Mt. Goode and Hurd Col

Mt. Goode and Hurd Col

Story and Photos by Charles Foster
April 12-14, 1996

High Camp
Mt. Goode dominates the skyline over Margaret Lake

John Moynier's "Backcountry Skiing in the High Sierra" had been in my bookcase for several years, but winter after winter a series of excuses had kept me from doing any of his routes. I was determined that this year would be different.

Unable to recruit any partners, I chose one of the milder trips in the book, a loop out of South Lake and over Hurd Col. Relatively easy (Class 2-3) and short (11 miles) it looked to be a nice relaxing trip. My wife and son were out of town for the week so I decided to take a three-day weekend, allocating the middle day for exploring the Bishop Pass area.

I left LA Thursday evening, arriving at the South Lake trailhead about midnight. It had been warm down in the Owens Valley so it was surprising to see snowflakes falling. Sleep came quickly as I listened to the snowmelt rushing down the South Fork of Bishop Creek.

Friday dawned chilly and windy so there was no rush to get out of my warm sleeping bag. I finally got on my skis about 9:30. Two other parties were just getting started at that time. These were the last people I would see until Sunday afternoon.

Conditions were partly cloudy and breezy, so the snow was icy. After a few hundred yards of careful traverses up the snow-covered South Lake Road I slapped on the climbing skins and started making much better time. The scenery was inspiring with clouds racing overhead, then getting dashed to bits on the ragged peaks of the Inconsolable Range. Spindrift flew off the peaks and sparkled in the bright spring sun, but there were just occasional breezes at my level.

Two hours of effortless skiing got me to Long Lake. Not much later I'd reached a protected bench just below Margaret Lake. Although this was close to 11K feet I had no trouble with the altitude; the night of acclimatization was paying dividends. I pitched my tent in a sheltered spot with great views of the Inconsolable Range and Mt. Agassiz to the east, and Mt. Goode to the south.

Spindrift
High winds send the spindrift flying over Mt. Goode

Just as I finished setting up camp the wind started picking up. Spindrift whipped over Hurd Col and raced down the valley. At times streamers of powder blew straight up the north-facing couloirs of Mt. Goode and hundreds of feet into the sky.

I took a short tour up to the base of Hurd Col to get a better view of the show. Occasionally a big cloud of billowing snow gusted my way, but I usually saw it in time to duck down and brace myself against the blast. It was a relief to get back to camp, out of the wind, and into my tent. Due to the blustery conditions I opted not to bother with the stove, and just had a cold dinner of gorp that night. By sunset the wind died down, and I enjoyed a very quiet evening.

Sunset on the Inconsolables

Studying the topos and thinking about the good pace I'd set getting to camp, I decided my plan to visit Bishop Pass was not ambitious enough. Mt. Sill was tempting but too far away, and was way out of line with the itinerary I'd left with my wife, Edessa. Mt. Hurd was too close and looked too easy. Mt. Goode caught my eye; it had given me a great show that afternoon, had a fun-looking approach, and didn't look terribly steep if approached from the southeast. At 13,085 feet it would also be sure to offer some great views. I decided that, if conditions looked promising in the morning, Mt. Goode would be the primary target, with Bishop Pass as a backup.

A Clarks Nutcracker awakened me just after dawn. I didn't actually leave the tent until the sunlight hit my camp though; it had been a long cold night, and it was still below freezing in the shade. Once the sun was up things warmed up rapidly, and I was soon able to peel off my fleece jacket. Some coffee, muffins, and I felt even warmer. I dismantled my pack and reassembled some of the pieces into a big fanny pack, into which I packed my shells, fleece top, and lunch. After some deliberation I decided to bring along my ice axe. This would prove to be a good decision.

The ski up to the south side of Mt. Goode went quickly and enjoyably. From the base of the peak the climb looked trivial, so off I went.

Final Approach
A few feet below Goode's summit, looking back to the SW

Cornices
Cornices overhang the vertical north face of Mt. Goode

Looks were deceiving; a third of the way up, I was carefully extracting my ice axe, and used it to effect a traverse across patches of hard, blue ice, over to the SW Ridge. There I was able to take off the skis, calm my twitching left eye, and make a very enjoyable ascent up the corniced ridge to the peak. The view was stunning, but I had concerns about the snow icing up so quickly returned to my skis.

Getting down off the ridge, carrying my skis and poles, kicking steps and using the axe for belays was interesting but not as difficult as I'd feared. I then enjoyed a great run down the open bowls to Saddlerock Lake. I was back to camp in time to enjoy a couple hours of afternoon sun.

Snow Surveyor's Cabin
Cabin sites don't get much nicer. Mt. Agassiz towers above.

The adventure wasn't yet over. I broke camp fairly early Sunday, but the snow was a little wetter than I would have liked as I climbed the sun-warmed, southeast-facing slopes. There were no signs of avalanches anywhere in the basin but they were on my mind constantly. When I reached the pass, I was treated to a breathtaking view of my descent route - breathtaking due to the steepness, icy northwest-facing conditions, and intermittent rock bands. While it didn't look bad enough for me to break out the axe, my left eye decided to twitch a bit at the sight. Hmmm, this was supposed to be a mellow trip. Careful sidestepping, edging, and cautious kick turns got me down to the Treasure Lakes basin, where I enjoyed some great touring, and even cut a few tele-turns in the softening snow.

Hurd Col
Sun glares off ice in this view of Hurd Col, taken from Treasure Lakes basin

The remainder of the descent to South Lake involved a few steep tight chutes interspersed with fun, open bowls and small basins. Just below South Lake I saw the first people I'd seen since Friday morning. It was strange to speak again, after over two days of silence.

Back in town, it was hard to sleep, listening to the roar of the city, missing the sound of the wind. As for the trip: it had everything I wanted. Views, challenges, great snow, excellent camping, and solitude. The Sierra had been good to me yet again.

This document was last updated on Wednesday, January 28, 1998