Climb Mount Ritter

Madera County, California

Description

Climb Mt Ritter (13,143ft), the highest mountain in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. Duration: 9 hrs roundtrip from Ediza Lake. Elevation gain: ~4,000 ft. Route ascends Class 3 cliffs and loose rock gullies. Mind-melting views of the Sierra Nevada. Walk in the footsteps of John Muir.

Mt Ritter is a long climb, but it is worth the effort. Start out by establishing camp at Ediza Lake prior to your ascent. The SE Glacier route (first ascent by John Muir) follows the path of least resistance up the SE side of Mt Ritter.

The route first gains a broad bench below Ritter and Banner Pk., then climbs through a band of cliffs, then over ledges and ramps before arriving at the edge of the SE Glacier. By now hours have passed, you are very tired and there is still a long way to go. You now ascend a long, loose rock gully to a talus slope, cross the talus slope to the ridge, follow the ridge to the summit.

So, now that you have a rough idea of what the route entails, if you're still interested, you need to visit for more detailed info.

Do your research, be safe, have fun, bag a summit.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Rock Climbing

Camping

Fishing

Photography

Backpacking

Hiking

Forest

Lake

Romantic

Scenic

Waterfall

Wildflowers

Wildlife

Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Backpack to Cecile Lake

Located in the heart of the Ansel Adams Wilderness, Cecile Lake can be reached from a variety of trailheads. I chose to start out in Agnew Meadows. From here, the trail criss-crosses through a serene lowland environment with several crystal clear streams. After passing Olaine Lake, veer left and continue past Shadow Lake (a nice lunch break choice).Further along the trail, you will reach Ediz...

Ediza Lake via Agnew Meadows

Start at the Agnew Meadows Trailhead. You will need to arrive before 7:30AM or take the Shuttle from Mammoth Mountain. Start out by heading north on the John Muir Trail. You will pass Shadow Lake; walk around the south side of the lake for mountain views. Then, follow the trail up Shadow Creek until you reach the junction with the Ediza Lake Trail, and continue east. The trail follows Shadow C...

4-Day Backpack Trip to Thousand Island Lake

Start from Agnew Meadows about 7 miles away. You can take the High Trail out as part of the River Trail with a long detour passing by several other scenic lakes, including Shadow Lake, Garnet Lake, and Ruby Lake. You will arrive at Thousand Island Lake a few hours after lunch, just in time to set up camp, nap, then have dinner.If you're heading down Minaret Road (SR 203) to get to the Angnew Me...

Ansel Adams' Garnet Lake

Garnet Lake is one of the premier stops along the Pacific Crest Trail. However, even if you don't have time for an entire thru-hike (like most of us), this beautiful lake is still easily accessible as an overnight trip! While there are many possible routes for reaching Garnet Lake, the Agnew Meadows trailhead is a popular choice. From the quiet, lowland environment the trail climbs and reach...

Backpack to Waugh Lake

There are several trailheads you can start at to get to the lake, but we chose the River Trail in Agnew Meadows because it was the only trailhead that hadn't met the quota yet. You can check on permit's and trailheads here. If the River Trail is booked other great options are Shadow Creek, Fish Creek, or the High Trail. Regardless of your trailhead if you are starting in Red's Meadow, Devil's P...

Backpack the Shadows of the Minarets Loop

Ansel Adams Wilderness is located in Mammoth Lakes, California. The trail to Lake Ediza is frequently traveled and is usually completed as an out-and-back day hike. In the summer, from 7am-7pm the road to the trail head is inaccessible to cars. To reach the trailhead you must take the shuttle from Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort to Agnew Meadow.The first big lake you'll come across is Shadow Lake, ...