My head hangs low in humility; defeated by three simple summit attempts gone awry during one season.

This, the third peakless trek of the 2006 season leaves me with mixed feelings about meanderings in the mountains. A trip to Kings Canyon and the familiar travels up Sphinx Creek en route to Mount Brewer resulted in missing the objective, the top of the mountain. Not only did I return summitless, I also inadvertently prevented my hiking partner, Harry, from gaining the summit.

Relaxing in a warm room at nearly sea level makes this a hard pill to swallow in hindsight, but I am reminded of a different feeling on our way up.

Harry was seeking a partner to ascend Mt. Brewer as it would be his tenth Sierra Emblem Peak, quite the mountaineers accomplishment. Having been up Sphinx creek more than once, I was anxious to make the trek with Harry and see the area again. Being late in the fair weather season, the forecast was perfect for our trip. So we agreed to meet at six-thirty in the morning on Friday at the Bubbs Creek trailhead at Roads End. Our first days destination was to get as far up Sphinx Creek as possible by four o'clock to put us within easy reach of Brewer on day two.

Ascending Sphinx Creek means starting at 5,000 above sea level and making a slog up multiple switchbacks to get out of the valley and then leaving the trail at the creek to continue gaining elevation.

The "Sphinx" towering over Bubbs Creek

We made really good time on the trail. Two miles of sandy flat trail. Then the first set of twenty switchbacks and two miles to the next trail intersection. We crossed over Bubbs Creek and started up another set of switchbacks and granite stairs on the Avalanche Pass trail. A few miles later we were at the juncture to leave the trail behind and start up Sphinx Creek.

Harry on Sphinx Creek, just off the trail

The density of the forest, shrubs and other interferences along the creek going up was worse than I had recalled from my last visit some years ago. No worries though, I knew we would ascend headwall after headwall and leave the bug filled greenery behind for the alpine terrain.  My energy remained high and we continued to move swiftly up the mountain. Harry is a super-athlete incognito, so I knew I was doing okay if I didn't slow him up too much.

Topping one of the lower headwalls along Sphinx Creek

We chose to ascend along the right hand side of the creek, the same side I had been up previously. Hikers going up the other side will say that's the preferred route, and vice versa. It was all coming back to me, but as I said to Harry it all seemed a bit larger this time. Soon after a couple of headwalls the trees were thinning out and we arrived at the first lake.

The first lake going up Sphinx Creek

I think we might have stopped briefly to admire the lake on our way by it. That coupled with a ten or fifteen minute breather when we left the trail was about all I recall for breaks on our way up. Taking a few photos now and again along with getting some water out of the creek occasionally were the only times we needed to pause or stop. The headwalls were getting taller and rockier, we pushed on to the next lake.

Looking back down at the marsh adjacent to the lowest lake

Still feeling good I ascended the next headwall with Harry but this time we were separated a little horizontally. We had agreed to meet above, near the next lake. As I came upon the second lake I smelled a camp fire and expected to see other hikers. Well, I didn't see anyone around but whoever was there last left a fire going that ignited some decent sized timbers. Time to stop hiking and put out the fire. Phooey. I ended up picking up the timbers and throwing them in the lake to be sure they would not ignite again. I then went about stomping out the burning ground which seemed fruitless since the soil is rich in nutrients that burn, but I gave it my best effort anyway.

Smokey the Bear would not be happy

After my two step tango on the ashes I reconnected with Harry and we moved up to the next headwall.

Looking across the side of the second lake at the next headwall

The headwall was a bit steeper than the lower walls but we continued to make rather good time. Knowing that the named "Sphinx Lakes"  and our likely campsite for the night were not far away kept me motivated and moving.

Harry climbing the headwall above the second lake

Looking back down to the second lake

With a little more scrambling and a little more altitude, we arrived at lake "10514", the lower of the two proper "Sphinx Lakes". I think we walked up to the lake a little after 3PM. It occurred to me that ascending 5,500 feet of elevation gain and about ten or more miles of travel isn't bad for less than nine hours of work. Sure I was fatigued, but it wasn't a painful or dreary fatigue, just a healthy sense of having come up the mountain in decent time.

Arriving at lake 10,514

Even though I could have gone on, Harry wisely suggested we stop and make our camp next to the lake. He speedily located the perfect campsite and soon we were unpacked and camp was ready for the night. I made a conscious choice to pack as light as possible, sans tent, so I was optimistic for a relatively warm and dry evening to sleep under the stars. Harry is a master of ultra light packing which includes a tent with other five star accommodations.

Our camp at lake 10514

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