Spent Friday night at the Charcoal Kilns. This is where I'll met the others in the morning.

Jenni and Sooz arrived during the night. Brent showed up early in the morning. From here we'll drive up to Mahogany Flat which will be the starting point for our hike to Telescope Peak.

Brent, Sooz, Jenni and me, Joe at the Telescope Peak trailhead 8,130'. This is my frist time meeting Brent. I've met Jenni last August in the Sierra when I helped with a resupply for her group that were doing the JMT.

It wasn't long before we came upon snow on the east facing slope.

Our first view of Telescope Peak. The trail was free of snow for the next few miles.

Zoomed in on Telescope. There was more snow than I expected.

View to the northwest from Arcane Meadows at about 9,600'.

Another view of Telescope as we hike along the west side of Bennett Peak.

Looking west into the Panamint Valley and Argus Range.

This section of trail between Arcane Meadows and the base of the peak is almost flat.

View to the east looking down into the Badwater Basin.

Sooz and Jenni up ahead.

The remains of either a limber or bristlecone pine, the area has both.

This is where we got into snow at about the 10,000' level.

Looking back as we start into the snow.

The trail switchbacks on the left slope, but there was too much snow to follow it.

We decided to climb the ridge to the peak. Brent leads the way .

Looking back down as we start up the ridge.

View to the southeast from the ridge.

Zoomed in a little on the trees on the snow covered slope.

Jenni and Sooz about half way up the ridge. Snow was icy in the shaded areas.

My first view of the actual summit. Brent is already there, standing on top.

Jenni and Sooz almost to the summit.

Sooz, me, Jenni and Brent on the summit of Telescope Peak. Telescope Peak is the highest spot in Death Valley at 11,049' and behind us is Badwater, the lowest at 282' below sea level.

Looking north.

Limber pines? bristlecone pines?, on the west slope of the peak.

Looking down into the Badwater Basin over 11,300' below to the east.

Zoomed in on the Badwater area.

View to the southeast.

Sentinal Peak to the south.

The south end of the Panamint Valley to the southwest.

Argus Range to the west.

North end of the Panamint Valley with the snow covered Sierra in the distance.

Brent starting down.

Sooz and Jenni. We took a different route off the peak to the ridge.

Back on the ridge.

Going down in the snow was fun.

Almost to the bottom of the ridge.

Back on the flat section of trail. Bennett and Rogers Peaks ahead.

Looking back at Telescope Peak.

One last look at Telescope Peak.

About a mile to the trailhead.

Zoomed in on Red Cathedral and Manly Beacon near the end of the hike.

Sunset from the Charcoal Kilns.

Zoomed in on the Sierras.

One of the many rabbits that were on the road while heading to the Wildrose Campground. Brent planed to xc ski in the Bishop area the next day so he headed off while the rest of us spent the night at the Wildrose Campground.

Heading home on the Wildrose Road.

Telescope Peak from the Wildrose Road. It was nice to finally meet Brent and see Jenni again.

THE END