Excelsior Mountain
Ascent of Excelsior Mountain (from Virginia Lakes, class 2), August 25, 2018.
Timeline:
August 25, 2018. I left the trailhead at Virginia Lakes at 9:09 and made quick way to the pass that lies at the head of the lakes basin (10:22). I hiked up the broad slopes that meander toward the top of Excelsior Mountain, traversing two smaller peaks on the way. The sight of Burro Lake, a bright, almost iridescent turquoise lake, was impressive and made for great photo opportunities on the way (it was, in fact, the most memorable sight of the day). I reached the summit at 11:37 under heavy winds. I found shelter from the wind on the east side of the summit, signed the summit register, enjoyed the outstanding views in all directions and had a snack. I departed the summit area at 12:07, retracing my steps as closely as I could. On one of the steep bits I met a hiker from Reno who like me was wondering where Burro Lake got its color. Uranium, I joked: it does look radioactive. The answer, in fact, is rock flour. I rejoined the trail and at a hurried pace made my way back to the car, reaching it at 14:04. I stopped by the Virginia Lakes Resort for ice cream before returning home to Mammoth. A fitting end to another great Sierra mountaineering season. (A 4:55 hour day, 2,600 feet of elevation gain, 9.5 miles).