LEMKE CLIMBS
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    • 2019 Goals/Wishlist
    • Contact
  • Washington
    • North Cascades >
      • Sahale Peak, Boston Peak
      • Eldorado Peak, Klawatti Peak
      • Black Peak
      • Forbidden Peak West Ridge
      • Primus Peak Attempt
      • Big Snagtooth
      • Liberty Bell Beckey Route
      • Burgundy Spire North Face 5.8
      • Ragged Ridge - Katsuk, Kimtah and Cosho Peaks
      • Colfax Peak
      • South Early Winters Spire via SW Buttress
      • Chilliwack Mini-Slam
      • Mesahchie Peak
      • Inspiration Traverse
      • Mount Shuksan Ski
      • Full Pickets Traverse
      • Mount Goode NE Buttress & Storm King
      • Mount Baker North Ridge WI3
      • Snowfield Peak
      • Lincoln Peak
      • Silver Star Mountain
      • Mount Buckner & Horseshoe Peak
      • Azurite Peak
      • Tower Mountain & Golden Horn
      • Mount Logan
      • Custer Ridge & Easy Mox
      • Mazama Dome
      • Sherman Peak
      • Mount Ballard
      • Southern Pickets Traverse
      • Corteo Peak
      • Whatcom Peak
    • Glacier Peak Wilderness >
      • Buck Creek Pass, Cloudy Peak, Spider Gap
      • Dome Peak, Spire Point
      • Mt. Maude and Seven Fingered Jack
      • Mount Formidable NE Face 5.6 Second Ascent
      • Dumbell and Greenwood Mountains
      • Glacier Peak Wilderness Mountain Massacre
      • Clark and Luahna Peaks
      • Sinister Peak
      • Chiwawa Mountain
      • Tupshin & Devore Peaks
      • Buck & Fortress Mountains
      • Glacier Peak
      • Snowking Mountain
    • Olympic Peninsula >
      • Buckhorn Mountain
      • Flapjack Lakes Hike
      • Grey Wolf Peak, High Divide Trail
      • Mount Ellinor
      • Mount Constance West Arete
      • Mount Olympus
    • Alpine Lakes Wilderness >
      • Chikamin Peak
      • PCT - Snoqualmie to Pete Lake
      • Foss Lakes Hike
      • Necklace and Tank Lakes
      • Enchantments Day Hike
      • Granite Mountain (Snoqualmie)
      • Colchuck Peak
      • Cannon, Enchantment and Stuart
      • Ingalls Peaks
      • McClellan Peak
      • Dragontail Peak
      • Web Mountain
      • Mount Index Attempt
      • Snow Creek Wall Orbit 5.8+
      • The Tooth South Face
      • Eightmile Mountain
      • Argonaut Peak NE Couloir
      • Little Annapurna South Face 5.5
      • Snow Creek Wall Outer Space 5.9
      • Cashmere Mountain
      • Sherpa Peak North Ridge 5.8
      • Chair Peak NE Ridge
      • Lichtenburg Mountain
      • Mount Index
      • McClellan Butte
      • Chimney Rock
      • Alpine Lakes High Route
    • Pasayten Wilderness >
      • The Craggies
      • Tiffany Mountain
      • Pasayten Mini-Slam
      • Remmel Group
      • Jack Mountain
      • Robinson Mountain
      • Monument Peak Group
    • Mountain Loop Highway >
      • Vesper Peak
      • Mount Dickerman
      • Sloan Peak West Face 5.8
      • Mount Forgotten
      • Whitehorse Mountain
      • Gothic Peak
    • Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness >
      • Star, Courtney, and Grey Peaks
      • Hoodoo Peak and Raven Ridge
      • Abernathy Peak
      • Mount Bigelow
      • Reynolds Peak
      • Oval Peak
      • Gardner Peaks
      • Chelan Sawtooth Trio
    • Southern WA >
      • Mount Adams
      • Mount Rainier - Emmons Route
      • Mount Saint Helens
      • Goat Peak
      • Lane Peak, Plummer Peak (Tatoosh)
      • The Unicorn (Tatoosh)
      • Little Tahoma
      • Liberty Cap
    • WA Rock and Ice Cragging >
      • Index Town Walls
      • Vantage
      • Mount Erie
      • Exit 38
      • Leavenworth
  • Colorado
    • San Juan Mountains >
      • Mount Sneffels Lavender Snow Climb
      • Uncompahgre, Matterhorn Peaks
      • Redcloud, Sunshine Peaks
      • San Luis Peak
      • Vermilion, Fuller Peaks
      • Stewart Peak, Baldy Alto
      • Jones, Niagara, American Peaks
      • Wetterhorn Peak, Handies Peak
      • Wilson Group
      • Arrow Peak
      • Mount Sneffels SW Ridge
      • Jagged Mountain, Chicago Basin
      • Teakettle Mountain
      • Dallas Peak
      • Vestal Peak Wham Ridge, Greystone Peak
      • Organ Mountain
      • Phoenix Peak
      • Half Peak
      • Point 13832 Group
      • Golden Horn
      • Mount Sneffels Snake Couloir
      • Pigeon, Turret Peaks
    • Elk Mountains >
      • Four Pass Loop
      • Castle, Conundrum Peaks
      • Snowmass Mountain
      • Cathedral Peak
      • South Maroon Peak
      • The Pyramids
      • North Maroon Peak, Sleeping Sexton
      • Capitol Peak, Mount Daly
      • Malemute Peak
      • Hagerman Peak
    • Sangre de Cristo Mountains >
      • Blanca Peak, Ellingwood Point
      • Challenger Point
      • Mount Adams
      • Spread Eagle Peak
      • Humboldt, Obstruction, Columbia Peaks
      • Mount Lindsey, Huerfano Peak
      • Little Bear Peak
      • Crestone Needle Ellingwood Arete
      • California Peak
      • Crestone Peak North Buttress
      • Operation Dark Snake
      • Kit Carson Mountain
    • Sawatch Mountains >
      • Iowa Peak
      • Point 13,618 - Hunky Dory Lake
