Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak

May 11th, 2024 at 5:47 AMInyo Mountains Wilderness, CA

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Info

Distance12 mi

Elevation gain7,500 ft

CruxClass 2

Route typeOut & back

Duration9.5 hr

Quality9/10

Vehicle to trailheadHigh clearance 4x4

Protected areaInyo Mountains Wilderness, Bureau of Land Management

EcoregionCentral Basin and Range

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Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — The previous evening, I drove the 4WD road to an impassable washout at approximately 5,100 feet where I spent the night. To my surprise, there was some light rain from a storm system moving through Owens Valley.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — The next morning, I continued along the road on foot.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View back at the alpenglow on the Sierra.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Around 5,500 feet, starting up a ridge to the south of Union Wash.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Steep and loose.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Following the ridge. The standard route travels along Union Wash (left), gaining the ridge farther up the canyon via a set of switchbacks.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View back.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — The terrain stabilizes after the first 1,500 vertical feet.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — The headwall of Union Wash visible on the left.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View from the top of the switchbacks on the standard approach.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Approaching a flatter section.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View back.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Joining a use trail.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Arriving at a saddle at 9,100 feet.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Continuing along the upper section of Union Wash.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View back toward the saddle.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Bedsprings Camp.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Continuing along the wash.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Leaving the wash at 9,800 feet, headed north toward Mount Inyo.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View back toward the saddle between Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak (left).

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Dropping down to a minor southern saddle of Mount Inyo.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Starting up Mount Inyo's south slope.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Flat section of Mount Inyo's south ridge.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Contouring the west side of the ridge below a couple of false summits.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Back on the ridge crest, starting the final climb to Mount Inyo's summit.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Class 2.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View back toward the false summits along Mount Inyo's southern ridgeline.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Mount Inyo summit ahead.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Mount Inyo summit. View north.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View south toward Keynot Peak.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View east toward Saline Valley.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View west toward Owens Valley.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Descending Mount Inyo, heading toward Keynot Peak.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Approaching the saddle between Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Following a use trail along the Keynot Peak's north ridge.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View back toward Mount Inyo.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View back.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — The use trail contours the east slope of Keynot Peak around 10,800 feet.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Impeded by snow patches on the east slope, I crossed over to the west slope via a Class 3 weakness in the cliff band along the ridgecrest.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Contouring the west slope, guided by sporadic cairns.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View back at a steep and loose section along Keynot Peak's west slope.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Gaining the ridge.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Approaching the summit of Keynot Peak.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Keynot Peak summit. View south toward Voon Meng Leow Peak (far right) and New York Butte (right of center).

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View west toward Owens Valley.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — After retracing my route down Keynot Peak's north ridge, I veered south toward Union Wash.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Returning to the switchbacks on the standard approach.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Directly descending the scree.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — View back up.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Approaching Union Wash.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Inside Union Wash, view toward the headwall where the sound of a large waterfall could be heard.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Descending Union Wash.

Mount Inyo and Keynot Peak — Rejoining the old 4WD road, almost back to the car.