• Exciting mountain terrain with four steep passes (up to 40-45 degrees)
  
• 24 miles in 4 days
  
• Cumulative gain, loss: +7300', -7900' (mileage and stats do not include peak excursions)
  
• Avg. Relief: 600'/mile
  
• Topos: Mt. Goddard (15'); Mt. Darwin, Mt. Thompson, North Palisade (7.5')
  

	Menno ascending the east side of Echo Col

Start up the trail from Lake Sabrina to Blue Lake, and onward to Moonlight Lake. Camp here or lower the first night unless you are already well acclimatized. Then proceed upward to Echo Lake and up and over Echo Col (see upper photo; stay right, towards Clyde Spires). Drop down to the lake on the other side. From that lake, go east over a moderately steep ridge line, and then continue east, traversing around the south side of Mt. Gilbert at around 11200'. There are good camp spots at 11200' before this traverse, or at around 11600' after the traverse, near the base of Gilbert's (very enjoyably skiable) southeast slope.

The ridge that drops southward from Mt. Johnson's southwest side is probably the most challenging slope on the tour. We were glad to have both ice axe and crampons for the short steep finger of snow (visible in the upper-left corner of the lower photo on this page) that we used to ascend the ridge.

	Bob on the slopes of Mt. Gilbert; we got up Johnson Ridge via that finger of snow in the upper left

From there, enjoy a fun descent down the other side. Then, turn left and ascend eastward up the canyon that leads up to the pretty steep Goode Col. It's a great ski run down from there into the valley east of Bishop Pass, following the trail route down to the South Lake trailhead.

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