      • Gold Dust Peak, Notch Mountain
      • Mount Jackson
      • Mount Belford
      • Shavano, Tabeguache Peaks
      • Mount Antero, Cronin Peak
      • Twining Peak
      • Mount Massive
      • Casco Peak
      • Mount Huron
      • Mount Elbert
      • Mount Oxford
      • Mount Hope
      • Mount Yale
      • Lackawanna Peak
      • Mount Columbia
      • La Plata Peak
      • Rinker and Twin Peaks
      • Bull Hill, Mount Princeton
      • Missouri Mountain
      • Mount Oklahoma
      • French Mountain
      • Mount Ouray
      • Grizzly A, Garfield Peaks
      • Mount Harvard
      • The Three Apostles
      • Emerald Peak
      • Holy Cross
      • Mount Aetna
    • Greater Park Range >
      • Kneeknocker Pass, Piney Lake
      • Drift Peak
      • Sherman Peak, Dyer Peak
      • Gore Range Traverse
      • Quandary Peak
      • Pacific, Atlantic Peaks
      • Clark Peak
      • Crystal Peak, Peak 10
      • Fletcher Mountain
      • The DeCaLiBron
      • Loveland Mountain
      • The Mosquito Traverse
      • Mount Arkansas
      • Clinton Group
      • Eagles Nest, Peak C
      • North Star Mountain
      • Peak X
      • Wheeler Mountain
    • Front Range >
      • Mount Evans, Spalding
      • Mount Bierstadt
      • Mount Parnassus, Bard Peak
      • Cupid, Sniktau, Grizzly D Peaks
      • James Peak
      • Mount Silverheels
      • Grays and Torreys Peaks
      • Mount Edwards
      • Mount Flora, Longs Peak
      • Square Top Mountain
      • Petit Grepon South Face 5.8
      • Mount Meeker Dreamweaver Couloir
      • Santa Fe Peak
      • The Citadel & Pettingell
    • Colorado Ice Climbing >
      • Lincoln Ice Falls
      • Ouray Ice Park
      • Avocado Gully and The Drool
      • Hidden Falls
    • Colorado Rock Climbing >
      • Eldorado Canyon
      • The Flatirons
      • North Table Mountain
      • Shelf Road
      • Colorado National Monument >
        • Independence Monument
  • Wyoming
    • Wind River Mountains >
      • Gone With the Winds
      • Union Peak - Solar Eclipse
      • Wind River Peak
      • Wind River Slam
    • Teton Range >
      • Grand Teton Owen Spalding 5.4
      • Mount Owen Attempt
    • Wyoming Absarokas and Gros Ventre Range >
      • Jackson Peak
      • Francs Peak
    • Yellowstone National Park >
      • Top Notch Peak
    • Bighorn Range and Great Divide Basin >
      • Boars Tusk
      • Loaf Mountain
      • Cloud Peak
      • Black Tooth Mountain
    • Devils Tower
    • Cody Rock and Ice Climbing
  • Montana
    • Beartooth Mountains >
      • Whitetail Peak Group
      • Beartooth Mountain
      • Spirit Mountain Group
      • Mount Peal
      • Granite Peak Group
      • Castle Rock Group
      • Castle Mountain NE Couloir
      • Mount Inabnit and Sylvan Peak
      • Mount Hague South Slopes
      • Mount Villard and The Granite Peaks Traverse - 5.4
      • Spirit Mountain NE Ridge - 5.4
      • California Ice WI 4
      • The Ramp 5.8
      • Linea Alba 5.10d
      • Iceberg Peak
      • Metcalf Mountain North Rib 5.8
      • Villard Spires HP West Ramp
      • Cairn Mountain
      • Snowbank Mountain
      • Mount Wood Group
      • Bears Tooth
      • Glacier Peak Catch-a-Sunrise FA
    • Montana Absarokas & Gallatin Range >
      • Black Mountain
    • Southwest Montana Ranges >
      • Sacajawea Peak
      • Arrow Peak
      • Koch Peak
      • Saddle Peak
      • Baldy Mountain
      • Sphinx Mountain
    • Glacier National Park >
      • A Taste of Glacier National Park
      • Divide Mountain
    • MT Rock and Ice Climbing
  • Utah
    • Uinta Mountains >
      • Kings-Emmons Ridge Run
      • Hayden Peak
      • Iron Hayden Wall Rock Climbing
    • Wasatch Range >
      • The Sundial Eleventh Hour 5.8
      • Mount Timpanogos
    • San Rafael Swell >
      • Ramp, Cistern Canyons
      • Salt Wash, Black Mountain, Moroni Slopes
      • Ding, Dang Canyons
      • Little Wild Horse, Bell Canyons
      • Quandary Canyon
      • San Rafael Knob
      • Miners Hollow (Knotted Rope Canyon)
      • Temple Mountain
      • Chimney Rock
      • Bottleneck Mesa
      • Window Blind Peak
      • Lower Baptist Draw & Upper Chute Canyon
    • Capitol Reef National Park >
      • Cathedral Valley Tour
      • Sheets Gulch
      • Halls Creek Narrows
      • Brimhall Canyon and Strike Valley Overlook
      • George Benchmark
    • Moab Area, Canyonlands, Arches >
      • Maze District
      • Needles District
      • Maze District
      • White Rim Trail Biking
      • Elephant Butte, Bullwinkle Tower and Lizard Rock
      • South Six Shooter
      • Elephant Canyon
      • Parriott Mesa
      • Ancient Art
      • Castleton Tower North Chimney 5.8
      • Klondike Bluffs
      • Mount Peale & Tukuhnikivatz
    • Robbers Roost Country >
      • Horseshoe Canyon, Goblin Valley
      • Bluejohn Canyon
      • Happy Canyon Narrows
      • Shenanigans, Leprechaun Slots
      • Larry Canyon
      • Merry Piglet Slot
      • Lower Maidenwater Canyon, Turkey Knob
      • Morocco Canyon
      • Monkey Business Slot
      • Hog Canyon Slots
