"Palisades Mountaineering" Climbing and Backpack Trip

Expedition

"Palisades Mountaineering" Climbing and Backpack Trip

Sierra Nevada, California · July – August 2001

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191

Photos

About This Trip

The Team

This Sierra Club national outing (Trip #01153A) was led by the veteran Mountain Women team of Margi Waller and Anne Muzzini. Certified mountain goats Doug Mantle and Tina Bowman joined the ranks as climbing leaders. Participants Ken Gwinner, Billy Hutton, Mitch Hyman, Cherie Moulin, Jan St.Amand, Al White and Dale Stuart filled out the ranks of eager hikers & climbers.

The Route — Day by Day

hike in from south lake to bishop lake

Distance: 5.5 miles. Gain: 1,680’ We ascend easy trail with light packs to our camp at Bishop Lake (carrying only two days of food, since a packer brings our climbing gear and supplies for the rest of the trip to us on day 2). With the afternoon free, Cherie and Jeannie fish in the nearby lake and catch as many fish as they think we can eat for dinner, while the restless ones among us...

climb mt. goode

Distance: 3 miles. Gain: 1,800’. Peak: 13,805’ With lots of eagerness and energy, some of us can’t sit still on a free afternoon, so Doug leads Mitch, Jan and me on an easy class 3 scramble up Mt. Goode for our first intoxicating taste of altitude! (Not to mention the great views!)

hike over bishop pass into dusy basin

Distance: 4 miles. Gain: 720’. Loss 1,300’ A well-maintained trail with a few million (it seems!) switchbacks gets us up over Bishop Pass. We continue across Dusy Basin to a nice campsite among the trees. After the packer delivers our climbing gear and food for the rest of the trip, we practice some roped climbing on a short pitch across the valley.

climb giraud peak

Distance: 5 miles. Gain/Loss: 1,900’. Peak: 12,608’ Doug and Tina lead Jan, Mitch, Jeannie, Anne and me on the first class 4 peak of the trip. We climb the jagged northeast ridge of Giraud Peak (12,608’) with several roped sections and “airy” traverses for excitement!. Margi, Cherie and Al make an attempt on Columbine peak, while Ken & Billy enjoy a casual day exploring around Dusy Basin.

hike over knapsack pass into palisades basin

Distance: 3.5 miles. Gain: 980’, Loss: 320’ We head cross-country over Knapsack Pass and into the Palisades Basin to set up camp at the base of the Palisades Range. To lighten our loads, we stash the bear cans and the last day’s supplies on the near side of the pass, to be picked up on our return. So with only three day’s food to carry, we once again have light packs for most of the day.

climb thunderbolt peak

Distance: 4 miles. Gain/Loss: 2,640’. Peak: 14,003’ Doug, Tina, Jan, Mitch, Margi and I set out early to tackle Thunderbolt Peak (14,003’) - a classic climb in the Sierras, with a 5.8-class summit block. Doug sets up aid (extra ropes with stirrups and handholds) on the summit block for the group, and everyone makes it to the top (some more gracefully than others!). With climbing shoes along, I make it up the 4- to 5-move pitch without the aid, and can vouch for it being a solid 5.8 rating.

explore around the palisades basin

Distance: 1 miles. Gain/Loss: 200’ I take a rest day and stay around the basin with Cherie while Tina bags Mt. Sill and most of the others go for nearby Columbine Peak. The ample wildflowers give me plenty of opportunities for some nice closeup photos.

climb north palisades peak

Distance: 4 miles. Gain/Loss: 2,880’ . Peak: 14,242’ Doug, Tina, Jan, Margi and I head up North Pal for a 13-1/2 hour excursion. At 14,242 ft., it’s the highest and most coveted peak in the Palisades Range. We approach from the U-notch, and climb several nice class 5 pitches before reaching the ridge and the traverse to the summit.

hike over isosceles pass into dusy basin

Distance: 2 miles. Gain: 720’, Loss: 680’ Margi takes us out via the shortest route back into Upper Dusy Basin - over Isosceles Pass, with a short stretch of class 3 on the descent. We lower our packs on ropes over the steepest part, then descend a boulder field before cruising the rest of the way into camp. We find the bear cans and remaining supplies just where we left them, and enjoy another free afternoon for swimming and fishing.

hike out over bishop pass

Distance: 8.5 miles. Gain: 600’, Loss: 2,240’ Back on the trail, once over Bishop Pass it’s all downhill back to South Lake.

