Mt. Sill 14,126', Swiss Arete 5.7 III
July 17, 2008
"Like climbing 5.7. With a bag over your head."
Looking back on 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Lake on Summit Day approach to Mt Sill
click on pics for larger images
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The Alpine Mini and the Gear.
Headed out to SoCal in July 2008 to visit my pal Kurt Merrill, get some climbing in, and escape the soul crushing flatness of the Midwest. We had various plans for the Mt Whitney area, but with no permits left (we looked into permits in May... apparently all the Whitney Basin permits are gone by Feb) we decided instead to head for the Palisades.
The Palisades holds a number of great objectives including some very cool long routes on Temple Crag. But since it was our first trip to the area we decided to focus on the Swiss Arete on Mt. Sill. The route goes at about 5.7 with 6 pitches of climbing.
Sam Mac Meadow. Mt Sill behind
Kurt early on the summit day approach (above) and picking through the talus above the Palisade Glacier (below)
After a late night drive from LAX to Lone Pine, we ate some free hotel breakfast and headed to the trail head (8,000'). The packs ended up being disgustingly heavy,especially for my sea-level lungs. Took double 60m ropes, ice axes (actually, Kurt forgot his), crampons, a full set of cams to the blue camalot, set of stoppers and a dozen or so slings.
After a 5 or 6 hour slog, we were up at Sam Mac Meadow at about 11,000'. The mosquitoes were a bit grim but not too bad. And we could see the route from camp, lit up by alpenglow.
Started summit day about 5:30, and left camp at 6:20am. The hiking was fun and picturesque. Glad to have taken Diamox... I was huffing and puffing with my sea-level acclimatization, but I felt good otherwise (no nausea or headache) and was able to eat and stay energized. The stream crossing right out of camp was exciting but uneventful.
Kurt at the Palisade Glacier moraine with route marked
Looking down from the belay atop P3.
After hiking up to the lip of the Palisade Glacier moraine (past a handful of campsites) we got a good look at the route and the remaining approach. The talus to the glacier was a bit of a pain, and Glacier Notch was rotten as advertised, but overall the approach was straightforward and painless.
Past Glacier Notch, headed across the foot of the L-shaped snowfield and over to the Swiss Arete. We stayed relatively low to give ourselves the most climbing. One could climb the snowfield and then traverse over on 4th class rock to the base of P3 (as described here) if you wanted to.
After a quick Rochambeau, I was off on the first pitch... 5.7 or so and a little blocky and awkward; stretched the pitch and ended up with some rope drag. Kurt took P2 past the last of the 5th class lower section and along the 4th class ridge above (you can see this in the marked photo at left). I had a blast with P3, heading up a crack/shallow corner (again, 5.6 or 5.7) to a small ledge for a belay.
Kurt leading on P4. The "impasse" is the large piece of rock jutting into the skyline. The route traverses Right below it.
Looking down at the P4 belay after climbing through the crux hand crack.
Kurt picking his way down the ridge.
Back at the car, trying to replace fluids.
For P4, Kurt headed up to the "impasse" described in the guide (it's obvious - a big blank wall) and stepped around Right on an exposed traverse. He belayed there since rope drag from the traverse would have made any further climbing a bear. But he was eager to finish that section, and so took the lead again for P5 through the technical crux (5.7+ ish), a 10' vertical hand crack.
The climbing eases after that crack, and Kurt stretched the pitch to one of the many good ledges on the upper part of the route. From there it was one more pitch (P6) to the top. I think we topped out around 1:30pm.
At the summit we met a couple climbers on there way along the Palisade Traverse, ate some salami and cheese (imagine that - being hungry at 14,000' with only a day and a half to acclimate - thanks Diamox).
Summit pic, looking out over Palisades. Notice clouds building up...
The descent ended up being the hairiest bit (surprise surprise). Started out with straightforward downclimbing on the 4th class ridge toward Apex Pk (stay Right as you descend the ridge). Passed a party coming up the ridge (at 1:30pm...). The ridge abruptly steepened, and we ended up doing some easy 5th class down-soloing in boots. Good times. We could have rapped, but at the time (and even looking back) it seemed to make better sense to keep moving and just deal with the short 5th class section. As the down-climbing got less steep, the rock also grew more questionable, and the last section down to the snow gully was loose, wet, and a bit exciting. Definitely a no fall zone, as a tumble would have been BAD. Note to others - if we would have stayed high and traversed Right along the rock face from the bottom of the 5th class bit, we would have avoided the loose rotten section and saved some climbing (a party descending behind us did this)
Up through the notch, and then down the L-shaped snowfield. We got almost to Glacier Notch just as it began hailing. The hail & rain made the descent through Glacier Notch all the more interesting. Slogged back across Palisade Glacier and back to camp - got to the tent by about 6:30pm, just as it stopped raining. Hiked out the next day under sunny skies.
Overall GREAT climb, high quality rock, great position.... highly recommended.
Kurt atop P6, just below the summit.
Starting back down across the Palisade Glacier, this time with hail.
Hiking out past Temple Crag.
