Middle Palisade 14,040

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tomcat_rc
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Middle Palisade 14,040

Post by tomcat_rc »

Bob, Bill and I decided to do this as an overnight adventure.
Saturday we hiked into Finger Lake - but then decided to push on to the tarn lake above where we made camp for the night


the next morning we were treated to some spectacular alpenglow on Norman Clyde Peak and Middle Palisade. taking just summit pack for the day we headed up to cross a glacier and summit our peak. I had preprinted Rick G's photo with routes hand drawn in and we all agreed that helped tremendously in locating our route with minimal complications. we did the glacier stepoff and angled up between the gendarne and the small pyramid to the left - it worked out well.

the way up is mostly class II making your way up shelves and rocks as you angle for the summit. just below the summit you have to make a class III crux move to hop up on the summit blocks - from there less than 20feet to the summit. all three of us successfully sat on top. I must say the views are incredible and like none I have ever seen before. I think my appetite has just been wetted. it feels like a whole new world opened up - some I may never get to taste.

the trip down was uneventful - we made our way down carefully and safetly. we were treated to some great glisading to get back to camp. after breaking camp we hiked out and were glad to have our cold beer still waiting in the bear box.

a few "oh by the ways"

1) although this can be done as a day hike - I would leave that to the fast hikers. take the time to do overnight and enjoy the area - especially if it is your first time. I estimate that at my slow pace I would need about 15 hours to call a comfortable margin for a dayhike - that minimizes your margin of error.

1) some discussion on going east or west around Finger Lake - although we returned again to the west - the east route looks good if you are following the drainage down the lake. we think we will try it the next time in the area.

1) bring the "deet" - the mosquitos are killer right now. if you value your blood and sanity - heed the advise.


1) this area is truly one of the most beautiful (IMO) of the Sierras - I will be back. I think it is time to resurrect the thead "now that you've done Whitney"

pictures available for viewing:
http://tomcat-rc.smugmug.com/gallery/30 ... #164353255


Image
Last edited by tomcat_rc on Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
mountain hiking is addictive:
I can quit anytime I want - I just choose not to want
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ridgeline
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Post by ridgeline »

Great job!!! now thats an awesome weekend!
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Post by Snow Nymph »

Congratulations! I love that area! We're doing that trip this summer, so I'll be talking to you about it before we do it. Looks like fun!
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


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Kerstin
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Post by Kerstin »

Very nice!! I'd like to do this peak one day...
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Post by Shawn »

Wow, that's great TC!

I'd like to get up there myself sometime. I think you make it look easy compared to us average souls though. I've seen middle pal described often as one of the finest class 3 climbs, I wonder if it strikes you that way?

Great pictures too.
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tomcat_rc
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Post by tomcat_rc »

shawn - I think Russell is a better class III climb - but Middle Pal is better in the stand point of the views - a whole new world has opened up

Dave - you had the opportunity - you should have joined

Snow - I am sure you will make it up too - better have plenty of extra memory in your camera card though

Kerstin - I never realized how much I wanted to get up there until my first close up view - I was hooked
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Post by gcj »

Great trip! I really enjoyed your photo essay. My climbing partner and I did Middle Pal in 1981. It's still one of my favorite climbs. A truly fun, interesting and spectacular climb. We went up late in the season, though, and had to cross a ten foot bergshrund on a partially collapsed ice bridge. That was the only part that made me somewhat nervous.
-gordon
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Lightning Dog
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Post by Lightning Dog »

Wow!!! I'm in awe of your exploits. Hopefully in the next couple of seasons I and my hiking buddies can begin to reach your experience level. Congrats on a great climb and photo essay.
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ridgeline
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Post by ridgeline »

Tom I would have never made it, the ligaments in my knee are just now starting to do their job, I will see on Sat/Sun in LLV.
Last edited by ridgeline on Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
KathyW

Post by KathyW »

Congrats Tom! - great report and pics. Someday I'm going to try that one - and not as a day hike.
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