      • Upper Maidenwater Canyon Slots
      • Mount Ellen
      • Buck Canyon
      • Point 4906
      • Alcatraz Canyon
      • Hard Day Harvey Slot
      • Mount Ellsworth
      • Good Day Jim Canyon
      • White Roost Canyon
      • Upper Stair Canyon
      • Dragon Canyon
    • Escalante National Monument >
      • Phipps Canyon and Arch
      • Red Breaks Slot
      • Dry Fork Slots, Coyote Gulch
      • Little Death Hollow/Wolverine Canyons
      • Egypt 3 Slot
      • Egypt 1 Canyon
    • Zion/Bryce >
      • Ataxia Tower Ashtar Command 5.9
      • Mount Kinesava Cowboy Ridge
      • Birch Hollow
      • Aires Butte
      • West Temple
      • Mystery Canyon
      • Crazy Streak
    • Cedar Mesa Region/Valley of the Gods >
      • Eagle Plume Tower Eagle Feather 5.10b
  • California
    • High Sierras, Southern CA Ranges >
      • Telescope Peak, Manly Beacon
      • Tahquitz Rock Whodunit 5.9
      • Tahquitz Rock Long Route 5.9
      • Palisade Traverse
      • White Mountain
    • Yosemite National Park, Central CA
    • Northern CA Cascades >
      • Lava Beds National Monument
      • Mount Shasta
  • Oregon
    • Oregon Volcanoes >
      • Three Fingered Jack
      • Mount Scott
    • Blue Mountains >
      • Twin Peaks
    • Trout Creek Rock Climbing
  • Alaska
    • Eagle Peak and Mount Ewe
    • Jatt Peak and Portage Pass
    • Rainbow Peak
    • Mount Brooks Attempt
    • Arrigetch Peaks Trek
    • Ab Mountain Hike
    • South Suicide Peak
    • Mount Hunter West Ridge Attempt
    • Cantata Peak Attempt
    • East Twin Peak
    • Mount Alice
    • Crow Pass and Hope Point Hikes
    • Indianhouse Mountain Attempt
    • Lynx Peak
    • Harding Icefield Hike
    • Hatcher Pass and Grapefruit Rocks Climbing
    • Mount Sanford
    • Mount Hunter West Ridge
  • Nevada
    • Ginger Cracks 5.8
    • Mescalito Dark Shadows 5.8
    • Birdland and Olive Oil
    • Frogland 5.8
    • Johnny Vegas 5.8
    • Schaeffer's Delight & Triassic Sands
    • Solar Slab - 5.6
  • British Columbia
    • Mount Matier
    • Taiya Peak
    • Bugaboo Spire NE Ridge
    • Mount Sabine Easy Honey 5.10b
    • Mount Sir Donald NW Ridge Attempt
    • Black Tusk
    • Squamish Ticks
    • Slesse Mountain NE Buttress
    • Warden Peak
    • Triple Peak
  • Alberta
    • Mist Ridge Hike
    • Mount Temple Attempt
    • East Wendell Peak
    • Loder Peak
    • Tower Mountain Attempt
    • The Rimwall
    • Mount Yamnuska Directissima 5.9
    • Mount Lawrence Grassi
    • Mount Lorette
    • Roche A Perdrix
    • Mount Edith Cavell East Ridge 5.3
    • Mount Louis Kain Route
    • Eiffel Peak
    • Canadian Rockies Ice Climbing
  • Other States
    • Arizona >
      • Grand Canyon Bright Angel Trail
      • Beanfest at Cochise Stronghold
      • Baboquivari Peak
      • Humphreys Peak
    • New Mexico >
      • Philmont Trek August 2008
    • Yukon >
      • Canyon Peak
  • International
    • Mexico & Central America >
      • Mexico - Pico de Orizaba, Izta
      • Guatemala Volcanoes
    • South America >
      • An Introduction to Patagonia
      • Cordillera Blanca - Tocllaraju and Urus
      • Nahuel Huapi National Park & The Frey
      • Exploring Pucon and Lanin Volcano
      • Cordillera Blanca - Ishinca Peak and Artesonraju
      • Cordillera Blanca - Quitaraju & Alpamayo
      • Exploring Southern Peru
      • Cerro Helio Azul & Tronador Attempt
      • Aguja Guillaumet Amy Couloir
      • Cerro Puntado & Palo
      • Cerro Colorado
      • Cerro Puno & Agudo
      • Cerro Trinidad Attempt
      • Volcan Quetrupillan
      • Cerro Placas
      • Nevado de Acay
      • Pequeno Alpamayo
      • Huayna Potosi
      • Illimani
      • Chiaro de Luna
      • Cerro Barros Arana
    • Oceania >
      • Exploring New Zealand's South Island
      • Puncak Jaya
      • Mount McPherson and Talbot
      • Single Cone
      • Mount Cook
      • Mount Aspiring
      • Manakau
    • Central Asia >
      • Kyrgyzstan 2021
  • Sorted by Year
    • 2008 Trip Reports
    • 2009 Trip Reports
    • 2010 Trip Reports
    • 2011 Trip Reports
    • 2012 Trip Reports
    • 2013 Trip Reports
    • 2014 Trip Reports
    • 2015 Trip Reports
    • 2016 Trip Reports
    • 2017 Trip Reports
    • 2018 Trip Reports
    • 2019 Trip Reports
    • 2020 Trip Reports
    • 2021 Trip Reports
    • 2022 Trip Reports
  • Vanlife
    • Conversion Journal >
      • Floor Installation
      • Folding Bed
      • Coffee Table
      • Thinsulate Installation
      • The Couch
      • The Wardrobe
      • Bookshelf
      • Water System
      • Electrical System
      • The Pantry
      • Refrigerator
      • Tire Upgrade
      • Heating System
      • Composting Toilet
  • About
    • Whats New
    • 2019 Goals/Wishlist
    • Contact
  • Washington
    • North Cascades >
      • Sahale Peak, Boston Peak
      • Eldorado Peak, Klawatti Peak
      • Black Peak
      • Forbidden Peak West Ridge
      • Primus Peak Attempt
      • Big Snagtooth
      • Liberty Bell Beckey Route
      • Burgundy Spire North Face 5.8
      • Ragged Ridge - Katsuk, Kimtah and Cosho Peaks
