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Select Route:
Kuna Crest 
Kuna Crest Traverse - Mammoth Peak to Kuna Peak 

Lyell Canyon / Donahue Pass 


Photos: Recent | Best | Popular
Elevation: 13,115'
Page Views: 3,060. Good page?   
Administrators: M.Morley, Sam Vanderhyden, Tom Erickson
Submitted By: Greg Gibson on Oct 5, 2006

Make this area a Favorite
What's New
  Print a Mini-Guide with routes

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The crux is passing the sawtooth section in the mi...

Description 

High altitude climbing. And the highest mountain peak in all the park. For the most part it isn't that hard of climbing as most is class 3-4 however there is a little class 5 stuff no harder than 5.8+.

The hike over the glacier will require crampons and an axe is advisable, since injury here is not a pretty as to its remote location.

The views are incredible and make this a favorite area of mine.


Getting There 

Take Lyell Canyon for about 14 miles to Donahue Pass and turn right at Mt Rogers and Electra peaks. Hike up Lyell Glacier and choose your poison.


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Lyell Canyon / Donahue Pass:
Kuna Crest   3rd     Trad, Grade III   
Kuna Crest Traverse - Mammoth Peak to Kuna Peak   5.0     Trad, Grade IV   
Browse More Classics in Lyell Canyon / Donahue Pass

Featured Route For Lyell Canyon / Donahue Pass
Taken from the Hyw 120. Mammoth Peak on the right, Kuna Peak on the left in the distance, and the Kuna crest between the two.

Kuna Crest Traverse - Mammoth Peak to Kuna Peak 5.0  CA : Yosemite National Park : Lyell Canyon / Donahue Pass
A good way to spend time up high in Yosemite. About four miles of this traverse is at 12,000 ft.From the Toulumne Lodge, hike the trail toward Mt. Lyell. Walk past the turn off to Vogelsang before turning off the trail and heading toward Mammoth Peak. Cross the river and scramble up the peak's northwest side.From the top of Mammoth Peak, traverse south (2nd class) hitting apprx. seven high points.The crux is a sawtooth section linking the Kuna Crest and Kuna Peak. The rock is dangerous here,...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA


Comments on Lyell Canyon / Donahue Pass Add Comment
Show which comments —
By Greg Gibson
From: Glen Ellen, Ca
Aug 6, 2006

I just got back from the end of Lyell Canyon around Donahue Pass. I was wondering if any one else has considered climbing much in the area.

There are some just beautiful walls up there.

By Chris Owen
Administrator
From: La Crescenta and Big Bear Lake
Aug 10, 2009

Mount Lyell has been added to the High Sierra Section.

By Osprey
From: ...
May 4, 2010

I've climbed all the peaks in this area, but nothing with a rope. There is some amazing stuff around the area. I was told some Vogelsang High Camp alumni have put routes up there. Dawson? I'll ponder the names a bit, but I've seen old hand drawn topos at some of the High Camps. Don't know if they are still there.

The Kuna Crest is a traverse test piece that I can't get out of my mind even years later. Bring a rope for it if you do it. I think it is in the Peaks Passes and Trails book. Mammoth Peak to Kuna Peak with many high points in between. Trying to find good info on it can be tough. You might wonder why it is obscure even though it dominates the area between Gibbs and Lyell.