TR 2005 LeConte Route, North Palisade
Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2022 9:50 am
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.
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.