      • Colfax Peak
      • South Early Winters Spire via SW Buttress
      • Chilliwack Mini-Slam
      • Mesahchie Peak
      • Inspiration Traverse
      • Mount Shuksan Ski
      • Full Pickets Traverse
      • Mount Goode NE Buttress & Storm King
      • Mount Baker North Ridge WI3
      • Snowfield Peak
      • Lincoln Peak
      • Silver Star Mountain
      • Mount Buckner & Horseshoe Peak
      • Azurite Peak
      • Tower Mountain & Golden Horn
      • Mount Logan
      • Custer Ridge & Easy Mox
      • Mazama Dome
      • Sherman Peak
      • Mount Ballard
      • Southern Pickets Traverse
      • Corteo Peak
      • Whatcom Peak
    • Glacier Peak Wilderness >
      • Buck Creek Pass, Cloudy Peak, Spider Gap
      • Dome Peak, Spire Point
      • Mt. Maude and Seven Fingered Jack
      • Mount Formidable NE Face 5.6 Second Ascent
      • Dumbell and Greenwood Mountains
      • Glacier Peak Wilderness Mountain Massacre
      • Clark and Luahna Peaks
      • Sinister Peak
      • Chiwawa Mountain
      • Tupshin & Devore Peaks
      • Buck & Fortress Mountains
      • Glacier Peak
      • Snowking Mountain
    • Olympic Peninsula >
      • Buckhorn Mountain
      • Flapjack Lakes Hike
      • Grey Wolf Peak, High Divide Trail
      • Mount Ellinor
      • Mount Constance West Arete
      • Mount Olympus
    • Alpine Lakes Wilderness >
      • Chikamin Peak
      • PCT - Snoqualmie to Pete Lake
      • Foss Lakes Hike
      • Necklace and Tank Lakes
      • Enchantments Day Hike
      • Granite Mountain (Snoqualmie)
      • Colchuck Peak
      • Cannon, Enchantment and Stuart
      • Ingalls Peaks
      • McClellan Peak
      • Dragontail Peak
      • Web Mountain
      • Mount Index Attempt
      • Snow Creek Wall Orbit 5.8+
      • The Tooth South Face
      • Eightmile Mountain
      • Argonaut Peak NE Couloir
      • Little Annapurna South Face 5.5
      • Snow Creek Wall Outer Space 5.9
      • Cashmere Mountain
      • Sherpa Peak North Ridge 5.8
      • Chair Peak NE Ridge
      • Lichtenburg Mountain
      • Mount Index
      • McClellan Butte
      • Chimney Rock
      • Alpine Lakes High Route
    • Pasayten Wilderness >
      • The Craggies
      • Tiffany Mountain
      • Pasayten Mini-Slam
      • Remmel Group
      • Jack Mountain
      • Robinson Mountain
      • Monument Peak Group
    • Mountain Loop Highway >
      • Vesper Peak
      • Mount Dickerman
      • Sloan Peak West Face 5.8
      • Mount Forgotten
      • Whitehorse Mountain
      • Gothic Peak
    • Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness >
      • Star, Courtney, and Grey Peaks
      • Hoodoo Peak and Raven Ridge
      • Abernathy Peak
      • Mount Bigelow
      • Reynolds Peak
      • Oval Peak
      • Gardner Peaks
      • Chelan Sawtooth Trio
    • Southern WA >
      • Mount Adams
      • Mount Rainier - Emmons Route
      • Mount Saint Helens
      • Goat Peak
      • Lane Peak, Plummer Peak (Tatoosh)
      • The Unicorn (Tatoosh)
      • Little Tahoma
      • Liberty Cap
    • WA Rock and Ice Cragging >
      • Index Town Walls
      • Vantage
      • Mount Erie
      • Exit 38
      • Leavenworth
  • Colorado
    • San Juan Mountains >
      • Mount Sneffels Lavender Snow Climb
      • Uncompahgre, Matterhorn Peaks
      • Redcloud, Sunshine Peaks
      • San Luis Peak
      • Vermilion, Fuller Peaks
      • Stewart Peak, Baldy Alto
      • Jones, Niagara, American Peaks
      • Wetterhorn Peak, Handies Peak
      • Wilson Group
      • Arrow Peak
      • Mount Sneffels SW Ridge
      • Jagged Mountain, Chicago Basin
      • Teakettle Mountain
      • Dallas Peak
      • Vestal Peak Wham Ridge, Greystone Peak
      • Organ Mountain
      • Phoenix Peak
      • Half Peak
      • Point 13832 Group
      • Golden Horn
      • Mount Sneffels Snake Couloir
      • Pigeon, Turret Peaks
    • Elk Mountains >
      • Four Pass Loop
      • Castle, Conundrum Peaks
      • Snowmass Mountain
      • Cathedral Peak
      • South Maroon Peak
      • The Pyramids
      • North Maroon Peak, Sleeping Sexton
      • Capitol Peak, Mount Daly
      • Malemute Peak
      • Hagerman Peak
    • Sangre de Cristo Mountains >
      • Blanca Peak, Ellingwood Point
      • Challenger Point
      • Mount Adams
      • Spread Eagle Peak
      • Humboldt, Obstruction, Columbia Peaks
      • Mount Lindsey, Huerfano Peak
      • Little Bear Peak
      • Crestone Needle Ellingwood Arete
      • California Peak
      • Crestone Peak North Buttress
      • Operation Dark Snake
      • Kit Carson Mountain
    • Sawatch Mountains >
      • Iowa Peak
      • Point 13,618 - Hunky Dory Lake
      • Gold Dust Peak, Notch Mountain
      • Mount Jackson
      • Mount Belford
      • Shavano, Tabeguache Peaks
      • Mount Antero, Cronin Peak
      • Twining Peak
      • Mount Massive
      • Casco Peak
      • Mount Huron
      • Mount Elbert
      • Mount Oxford
      • Mount Hope
      • Mount Yale
      • Lackawanna Peak
      • Mount Columbia
      • La Plata Peak
      • Rinker and Twin Peaks
      • Bull Hill, Mount Princeton
