Trip Report
Rocks of the Rae Lakes Loop: a photo scouting trip
Monday September 17, 2012 12:27am
A friend and I had the "brilliant" idea of trying to do the the Rae Lakes loop in one day this weekend. It's a popular 46 mile backpacking trip in Kings Canyon National Park. My longest run before this point was 6 miles a few years ago, and my longest hike was 23 miles. Needless to say doing this loop in 14 hours was tough, but beautiful. In addition to the lakes and other sights, I saw a lot of rock I want to climb.

Without further adieu, here are some of the rocks for your daydreaming pleasure:

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Bubb's Creek Wall
It was too dark for my crappy camera when we were below this rock, so here's a profile picture. It was an awesome looking 2,000ft tall formation on the north side of Bubb's Creek. There are five route's that I know of, the easiest being a grade IV 5.10+ (Aquaman). The others are multi-day adventures. Several threads on here about it.

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Mount Bago
Not great angles but some interesting rock up there. One route is supposedly a 5.7 covering "1,000 feet of excellent rock." -Secor

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East Vidette
Can't find anything about a class 5 route on the north side of East Vidette, but it seems like there could be a fun, long moderate in there somewhere.

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Charlotte Dome
Super secret locals only crag that looks decent and has some chossy route called the South Face by a no-name climber, I think it's Galen Rowell or something.

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Brewer Group
From left to right there's the northeast faces of Mount Brewer, North Guard, and Mount Francis Farquhar. Supposed to be good stuff on those peaks. Check out the face on the lower (northwest) peak on Mt. Francis Farquhar, yum.

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Two Dorks
Feeling surprisingly good and looking expectedly handsome after climbing 7000 feet in about 17 miles to Glen Pass.

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Painted Lady
I wonder how the rock quality is on this peak? A 5.7 goes up that rib on the right.

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Fin Dome
It's not very big, but it begs to be climbed. Various routes go up every side of this rock, ranging from class 3/4-5.8.

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Mount Clarence King
The southeast face. Rowell put up a 5.9 on there, but there's probably room for more!

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Mount Cotter
The true summit is on the left, but the east face of that lower (north) summit looks really good and I want to get on the 5.9 A1 (pendulum). It looks big and awesome, so obviously Galen Rowell climbed it first.

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Peak 11556'
This unnamed formation is on a ridge to the south of Castle Domes Meadow above Woods Creek. Looks like there is fun to be had. Maybe a ridge traverse too?

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Castle Domes
Could spend a while exploring these things. I wonder where the 5.11 "Sillmarillion" is that's in the Secor book?

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North Side of Woods Creek
5.fun cracks anyone?

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Junction of Woods Creek and Kings River
I don't know...

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Smoky
Followed this guy for probably 10 minutes before he let us pass. Bears don't know trail etiquette.

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The Sphinx
Here are some rocks on the East end of Kings Canyon.

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Didn't include pictures of Kings Canyon proper. It's beautiful and full of rock, but you'll have to go see that for yourselves.

I hope this made you want to climb! Have a wonderful day.







  Trip Report Views: 3,390
limpingcrab
About the Author
limpingcrab is a descendant of bigfoot

Comments
Captain...or Skully

climber
Boise, ID
  Sep 17, 2012 - 12:32am PT
Glorious stuff in there. Frickin' glorious.
Cheers!
cowpoke

climber
  Sep 17, 2012 - 08:07am PT
Yes, it does make me wanna go climb!
Dirka

Trad climber
Hustle City
  Sep 17, 2012 - 08:19am PT
You complete me
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Sep 17, 2012 - 10:03am PT
Right on. Great loop. You boys hard gettin after it!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  Sep 17, 2012 - 11:22am PT
Awesome pictures. I loved Clarence King/Cotter area when I was there.
10b4me

Social climber
Lida Junction
  Sep 17, 2012 - 11:31am PT
tfpu!
reach

Trad climber
Brisbane, CA
  Sep 17, 2012 - 03:15pm PT
For sure, one of my favorite areas. Thanks for sharing!
BuddhaStalin

climber
Truckee, CA
  Sep 17, 2012 - 03:20pm PT
Great pics, thanks for the porn, did Clarence King a couple years ago, all the rock around there looks good, definitely going back to do N Cotter and the Gardiner traverse.
Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
  Sep 17, 2012 - 03:28pm PT
That's a lot of miles, but it looks like the 2 dorks held up well. Beautiful terrain back in there. I'm surprised the E. Face of Mt. Cotter hasn't gotten more attention. I was back in 60 Lakes Basin a good 20 yrs. ago eyeballing that and thinking people we're going to get to work on that, and nothing.

Great report. Thanks for sharing.
limpingcrab

Gym climber
Minkler, CA
Author's Reply  Sep 17, 2012 - 03:41pm PT
Ya, after seeing the East face of N Cotter, it's added to my to-do list. I'd like to see a close up if any of you have one to share...
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
  Sep 17, 2012 - 03:44pm PT
Post o' the month!
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
  Sep 17, 2012 - 04:24pm PT
Wow, this is a great community service trip report. I've often dreamt of doing the Rae Lakes Loop (but in a few days) and scouting future climbing potential.
Nate D

climber
San Francisco
  Sep 17, 2012 - 05:28pm PT
Nothing to see here, move right along... faster, it's getting late.


TFPU!
David Wilson

climber
CA
  Sep 17, 2012 - 08:13pm PT
nice job and thanks for the TR. i can feel the sierra air in those pics
hossjulia

Trad climber
Carson City, NV
  Sep 17, 2012 - 08:40pm PT
awesome! I was through there in July on the JMT and yeah, there is some incredible real estate in granite back there.
East Vidette was one of my favorite peaks on the trip, so classic looking.

TFPU
kaholatingtong

Trad climber
The fake McCoy from nevernever land.
  Sep 17, 2012 - 08:56pm PT
i always thought it looked like there could be a moderate up east vidette after passing through there myself
klk

Trad climber
cali
  Sep 17, 2012 - 09:22pm PT
tx for the pix
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Sep 18, 2012 - 06:02pm PT
Awesome pics, looks like quite a day,
Limping crab was a prophetic name right????
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