Circle the Cirque Crest

Looking back, Point 9981 looms above, a mere mound compared to the peaks seen on this trip, but serving as an illustration of how much altitude we had lost. This was near the spot where Phil Arnot took a picture that was in his book "High Sierra". Somewhere above to the left on this side of the Cirque Crest are over seven large and small lakes all above 11,000 feet.

Choke Point

Circle The Cirque Crest - By D.W.Donehoo (All rights reserved)

Our goal was to get into the valley below the outlets of Kid Lakes, and each grinding step brought us closer to that goal until we were at the last canyon narrowing that would bring us above "Kid Valley". Once again, after descending an endless vast talus slope, we seemed to be on the wrong side of the river, and worse, a granite slope topped by bush was in the way. The slope looked crossable, but it was streaked with slick-as-ice black runoff, and one section needed to be jumped over. One slip meant a ride down the slope and a landing into the swift rapids below. I started to cross and got part way when I stepped on a tiny 1/2 inch wide of slickness, and felt my boot slip. I froze, grabbing bush above me and slowly so slowly turned and retreated to safe ground. Dave had seen enough and began climbing into the safer bush above, at one point breaking through bush and dirt to the granite slope, causing a small avalanche. Eventually we bypassed the tricky section and proceeded down stream a ways and collapsed.