Foerster Peak, 12057 feet (3675 meters)
is in a remote south-eastern part of Yosemite, at the boundary with the
Sierra National Forest. The boundary also marks a dividing line between
watersheds of San Joaquin River (North Fork) to the east, and Merced River
basin to the west. The main ridge between two watersheds becomes higher
to the north, with Electra Peak (12442) some two miles away from Foerster.
The ridge
culminates with Mount Lyell (13114 ft) about five miles as the craw flows.
To the south, the mountain ridge becomes lower and more tamed,
with two prominent points along the crest:
Long Mountain (11502 ft) and Isberg Peak. The ridge eventually reaches
its end at Isberg and Post Peak passes. Foerster Peak could be approached
from Little Yosemite Valley from the West, or starting at the Clover Meadow
from the south. There are no trails all the way to the Foerster Peak area,
but the terrain provides an ideal setting for interesting cross country
experience. I chose the later approach, via Beasore Road and Clover
Meadow Ranger Station.
I apologize for a poor quality of pictures, which were taken with a
simple disposable camera featuring Fuji 800-speed film.
Valley of the North Fork of San Joaquin River.
Mount Ritter and Minarets from the south rim of the upper Bench Canyon.
Peak 12204 from the south rim of the upper Bench Canyon. Electra Peak is just behind, not visible.
12057 ft high Foerster Peak (middle) above the lower Blue Lake. A "peak" to the right is a lower unnamed point (11840+) on a ridge. Follow the green stripe at the far end of the lake up the mountain.
"Elephant Rock", on the southeast slope of Foerster Peak.
This meadow marks the top end of the green stripe. A chute opens from here towards a false summit south of Foerster Peak. The true summit is not visible from the meadow. Take the left rim of the chute for an easy class-2 ascent towards the peak.
View south from Foerster Peak. Long Mountain, Isberg Peak, and Harriet Lakes.
There is an SPS register at the top of Foerster Peak, placed there by Bill Bradley in 1996. According to the register, somebody climbs the peak every two or three days in the summer months.
Ritter Range from Foerster Peak.
View northeast from Foerster Peak. Electra Peak (E), Banner Peak (B) and Mount Ritter (R) to the right.
View north from Foerster Peak. Rodgers Peak (R; 12978 ft, 3956 m) is the tallest mountain in the center. A much lower Mount Ansel Adams (11760 ft, 3584 m) is somewhere in the center foreground. Mount Lyell (L; 13114 ft, 3997 m) near the left edge.
Blue Lakes from the southeast slope of Foerster Peak.
An unnamed lake in the upper Long Creek canyon, where I had a base camp.
What's in the Name
Foerster Peak was named for Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis Foerster. In Foerster's obituary, published in the Sierra Club Bulletin, Vol 22, No 1 (Feb 1937), pp 102-103, one finds the following biographical data:
Lewis Foerster was born in Germany, on Feb 16, 1868. While he was still a boy, his family immigrated to the US and settled in Oregon. He began his military career as a corporal in the Cavalry, then served in Troop K in General Grant National Park in 1894, and in Yosemite National Park in 1895. His service was outstanding, and it was in recognition of his achievements and because of his close association with the particular region, that N. F. McClure gave Foerster's name to a prominent peak on the southeast boundary of Yosemite in 1895.
Steve Roper, in his "Sierra High Route", The Mountaineers Books, 1997, p. 173, ads a few more details: "In 1895, [Foerster] was a member of a detachment sent by the federal government to evict the cattlemen and sheepherders who were illegaly bringing stock into the fragile lansdscape of the newly created Yosemite National Park. Thirty-nine years after he had helped patrol this region [in 1934?], Foerster returned with a Sierra Club group and climbed the peak his commanding officer, Lieutenant Nathaniel McClure, had named for him".
Lewis Foerster retired in 1922, and died on Dec 21, 1936 in Portland, Oregon.
