celebrated world class bouldering  destination.

 

I suspect few climbers are aware one of the massive glacial erratics is a pictograph site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DStretch helps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Due to the amount of use, the Inyo National Forest has implemented several measures to protect the area but still allow use. Some areas are closed for restoration, trails have been established, overused areas closed to camping, parking areas improved, and CXT vault toilets added. A quick stop to use a CXT brought us a ray of hope in these dark times and we salute the Bishop climbing community for their spot on message.

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving the climbing area, Buttermilk Road continues and becomes a rough road where high clearance and 4x4 is recommended. We climbed and kept an eye out for a suitable dispersed campsite. We came to an intersection with a small sign that read, “Horton Lakes Trailhead.” The Lady’s response was immediate and expected. “Let’s hike to Horton Lake!” The 1.5 miles to the trailhead is quite narrow and rough. I expect most park below and walk up. Around a corner, backed into a space in the aspens, we were surprised to see a Rivian pickup. A fellow walked out as we slowly drove past. “Are you looking for a place to camp?” he asked and continued. “We just got done skiing, are having a beer, and will be leaving in a few minutes.” We chatted for a bit, thanked them, exchanged skiing stories, and when they left, we settled in.

 

 

 

 

 

The wind was fierce and cold. The Lady made us each a warm drink and we climbed through the aspen to a viewpoint behind our camp. This spot would do quite nicely for two nights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had the broad expanse of the upper Owens Valley and the White Mountains right out our door.

 

 

 

 

 

On our evening walk we checked out more outstanding views, including the impressive Sierra Wave cloud formation .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We wandered until the world grew dark.

 

 

 

 

 

The following morning was about as good as it gets for a morning walk with our mugs of coffee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mount Tom towered above us with an impressive elevation gain of 5600 feet (and close to 10,000 feet above the city of Bishop below).

 

 

 

 

 

We were about to leave camp when a beat-up Honda CR-V drove into our campsite. “Do you know something's hanging down under the front of your car?” the Lady asked as a young man opened the driver’s door. “Oh that? That won’t stay up. It don’t matter. Is it okay I park here?”

“Sure,” I answered. “Are you climbing today?” I did not see any skis. He introduced himself. Here I’ll call him Bobby B.

“I’m doing Mount Tom. I was up yesterday doing some scouting.”

We had seen him.

“When do you expect to be back?” the Lady asked.

“I expect eight tonight. I hope for seven, but it’s better to say eight. I don’t like to get up in the morning so I don’t get early starts. I live in Bishop.”

“We’ll watch for you and if you get back later, don’t worry about disturbing us. You have a headlamp, right?”

“Oh yes, and I have bivouac gear with me too if I need it.”

We chatted more as we donned our packs and got ready to hit the trail. The young man pulled gear out of his car.

 

Horton Lake was a little over 4.5 miles from our camp. Most of the trail follows a deteriorating road that once led to several tungsten prospects.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a good climb up the lateral moraine at the mouth of Horton Canyon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bobby B left several minutes after we did on his solo climb of the Wizard Route to the summit of Mount Tom. He caught up to us at about the two-mile mark. We stopped.

“Boy, you two can really move for being so old!” Bobby B exclaimed. “You move better than most people I see.”

“How old are you?” the Lady asked.

“I’m twenty-eight. How do you two do it? I really want to keep hiking when I get old.”

“So do we,” I said with a big grin. “Well into our nineties.”

Bobby B was sincere and genuine with his comments.

The Lady asked about his route, his equipment, his navigation aids, other peaks he’s climbed. I asked to take his picture.

 

 

 

 

 

We did not mention our winter mountain search and rescue background. Bobby B happily pulled out his phone. He had a red line drawn on a mapping program of his route. We all tried to match it to the mountain. From our current location, the route was not clear to us. He also had a video from 2016 of someone climbing the route. We continued on together up the trail.

 

“It’s our habits that save our lives.” Everybody, it seems, has phones that take pictures. At the beginning of each hike make it a habit to take photos of everyone in your group. If someone gets lost or turns up missing, you can provide the responders with an accurate description along with equipment carried. What boots were Bobby B wearing? Orange Scarpa mountaineering boots. Do this especially if you are parents, grandparents taking children along. Plus it by taking pictures of shoes and the track made by the shoes. The Lady’s boot tracks are burned into my brain.

 

We passed the cabins of the Sunny Boy Mine. We’d look at them on our return to camp.

 

 

 

 

 

We parted company with Bobby B at the crossing of Horton Creek. A little further up the trail we stopped and tried to visualize his route.

 

 

 

 

The trail climbs high above Horton Creek through wonderful terrain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t you wish you were along with us?

 

 

 

 

 

Since the start of Part One, how many of you longtime readers have asked, “Where’s the Lady’s old ruby colored pack?”

 

We arrived at the mine buildings above Horton Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are of fairly modern construction with concrete floors and roof trusses built with milled 2x4s.

 

The Hanging Valley mine is on the high west slopes of Mount Tom. A series of steep switchbacks lead up to the ridge above the cabins and Horton Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the standard route (class 3) to the top of Mount Tom.

 

We enjoyed lunch in the warm sun. The wind had calmed quite a bit from the previous day. Then we made our way down to Horton Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1300 hrs and it was time to mosey back down the mountain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Horton Creek below the crossing and above the Sunny Boy mine buildings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evidence told us this was a hang out for local young people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed showering in the sun when we returned to camp. Our dinner was simple and we ate in our chairs with the glorious view spread out below us. We walked up to the trailhead after dinner and spotted Bobby B coming down. He made it to our camp at 1830. He had made great time and was excited to share the story of the climb with us. He was beat and he used “brutal” to describe his day. “Are you  going to be able to stay awake on your drive home?” the Lady asked.

“I’ll be fine,” he reassured. “Thanks for watching out for me.”

 

We sat out in the night. The lights of Bishop shimmered below and stars blazed above and lit up the snow-covered slopes. The beauty of a night like this is almost overwhelming.

 

We continued on the Buttermilk loop the next morning.

 

 

 

 

 

By mid-morning storm was already building to the north.

 

 

 

 

 

The view with Mount Humphreys (13,992 feet) is outstanding.

 

 

 

 

 

The building storm added drama.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our weather trend was continuing. What was up next on our adventure? It continues, please click here for Part Four.