Mount Pinchot in CA Sierra

Harlan W.S.
July 12, 2015

We did this as an overnight backpack, but the trip might be easier as a dayhike.  If you don't have a narrow 4x4, you can count on starting 2500' lower. Armstrong Canyon is dry, and our first water was at 12200'; that tarn often dries up in summer.  Most of the route is trail-less, over large blocks of unstable talus, really tough for hauling a backpack.  I didn't know what to expect (we had reports of snow) so I wore stiff mountaineering boots; sticky rubber approach shoes would be more apt for a dayhike.  The campsite was exposed and we had hours of rain and hail. We had accumulated gain of 4600' over 5.6 milkes to the campsite, and the next day gained about 1400' to the summit before heading home.

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Ah, the fun begins.
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Actually, we were grateful
for the clouds. No water
 till 12200'.
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I know that slope on the R
doesn't look steep...
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John. Now we must go
over that ridge (well to the
less-sinister R)
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...then drop down and go
around and climb back
up again. Whee!
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Over that ridge lies
WATER
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There it is! The water!
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Excellent campsites for
people who like to sleep
 on broken rocks.
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Next morn was a
ridiculously short trip
to the summit...
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View to Palisades,
distinctive profile of
Sill in middle
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John Ide comes up
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Party time!
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The lake we might have
used, if our tarn
had been dry
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Another view of our glorious
tent site. We were
treated to a hail/rainstorm
the previous night.

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Bye, lake!
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The route choice down
was much more pleasant.
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Eric's orange shirt is
there somewhere