In 1864, several members of the California Geological Survey
reached the top of a peak they would name for their field leader
William Brewer.
In 1864, several members of the California Geological Survey reached the top of a peak they would name for their field leader William Brewer. From Mt. Brewer, they had a stunning view of a vast array of granite peaks including Mt. Whitney in the distance.
When they returned to camp, 22-year old Clarence King, badgered a reluctant William Brewer into allowing him and Richard Cotter to explore the region they had seen earlier that day. Their five-day excursion across incredibly difficult terrain is still regarded as a monumental achievement. Mt. Whitney, to their disappointment, proved too far, but Clarence King wrote a famous account of their climb up 14,018-foot Mt. Tyndall.
Earlier this summer when my son Drew and I walked the John Muir Trail, Mt. Tyndall was one of the peaks I hoped to climb as we passed on our walk. The mountain is near the trail, and knowing the Clarence King story, it was an intriguing goal. But when my camp stove failed, Drew and I had to bypass Mt. Tyndall and head for Mt. Whitney and the end of the trail as soon as possible.
Early this October was a good opportunity to go back and try Mt. Tyndall again. Fall is the best time to visit the Sierras. The nights are cool and the flowers are gone, but I would quickly exchange these for no bugs, no people and great Indian summer weather.
Since I couldn’t lure a backpacking buddy to come along, I would go alone. I have gone on several backpack trips solo, but only when the option is not going at all. Generally, I haven’t liked it, and I am not sure why. I enjoy short stretches of solitude, but over three or four days I have trouble relaxing into the trip and feel a restless urge come out sooner than planned.
So, I pulled up to the trailhead outside Independence feeling a little unsure. The Shepherd Pass Trail, a new route to me, is described by in R. J. Secor’s The High Sierra as “long, steep, and difficult.” Beginning at 6,000 feet, it crosses 12,000-foot Shepherd Pass after a 12-mile climb that includes a frustrating 500-foot drop along the way. With my difficulty acclimatizing to the altitude, would I be able to reach this pass and then climb another 2,000 feet (and overall ascent of 8,000 feet) to the summit of Mt. Tyndall?
Despite the difficulty and the fact that I was traveling alone, I was determined to have fun. I resolved: On the long climb to the pass, I would to maintain the “Old-Man Trudge” – a hiking pace I hoped would budget my strength and ease acclimatization; I would not cross the pass in one day, choosing instead to camp along the way and cross it the next day; I would RELAX throughout this effort and try to embrace the solitude.
Physically, the recipe worked. I saw only one person in four days. The walking was fun. I climbed Mt. Tyndall by the same route as Clarence King. I was alone and feeling great on the summit – a perfect warm, still day and an endless view.
Mentally, the trip was revealing. The experience of being so alone in a place so remote left me with one lasting realization – I’m nuts, and I suspect I am not unusual. The restless urge to pack out early was gone, but my unrestrained mind-ramblings were quite a circus. Zen Buddhists call this “monkey-mind” when our thoughts seemingly swing from branch to branch like a monkey beyond our control. They say it interferes with our perception of the present moment, and it did for me on this trip. Without the noise and distractions of my lowland life, my yammering monkey-mind was fully exposed. Constantly, I had to pull my self back to the here and now.
Gotta find me a monkey cage.
