TR 2005 LeConte Route, North Palisade

[Wandering Daisy]

North Palisade, Le Conte Route
July 25-31, 2005

I posted the climb only a few years ago. This is the complete trip report.


North Palisade is one of the California County High Points. I had most High Points completed, a few with the help of Whit and Gerrik, CMC members who were on my 2004 Middle Palisade climb. At that time they also attempted North Palisade from the east but did not make it. North Palisade was the last peak Whit needed to complete all 58 High Points. I had told them if they did not succeed I would “guide” them up the west side Le Conte route the next year since the peak was one I needed too.

In 2005 we planned a week-long trip to assure success. Two days in and out to a basecamp and one day to climb left two contingency days. To be ready for anything, we took full-on climbing gear; rope, protection, helmet, ice axe, crampons which made for slow going hauling in heavy packs. We also threw in rock climbing shoes. I resorted to my trusty load hauler 1970’s Kelty external frame pack.

Seventeen years later I finally decided to write a trip report for this trip which turned into quite a puzzle matching photo dates with maps. Most of the photos are Whit’s (marked with *) and some mine. I did not take my camera on the actual climb; all of those are Whit’s. Note that my camera times are an hour off from Whit's because I do not change to daylight time.

Day1. 7/25/05: South Lake Trailhead to Timberline Tarns (3 miles, 1335 feet gain)

We drove from our respective homes, met at South Lake and walked in a ways. I cannot recall exactly where we camped, likely at the Timberline Tarns or Saddlerock Lake, based on the fact that we were at Bishop Lake 9:30 the next morning.

Day2. 7/26/05 Thunderbolt Pass to Palisade Basin (5.1 miles, about 9.5 hours, 1900 feet gain)

We reached Bishop Pass about 10AM in perfect weather. I had been over Thunderbolt Pass twice before so knew the route. We left the trail at Bishop Pass and slowly dropped to about 11900 feet elevation and then up 500 feet to Thunderbolt Pass. The north side was snow-covered talus where we had to be careful not to post-hole. With heavy packs it was an arduous climb. We arrived on top about 3PM. The south side was tricky, searching for interconnected ledges down steep cliffy terrain. We continued past upper Barrett Lake to camp. I do not recall the exact location; likely it was near the small pond shown on the map about a third of a mile farther. There were plenty of lingering snowbanks near camp. We all used bivy sacks, but I added the fly from an old tent, not trusting weather for a week at altitudes above 11,000 feet.

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[Wandering Daisy]

Day3. 7/27/05: Summit Day (about 1 mile, 13 hours, about 2500 feet gain/loss)


Although we were only about a mile as the crow flies from the summit of North Palisade it was a long day! There was little easy walking; either we were on talus, snow, 3rd class scrambling or 4th class rock climbing. The crux was getting above a large chockstone and we roped up for this short section as well as rappelled when going down. We also belayed the summit block. The photos below tell the story. We finally returned to camp at 7:45PM in time to watch sunset.

Note: all photos are Whit's I did not take a camera.

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[Wandering Daisy]

Day4. 7/28/05: Mystery Day of Lost Memories

My memory of what we did this day is vague. After two grueling days, we perhaps did nothing! Gerrik’s feet were full of blisters from his climbing shoes so he hung around in camp in his flip-flops. I likely just wandered around. We took few photos probably because went nowhere.

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[Wandering Daisy]

Day5. 7/29/05: Attempt at Mt. Sill (3.4 miles, 8 hours, about 1400 feet gain/loss)

I am not sure our objective was Mt. Sill, Polemonium Peak or both. We left at 8AM, contoured too low into the drainage northwest of Potluck Pass before climbing to the pass. We dropped down the pass and then turned northeast up snow into the large bowl west of Mt Jessop. Not sure why but we turned back; perhaps we started to post-hole. Photos show that we were back in camp at 4PM. The profiles shown were taken 5:30PM so evidently we returned half a mile back towards Potluck Pass for late afternoon photos.

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[Wandering Daisy]

Day6. 7/30/05: Basecamp to Bishop Pass (4.6 miles, about 9 hours, 2040 feet gain)

We did not start until 10AM. In spite of the short miles, Gerrik’s feet still were sore so it was a long day of all off-trail travel. Knapsack Pass was difficult to descend with steep snow chutes. Reaching the valley floor we cut up towards the lake west of Isosceles Peak too early and ended up in horrible talus. Reaching the outlet of Lake 11388 we thought about camping. I did not remember where we camped but evidently, we continued and camped along the creek part way towards Bishop Pass, based on the photos.

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Day7. 7/31/05: Bishop Pass to South Lake Trailhead (4.3 miles, hours, 1120 feet gain/1420 loss)

We left about 7:30 and walked up the creek to the lake on Bishop Pass. It was then all downhill on good maintained trail after days of off-trail travel. We said our good-byes and each drove home, ending a fun and successful trip.

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[gary c.]

I love you adventures and pictures. Thanks for sharing them here with us.

[c9h13no3]

slow going hauling in heavy packs. We also threw in rock climbing shoes. I resorted to my trusty load hauler 1970’s Kelty external frame pack.

The pack that walked like a woman O_O

[Wandering Daisy]

That 4th photo of me and Gerrik is really funny. The gentle giant with the poor little woman under the pack. Gerrik is a big guy but an amazingly graceful rock climber. Part of his blisters from the rock shoes was that they did not make rock shoes big enough for him!

[c9h13no3]

That 4th photo of me and Gerrik is really funny. The gentle giant with the poor little woman under the pack. Gerrik is a big guy but an amazingly graceful rock climber. Part of his blisters from the rock shoes was that they did not make rock shoes big enough for him!

Yeah, that pack, his size, and the way you're posed make it look like you're 4'10" :P

And I'm all about comfort rock shoes. I have a pair of flat beginner shoes that are *bigger* than my street shoe size for just this sort of climbing.

[Harlen]

Super cool trip, and Trip Report. I love that area, and the climb. Did you have it all to yourselves? Have you ever had a Marmot destroy your socks, t-shirt, gaitors? I have, once in Colorado-- little devils!

Love the photo from Bishop Pass Nancy. Oh, and I make your "Hurd Peak" as Mt Goode.

Thanks for improving on an already great climbing report.