I backpacked in Saturday morning with SP members mdostby and agorokhov. We were to meet SP member kdonaldson at Ediza Lake later that morning. We left Agnew Meadows at 6:00am. We arrived at Ediza Lake at 9:37am where we met up with kdonaldson and began to set the tent up. Alex (a.k.a. agorokhov) drove his car this week since last week I drove mine to Saddlebag Lake where we climbed the right NE Couloir. Anyway, in the transfer of my gear to his trunk I left out my mountaineering boots. So here I was Saturday morning with just my New Balance 803AT running shoes. Luckly for me, kdonaldson had strap-on crampons and I borrowed his while he borrowed my step-ins. We started hiking towards the Ritter/Banner saddle at 10:46am from Ediza Lake. I went at my own pace and by 1:30pm I reached the R/B saddle. Ascending the hard-snow chute was a bit painful with crampons strapped onto my running shoes. I waited 'til 1:47pm for the group but I did not see them at the bottom of the chute. So, I decided I would just go for the North Face of Ritter while they're coming up. Now, I meant to take the Classic Chute up the North Face of Ritter; however, I realized I was off-route when I encountered low 5th class moves and plenty of class 4. I later climbed that day Banner and noticed that I actually climbed the chute immediately left of the Classic Chute. I made the summit of Ritter at 2:33pm (46 minutes from the R/B saddle to summit). I was only on top for a few minutes. I descended via the North Face via the Classic Chute back to the R/B saddle. At the saddle, the group left me a note on my pack (I left my pack at the saddle while I was climbing Ritter) saying that they decided to turn back and return to camp.
Banner Peak via the Western Slope:I rested for a few short minutes at the R/B saddle and then I headed up the Western Slope of Banner at 3:23pm. I made the summit of Banner Peak at 4:00pm. Stayed there 'til 4:15pm and headed back down to the saddle. I put on the strap-on crampons and with ice axe in hand I descended the snow chute, which was a bit icy by now (it was 5:00pm and the chute was totally shadowed). I walked into camp at 6:20pm and Alex was the only one there. mdostby and kdonaldson had left 20 minutes earlier back to Agnew Meadows trailhead. I packed up my things and then Alex and I hiked out from Ediza Lake around 7:00pm. We met up with kdonaldson and mdostby at 9:40pm at the trailhead. We later had a late night dinner (~ 11pm) at the Denny's in Bishop. The group decided to turn back because of the late hour if they had gone for Banner Peak and concerns over the icy chute. All in all, another very long day!