South Ridge low

Lots of interesting moves in a variety of rock situations with a dramatic finish to the point which is the south end of the Mt Starr summit ridge.

. . Quick straightforward connection to the easier and fun scrambling much longer of

the Mt Starr summit ridge

.

. . Shorter approach than most other scrambling/climbing routes in Little Lakes Valley / Rock Creek area -- mostly on well-maintained hiking trail starting from trailhead parking higher than most for the Sierra mountain range.

• • . .

See route on Map

. . - -

Scramble up the rocks, seeking out more interesting climbing sequences on different rock features along the way. See a very steep buttress ahead. Scramble around and up a ledge along its East side. Just before this ledge gets up to an even bigger steep wall, scramble up the last weakness in the buttress, diagonal Left. Next traversed horizontal Left a few feet to the arete. A move up this onto a platform. Finish with a little more scrambling to reach the big viewpoint (N37.4211 W118.7705) of the south end of the Mt Starr summit ridge.

. . (The scrambling/climbing part goes uphill about 330 vertical feet, in addition to the approach up scree from hiking trail).

. . (what

SummitPost.org

calls the "south ridge" is actually the SSW Ridge).

Option to continue on

the summit ridge

going roughly north up to the summit (recommended). Or down NNW on non-steep scree/sand to near Mono Pass (N37.4253 W118.7728), then return to Parking on the maintained trail. Or take the trail down only to the

the SSW Ridge

, and climb up that before returning.

Bottom of ridge is around (N37.4201 W118.7705) above a scree slope higher than the Mono Pass hiking trail - [

see trail on Map

].

. . (for trailhead Parking and getting on trail,

see under Getting There on the Mt Starr area page

).

Where the trail goes roughly horizontal ENE to WSW ... where it gets to NNE or North from the center of Ruby Lake below, the rock of the South ridge is obvious above (not to be confused with

the SSW Ridge

yet ahead toward the west, whose rock extends down to the trail), so leave the trail around (N37.4195 W118.7697) and slog up the sand/scree to reach the bottom of the rock.

No fixed protection.

Protection for Trad leading is unknown and likely inadequate.