      • Missouri Mountain
      • Mount Oklahoma
      • French Mountain
      • Mount Ouray
      • Grizzly A, Garfield Peaks
      • Mount Harvard
      • The Three Apostles
      • Emerald Peak
      • Holy Cross
      • Mount Aetna
    • Greater Park Range >
      • Kneeknocker Pass, Piney Lake
      • Drift Peak
      • Sherman Peak, Dyer Peak
      • Gore Range Traverse
      • Quandary Peak
      • Pacific, Atlantic Peaks
      • Clark Peak
      • Crystal Peak, Peak 10
      • Fletcher Mountain
      • The DeCaLiBron
      • Loveland Mountain
      • The Mosquito Traverse
      • Mount Arkansas
      • Clinton Group
      • Eagles Nest, Peak C
      • North Star Mountain
      • Peak X
      • Wheeler Mountain
    • Front Range >
      • Mount Evans, Spalding
      • Mount Bierstadt
      • Mount Parnassus, Bard Peak
      • Cupid, Sniktau, Grizzly D Peaks
      • James Peak
      • Mount Silverheels
      • Grays and Torreys Peaks
      • Mount Edwards
      • Mount Flora, Longs Peak
      • Square Top Mountain
      • Petit Grepon South Face 5.8
      • Mount Meeker Dreamweaver Couloir
      • Santa Fe Peak
      • The Citadel & Pettingell
    • Colorado Ice Climbing >
      • Lincoln Ice Falls
      • Ouray Ice Park
      • Avocado Gully and The Drool
      • Hidden Falls
    • Colorado Rock Climbing >
      • Eldorado Canyon
      • The Flatirons
      • North Table Mountain
      • Shelf Road
      • Colorado National Monument >
        • Independence Monument
  • Wyoming
    • Wind River Mountains >
      • Gone With the Winds
      • Union Peak - Solar Eclipse
      • Wind River Peak
      • Wind River Slam
    • Teton Range >
      • Grand Teton Owen Spalding 5.4
      • Mount Owen Attempt
    • Wyoming Absarokas and Gros Ventre Range >
      • Jackson Peak
      • Francs Peak
    • Yellowstone National Park >
      • Top Notch Peak
    • Bighorn Range and Great Divide Basin >
      • Boars Tusk
      • Loaf Mountain
      • Cloud Peak
      • Black Tooth Mountain
    • Devils Tower
    • Cody Rock and Ice Climbing
  • Montana
    • Beartooth Mountains >
      • Whitetail Peak Group
      • Beartooth Mountain
      • Spirit Mountain Group
      • Mount Peal
      • Granite Peak Group
      • Castle Rock Group
      • Castle Mountain NE Couloir
      • Mount Inabnit and Sylvan Peak
      • Mount Hague South Slopes
      • Mount Villard and The Granite Peaks Traverse - 5.4
      • Spirit Mountain NE Ridge - 5.4
      • California Ice WI 4
      • The Ramp 5.8
      • Linea Alba 5.10d
      • Iceberg Peak
      • Metcalf Mountain North Rib 5.8
      • Villard Spires HP West Ramp
      • Cairn Mountain
      • Snowbank Mountain
      • Mount Wood Group
      • Bears Tooth
      • Glacier Peak Catch-a-Sunrise FA
    • Montana Absarokas & Gallatin Range >
      • Black Mountain
    • Southwest Montana Ranges >
      • Sacajawea Peak
      • Arrow Peak
      • Koch Peak
      • Saddle Peak
      • Baldy Mountain
      • Sphinx Mountain
    • Glacier National Park >
      • A Taste of Glacier National Park
      • Divide Mountain
    • MT Rock and Ice Climbing
  • Utah
    • Uinta Mountains >
      • Kings-Emmons Ridge Run
      • Hayden Peak
      • Iron Hayden Wall Rock Climbing
    • Wasatch Range >
      • The Sundial Eleventh Hour 5.8
      • Mount Timpanogos
    • San Rafael Swell >
      • Ramp, Cistern Canyons
      • Salt Wash, Black Mountain, Moroni Slopes
      • Ding, Dang Canyons
      • Little Wild Horse, Bell Canyons
      • Quandary Canyon
      • San Rafael Knob
      • Miners Hollow (Knotted Rope Canyon)
      • Temple Mountain
      • Chimney Rock
      • Bottleneck Mesa
      • Window Blind Peak
      • Lower Baptist Draw & Upper Chute Canyon
    • Capitol Reef National Park >
      • Cathedral Valley Tour
      • Sheets Gulch
      • Halls Creek Narrows
      • Brimhall Canyon and Strike Valley Overlook
      • George Benchmark
    • Moab Area, Canyonlands, Arches >
      • Maze District
      • Needles District
      • Maze District
      • White Rim Trail Biking
      • Elephant Butte, Bullwinkle Tower and Lizard Rock
      • South Six Shooter
      • Elephant Canyon
      • Parriott Mesa
      • Ancient Art
      • Castleton Tower North Chimney 5.8
      • Klondike Bluffs
      • Mount Peale & Tukuhnikivatz
    • Robbers Roost Country >
      • Horseshoe Canyon, Goblin Valley
      • Bluejohn Canyon
      • Happy Canyon Narrows
      • Shenanigans, Leprechaun Slots
      • Larry Canyon
      • Merry Piglet Slot
      • Lower Maidenwater Canyon, Turkey Knob
      • Morocco Canyon
      • Monkey Business Slot
      • Hog Canyon Slots
      • Upper Maidenwater Canyon Slots
      • Mount Ellen
      • Buck Canyon
      • Point 4906
      • Alcatraz Canyon
      • Hard Day Harvey Slot
      • Mount Ellsworth
      • Good Day Jim Canyon
      • White Roost Canyon
      • Upper Stair Canyon
      • Dragon Canyon
    • Escalante National Monument >
      • Phipps Canyon and Arch
      • Red Breaks Slot
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LEMKE CLIMBS

