Distance: 9.3 miles round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 12691'
Elevation Gain: 3577'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 2.8
Round trip time: 8 hours 15 minutes
Recommended water: 128 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at North Lake trailhead
Difficulty: Strenuous
When Leisa and I hiked to Piute Pass, we noticed a dominating peak on the other side of the lakes. My GPS named it Mt. Thoreau. When I looked it up later, most sites named it Mt. George Davis. I'll get to the naming controversy later. When I had a chance to come back and climb it, I approached it from the Lamarck Lakes trail instead of Piute Pass, though I think either would work. From the North Lake campground, there were two trails leading out of the campground. The left branch went to Lamarck Lakes. The first lake I reached was Lower Lamarck Lake. Mt. George Davis was visible from there. I followed a fisherman's trail around the north side of the lake, then other informal trails to the Wonder Lakes. At the third Wonder Lake, I crossed over to find a way through the low cliffs. There were a couple of ways through. Above the cliffs, I started up a difficult scree slope. It had a 40-50 degree angle and I tended to the stay near boulders and trees that could assist.
After a slog up the scree, I took a break below the final scramble to the summit. I left my pole standing in the sand with plans to pick it up on the way back. I decided to ascend the most prominent gully. With minimal route finding, it stayed class 2. At the top, the summit was a short hop. With perfect weather, views were sublime. I had a front row view of Mt. Humphries and Mt. Emerson. Most of the Wonder Lakes were visible as well as the lakes along the Pass trail. I located the register in a metal box and found it titled Mt. Thoreau. Inside the front cover was an excerpt from the book written to argue for the name change. I found it quite interesting, though I have no preference on the name.
Here is what various entities call it as of 9/6/2024:
- USGS: Peak 12691
- Sierra Club: Mt. George Davis
- Garmin: Mt. Thoreau
- Mountaineers for Thoreau: Mt. Thoreau
- Peakbagger: Mt. George Davis
- Summitpost: Mt. George Davis
- Open Street Map: Mt. Thoreau
After signing in, I took photos and flew the drone at the highest elevation I had attempted. With little wind, it performed admirably. I spent about 30 minutes total on the summit. It looked like the side to Piute Pass might also go as class 2, but I couldn't see all the way down. When I got off the summit, my pole was standing right where I left it. The descent was uneventful, though I stumbled down a slightly different way on the low cliffs and around the lakes. I was back to the trail before I saw anyone else.
Other Reports:
Mount George Davis (Bob Burd)
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