Ascent of Middle Palisade, 14,019 ft / 4271 m., August 31- September 2, 2020
Smoke-filled air has been a problem this summer. The first-day walk up the South Fork of Big Pine Creek to Brainerd Lake is tolerably clear and I am hopeful for good views tomorrow.
Even at the end of a dry summer one must wade through a creek. I don’t know why a small bridge can’t be placed here as so many travel this way every day.
The route up involves a steep climb though scrubby but attractive terrain and then a drop into a rich relatively moist forest before reaching the lake. Margi completes the picture.
We find a very nice high rock to camp on over the lake for the first night.
The next morning I start my ascent and pass Finger Lake. Something about the light was perfect to create this shimmery picture.
There is a rough use trail up to Finger and then it is off-trail from there, with the usual talus tedium.
Navigation is straightforward. A long sweep around the valley, up a center moraine hump, then the red rocks on the right to join the main chute to the top.
I read there is at least one ledge on the left one can take to access the main chute, but after 20 minutes of searching I give up and instead take the obvious red-rock alt route on the right side.
The red rocks are actually the second most dodgy part of the climb. The chute is very steep and a bit loose, manageable when ascending and very unpleasant on the descent.
I rest in the main chute above the distinct “gendarme” feature.
There are many interleaving variations in the main chute and it is easy and firm Class 3 rock all the way. I bring a helmet but thankfully no one else is on the mountain this Tuesday.
I think I reach the summit ridge but at the top I find that I am just north of a large summit block and must descend and move southwards laterally across an exposed face to go around and up to the block and to the summit. The lateral move takes time and there is one small ten-foot climb that is certainly Class 4.
On the summit there is a new-fangled register attached to the rock which I find to be too slick and civilized. I prefer the helter-skelter easter-egg approach of random containers.
It is rewarding to see places I know from the perspective of 14,000. feet. In this case, I first walked along the Palisade lakes when on the JMT (John Muir Trail). Years later I dropped down into them from the northwest when on the SHR (Sierra High Route).
View looking east.
I descend in late-day shade. It is almost like down-climbing a ladder, I only need to drop my foot and there is almost always a ledge or enough friction to continue without pause.
The next day is clear, I pack out and get a last view looking back.