Palisade Traverse

Thunderbolt Peak - 14009' - SE Chute Class 4
Starlight Peak - 14226 - Palisade Traverse Class 5.7 summit block
North Palisade - 14248' - West ridge class 5.5
July 2019



We took the remainder of Wednesday and Thursday last week to drive to Bishop, interrupted with a night rest in northern CA near Lava Beds National Monument. We also met up with my friend Dan in Mammoth Lakes and was able to grab some conditions info from him. It turns out the Sierras still have a TON of snow! After much discussion about gears and what objectives we wanted to climb, we decided to approach via Bishop Pass to Thunderbolt Pass and start the traverse on Thunderbolt Peak rather than approaching via the Pallisade Glacier. This was mainly a decision made so I didn't have to carry my heavy mountaineering boots and crampons to climb one of the east side couloirs, as I didn't want to carry these heavy items on the rock traverse, which is known to have sustained class 4 and low 5th scrambling.

We drove up to the South Lake Trailhead as the afternoon turned to evening and parked at the overnight lot at an elevation of 9800 feet. The mosquitos to my surprise were worse than in Tatla Lake! Luckily Steven had some Deet in the truck so we were able to pack up our packs, carefully deciding what to ditch and what to bring. I decided to take just my lightweight leather boots and microspikes, and my rock shoes. We brought 4 UL cams, a few nuts, one 60m half rope, UL sleeping bag and pad, and one axe each. We also each had the UL Black Diamond Couloir harness. Things we didn't bring are a tent, and I left behind crampons and boots. Our plan was going to be to avoid all the steeper snow section in early morning (so we could travel it when it was soft), and to hike to Thunderbolt Pass which we hoped to reach by noon. From there we would then ascend the SW chute of Thunderbolt, tag the infamous summit block, then traverse to Starlight and tag its summit as well. We knew we were going to have a high bivy, but our bivy ended up being right next to the summit of Starlight Peak, at 14,200 feet in elevation! This was the highest bivy ever for Steven.

The hike from South Lake began after trying (unsuccessfully) to sleep in the truck after arriving the previous evening. At first light we saddled up and started hiking the nice trail towards Long Lake. As the sun rose, we were greeted with incredible views of the east face of Mount Goode (the other Goode!) which a couple of the guys I ran into at the parking lot the previous evening had been climbing on. We quickly made it to Long Lake, and onwards past the next set of lakes finally getting direct sunlight just before the final 400 foot ascent to Bishop Pass. The morning was quite chilly but as soon as the sun hit us we quickly began to roast!

