Mount Gould in Inyo National Forest, CA

Hike Mount Gould Inyo National Forest, CA

Class 3 10.2 miles 3800 gain 4-6 hrs Out + Back Jun 9, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude
Directions
Route Map
Download GPX

Mount Gould GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

Add to Cart
View Cart

Aside from Mount Gould's sketchy Class 3 summit block, it's a relatively easily-accessible 13er. I parked at the popular Kearsarge Pass Trailhead and was immediately aware of how many PCT thru-hikers I'd be accompanying on the way up to Kearsarge Pass. The trail is easy to follow and passes a bunch of very pretty alpine lakes. Lots of siwtchbacks keep the grade pretty mellow. Once at Kearsarge Pass, I headed north toward Mount Gould, leaving the trail. A social trail leads up the majority of the south ridge of the peak, with the occasional section of Class 2 boulder-hopping. The last few hundre feet before the summit introduce some rock outcroppings, which I kept to the left around where hints of a social trail assured me I was on-route. I reached the false summit of Mount Gould, a mellow Class 2 cluster of boulders, and noticed the scary high point just to the north. I headed to it, picking my way around big boulders and wrapping left around to the north side of the summit block where I located the most reasonable-looking scramble option. All the holds were solid, but it's a set of fun, thinky Class 3 moves to a massive summit boulder. A crack on the left side of the summit boulder allowed for a couple of fun moves to the final exposed move to the narrow summit block. I was content to tap the top with my hand and call it rather than crawl onto the horrifying block in the howling wind. Many people seem to like completing Mount Gould after traversing over from Dragon Peak, but the fact that Dragon Peak is debatably an unranked 12er, and the scrambling is apparently sketchier to reach that summit than Mount Gould was enough to convince me to call it a day.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Mount Gould
13005 ft
1030 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

Kearsarge Pass Trailhead.
Kearsarge Pass Trailhead.
Along the popular Kearsarge Pass Trail.
Along the popular Kearsarge Pass Trail.
Image 2 from gallery
Entering John Muir Wilderness.
Entering John Muir Wilderness.
View back toward the trailhead and the road leading up.
View back toward the trailhead and the road leading up.
University Peak comes into view.
University Peak comes into view.
A short section of trail through a boulder field.
A short section of trail through a boulder field.
Passing Gilbert Lake.
Passing Gilbert Lake.
View back toward Gilbert Lake.
View back toward Gilbert Lake.
Image 9 from gallery
Above Heart Lake. A bunch of pretty switchbacks lead up the cliffy face.
Above Heart Lake. A bunch of pretty switchbacks lead up the cliffy face.
Kearsarge Pass visible left of center.
Kearsarge Pass visible left of center.
Making my way up to Kearsarge Pass on the nice trail. University Peak visible top right.
Making my way up to Kearsarge Pass on the nice trail. University Peak visible top right.
Along the big switchbacks leading up to Kearsarge Pass, a view toward Big Pothole Lake.
Along the big switchbacks leading up to Kearsarge Pass, a view toward Big Pothole Lake.
Close-up toward Big Pothole Lake and University Peak.
Close-up toward Big Pothole Lake and University Peak.
Approaching Kearsarge Pass.
Approaching Kearsarge Pass.
Kearsarge Pass, view back the way I came.
Kearsarge Pass, view back the way I came.
Kearsarge Pass, view west into the Sierra.
Kearsarge Pass, view west into the Sierra.
Kearsarge Pass, view south toward University Peak.
Kearsarge Pass, view south toward University Peak.
Staring up the south ridge of Mount Gould. There's a social trail.
Staring up the south ridge of Mount Gould. There's a social trail.
Along the south ridge social trail.
Along the south ridge social trail.
View back toward Kearsarge Pass.
View back toward Kearsarge Pass.
Some Class 2 boulder-hopping.
Some Class 2 boulder-hopping.
Another shot back along the steeper section of the south ridge ascent.
Another shot back along the steeper section of the south ridge ascent.
More Class 2 boulder hopping coming up.
More Class 2 boulder hopping coming up.
View back.
View back.
At the final last few hundred feet of ridgeline to the summit. I kept left around these rock outcroppings, and a faint social trail appeared once in a while showing I was going the right way.
At the final last few hundred feet of ridgeline to the summit. I kept left around these rock outcroppings, and a faint social trail appeared once in a while showing I was going the right way.
On the false summit of Mount Gould, view toward the true summit. Oh boy. I wrapped to the left around it and found a Class 3 route up.
On the false summit of Mount Gould, view toward the true summit. Oh boy. I wrapped to the left around it and found a Class 3 route up.
On the north side of the summit block, a bunch of thinky Class 3 moves leading to the summit block, center.
On the north side of the summit block, a bunch of thinky Class 3 moves leading to the summit block, center.
Final move up a crack to the summit block. It's extremely exposed once you get above the crack.
Final move up a crack to the summit block. It's extremely exposed once you get above the crack.
Mount Gould summit, view north.
Mount Gould summit, view north.
Mount Gould summit, view south toward University Peak.
Mount Gould summit, view south toward University Peak.
Mount Gould summit, close-up southwest. Kearsarge Lakes visible below on the left.
Mount Gould summit, close-up southwest. Kearsarge Lakes visible below on the left.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

Hire me!
PayPal
Venmo
Cash App