Diesel - Aug 25, 2020 8:31 pm Date Climbed: Aug 25, 2020
Traverse from Mt Winchell over Thunderbolt and Palisades glaciers
After a stressful climb to Mt. Winchell, I looked towards the two glaciers and they seemed reasonably easy to pass across. The one by Winchell, Thunderbolt Glacier turned out to be icey, steep and difficult but the Palisades one was a breeze: the icey part was full of dirt and stones and was easy go over, and the snow part was melted enough that I had good footing. Lot's of snow up to the Glacier Notch, but not difficult to climb on it with micro spikes and an ice axe. Gayley, from afar, seemed pretty straight forward - follow the brown stripe. No so fast: while on it, I did a lot of zigzagging: it seemed longer that it was. Or maybe I was tired already and my interest level at this point was low. Staying on the brown strip would have been too dangerous and unnecessarily strenuous. And to top it off (pun intended), this is the smallest summit block I've ever seen. I should have done this when I climbed Sill in 2015, but at that time I was so happy to make it down from Sill safe, nothing else mattered. Better late than never. I wonder if these long day hikes make me stronger or dumber? From Glacier Lodge parking lot to Sam Mack to Winchell - Thunderbolt Glacier - Palisade Glacier - Glacier notch up - Gayley - Glacier notch down - Glacier Trail to Sam Mack to car was 23 miles and a total of time of 15:40 hours.
BTW - the L shape couloir on Sill was a sheet of ice on 8/25. I can't imagine going up or down on that. Low snow year is not good for such adventures.
wmolland - Aug 1, 2019 10:52 am Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2019
Yellow Brick Road
A fun little scramble from the saddle. Definitely worth it if you do the Swiss arete and still have some time.
Some excitement taking a loose cl.4/5 chute to the low spot on the ridge but the rest was benign. Easy scrambling on the ridge and good trail/approach all of the way to the crappy moraine. Left poor Patrick peakless when he wisely decided not to follow me up the chute; descended the much easier Glacier Notch route in a hurry to avoid inclement weather. Pictures
Romain - Jun 21, 2016 5:04 pm Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2016
Yellow Brick Road
Lots of fun scrambling on this short blocky route. Trip report
Terrific view of both sides of the Palisades from the summit, but should've done Sill instead.
Fairweather - Oct 23, 2015 11:12 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 1982
Yellow Brick Road
After the Swiss Arete on Sill.
With Mark, Marty, and Rick.
Very fun route.
Deb - Oct 3, 2015 1:58 pm Date Climbed: Oct 2, 2015
Yellow Brick Road
About an inch of fresh snow made moving across the moraine to the notch a little tense; verglas and snow freezing on shoe soles was kind of irritating. Excellent scramble on ridge, staying high and enjoying the exploration. Descend down to Willow Lake and out via South Fork to avoid sliding to my death on northern moraine.
Climbed via glacier notch. The chute from the glacier to the notch was the trickiest part, with lots of loose talus and scree. Very fun and low stress scramble from the notch though.
Gayley wasn't our objective, but we scrambled up the Yellow Brick Road to kill time while weather was keeping us from starting up the Swiss Arete on Sill. Fun little climb on some great rock. Cool summit and great views of Palisades too!
Hyadventure - Aug 12, 2013 2:32 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2012
Plan B
We bailed on the Starlight Butress and shifted quickly to Gayley as "Plan B." It's a quick, fun, scramble from Glacier Notch.
westhegimp - Aug 11, 2013 7:28 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2005
First time climbing in the mountains.
Coming from Temple we fourth classed it. RIP Michael.
oliverkalt - Jun 28, 2013 2:05 am Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2013
High breakfast
Nice solo morning scramble over Glacier Notch and the SW ridge after being rejected in a storm and snow in the U-notch couloir the day before. The upper half of the climb had an invisible glace of water ice to add spice. While all mountains were hidden in clouds and wind I managed to find a sunny wind protected spot for a nice high breakfast close to the summit.
cab - Jun 18, 2012 11:11 am Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2012
Yellow Brick Road
A quick climb after Mt. Sill. Fun, solid class 3 with great views of Sill's north side and the rest of the Palisades.
sardude - Jan 13, 2012 1:41 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2008
Did it.
