Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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37.71870°N / 119.1047°W |
Route Type:
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Hike |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
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Time Required:
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Most of a day |
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Difficulty:
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Class 1-2 |
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Grade:
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III |
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Approach
No approach. Simply start from the parking lot at Minaret Summit along SR203 between Mammoth Mountain's main lodge and Devils Postpile. If doing the route in winter or early spring, the road up to Minaret Summit will be closed to car traffic. You'll need to start at the main lodge for Mammoth Mountain, hiking the extra few miles up the road on skis or snowshoes.Route Description
This is one of the more pleasant hikes to be found in the Mammoth Area. For ease of access to outstanding views, it is beaten only by a tram ride to the top of Mammoth Mtn. There are no route-finding difficulties of any sort. From the parking lot, a connecting trail joins the 4x4 Jeep trail that follows along the ridge for several miles to Deadman Pass. Where the Jeep trail ends atop a local highpoint, a decent use trail continues the rest of the way.Most of the hike is over easy class 1 grades. The first downhill section of the use trail is the only class 2 section, and this is pretty mild as well.
Enroute, you will pass Two Teats about a mile south of San Joaquin Mtn. The higher teat lies along the crest, but the lower one to the left offers a short bit of class 3 climbing to reach the summit - the only technical climbing of note along the way which makes for a fun diversion.
An aluminum SPS register box placed in 1941 adorns the flat summit area.
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LincolnB - Oct 17, 2012 8:15 pm - Hasn't voted
Shuttle busDuring the summer the road is closed at Minaret Summit -- you have to park and take a shuttle if you want to go on to Reds Meadow or Devil's postpile. However if you arrive before 7am you can drive through. Current conditions are listed at: Minaret summit road conditions
Bob Burd - Oct 17, 2012 8:18 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Shuttle busTrue, but... Not really relevant for a hike to San Joaquin Mtn as no shuttle bus is needed. Certainly important info for those peaks in the Ansel Adams Wilderness further west - but that belongs on another page...