Middle Palisade Peak

Tom and his godson Michael stayed in one of the cabins at the Glacier Lodge the night before we started our climb.  I met them at their cabin in the morning and we enjoyed the cowboy coffee and delivered breakfast as we chatted about our upcoming trip.  After breakfast we packed up and headed up the South Fork of Big Pine Creek.  Our destination was Finger Lake and after some great views, rain showers, and nice lunch we found ourselves at camp.  We set up the tents in the rain and dove in to stay somewhat dry.  The skies dried up in the early evening and allowed us to have a nice dinner and enjoy the last rays of sun.  We got an alpine start the next morning to beat the forecasted thunder/snow storm.  Our early start allowed us to enjoy an amazing sunrise and we climbed to the summit through some new snow from an earlier storm.  We left the summit before lunch and descend through the building clouds. After getting back to camp we packed up and trekked through the rain back to the cars.  It ended up being a long but great day.  Thanks go out to Tom and Michael for being great company and doing an awesome job on a challenging climb! 

                                                                                                                                      -Neil

Michael and Tom

Climbing to camp through the clouds.

Camp at Finger Lake

Middle Pal with new snow.

Alpine Start.

The East Face of Middle Palisade bathed in alpine glow .

Michael getting the the base of the East Face.

Climbing through new snow.

Michael on the Summit 14,012ft.

Looking to the South from the summit.

Tom is not a crook.

Descending through the clouds.

Heading back to the car.

MT. Whitney Sept 2011

We had a great trip up Mt. Whitney via the Mountaineer's Route with JP S. and Collin D., September 2-4, 2011. Weather and conditions were outstanding. Three springs are flowing strong on the trail before the climb to Iceberg Lake. There was no snow at all on the route. We did not see many other parties in spite of being there on Labor Day weekend. There was some trash on the trail, which we collected on our way down.

This was an amazing couple of climbers who should both be very proud of their performance. Apprehensions and physical challenges were met with courage and tenacity. It was an unforgettable experience for us all.  We had some good laughs too. It was an absolute pleasure for me to spend time in the mountains with these great folks and I hope to have the opportunity again sometime soon!
                                                                                                          - Howie

JP on TOP of Whitney, 14,497!!!

JP  & Howie enjoying the early morning sunrise

JP psyched on the adventure!

Palisade Traverse in the Eastern Sierra

It's official, the Palisade Traverse is my favorite High Sierra offering! What a grand adventure: Wilderness approach, snow, ice, lightweight camping, amazing rock climbing, difficult summit pinnacles, high altitude, and an accumulation of demands to the body. Like many trips conducted with expertise in the ever-changing mountain environment, this particular traverse can be attacked with a number of strategies. Snow coverage, team fitness, rock-climbing prowess and weather forecast all combine to determine the appropriate tactics. Having done the traverse a number of times, in 4 different months of the year with many different combinations of the above factors, I feel well-versed in the options. I must say that my preferred schedule is the one Bill and I undertook this past weekend.

We hiked in on day 1 to the Thunderbolt Glacier tarn camp. This is a beautiful, smooth-rock campsite looking straight up at the imposing East Prow of Thunderbolt Peak.

We were able to wake around sunrise each morning of our 4 day trip. On day 2 we used the cool morning and firm snow to race comfortably up the North Couloir of Thunderbolt Peak.

Here is Bill on the traverse around "The Lightning Rod" on Thunderbolt.
We camped the second night at the Underhill Notch, scoring flat sandy spots, snow handy for water, and a leisurely, if cold, view of the sunset to the northwest.

A disproportioned view of the Thunderbolt Peak Summit block- quite a feat in mountain boots.
Bill and lichen coming 'round "The Archbishop", a tower on the spectacular Northwest Ridge of Starlight Peak.

The wild summit of Starlight Peak: "The Milkbottle"
From the summit of Starlight to the summit of North Palisade is a complicated couple hundred yards. It's climb down, rappel, across, up, down, swing across, scramble up, scramble down and finish with 2 5th class pitches right to the summit. Folks can easily converse between the adjacent peaks, but the traverse can take hours. Some knowledge and skill makes it smoother, but it's always an experience. This section of 'off-width' climbing is not the easiest variation, but it is a safer option, and photogenic to boot.
Summit of North Palisade:


Soaking up some sun, re-organizing, and grabbing a snack at the U-Notch.
Sunset view from camp very near the summit of Polemonium Peak.
Small, but fierce, these variations of "Nieve Penitentes" made a compelling foreground for a day 4 sunrise.

The final Summit, Mount Sill, with all the peaks lined up behind Bill's hooded head. This was a cold trip: each night we slept cold, each day we climbed in all our clothes and gloves. Brrrrr.