Peak 10727 (left) and Mount Emma (right), the two final peaks I was planning to visit on a loop around the headwaters of the Little Walker River.
Hanging Valley Ridge leading to Walker Mountain.
Sunrise over the Sweetwater Mountains.
First light on Mount Emma.
Some minor brush to deal with on the way to Hanging Valley Ridge.
View down Burt Canyon.
Highpoint of Hanging Valley Ridge.
View south from the top of the ridge.
Molybdenite Creek to the east.
Approaching Walker Mountain.
View south to the headwaters of the Little Walker River. My route for the day would follow the ridgeline in the distance.
Easy terrain on the way to Ink Rocks.
Impressive east face of Flatiron Butte.
Flatiron Ridge.
Looking down Molybdenite Creek from the head of the canyon.
Buckeye Ridge to the south, including Eagle Peak (left) and Hunewill Peak (right).
First view of Ink Rocks.
Another view of Ink Rocks. I mostly followed the ridge leading over to Ink Rocks North. There was one Class 4 section, but I could have bypassed that by dropping off the ridge a little to the south.
Meadow to the south of Ink Rocks.
View back to the Class 4 section that I downclimbed. The rock here was very loose. I managed to snap my hiking pole in half when a large block fell off the mountain as I was downclimbing. This section was avoidable by dropping off the ridge to the south (Class 3).
Ink Rocks South from the summit of Ink Rocks North. It did not look like something I wanted to solo, and there was no obvious way to continue along the ridge, so I backtracked and made a lower traverse on the south side of Ink Rocks.
View north to the Little Walker River. My route for the afternoon would follow the ridge on the left back towards Mount Emma.
Impressive volcanic pinnacle.
Dropping down on the south side of Ink Rocks.
Interesting transition with volcanic rock on the left and granite on the right.
Complex terrain on the south side of Ink Rocks.
Most of the south face was guarded by cliffs. When I noticed an easier looking gully I decided to go up and check it out. This ended up leading to the saddle between Ink Rocks South/North (not pictured). The gully was easy Class 3.
Nice arch near the saddle.
West face of Ink Rocks North.
Steep crack leading towards the summit of Ink Rocks South. The rock here was very loose and it seemed a bit too risky to attempt solo, so I decided to turn around.
Ink Rocks South from the saddle. The crack pictured above is near the center.
View back to Ink Rocks from lower down.
Small stream where I refilled on water.
View back to Ink Rocks.
Approaching Hanna Mountain.
Tower Peak to the southwest.
Little Walker River from the head of the canyon.
Flatiron Butte.
View back to Ink Rocks (left) and Hanna Mountain (right).
Flatiron Butte and its shear east face.
North Flatiron Butte. This is a little lower than the main summit but is a better scramble.
Class 3 slab below North Flatiron Butte.
Ink Rocks with Eagle Peak in the distance.
Short scramble leading to the summit of Flatiron Butte.
Peak 11500 to the west.
View back to Flatiron Butte. The highpoint is on the right.
Approaching Peak 11500.
North Flatiron Butte (left) and Flatiron Butte (right).
Tower Peak to the southwest. The West Walker River Trail goes over the pass in the foreground. Beartrap Lake lower right.
View north from the summit of Peak 11380.
Anna Lake.
View back to Peak 11380.
Nice campsite near Anna Lake.
Easy cross country on the way to Peak 10726.
View back to Peak 11380 (left).
Approaching Peak 10726.
View back to the peaks at the head of the canyon.
Approaching Peak 10660.
Walker Mountain across the valley.
Clouds building to the north.
Peak 10659.
Hanging Valley Ridge and Walker Mountain.
Sweetwater Mountains to the north.
Mount Emma, the last peak planned in the loop.
Short detour over to Peak 10727.
Sun starting to set on Walker Mountain. I spent a bit too much time exploring Ink Rocks which would result in some headlamp time.
Mount Emma.
Icy patch of snow on the way to Mount Emma.
Rocky slope leading to Mount Emma.
The sun was setting just as I reached the summit.
Following a road briefly on my way down Mount Emma.