Corn Gods and the Palisade Glacier
California, United States, North America

Corn Gods and the Palisade Glacier

Page Type Page Type: Trip Report
Location Lat/Lon: 37.10071°N / 118.50875°W
Date Date Climbed/Hiked: May 31, 1992
Activities Activities: Skiing
Seasons Season: Spring

A Higher Calling

Skiing on the Palisade Glacier
Sierra Nevada, California, USA

In the beginning there were snowshoes.

Then one day in the Palisades the sky opened up and the mountain gods called down to me a deep, booming voice, “You... must... ski... corn...”

I dropped to one knee and cried out, “I believe! I believe!”

From that day onward, my spiritual life revolved around dropping to one knee and an annual pilgrimage to the Palisade Glacier with skis.

No doubt many others share my higher calling. We have all spent many glorious days paying homage to the Corn Gods by ripping turns on the Palisade Glacier.

The Palisade GlacierThe Palisade Glacier from the terminal moraine. The highest peak in this cirque is actually North Palisade (center). (This photo was taken in July.)


Alpenglow on the Palisade Glacier, June 1994Sierra Ledge Rat at his ski camp on the moraine of the Palisade Glacier (12,300 feet). The head of the glacier is 1,000 higher than this camp and a mile away. (This photo was taken in May.)

The Corn Festival

When do the devout attend the annual Corn Festival?

Anytime in May or June is fine for me, but I prefer the week before the Memorial Day. The snow conditions are usually perfect then, and I like to have the Palisade Glacier all tracked out for the holiday crowds.

Too early, and it's still full-on winter conditions up there in the Palisades. Too late, and you're skidding across the tops of sun cups and dodging rocks.

Check for local snowpack conditions as they can change dramatically from year to year.

The Mountain Gods deliver fresh POW!The mountain gods took a dump on us in Sam Mack Meadow. FRESH POW! (This photo was taken in early June.)

Getting There

Starting in downtown Bishop, California, along U.S. 395, drive west up Glacier Lodge Road to the Big Pine Creek Trailhead. Follow the North Fork Trail up past First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Lakes to Sam Mack Meadow.

Camping

Sam Mack Meadow (elevation 11,100 feet) is the usual camping area for the Palisades. However, I don’t care for that spot. Sam Mack Meadow is too small and too fragile to handle the load, in my opinion. Besides, climbing out of that hole every morning to reach the glacier is a real P.I.T.A.

My preferred area for a ski camp is just above the tarn at the toe of the Palisade Glacier (elevation 12,300 feet). It’s a lot more work hauling your gear up that high, but the views and the ease of getting to the glacier are worth it. It’s about 8 miles to Sam Mack Meadow from the trailhead, and it’s another 2-3 to the glacier camp.

The ApproachIt's not fun hauling all that gear 11 miles up to the glacier. (This photo was taken in May.)


Sam Mack MeadowIt's thrilling to drop steeply right into Sam Mack Meadow (shown here) at the end of a long day of skiing. But climbing out of this hole in the morning is a real pain. (This photo was taken in June.)


Hiking above Sam Mack MeadowHiking right above Sam Mack Meadow enroute to the glacier. That's Sam Mack Meadow down below. (This photo was taken in June.)


Hiking up to the Palisade GlacierHiking up to the glacier. The terminal moraine is visible above. (This photo was taken in June.)


The Palisade GlacierI prefer to camp near this lake at the toe of the Palisade Glacier. (This photo was taken in July. Conditions are less than optimal, you can see rilles and sun cups forming on the glacier, and rocks are starting to be exposed.)


Ski Camp, Palisade GlacierSierra Ledge Rat at a ski camp on the terminal moraine. (This photo was taken in May.)


Mount GayleyMount Gayley dominates the ski camp on the terminal moraine. (This photo was taken in May.)


Gourmet DiningThe best part of the trip is the gourmet dining. (This photo was taken in May.)


Map of the Palisade GlacierThe trail and camp in Sam Mack Meadow is shown in red. The easiest route to the terminal moraine is shown in green.

Skiing

No matter the conditions on the Palisade Glacier, remember this:

"There is no such thing as bad snow, only bad skiers."


I’m a purist. I don’t like tracking up the glacier with anything but turns. So when I’m at the bottom of the glacier, I climb out onto the lateral moraine and ascend there. Besides, it’s usually a lot cooler up on the lateral moraine and the view is so much better.

I’ve never really worried about the crevasses. Ski the glacier, take your chances. The only hole that I worry about is the bergschrund at the bottom of the U-Notch. You had better be in control and in the right spot when you launch over the bergschrund there.

The Palisade GlacierThe lateral moraine of the Palisade Glacier. Returning to the head of the glacier via the lateral moraine is more interesting and has better views than slogging back up the glacier directly. And, as you can see, the side of the moraine is nice and steep and also makes for good skiing. (This photo was taken in May.)


Skiing Thunderbolt GlacierSierra Ledge Rat (arrow) skiing the Thunderbolt Glacier. This gives you an appreciation of the scale. This is some good shit. (This photo was taken in May.)


North Palisade and the U-NotchThe U-Notch on the North Palisade. This is one intense ski descent. Actually I found the altitude to be more of a problem than the steepness or the monster bergschrund at the bottom. (This photo was taken in July.)


In the U-NotchLooking out across the Palisade Glacier towards Mt. Gayley from high in the U-Notch couloir. You get a good perspective of the steepness. See, it's not so bad.


Variable Conditions on the Palisade GlacierThe upper Palisade Glacier isn’t too steep and the conditions are variable. Here we have some stupendous breakable crust. (This photo was taken in May.)


