High Sierra Topix

Hutton col

GENERAL OVERVIEW: Connects Arctic Lake and the valley with Fall Creek.

CLASS/DIFFICULTY: Class 2. South side is easy.

LOCATION: Sierra National Forest, John Muir Wilderness. HST Map.

ELEVATION: 11,480+ ft.

USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Mount Henry and Blackcap Mountain.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION: South side consists of easy slabs. From the meadow head north towards the obvious pass. North side is steeper. I didn't descend directly down from the pass, but instead climbed the peak east from the pass, went on the ridge north-east, and descended to Arctic Lake. Here is the approximate route. It seems that the north side of the pass is easier to climb than to descend.

PHOTOS:

Click on images to see larger versions.

South side. The pass is on the right. Zoom-in. The pass is on the left. View from east. View of north side from east. North side. North side from below. North side from below. Zoom in. View from distance. More photos of this area are available on request.

Thank you for these awesome photos and your route!!! We tried to get over Hutton from the south side a few years ago but there was too much snow. We are headed out this weekend via Maxson Trail to Hell for Sure, then over Hutton Col to Six Shooter lakes - your post is super helpful! I will post a trip report when we are back - Thanks

There's a fairly well used winter bypass of the col - I approached it totally wrong, but you can zig zag up some slabby ledges from arctic lake to the little knob just E of hutton col proper (which was corniced in when I was there). Just go up and over it, don't be cute and cut around the sides - from the NE it's straightforward class 3 - short mantles up some boulders and sandy spots with cairns and bootprints. The W side is easy peasy sand walk class 1/2.

I thought I had a shot looking down from it where the approach should be, but I don't... if you know what you're aiming for it shouldn't be hard to figure out by eyeballing though! Got corniced out and thought it was worth checking out, got there and found out I wasn't the first (as it always is eh?)