Mt Oso (13,684') by Brian Schultz Wednesday July 29- Friday July 31, 2009
Roundtrip mileage: 25.4 miles from Beartown
Total elevation gain: 7,300'
Participants: Tim Briese, Brian Schultz
Wednesday July 29, 2002:
We made efficient use of our time by climbing White Dome and Peak One this morning but thunderstorms delayed our backpack departure until 3:25 PM. I was discouraged by the relentless storms to the point of giving up on the backpack but Tim held firm. He knew if we left Beartown we'd have to come back for Oso in the future, requiring another long drive in, and was willing to wait out the weather. My concern was getting caught up high at Hunchback Pass during a lightning storm.
We waited and waited, and when the skies finally cleared we departed, my attitude improving considerably once we made the pass and began heading down to to the safety of lower elevation. We kept a steady pace along the well maintained Vallecito trail to the Rock Creek junction, our destination and camp area for the next two nights, and rain showers began just as we arrived at 6:05. We hurriedly set up the tent and no sooner got inside than a wicked flash-boom thunderstorm let loose. It was good to be in the tent and not still on the trail.
Beartown trailhead to Rock Creek junction- 5.8 miles; elevation gain- 700'; hiking time- 2 hours 40 minutes
Thursday July 30, 2009:
The primary reason for camping at Rock Creek was to avoid carrying heavy packs up to Rock Lake, especially after having climbed White Dome and Peak One. Our plan was to start in the dark of the morning with lighter packs and arrive at Rock Lake at first light, which is when we'd be starting had we backpacked up there.
We awoke at 3:00 AM and started up the Rock Creek trail at 3:35. The excellent trail was easy to hike by headlamp, and as we headed up further into the remote backcountry, the clear starry sky gave hope for good weather despite an unfavorable forecast.
But it was extremely cold and when we stopped after a while to readjust my trekking poles, I first had to rap ice off the tips. After we passed through wet willows, we were completely saturated and so chilled that we had to keep moving to retain even the slightest warmth. But we arrived at Rock Lake at 5:50, just as we'd hoped, and stopped to filter water and have a bite to eat as the eastern sky was beginning to lighten. Two tents were seen in the area and a llama was tethered near one, but nobody was milling about.
We looked for the trail leading up to the pass above Rock Lake, knowing it was there somewhere, and finally found it on the east side of the lake. The trail was handily cairned to the pass. We should've stayed on the trail for a short distance as it descended from the pass but we headed up immediately to the right, bearing southwest toward the ridge above. For our effort, we ended up getting cliffed out and had to backtrack.
Once we properly reached the ridge we could see Mt Oso and the remaining route. We easily spotted the ascent gully on the other side of the basin and worried about its steepness and the snow in it. We descended 400 feet on grassy slopes into the basin and, at 8:15, headed toward the gully. The ascent was up steep loose talus and then steep grass, very manageable and much easier than it looked from the other side of the basin. Tim wasn't feeling well when we topped out of the gully, slowed by dehydration, and I took the lead from there. The ridge above the gully was steep but the terrain eased to comfortable talus and we arrived on summit at 9:40. It was a rewarding summit to make, especially being so remote, and the views were terrific. We made the most of our thirty five minutes on top but a long hike remained back to camp and threatening weather was looming on the horizon. We departed at 10:15.
It began showering lightly when we approached the pass at noon. It was short-lived and when we arrived at Rock Lake at 12:35, we stopped to filter water, refuel, and put on rain gear. It started raining fifteen minutes later and intermittent showers accompanied us nearly all the way back to the tent. We pulled in at 2:45 and contemplated backpacking out in the late afternoon but settled in for another night to rest sore legs. Which was just as well because a big thunderstorm rolled through later.
Roundtrip mileage- 13.8 miles (Rock Creek junction to Rock Lake- 4.5 miles, Rock Lake to summit- 2.4 miles)
Elevation gain- 4,400'
Start to finish- 11 hours 10 minutes
Friday July 31, 2009:
We departed Rock Creek at 7:10 AM, hiking a slow but steady pace, and reached Hunchback Pass at 10:20. Below the pass we crossed paths with two fellows and yet another group just before reaching the trailhead. Taking off our heavy packs was a great feeling when we arrived at the truck at 10:55 but the best feeling was our success on this remote peak. Next up on our agenda was a rematch with UN 13688, the peak we turned around on two years ago.
Rock Creek junction to Beartown trailhead- 5.8 miles; elevation gain- 2,200' ; hiking time- 3 hours 45 minutes