Sierra Nevada - John Muir Wilderness

On August 22, 4976 (My 44th Birthday) I climbed 12,900' Cirque Peak with Ralph Nikolaus. We left my place in Lone Pine about 6:30 a.m. and hit the trail at the Horseshoe Meadow roadhead about 7:30 a.m.

We hiked the Cottonwood Pass trail in the Golden Trout Wilderness to the last switchback, then cut cross country up the easy slopes to Peak 12,336 and into the John Muir Wilderness, then peak 12,480+, and finally Cirque Peak. Found some remnants of airplane wreck near peak 12,480+.

Chicken Spring Lake, Big Whitney Meadow from near Cirque Peak
Golden Trout Wilderness - Aug 1976

Horseshoe Meadow from near Cirque Peak
Golden Trout Wilderness - Aug 1976

Cirque Peak, Mt. Whitney (in back), Mount Langley, Army Pass, Cottonwood Lakes - John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

Siberian Outpost, Kaweah peaks from near Cirque Peak
John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

Great Western Divide over Siberian Outpost from near Cirque Peak
John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

Chagoopa Plateau, Kaweah peaks from near Cirque Peak - John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

The register on Cirque Peak mentioned an airplane engine on the ridge from Chicken Spring Lake. We made Cirque Peak about 2 p.m. after several food stops along the way and rests on the two lower peaks. Great views from Cirque Peak. It was windy and cold but the sky was very clear which made for great pictures.

Kaweah peaks over summit of Cirque Peak - John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

Kaweah peaks from summit of Cirque Peak - John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

Kaweah peaks from Cirque Peak - John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

Mt. Whitney (center rear), New Army Pass, Mount Langley from Cirque Peak - John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

Mt. Whitney, Mt. Russell (in rear), New Army Pass (bottom) from Cirque Peak
John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

Mt. Whitney from Cirque Peak - John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

Mt. Russell from Cirque Peak - John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

Mount Langley over New Army Pass (bottom) and original Army Pass (notch behind)
from Cirque Peak - John Muir Wilderness - Aug 1976

NOTE: New Army Pass is in the bottom foreground of these pictures at the top of the cliff. The original Army Pass is behind that area.

Cottonwood Lakes from Cirque Peak - John Muir & Golden Trout Wilderness - Aug 1976

Owens Valley in distance, Horseshoe Meadow (right), Cottonwood Creek (foreground)
from Cirque Peak - John Muir & Golden Trout Wilderness - Aug 1976

We left Cirque Peak about 3 p.m. and cut down the slopes to the new Pacific Crest Trail which we followed back to Cottonwood Pass and down to the car - reaching the car about 6:30 p.m. and headed home. It was a nice trip and this is a good way to climb Cirque Peak - much shorter and easier than via New Army Pass.