EISPIRATEN

Day two of my Bishop blast had my sites set on Bloody Mountain (SPS #141), 12,552' south of Mammoth Lakes. The name refers to the blood red glow reflected from the red rock in the morning. The effect is best viewed from Mammoth Lakes. Bloody can be a short hike (5.6 miles round trip) if you can drive up to the trailhead at 9900' on the unmaintained Laurel Lakes Road. I only made it to 8000' before vehicle-ending boulders convinced me to park at a turnout. Where I parked added 6.6 miles round trip to the hike, but it seemed less stressful to hike it vs. the exhausting drive and worrying about permanent damage to the truck. The road was shaded and I made good time to the trailhead. The trail started with switchbacks up to a pine forested plateau, then more switchbacks to the saddle between Laurel Mountain and Bloody Mountain.




Bloody from the saddle

There was no use trail visible, but one appeared when I got a few hundred feet up. The ridge was composed of small red and gray talus. It was very loose on the first slope, but got more stable higher up. There were many bumps to traverse and two major false summits. The ridge seemed to go on forever. Most of the hike was steep class 1, but there were two places I'd rate class 2. After sufficient grunting, I finally reached the summit and made sure there wasn't a higher point ahead before letting myself relax. I found two registers in a metal cylinder. Both were full. I found no marks of any kind. Views all along the ridge were extraordinary. To the east, the high lakes of Genevieve, Edith, and Dorothy made a splash. Mt. Morrison and White Fang rose up behind them. To the north, Mt. Dana and Gibbs were visible in Yosemite. Mammoth Mountain looked like small potatoes. After photos, I stretched out my quads, feeling some soreness from the previous day. Then, I plopped down in the sun to enjoy the moment.












Lost World Peak below, Mammoth to the north, Yosemite further north


Looking back at Laurel Mountain



I started down the ridge, going over the bumps in reverse. When I got to the final slope, I wasn't paying attention. I looked down and saw a trail below and proceeded to ski down the talus. I got a few hundred feet down when I realized I couldn't see Laurel Mountain. I realized I was descending the wrong side of the ridge. I didn't want to scramble back up the loose talus, and cliffs prevented me from taking a side hill route to the correct side of the ridge. I decided to continue down and look for a way back to the Bloody-Laurel saddle. As soon as the cliffs gave out, I found a gully I could safely descend. Across the rocky basin below, I saw a trail that connected back to the saddle. I made good time across the basin and grabbed the trail, cruising the switchbacks up. The diversion cost me about 20 minutes and a bruised ego. I continued down the trail and stopped about 20' above the trailhead to reapply sunscreen. While I was sitting there, a dude driving a 4-wheeler motored up to the trailhead, got off his ride, and started peeing next to a tree. I thought about announcing my presence, but it would only have created an awkward scene. Instead, I sat there while he finished his business, got back on the 4-wheeler and continued up the road, never knowing I was there. I was glad to get back to the truck and off Laurel Lakes Road.


Dropped down this slope to a basin


Back on trail heading toward the Bloody-Laurel saddle


Laurel Mountain

Every photo looks like it's full of talus. I'd be happy not to step sideways on a rock and roll my ankle.

JeffH wrote: ↑Tue Sep 10, 2024 7:44 pm Every photo looks like it's full of talus. I'd be happy not to step sideways on a rock and roll my ankle.

Only the lower slope was loose. The talus was packed down pretty well above that so not much of a problem.

Thanks for the report. Some people enjoy watching others pee. Not me though. I watched an elephant pee at the zoo once. Disgusting.

I saw a 5-legged tapir once at the Santa Barbara zoo. True story.

Nice report teke. Man you really had perfect weather.

Uncle Rico wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2024 7:39 am I saw a 5-legged tapir once at the Santa Barbara zoo. True story.

Nice report teke. Man you really had perfect weather.

I really appreciated CA weather this year. Typically, August through mid-September is perfect weather with only occasional storms. I tried to plan a trip to southern CO during this time and it was nothing but monsoons. T-storms almost every day, usually after 11 AM, but sometimes all day. Snow started in late August on the 14ers but probably didn't stick. Meanwhile in CA, the Sierra was day after day of sunny skies.

Uncle Rico wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2024 7:39 am I saw a 5-legged tapir once at the Santa Barbara zoo. True story.

Did you ever see the giraffe with the crooked neck at the Santa Barbara Zoo? We went there many times when I was a kid, and I thought the weird giraffe was awesome.

tekewin wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2024 8:03 am I really appreciated CA weather this year. Typically, August through mid-September is perfect weather with only occasional storms.

How were the mosquitoes?

Sean wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2024 8:13 am

tekewin wrote: ↑Tue Sep 17, 2024 8:03 am I really appreciated CA weather this year. Typically, August through mid-September is perfect weather with only occasional storms.

How were the mosquitoes?

My wife and I were at Convict Lake two weeks before this trip and we had a few mosquitos at dusk. When I was hiking around Lamarck and the Wonder Lakes, there were none. Same on Bloody, no mosquitos at all.

I did a southern section of the JMT at the end of August, and word is that after that cold snap the mosquitoes were gone. It was so pleasantly bugless

wesweswes wrote: ↑Mon Sep 23, 2024 1:31 pm I did a southern section of the JMT at the end of August, and word is that after that cold snap the mosquitoes were gone. It was so pleasantly bugless

I had just one mosquito land on my leg over two Sierra trips in Aug/Sep. I saw a few more, this was a very light season for them.