This trip was planned last July when, well, we all know what Sierra snow conditions were like last July. Permits were reserved in December, when we had two people with snow experience hopefully in the party. Finally June rolled around, Fate rolled her dice, and then there were just two of us: my brother and me, both from just up the hill above temperate Santa Cruz. But hey, I'd read the snow chapter of Freedom of the Hills! That's enough, right?

Ah, youth, back when our skin was soft as butter, instead of the crocodile hide it is now.

Toll road to the High Country.

What's this stuff on the ground? It's making my feet hella cold, bro.

Mmm, this might be a short trip.

An alternate route, the adventure lives on!

I wonder how deep that snow is up there...

Circumstances effectively halved Day 1's expected travel distance, but we're both easy, and this beats any hotel I've ever stayed at.

Over dinner we look at the map and our goals, consider the day's speed and our time frame, and redirect our sights to Royce Lakes via Treasure Col.

Day 2's first river crossing is easier than yesterday's.

First clear shot of our day's objective.

Second crossing is a bit of a step up, but still easy (and I'm glad I upgraded from trailrunners to waterproof boots the week before).

Third crossing is the easiest yet of the trip, but the most intimidating for us. First snow bridge=scariest snow bridge!

Moon over Feather Peak.

Serious. Business.

Okay, now the business really is getting serious.

Pine Creek Basin

Wait, where'd I miss the sunscreen?

The last shade until sunset.

Almost at the top of the pass.

Looking at 100°+.

The last leg toward Merriam Peak.

The aftermath of my very first avalanche!

I was very glad I carried that extra gas when we were melting snow for water this evening and the following morning.

I've had worse views.

Day 3, on our way down now. And this high the snow froze overnight. What a joy!

Plateau above French Canyon

Below Pine Creek Pass

Gettin' a liiitle sick of soft snowcups by now.

Last look up at Treasure Col

We knew enough to know that as the day progressed snow would melt, raising river levels and making crossings more difficult and dangerous, so our goal Saturday was to get ourselves in a position to hit any trouble crossings early Sunday when they would be lowest. But as we passed each one with ease, we suddenly found ourselves past the last one, and 2 hours above our car at only 2'o'clock. Visions of a complete Sunday for recovery suddenly became a potential reality, so we ground out the switchbacks, and completed in 1 day what it had taken us 2 days to ascend. We ended up spending a night in Lee Vining for the sake of our safety and the safety of everyone else on the road, and awoke with swelling from our sunburns leaving us looking like post-fight MMA fighters. Foolishly we took no pictures to laugh at later. Then, after coffee and a sticky bun at Nugent's in Bridgeport, and a mellow drive home, we lounged in a pool for the rest of the day.

Not a bad weekend for a couple of rookies.