Back to CampSkiing off the lateral moraine into the Thunderbolt Glacier basin.


Skiing the Thunderbolt GlacierThe end of a perfect day. Skiing corn in shorts and a T-shirt. That’s the terminal moraine of the Thunderbolt Glacier down there, and Sam Mack Lake down to the right. (This photo was taken in July.)


Sierra Ledge Rat at the toe of the Palisade GlacierSierra Ledge Rat getting ready for another glorious day on the Palisade Glacier. (This photo was taken in May.)


External Links

1. Great backcountry skiing videos. "The Dark Side" is a must see for all free-heel and AT skiers. There is also a nice video on sking and snowboarding on the Palisade Glacier, including skiing the U-Notch couloir.
http://www.tahoebackcountry.net/video/default.htm

2. A trip report of a ski trip to the Palisades:
Ski Mountaineering in the Palisades, May 2003

3.Spring Corn Camps with the Sierra Mountaeer Center:
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/skimt/trips/palglr99/palglr99.htm

4. A trip report to the Palisades Glacier: U & V Notch, Winchell & Gayley
May 22-23, 1999:
http://www.sierramountaincenter.com/pdfs/corn_camps.pdf

Some Definitions

Here are some definitions of a couple of skiing terms:

Randonnée
Pronunciation: ran-dohn-nay'
Function: noun
Etymology: from Middle French; Middle French rando (tele), from Latin nee (can't), or can't tele
Date: 14th century
1: a ski that someone uses because they can't tele (common usage)
2: some screwed up binding system


Snowboard
Pronunciation: snô bȯrd
Function: noun
Etymology: from Old High German & Greek; Old High German sneow (ski), from Greek bord (can't), or can't ski
Date: Before 12th century
1: a device used by punks who can't ski (common usage)
2: a piece of firewood
3: an oversized skateboard

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Comments

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Viewing: 1-12 of 12
haivanhuynh

haivanhuynh - Apr 27, 2009 2:48 pm - Hasn't voted

Copious

Love this area, your photos (slightly different perspectives makes all the difference), and your succinct humor.

Sierra Ledge Rat

Sierra Ledge Rat - May 3, 2009 4:30 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Copious

Thank you very much!

scotthsu

scotthsu - Apr 27, 2009 4:29 pm - Voted 10/10

loved your TR

this is one of the favorite places i've ever been; need to get back there soon. i chuckled at the "definitions" section and your "bad snow" quote. did you huck the 'shrund?

Sierra Ledge Rat

Sierra Ledge Rat - May 3, 2009 4:32 am - Hasn't voted

Santa Fe Baldy

As a native of Santa Fe, I can tell you that the Santa Fe ski area is one of my favorites. I love the backcountry that is accessible from the ski area parking lot. And the full-moon descents off Santa Fe Baldy.... In the summer I used to do 20-mile runs in the mountains out there in Lost Almost.

Noondueler

Noondueler - Apr 27, 2009 7:48 pm - Voted 10/10

Great shots!

Really like all the views from up in the glacier! The vienna sausage gourmet meal is mouthwatering!

Sierra Ledge Rat

Sierra Ledge Rat - May 3, 2009 4:33 am - Hasn't voted

Vienna Gourmet

My middle name ain't "Gourmet" for nothin'!

jmc

jmc - May 1, 2009 1:27 pm - Voted 10/10

Thanks for the new perspective

I have been up there in the summer. I can see now that I picked the wrong season. You have inspired me to check out the springtime Glacier. I am not convinced yet about skiing the U notch, yikes!

Sierra Ledge Rat

Sierra Ledge Rat - May 3, 2009 4:35 am - Hasn't voted

Get out there...

...and rip!

bajaandy

bajaandy - May 1, 2009 3:28 pm - Voted 10/10

Ahhhh, the Palisade Glacier

Nice report, but I must admit that I was at first a bit confused.

"Palisade Glacier", I thought. "Been there a couple of times, camped out high on the lateral moraine below the U-Notch. That's a long slog from the car."

And then I saw the months that the pictures were taken... The one on the trail with the enormous pack said it was taken in May. Then a shot high on the terminal moraine, only the date on that shot was taken in JUNE! And then yet another one of the climber standing near the glacial tarn, only taken in JULY!!

"E-GADS!", I thought. "It took them a MONTH to get there!! And then it was so good that they stayed for another month? Where is this mythical Palisades Glacier covered in corn snow of which they speak? Surely it can not be the same glacier that resides below the flanks of North Palisade mountain in the Sierra Nevada?"

But then, I saw the map, and all was made clear to me. This Zanadu of corn was indeed my beloved Palisade Glacier.

And right here in front of my computer monitor, I dropped to one knee and cried out, “I believe! I believe!”

(Oh, and thanks for the cool photo essay.)

Sierra Ledge Rat

Sierra Ledge Rat - May 2, 2009 6:42 pm - Hasn't voted

I WISH!

I WISH that I could stay up there 2 MONTHS! My record stay was 3 weeks. Had to make numerous trips between the glacier and Big Pine trailhead to get all my gear and food up there!

All the photos were taken at various times over many years. My first trip to the Palisades was in 1978.

bajaandy

bajaandy - May 2, 2009 11:42 pm - Voted 10/10

Dude!

Three weeks is a long time! I'd love to spend that much time up there!

I know your photos were taken at different times... that was my lame attempt at humor.

I think my first time up there was in 1980.

Sierra Ledge Rat

Sierra Ledge Rat - May 3, 2009 4:36 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Dude!

Yeah, I know, I laughed pretty hard when I read your first post! maybe see you on the glacier someday!

Viewing: 1-12 of 12

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