Vandever Mountain

July 3, 2000

by Joe LeMay

On my last full day in Mineral King, I decided on the NW side of Vandever Mountain. I had seen the snow slope on that side from where Monarch Creek joins the East Fork of the Kaweah River and read the route descriptions on that side. There is: Northwest Couloir II, 5.0, and Northwest Ridge, Class 3.

I thought the Couloir route would be fun and loaded a daypack with an axe, crampons, and rock shoes. I was away past the ranger station at 4:00 a.m. Ten minutes later, the bulb blew out on my headlamp. I'd be walking in the dark till dawn. It's a mile or so on road so I wasn't concerned. The trail is easy to follow and sunrise soon was salvation.

I made it to White Chief Canyon just as the sky was beginning to fully lighten. The scenery in this canyon is a gem, especially at sunrise. In this big grass covered canyon, the early morning sky showed features of the new day that wouldn't be there for long. Looking up canyon, the slopes to Vandever become inviting. I could see the snow field below the face that was my destination. High on the slope at 10,000 were Limber Pine and clumps of Shooting Stars. I hadn't seen these anywhere else in Mineral King.

Above the treed slope, a snow gully led along the NW face. It wasn't steep enough to require crampons and an axe, and I kept off the snow and on scree covered ledges were possible. The snow slope ended and shortly above, another snowfield started. This was the snowfield so prominently seen from elsewhere lower in the valley. It is also shown on topo maps.

Not able to place exactly where the Northwest Couloir route would begin, I struck up from the base of the upper snowfield. The route had scree covered 3rd class ledges for the entire way. Near the top, a headwall is passed on the left.

This route finished just north of the summit at a minor summit at 11,780 ft. From there is a very short way to the summit (11,947 ft.). Along the way, I passed the saddle that the Northwest Couloir finishes on. The Northwest Couloir would probably start in the middle of the upper snowfield. I'll have to try it again next time.

I descended down to Farwell Gap. It's a talus slope the whole way down. Not much fun. At the Gap, begins the Little Kern River and drainage to the south along with the E. Fork of Kaweah River and drainage to the north. This was the pass that the early herders used to move their cattle. The view from the Gap is inspiring and vast.

The easy walk-up route starts from Farewell Gap. However, the NW face is a much better approach to Vandever. I'd probably choose the Northwest Ridge route as a descent in the future and return via White Chief Canyon. I'll have to wait until next time to see it later in the day.

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A Los Alpinistas story by Joe LeMay.