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Middle Palisade 2008
Posted on Tuesday, August 26 @ 10:22:08 EDT by squishy |
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From Aug 6th to 11th Hiking-n-stuff embarked on an epic journey to the east side of the high Serra to climb one of California’s 14ers; Middle Palisade, at 14,012 feet, is the highest several members of the group have ever been. On Wednesday August 6th we drove over Monitor pass and down highway 395, to the famous Whoa Nellie Deli for lunch and some mango margaritas. We stopped in Bishop to pick up our permits and turned onto Glacier Lodge Road in Big Pine. The latecomers from the Bay Area contacted us via radio and we were all in camp by 10pm. We grabbed a nice car camping site next to a small creek filled with brook trout, and a camp fire and some wine rounded out a surprisingly relaxing day.
The next morning on Thursday August 7th, we packed up our gear and began the approach to our base camp near the mountain. At the end of Glacier Lodge Road we took the South Fork of the Big Pine Creek into the John Muir Wilderness toward Brainerd Lake. Leaving the trail at a shallow unnamed lake we ventured up to Finger Lake, our home for the next few days. We found a well used campsite above the lake, and the old Middle Palisade Summit register on the ground. It was dated 1934 from the Serra club, most likely bought down and replaced when its lid broke. Some left over thunder storms from the days before sprinkled on us in the evening, and the wind picked up during the night. Click read more for the rest of the trip report.
Our route up the Middle Palisade
Click here to see the Middle Palisade Gallery
On Friday August 8th, we went for a day hike in order to scout out a route for our final summit push. Just days before, Adam had purchased new hiking boots and they produced massive open blisters on both his heels during the hike in the previous day. Adam opted for sandals from this point forward and his successful summit was then in jeopardy, as it was not the distance but the terrain to worry about. The approach from Finger Lake to the beginning of the actual climbing was still in question and our scouting hike greatly helped to make a final decision. The SummitPost.org route page stated “You cannot climb to the south end of Finger Lake along the shore” so we attempted to gain elevation early and head along the east side of Finger lake around to the tarns (small glacial lakes) above. The other option would be the west side of the lake up the slabs mentioned in the route page. We reached the glacier via some small snow chutes using crampons and ice axes, but were too tired to actually climb on the glacier after we reached it. We split into two groups on the way down and one group, after glissading down the snow fields, attempted to traverse the shoreline of Finger Lake to look for a faster approach route. We found a well used trail skirting the lake shore and leading right back to our camp, this would become the approach route for our final summit push.
On Saturday August 9th we decided a rest day was in order after the approach and our scouting hike, since all of us needed some rest, especially Adam’s feet. The extra day above 10,700 feet also helped everyone acclimate to the higher elevations before attempting the summit. We spent the day bouldering (rock climbing problems close to the ground) and free soloing (climbing without a rope) on the numerous routes we found around Finger Lake. Adam gained some much needed experience climbing class 4 and 5 in sandals, and he felt much more confident about our push to the summit of Middle Palisade. Some went swimming while others drank booze and rested around camp. We spoke with our neighbors who had come up for the weekend; they attempted the summit and had failed that day. We gained valuable information about the route when they returned, but more importantly, their group was now off the route and we would have it to ourselves. With six people in our group and lots of loose rock, the greatest danger becomes your partners and the rocks they dislodge while scrambling. In the evening we prepared for our summit push, packing gear and making our plans for the next day.
The view from the top of Middle Palisade
On Sunday we awoke with the sun and set off around the east side of Finger Lake, we reached a waterfall at the south end and began our climb up to the glacier. The talus and scree (piles of boulders and loose gravel) slowed us down so we stuck to solid rock as much as possible. We reached the glacier and ran into a solo climber named Chad; he was resting where the route crosses the glacier to the base of the rock. This is Chad’s third attempt on the Middle Palisade, failing twice before because of weather or logistics. Chad lacked an ice axe or crampons and was somewhat perplexed as to where the route was and how to cross the short glacier section. Before our entire group even reached Chad some of us began cutting steps using our ice axes; we did not bring crampons because Adam was in sandals, so cutting steps was our primary plan for crossing the glacier. Chad joined in on the fun and followed us to the rock. He would climb with us for the remainder of the day and became the honorary “red shirt” (Star Trek guy that always dies on the away missions), but we never caught his last name.
We cut steps through the ice and snow to the base of a small ledge system; we leapt across the bergschrund and began the climb up the ledges to the couloirs above. I guess I should have already mentioned the handicap of another member in our group; a_requiem had broken his finger in a climbing competition recently and did this entire trip one handed. Even with a broken finger, requiem was one of our more able climbers and was out in front at this point doing the route finding. He must have been dragging to one direction due to the broken hand and we ended up climbing a more difficult class 4 route before finally ending up in the easier class 3 couloir. During the climb we knocked numerous rocks down, no one was injured but a few of us were hit. The most important piece of equipment we carried was our helmets, and everyone was wearing one at this point. It took us 3 hours to reach the top from the glacier; we landed on a small world of rock perched above everything around us. The Palisade crest stretched out to the north and south of our position, a long jagged knife. Just to the north was Norman Clyde Peak, named for the most famous Sierra mountaineer; this was his backyard while living in a small cabin at the end of Glacier Lodge Road.
Adams sandals on the top of Middle Palisade
Four hours later we were back at the glacier. Climbing down was much slower than the climb up and we took our time in order to remain safe. Two groups of climbers zigzagged left and right in the couloir staying away from the fall line of flying rocks from the other members. We all stopped to watch one particular rock bounce higher and higher as it fell down the face of the mountain, its last bounce sending it hundreds of feet down to the glacier. Everyone’s nerves deserved the well-received relief once down at the glacier; 7 hours of class 3 climbing can place a heavy toll on your mind. We were successful and no one had died; even Chad lived for another away mission. With one-armed Requiem and Adam wearing sandals we were lucky that all 6 made the summit. It was obvious that the extra rest day and flawless planning by all those involved attributed to our success.
The next morning, Monday August 11th, we decided to hike out and hit up the hot springs down the highway. We pulled off the road in what looked like a desert and found a small stream with multiple swimming/wading holes built to pool and enjoy the warm spring water. There are many hot springs on the east side of the Sierra Mountains and Nevada; some are developed tourist traps while others are just little streams like the one we visited. We all changed our clothes and cleaned the back country grime off our bodies. We met for lunch again at the Whoa Nellie Deli and of course some victory mango margaritas were required. We split up there and the guys heading back to the Bay Area took Hwy 120 through Yosemite.
All in all it was an uneventful trip, but only because all our plans went well despite the circumstances. Starting with 6 people: an old guy, a one-armed bandit and another with giant open blisters it’s astonishing that we made it to the summit with our limited experience. Safety and planning were paramount and the entire group preformed above and beyond what we are normally used to. This was the 1st 14,000 foot California peak for some of us and I’m sure it will not be the last, our trips just keep getting bigger, better and higher as our abilities grow. We all deserve a good break after pulling this off, and Chad if you’re out there, it was a pleasure meeting and climbing with you.
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Article Rating
Average Score: 5
Votes: 2
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