Homers Nose
Ascent of Homers Nose (Salt Creek Ridge from S. Fork Campground, class 1), November 30, 2022.
Timeline:
November 29, 2022. I left LA around 14:30 and drove to Three Rivers. I had an early dinner at the River View Grill and Bar. I then drove the remaining 14 miles up to the South Fork Campground. I settled for the night in a nice campsite, set up my bed in the back of my 4Runner, and reread the many trip reports that I had brought with me. The tales of long days and headlamp finishes by many respected climbers reminded me that a dayhike of Homers Nose was no joke, despite the modest mileage and easy rating. The day would involve over 6,000 feet of elevation gain and travel through difficult terrain. I resolved to get an early start and to carry a headlamp.
November 30, 2022. I woke up around 6:00 and had a breakfast of shortbread and coffee. I drove a short distance from my campsite to the trailhead proper, and set out on the Ladybug Trail at 6:46, at daybreak. The first few miles went quickly – first a short distance up the trail, then North up Pigeon Creek drainage (I had been warned of poison oak and difficult terrain, but encountered neither), and then up grassy slopes leading to a good use trail along a relatively flat ridge. The trail is in decent condition all the way to Bennett Creek (Surprise Camp). It had taken less than three hours to get to this point and I was quite happy with my time. But the trail pretty much disappeared after that and difficult cross-country terrain began. My pace slowed considerably. The first obstacle was a steep and tedious log-covered slope leading to the base of Salt Creek Ridge. Things got even slower along the ridge. On its north side, sometimes steep snow created obstacles. On the ridge’s crest, steep granite gendarmes often blocked the way. The south side of the ridge was reputed to have a use trail through manzanita and scrub, but I could only find it episodically. I zigzagged along the ridge, moving either north or south.
I reached the summit of Homers Nose at 13:31. The summit area is a broad flat area with some boulders and trees – not much of a summit feel. It held deep snow, from a massive storm in early November, in which I occasionally postholed knee deep. I signed the register, finding the 1943 entry by Chester Versteeg and Robert H. Marsh, two early Sierra Club explorers. I took various photos of the Kaweah Range to the northeast and of the peaks of the Mineral King region to the east. I decided to forego lunch, opting for a bar instead. I left the summit at 13:53, and tried a return path south of my ascent route (this descent was not obviously better). I soon ran out of water, despite having brought three liters. Having cleared the ridge and descended almost all the way to Surprise Camp, I then ran out of daylight (17:15). I took out my headlamp, and realized I had dropped my printed map somewhere on the descent. Thankfully, my GPS watch would afford a more than adequate means of navigation. It had taken over three hours to descend to this point, and I had been on the move for 10½ hours. Soon reaching Bennett Creek, I filled my water bladder, located the old trail, and picked up the pace along easier terrain all the way to Pigeon Creek. There, I slowed down again to descend the sometimes steep canyon back to the Ladybug Trail. The way is occasionally blocked by huge boulders which must be bypassed, usually on the west side of the riverbed. This had been straightforward in the morning light, but was trickier by headlamp. I was relieved to reach the trail, and even happier to reach my car, at 20:19 – though famished and exhausted. I drove back to Three Rivers and got a room at the Comfort Inn. The return home to work and family would have to wait a few more hours – filled with well-deserved rest. (A 13:33 hour day, 12:54 hours moving, 13.71 miles, 6,232 feet of elevation gain).