Palisade Traverse: Snowed-out

Active Toby — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:24:00 GMT

My climbing partner, Gil (aka Mountainroad) and I attempted the Palisade Traverse this past weekend which began with a 5.5-mile approach-hike from South Lake trailhead (9,755 feet elevation) on Friday morning. The trail was well-maintained and we acclimated by sleeping in the parking lot the night before, allowing us to hold a quick pace from the start. It began to snow when we reached Long Lake and continued to snow for the remainder of the hike until we reached Bishop Pass (11,960 feet). We knew snow was in the forecast, but didn’t realize it would start so early in the day. The snow let up while establishing base camp (12,200 feet) just below the chute to Thunderbolt Peak, which we planned to ascend at 4:30 a.m. the next morning.

While replenishing our water supply in an alpine lake, the sky became a darker gray and the snow began to fall again, but this time at a heavier rate with steady accumulation. As soon as the sun set, the temperature dropped to the high-20s, giving me the opportunity to fully appreciate the warmth of my brand-new zero-degree down sleeping bag (Thanks, Mom and Dad!).

By morning, a fresh foot of powder blanketed everything in sight, including the chute to Thunderbolt peak, the first on our list of peaks for the Palisade Traverse. It was obvious at this point that we were snowed-out because the route would be too dangerous to negotiate.

Immediately, our focus shifted to staying warm, so we quickly broke-down our camp and packed our bags for the descent. The sun had yet to crest the ridge and it was still frigid. The hike back to the car was gorgeous. We were in a winter wonderland and were motivated by the thoughts of a hearty breakfast at Jack’s Restaurant in Bishop.

After our meal, we headed across the street and rented a bouldering crash pad from Wilson's Eastside Sports for $10 to use at The Buttermilks, a world-class rock climbing area. A crash pad breaks a climber’s fall when climbing without a rope no more than 20-feet in height. It’s the duty of the spotter to redirect the trajectory of a falling climber, so they land on the crash pad and not the ground.

Gil and I climbed in the warmth of the sun at The Buttermilks for the rest of the day. When the sun dropped behind the front range of the Sierra Nevada we set up camp nearby. I’ve crafted an Active Video from my weekend adventure using pictures, video clips and music composed by my manager, Rob Costlow. Enjoy!

Gearing up for the Palisades

Active Toby — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:56:00 GMT

Planning and preparation is the key to a successful mountaineering experience. For a trip of this magnitude, my climbing partner, Gil aka mountainroad and I collaborate through a chain of emails that cover specifics such as gear, weather forecast, meal plan and travel logistics.

The recent snowfall in the Sierra and the 20 to 30 percent chance for more on Friday changes our done-in-a-day plan to a three-day expedition. We’ll use our first day to approach the climb via Bishop Pass. The approach is relatively straight-forward, probably 3,000 feet of elevation gain. The second day, we’ll do the traverse and the third day, hike out and drive home.

I always take a mental note of something that I would like to improve from one trip to the next. My latest example of this is a departure from conventional prepackaged dehydrated meals to couscous and individually packaged, pre-marinated chicken breast. My former meal plan was quick and convenient, but couscous prepares just as fast. The taste of my new method is unmatched. I find it easier to digest than any dehydrated meal, and there are no "crunchies" left at the bottom of the bag where water did not seep. Couscous has versatility, a fine quality to have in the mountains, and a welcomed guest at mealtime. You can throw in a packaged meat or fish, sun dried tomatoes, spices, and if you are lucky, a freshly caught fish from an icy mountain creek.

I’ve included a list of essential gear for this trip. If you have any questions, please included a comment on my blog and I’ll be happy to reply. I’m looking forward to sharing this experience with you all next week, upon our safe return.

Gear list:
rope, slings, passive gear (nuts/hexes), cordalette
climbing harness, ATC, 2 locking carabineers
helmet
winter boots
crampons, ice axe, winter gaiters
climbing shoes
trekking poles
soft shell pants
base layer pants
top layers: mid-weight under armor, fleece, synthetic down jacket, waterproof shell
warm socks, liner socks, extra pair of both
liner gloves, winter gloves
warm hat
sunglasses
tent
sleeping bag, pad
Optional: hand warmers, balaclava

Food/Hydration:
Cooking gear: Jetboil stove, new fuel canister, utensils
Water in 1.75 liter nalgene bottle and collapsible nalgene canteen
Iodine pills and EmergenC

Friday--
Breakfast at the trailhead
Lunch all day
Dinner---Couscous to share and a package of chicken/fish for each of us
Saturday
Breakfast before dawn in the tent---oatmeal and hot drink (very cold morning)
Snacks to climb with
Dinner---Ramen, packaged protein, cheese
Sunday
Breakfast whenever we wake up---whatever
Snacks to hike down with
Lunch/Dinner in Big Pine/Lone Pine or a decent meal waiting for us in the car.

Active Toby's Adventure Blog

Palisade Traverse: Snowed-out

Gearing up for the Palisades