High Sierra Topix

Yesterday, I hiked up to Mount Carillon because I wanted to get a look Russell's east ridge and I had heard that Carillon has a nice view. I had another day where my body just didn't want to cooperate - it was slow going because my legs hurt from the beginning and the thin air really got to me once again. It took 7 long hours to get to the top of Carillon from Whitney Portal, so I was only moving up about an average of 750 feet per hour. The east ridge on Russell looks pretty intimidating - I'm not sure If I'll be able to do it but I hope to give it a try. First as a day hike and if that's too much I'll go back and try it as an overnight trip.

The view from the summit of Carillon was really nice and it was worth the struggle up that awful sandy slope to get up to it.

Here are pictures from my Carillon hike:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/gallery/3224000/42#P-1-15

Terrific pictures, Kathy. I'm hoping to solo Russell next weekend. Not as a dayhike, but as part of a 3 day test of my mettle, camping at USBL, and then doing Russell and the MR on successive days. Life is short, so I figured now is the time.

Kathy, I hear that if you summit Carillon first, the east ridge of Russell looks so scary that it might change your mind. How scary did it look?

excellent photos with fantastic lighting.
you will have no problem with Russell's exposure factor - it is really not that bad - just looks scary from Carillon
recommend early start - also note - gong up from Clyde Meadow - try to stay in rockier stuff going up - the sand scree is for the way down- unless you want to take the class III downclimb at the west end of the knife edge. that will take you to the Russell-Whitney Pass - drop down to Iceberg Lake and descend as you do for the MR

I still need to get back up to Russell this year - time is ticking fast

good luck - Tom aka Tomcat_rc

thanks Tom - I did move over to the right into the rocks as I went up and that helped but I still was moving slow. I guess I'm just going to have to accept the fact that I'm always going to move slow in the thin air above 11,000 feet.

Quentinc - the ridge did look intimidating from Carillon, but on the zoomed in photo I took of the ridge it does look like it can be done. See this photo:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/gallery/32 ... 33947-O-LB

Great picures Kathy. Congrats on reaching the summit!

Great shots Kathy! I wouldn't get too hung-up on how long it took you to get to your destination. It's about the journey, not the destination, right? At least most of the time!

Great pics Kathy! Slow going or not, that is one heck of a climb as a day hike. Congrats on the summit.

Great job Kathy!

PS. I bet you're still faster than me.

Kathy- Congrats! Another big summit and another album full of great shots! That ridge to Russell looks hairy! I'm sure you will do it just fine.
And yeah, I agree with CSF- the point is you get there and it's fun (even though it may not seem like it in the middle of a slog) so as long as you get back safely, who cares how long it takes? You have determination on your side!

Thanks for looking at my pics everyone.


Shawn: I doubt if I'd be able to get very far ahead if I raced you down the trail. My body just feel like lead lately - I think it has something to do with this awful heat combined with humidity. I have a tough time getting out of bed in the morning and I'm supposed to be heading out backpacking again tomorrow. I'm headed out to the Coachella Valley to work today - that should be nice and warm.

Kathy