Mt. Williamson George Creek or S Fork Bairs Creek

[markv/Cuddles]

Hello Forum! Long-time backpacker, first-time poster. Hopefully my question is in somebody's wheelhouse.

Has anyone in recent years been up Williamson by either of these two routes? I find little on summitpost or anywhere else. I'd go in expecting a bushwhacking nightmare, but to me that's worth it if a) the route-finding isn't impossible, and b) the vertical climbing is easy to non-existent. I've been across Williamson Bowl twice, and i have no interest in doing that again. Both times i decided not to do the final climb. It was just out of my comfort range, though i managed Tyndall ok. My off-trail skills are decent, my backpacking is extremely experienced, my climbing skills suck though i still find myself trying and sometimes succeeding.

Any beta would be really appreciated!

[c9h13no3]

People ski the Bairs Creek route with some frequency, for example here. I would not want to climb this without snow. Typically when snow chutes melt out, they leave behind horribly loose garbage. I haven't seen a rating on the N Ridge above Bair's, it's possible it is easier than class 3. But this route certainly won't be easier than the standard route. Haven't been up it myself, but it's on the list to check out in an El Nino year with a similarly masochistic partner.

[markv/Cuddles]

I really appreciate the reply, but unless i'm mistaken that is N Fork Bairs Creek. I've found info on that. But several years back i was at Mountain Rambler talking with a guy who did bighorn sheep surveying, and i asked him about George Creek. He recommended SOUTH Fork Bairs instead, and he was clear it wasn't North, which had harder climbing. So S Fork and George are the ones i'm most interested in.

[c9h13no3]

I really appreciate the reply, but unless i'm mistaken that is N Fork Bairs Creek. I've found info on that. But several years back i was at Mountain Rambler talking with a guy who did bighorn sheep surveying, and i asked him about George Creek. He recommended SOUTH Fork Bairs instead, and he was clear it wasn't North, which had harder climbing. So S Fork and George are the ones i'm most interested in.

Hm, probably should've noticed the "S". :P Yeah, that's a goofy one, since the only peak that seems reasonable from S Fork would be Williamson, as opposed to George which gets directly to Barnard/Trojan/Carl Heller.

[Wandering Daisy]

I have climbed Williamson from George Creek years ago when you were not allowed in George Creek after May1 and Williamson Bowl was closed. These mountain sheep restrictions have now been lifted.

I do not think it is all that horrible, but you have to be very patient and willing to cross the creek several times and terrain is very steep. If you count both up and down as separate times, I have done that 7 times (long story- we had a climbing accident and had to go in both ways, dh out to initiate rescue, go back in to retrieve gear, and then a different trip another year went in to climb Mt Carl Heller. We were carrying heavy loads with all the climbing gear. I think we drove down and camped fairly low the first day, and then up to base camp second day. It only took us 4 hours down, 6 hours up when we were carrying day packs.

Now that you can go in any time of the season, a later trip, say in August, could eliminate wading or log walking while crossing George Creek. But then the willows would be more grown and more difficult. When we climbed Williamson, it was mostly a snow climb. I do not know what it would be like without. We base camped at the meadow at 11270 (the last green spot on the map) because we were doing technical south face route. When we went back up to get our gear, we climbed basically north and intersected the Bairs Creek route. I recall we used crampons and was probably class 3. We did not use a rope.

I have never been up Bairs Creek.

We bailed off Mt Carl Heller because the route was dangerously iced-up.

I think George Creek would also make a great backpack going to both the branches- the one to Mt Carl Heller and the other below Williamson, and it is a non-technical climb up Mt. Trojan.

[markv/Cuddles]

Thanks for the reply, Wandering Daisy. How many years ago is "years ago"? I read a trip report from 2014 in which someone commented that whole hillsides have brought down trees over George in recent years and that it's unrecognizable.

[Wandering Daisy]

Back in the early 2000's. The trees hug the stream, and you go up above them at times in sagebrush. It is only the first 3 miles that are difficult.

I just looked at Google Earth (no date on the image) and you can see sections of downed trees, but by no means extensive. You can see the use-trail now and then.

Google "George Creek Carl Heller" and you will find lots of trip reports even from 2019. One couple did a climb of Carl Heller and back in one day! Another person day-hiked to the Carl Heller-Williamson split and said the trail was in good condition (2105- actually a HST post). There were a lot of reports. Does not sound like George Creek got much worse than it already was. Yes, there are logs in the creek- that is good because early season you have to cross about three times on the logs. I would not be too discouraged at this point. At best, George Creek is nasty.

As for the actual climb, I think you would be OK. If not comfortable on snow, just go later in the summer.

[markv/Cuddles]

Thank you!

[KathyW]

Don't wear shorts.

[JosiahSpurr]

Thank you!

How'd it go (?)