Sierras from the drive to Bishop
Sierras from the drive to Bishop
 
South Lake sunset
South Lake sunset
South Lake Sunset
South Lake Sunset
 
 
Sunset from small hill next to South Lake
Sunset from small hill next to South Lake
Sunrise from the trail shortly beyond the TH
Sunrise from the trail shortly beyond the TH
South Lake Sunrise
South Lake Sunrise
 
Chocolate Peak from the trail near Long Lake
Chocolate Peak from the trail near Long Lake
East face of Mount Goode
East face of Mount Goode
Mount Goode reflection in Long Lake
Mount Goode reflection in Long Lake
Mount Agassiz
Mount Agassiz
 
Gentler SW slopes of Mount Goode
Gentler SW slopes of Mount Goode
Arriving at Bishop Pass
Arriving at Bishop Pass


We arrived at Bishop Pass about 9am and descended the trail about 200 feet on the other side then left the trail and cut left towards Thunderbolt Pass. The cross country hike initially was easy with a decent amount of dry ground to walk on amidst the snow, but the second half of the distance to the pass, we were forced onto snow most of the way, which by this oint had been in the sun awhile and was getting soft. Normally this would be a good thing, but the sun cups on the surface of the snow here in the Sierras are so big they are borderline Penitentes! This made walking on the snow MUCH more tedious than what I am used to in the Cascades...some of the "sun cups" were nearly 2 feet deep! At about 11:15 though, after 3 applications of sunscreen by this point we reached Thunderbolt Pass. We decided to leave half of the food we brought here, including most of the food requiring cooking here and we decided to cook our dinner at this point as we didn't know how much snow/water we would find on the ridge above.

I made some rice and Steven made a Mountain House and we enjoyed a nice break for about 45 minutes before starting the ascent up the SW chute of Thunderbolt Peak, which begins directly above Thunderbolt Pass. By noon we were starting up the 35-40 degree snow at the base of the chute. When dry this talus apron is miserably loose, so the snow here was welcoming although very hot. The heat combined with our packs slowed us down ascending the 1500 foot chute to the summit block, but we made reasonable time. We bypassed a big chockstone on a class 3 ledge to the right, then emerged on the wide upper half of the chute which was mostly dry. Rock was not too loose up here and by about 2:30pm we reached the base of the infamous summit rock of Thunderbolt. We came prepared with the knowledge with how to lasso the summit block and we both were able to climb up to the top without much incident. From the time we reached the base where we ditched our packs, it took us about 1 hour to both climb the summit block, and return to our packs just a few feet below.

View from Bishop Pass
View from Bishop Pass
 
Snowcover still extensive around Bishop Pass
Snowcover still extensive around Bishop Pass
 
High lakes still >50% frozen
High lakes still >50% frozen
Thunderbolt Pass in view
Thunderbolt Pass in view
 
Arrival at Thunderbolt Pass
Arrival at Thunderbolt Pass
View up the beginning of the SW chute
View up the beginning of the SW chute
 
Starting up the SW chute
Starting up the SW chute
 
Climbing the SW chute at the chockstone
Climbing the SW chute at the chockstone
Class 3 ledge to bypass the chockstone
Class 3 ledge to bypass the chockstone
EMerging into the upper chute
EMerging into the upper chute
 
 
 
 
 
Scrambling to the summit block
Scrambling to the summit block


The method I used to protect the summit block climb (which some people have solod, but with the moves going at exposed 5.9, I wasn't wanting to solo it), was to coil about 10 butterfly coils of the rope in each hand with the middle of the rope between. I then tossed both coils of rope above the summit point so the rope landed on the backside of the rock, then I pulled the extra slack up and flicked the rope up on both sides until it was placed in a solid location. I then anchored the left end using a cam, which left the right strand free to climb up on secured to the rope with the micro-traxion device I brought. I went first, and after topping out I made a single strand rappel on the strand I just climbed on, then Steven went, and once he topped out, I disconnected the anchor and he made a two strand rappel through the bolts on the top.

Starlight Peak from Thunderbolt summit area
Starlight Peak from Thunderbolt summit area
 
 
Steven climbing Thunderbolt summit block
Steven climbing Thunderbolt summit block
Steven atop Thunderbolt
Steven atop Thunderbolt
On the ridgecrest of Pallisade Traverse
On the ridgecrest of Pallisade Traverse


Steven and I then started the traverse towards Starlight since we still had quite a bit of daylight remaining. I wasn't too confident we would find a good bivy spot near Starlight but neither of us wanted to just stop as it was only 3:30pm or so, plus there was a steep section of snow we could see on Starlight that we didn't want to wait until the next morning when it would be bullet hard. We made two 25ish meter rappels down utilizing existing anchors on the west side of the ridge where the ridge dropped off which led us to the top of some clean class 3 slabs that we descended down to the first saddle between Thunderbolt and Starlight. The beta we had from here though wasn't completely clear though, as we then had to ascend up and over another prominent rib before we could continue the final ascent to Starlight Peak. We however simply began climbing class 4 on the ridgecrest but soon realized there was a second steep saddle separating us from Starlight. Since we had climbed too high we made a rappel anchor to reach an existing anchor we could see from the rib below us.

Two short raps later we were in a steep bowl directly below Starlight Peak where we could then head for the summit. Problem was there was some 55-60 degree snow covering part of the scramble, and I was forced to solo up this snow, kicking steps, and where it transitioned into the low 5th class chimney rock, the edge of the small snowfield was icy. I made a delicate move, where a fall would have been very bad, to transition myself onto a small ledge big enough for 1 foot, then continued to worm my way up the vertical chimney, which was vertical until I reached a sizable ledge about 50 feet below the summit block of Starlight. Steven asked for a belay so I tossed the rope down to him and he climbed up. From here, we had taken somewhat longer than we hoped due to routefinding issues, and we rushed up the last bits of class 3 and 4 terrain until we once again reached the ridgecrest directly south of the summit of Starlight. I found a spot that would work as a bivy here right on the ridge (although requiring a lot of doctoring) so we ditched packs here and proceeded to climb the summit block of Starlight in the evening sun. With rock shoes on, I made the 5.7 moves up maybe 20 feet or so on the south side of the block which were reasonable, but definitely a no fall zone as there was no pro. A good sling wrapped around the very top made for a great anchor for Steven to toprope. As the sun was setting, we doctored up our bivy spot and took some photos of the stunning location we found ourselves in. Mount Sill and the Pallisade Glacier were directly below us with the town of Bishop also in view right from our sleeping bags. To the west we had a grand view of the high Sierras. It was magical.

