Brewer Basin in Kings Canyon

The best way to get to the summit is to drop down to the lake below and travel up this little valley until you spot the trail of use shooting up the sandy slope to your left. It is preferable to a traverse through talus.

Endless Talus

We were faced with two choices: we could traverse angling upward through large talus to the ridge of Mt. Brewer, or drop down to the small lakes below, head up the valley and hike upward on the sandy shoulder. We chose to do the first, but the second way was probably the better and safer way. We had done a bunch of talus the year before, so if we were not old hands at this, we were now. We began picking our way across, navigating some tricky section carefully, and made steady progress. Dave, impatient as always, passed me, while I, very mindful of the last year's mishap, traveled in a more extra cautious manner. At one point we crossed a steep bare sandy section with lousy traction, making us appreciate the stable talus once we are back amongst it. I gradually became more comfortable in the talus as the fear from events of the year before faded. I was getting back to my form I had before my accident. Eventually we got to the ridge crest and sat down for food and a break.