
Starting from the Owens Peak Trailhead heading north.

Looking back along the Owens Peak Trail, Five Fingers Mountain visible in the center.

The Owens Peak Trail continues on an old dirt road for a while before turning into a trail.


Quick detour to some pictographs within a small cave.

Close-up of the pcitographs.

Heading up the steep Owens Peak Trail.


Eventually the Owens Peak Trail either heads up on talus, or along a social trail to the right.

I took the talus option when possible, preferring scrambling over a steep trail.

Looking back while on the talus field.

Eventually I needed to get to the social trail since it curves northwest and heads onto these granite slabs. I almost missed the turn off. Keep a lookout for a good place to leave the talus, if you decide to take the boulder-hopping route over the trail.

Looking back as I work up the south ridge of Owens Peak.

Steep trail to the summit of Owens Peak.

Owens Peak summit, looking south toward the way I came. Mount Jenkins visible center.

Owens Peak, view north into the Sierras.

Headed down the southwest ridge from Owens Peak as fog rolled in.

Along the Class 2 ridge down.

I didn't take many pictures along the ridge because I couldn't see anything, but this section was the most bouldery-looking.

Toward the bottom of the ridge, there are some cliffs that need to be navigated around, but nothing is harder than Class 2.

Approaching the saddle at the base of Owens Peak and Jenkins Mountain. This view is looking south toward the northern side of Jenkins Mountain. I briefly debated heading up, but the fog prevented me from seeing potential obstacles higher up. Also, the PCT is right there, so I opted to take the trail instead of an unknown ridgeline scramble.

Along the PCT, headed south.

Pretty views along the PCT.


Looking back toward Owens Peak as the fog began to finally clear.

Close-up of the ridge I came down from Owens Peak.

Continuing along the PCT as it weaves along the base of Jenkins Mountain.

Another view of Owens before I started up my chosen ridge spur to North Jenkins.

Class 2+ to North Jenkins.

Along the ridge on my way to North Jenkins, looking back toward Owens.

Just a quick hint at where I gave up along the Class 4/5 ridgeline from North Jenkins to Jenkins Mountain. I didn't include more photos of this ridge, nor the stats or map, since I failed the traverse. It got very serious.

Back on the PCT, looking toward Owens (right), before heading up to Jenkins Mountain.

Social trail leads off the PCT (visible on the right) up to Jenkins Mountain.

Along Jenkins Mountain's east ridge, the peak somewhere up there.

Steep Class 2 up Jenkins Mountain.

Class 2+ couple of moves to the summit. This one move might be easy Class 3, but kinda not really.

Class 2, believe it or not.

Jenkins Mountain summit, looking down the way I came. The east ridge I came up is visible on the right.

Jenkins Mountain, view north toward North Jenkins (and the sketchy traverse I had attempted), Owens Peak in the center distance.

Jenkins Mountain, view south.

Jenkins Mountain, view west toward Scodie Mountain.

Back on the PCT headed to Morris Peak.

Morris Peak becomes visible.

Continuing along the PCT toward Morris Peak.

At the saddle just north of Morris Peak before I found a social trail leading up.

Along the social trail to Morris Peak.

Along the steep social trail to Morris Peak, looking back toward Jenkins Mountain (top left).

More steep hiking to the summit.

Short Class 2 section to gain the summit.

Morris Peak summit, view north toward Jenkins Mountain.

Morris Peak, view south.

After coming down from Morris Peak, I followed the PCT back to the ridge I chose to descend. This is the view along the ridge. There were a couple of Class 2 sections, but it was mostly just a walk down. The sunset was pretty.

Almost to the bottom of my chosen descent ridge, my car visible in the center.
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