Descending Thunderbolt
Descending Thunderbolt
 
Looking back up to Thunderbolt after raps
Looking back up to Thunderbolt after raps
View towards Starlight
View towards Starlight
Class 3 slabs we downclimbed visible in middle of photo
Class 3 slabs we downclimbed visible in middle of photo
At Thunderbolt/Starlight saddle
At Thunderbolt/Starlight saddle
 
 
 
More scrambling
More scrambling
 
Higher than Thunderbolt now!
Higher than Thunderbolt now!
 
Starlight summit block
Starlight summit block
Steven on the summit of Starlight
Steven on the summit of Starlight
Sunset on Mount Sill
Sunset on Mount Sill
 
North Pallisade; not far away from our bivy
North Pallisade; not far away from our bivy
Sunset over the Sierras
Sunset over the Sierras
Sunset of North Passlisade from bivy
Sunset of North Passlisade from bivy
Moonrise from our bivy
Moonrise from our bivy
 
 
North Pallisade and moon
North Pallisade and moon
 
 
 
 
 
Last rays of light
Last rays of light
 


Neither of us got much sleep that night as we weren't able to get the bivy platform very flat (sharp rocks and no dirt). Unfortunately on the rocks, Steven's air pad popped and got a small rip. I had a foam pad but still wasn't very comfortable, plus with the elevation about 14,200 feet, slee wasn't going to come very easily anyways. It was also fairly chilly, but not as cold as I expected. When the sun rose, we immediately were able to get up and eat a quick breakfast. Wind had picked up as the sun rose though, which made the traverse to North Pallisade, on the west side of the ridge, cold in the morning! We were able to rappel using an existing anchor directly below the twin rocks right next to our bivy. Two 25 meter raps brought us to easier terrain which we then took to the first saddle between Starlight and North Pallisade. We passed by a few other bivy sites others have used at this saddle but we were glad we bivied on the ridge where the view was much nicer, and we awoke to direct sunlight. Here on the west side it was cold!

We then made an ascending traverse on the west side of the ridge following a weakness in the cliffs until we hit a prominent rib that bisected the traverse between Starlight and North Pallisade about halfway across. Once on this rib, we ascended it back to the main ridgecrest on very exposed class 4 terrain. We briefly had the sunshine again on the main ridge and crossed over and descended 10 feet down the east side to locate the rappel anchor for the step-across notch rappel. I made a 20 foot rappel and since I am so tall, I was able to stem across the chasm onto the ledge on the other side. Otherwise most people have to push themselves off the wall while rapping and stick the landing on the other side. I then was able to pull Steven across as he rappelled down. From this ledge, we had two options to finish the traverse to North Pallisade; right or left of the rock tower that lie directly above us. Steph in her beta went left and found bad, snow covered terrain with a lot of ups and downs. Others have indicated a nice 5.6 chimney crux to finish to the summit of North Pallisade if you head right from this notch. Considering the west side of the ridge was dry, we decided to don rock shoes, and go to the right. We roped up here as well, since we didn't really know what lie ahead due to an obstructed view and Steven led a traverse pitch across some beautiful low angled slabs. No pro needed, I followed, then made another short pitch up an ascending traverse on some steeper 5.4 slabs directly to the base of the final 5.6 chimney. Steven followed, then I led the 50 foot chimney which was the funnest climbing on the entire traverse, which ended a short walk from the summit. We were ecstatic to have completed the traerse!! We decided against continuing to Sill as we didn't want to slog the sun cupped snow for all that additional distance to get back to Thunderbolt Pass, so we opted to descend the standard route; the west chute of North Passisade.

Sunrise view from bivy
Sunrise view from bivy
 
Shady traverse to North Pallisade
Shady traverse to North Pallisade
 
Traversing class 3 to North Pallisade
Traversing class 3 to North Pallisade
Ascending the prominent rib back to the main ridge
Ascending the prominent rib back to the main ridge
Dropping back to east side of ridge to rappel station for step across notch
Dropping back to east side of ridge to rappel station for step across notch
 
 
 
 
Low angle slabs Steven led across just beyond the step across notch
Low angle slabs Steven led across just beyond the step across notch
View south
View south
View from summit of North Pallisade
View from summit of North Pallisade


Unfortunately I didn't get any good photos of the chimney crux as it was shady, cold, and windy and we wanted to do it fast. Dropping off the NW side of the summit of North Pallisade we quickly located the crux pitch with anchor at the top and made one rappel into the huge bowl above the west chute. From the summit, you cannot see this bowl, all you see is the steeper, narrower chute just to the north...you do NOT want to descend this chute you see from the summit. A short scramble south from the summit will allow the correct bowl and chute to become visible. Easy class 3 and some snow brought us to the ledge traverse which was narrow and exposed but only class 3. This took us to the continuation of the lower part of the gully, because there is some steeper terrain if you continue directly down without making the ledge traverse (some have called this ledge traverse the catwalk). The rest of the descent, and the long walk back to South Lake was somewhat miserable but quick.


Upon returning to South Lake, pizza in Bishop! A great trip in the books, and more peaks added to our lists! Check out my next TR for our quick jaunt up White Mountain the following morning.

Picture
Palisade Traverse Map - By Steven Song
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