High Sierra Topix

TITLE: University Peak (Its name commemorates the University of California. It is on the Sierra crest between Mount Gould to the north, and Mount Bradley to the south. -Wikipedia)

GENERAL OVERVIEW: Please include a general overview of the peak. (Summitpost.org has nice overview except "Getting There" says easiest approach is from Onion Valley, not Center Basin.)

CLASS/DIFFICULTY: Class 1 (from Center Basin); Class 2; Class 3 (north face); Class 4 (from Robinson Lk); 5.7 (Slim Lk.); 5.8 (Lk. 3460m).

LOCATION: Kings Canyon National Park/ Inyo National Forest
Wilderness/ Special Area: Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness Area/ John Muir Wilderness Area (peakbagger.com)
View University Peak on the HST Map

ELEVATION: 13,632 /or/ 13,589

USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): MOUNT WILLIAMSON, CA

ROUTE DESCRIPTION: To the best of your ability, describe potential approaches.

(See also: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6611" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )
(See also: http://gordonye.com/univp_en.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )
(See alsp: http://www.summitpost.org/university-peak/151291" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )

PHOTOS: If available, please include photos to the pass.

I ascended the north face route. It is pretty straightforward; just head up the chute above the lowest snowfield in this photo.



There are some choices, but I don't think it really matters. You don't want to go too far to the right, but can take some of the rightward chutes. Eventually, it dead ends at the top, and you take a left to reach these slabs.



Cross over the ridge at this point, and warm up in the sun briefly before dropping through a small tunnel back to the north side of the ridge.



I crossed below this snowfield, ascended its far side, back into sunlight (S side of ridge), wrapping around to the right the summit is the first pile of rocks.

I descended the E face, which is class 2-3 and a good descent route (loose scree). From the summit, retrace your route and take the ridge below the slabs at the top of the N face chute, keep descending the N side of the ridge. After dropping across this chute, take the next chute to the south.



This is the descent to Robinson Lake. You can stay high or go low, it doesn't really matter.



Here are three shots looking back up this easy chute:







While technically easy, I wouldn't recommend going up this E route; there's a lot of sand.

GPS route: