Dunderberg Peak
Ascent of Dunderberg Peak (Southwest Slope from Moat Lake, class 2),
November 11, 2018.
Timeline:
November 11, 2018. I left Mammoth Lakes around 8:20 and started hiking from Virginia Lakes at 9:18. I reached Moat Lake at 9:59 and started up some steep red scree/talus immediately above the North shore of the Lake. This was very tedious – 1,800 feet of loose scree. At last I reached some rocks forming the summit ridge, from which it was an easy hike to the summit. I was on top at 11:44, took many pictures of the outstanding views – Mono Lake, Boundary Peak, White Mountain Peak to the southeast. Mount Dana, the Lyell Group, and the Conness area to the south. Black Mountain and Excelsior Mountain to the southwest. Summit Lake, Camiaca Peak, Epidote Peak, Stanton Peak, Virginia Peak, Whorl Mountain, Twin Peaks and Matterhorn Peak to the west. The views must be the reason this pile of choss is on the SPS list… I departed the summit at 12:03 and took a better way down – sticking to the SW ridge on white / orange rock rather than red / black rock as I had done on the way up. This dropped me into a prominent saddle above Moat Lake, and more steep / loose terrain got me back to the lake in short order. I took a 15 minute lunch break and walked back to the trailhead. This time, I followed an excellent use trail that connects the main trail to Moat Lake (on the Western side of the outlet stream). I was at the car at 13:51 and back in Mammoth at 14:40. (A 4:33 hour day, 2,570 feet of elevation gain, 4.5 miles).