The Journey, Day by Day

Day 1 - Hike in from South Lake to Bishop Lake

An easy morning hike with light packs (thanks to packer support) takes us past a lush string of lakes to a cozy campsite near timberline. With the afternoon free and the fish biting in a nearby lake, our resident fishing experts Cherie and Jeannie catch us a wonderfully tasty dinner of fresh trout, while the energetic ones among us eye the nearby peaks...

View Gallery → 13 photos

Day 1, cont. - Climb Mt. Goode

A free afternoon on our first day, and we can’t let a nearby peak go unclimbed! Doug, Mitch, Jan and I scramble up Mt. Goode for a taste of the thin air at 13,085’.

View Gallery → 15 photos

Day 2 - Hike Over Bishop Pass Into Dusy Basin

A short climb over Bishop Pass (again with light packs, yeah!) and we’re on our way across Dusy Basin to a nice campsite among the trees. The free afternoon gives us a chance to refresh our climbing and rope skills with some playing on a short technical pitch across the valley.

View Gallery → 13 photos

Day 3 (Layover Day) - Climb Giraud Peak

Doug, Tina, Jan, Mitch, Jeannie, Anne and I tackle the first class 4 peak of the trip, with a rewarding day’s climb up the northeast ridge of Giraud Peak (12,608’). Margi, Cherie and Al choose the option to attempt Columbine peak, while Ken & Billy enjoy a casual day exploring around Dusy Basin.

View Gallery → 30 photos

Day 4 - Hike Over Knapsack Pass Into Palisades Basin

We hop over Knapsack Pass into the Palisades Basin and set up camp at the foot of the Palisades Range - with lots of challenging peaks to set our sights on for the three days. Light packs again have let us conserve our energy for the climbs ahead...

View Gallery → 12 photos

Day 5 (Layover Day) - Climb Thunderbolt Peak

Acclimatized and enthused, the climbing team gets an early start on a classic peak in the Palisades, and our first 14-er of the trip. Doug, Tina, Jan, Mitch, Margi and I climb Thunderbolt Peak (14,003’) in grand style, with everyone displaying their unique personal technique for surmounting the class 5.8 summit block!

View Gallery → 28 photos

Day 6 (Layover Day) - Explore Around the Palisades Basin

While part of the group makes a quick run on nearby Columbine Peak, and Tina runs up Mt. Sill, I stay around camp with Cherie to take advantage of the chance to photograph the abundant and colorful wildflowers in the area.

View Gallery → 24 photos

Day 7 (Layover Day) - Climb North Palisades Peak

The prize of the Palisades is our target today. North Pal, at 14,242 ft., is the highest peak in the Palisades Range, and proves a worthy challenge as Doug, Tina, Jan, Margi and I spend 13-1/2 hours on the round trip to the top and back. Several class 5 pitches make it feel like real mountaineering!

View Gallery → 23 photos

Day 8 & 9 - Hike Over Isosceles Pass Into Dusy Basin, Then...

Margi picks the shortcut route out over Isosceles Pass back into Upper Dusy Basin. It’s a short 2 miles, but the class 3 section on the backside takes a bit of time to descend since we individually lower our packs. The next day is an easy retreat out over Bishop Pass and back to South Lake.

View Gallery → 12 photos

Flowers, Flowers, and More Flowers!

You can never get too much of those gorgeous Sierra wildflowers!

View Gallery → 21 photos