Followed the yellow brick road. (Date approximate)
Diesel - Aug 25, 2020 8:31 pm Date Climbed: Aug 25, 2020
Traverse from Mt Winchell over Thunderbolt and Palisades glaciersAfter a stressful climb to Mt. Winchell, I looked towards the two glaciers and they seemed reasonably easy to pass across. The one by Winchell, Thunderbolt Glacier turned out to be icey, steep and difficult but the Palisades one was a breeze: the icey part was full of dirt and stones and was easy go over, and the snow part was melted enough that I had good footing. Lot's of snow up to the Glacier Notch, but not difficult to climb on it with micro spikes and an ice axe. Gayley, from afar, seemed pretty straight forward - follow the brown stripe. No so fast: while on it, I did a lot of zigzagging: it seemed longer that it was. Or maybe I was tired already and my interest level at this point was low. Staying on the brown strip would have been too dangerous and unnecessarily strenuous. And to top it off (pun intended), this is the smallest summit block I've ever seen. I should have done this when I climbed Sill in 2015, but at that time I was so happy to make it down from Sill safe, nothing else mattered. Better late than never. I wonder if these long day hikes make me stronger or dumber? From Glacier Lodge parking lot to Sam Mack to Winchell - Thunderbolt Glacier - Palisade Glacier - Glacier notch up - Gayley - Glacier notch down - Glacier Trail to Sam Mack to car was 23 miles and a total of time of 15:40 hours.
BTW - the L shape couloir on Sill was a sheet of ice on 8/25. I can't imagine going up or down on that. Low snow year is not good for such adventures.
wmolland - Aug 1, 2019 10:52 am Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2019
Yellow Brick RoadA fun little scramble from the saddle. Definitely worth it if you do the Swiss arete and still have some time.
bechtt - Sep 14, 2016 2:05 pm Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2016
Yellow Brick RoadSome excitement taking a loose cl.4/5 chute to the low spot on the ridge but the rest was benign. Easy scrambling on the ridge and good trail/approach all of the way to the crappy moraine. Left poor Patrick peakless when he wisely decided not to follow me up the chute; descended the much easier Glacier Notch route in a hurry to avoid inclement weather. Pictures
Romain - Jun 21, 2016 5:04 pm Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2016
Yellow Brick RoadLots of fun scrambling on this short blocky route. Trip report
fatdad - Apr 9, 2016 11:28 pm
Yellow Brick RoadTerrific view of both sides of the Palisades from the summit, but should've done Sill instead.
Fairweather - Oct 23, 2015 11:12 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 1982
Yellow Brick RoadAfter the Swiss Arete on Sill.
With Mark, Marty, and Rick.
Very fun route.
Deb - Oct 3, 2015 1:58 pm Date Climbed: Oct 2, 2015
Yellow Brick RoadAbout an inch of fresh snow made moving across the moraine to the notch a little tense; verglas and snow freezing on shoe soles was kind of irritating. Excellent scramble on ridge, staying high and enjoying the exploration. Descend down to Willow Lake and out via South Fork to avoid sliding to my death on northern moraine.
CWessels - Jul 18, 2015 6:28 pm Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2015
Yellow Brick Road - Ridge DirectGood times.
LordGarican - Sep 23, 2014 12:20 pm Date Climbed: Sep 14, 2014
Yellow Brick RoadClimbed via glacier notch. The chute from the glacier to the notch was the trickiest part, with lots of loose talus and scree. Very fun and low stress scramble from the notch though.
Darren9 - Sep 8, 2013 9:31 pm Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2013
Nice diversionClimbed from Glacier Notch while waiting for the weather to clear to climb Swiss Arete. Fun little scramble, interesting summit.
Vertigo soul - Sep 7, 2013 7:34 pm Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2013
YBR...Gayley wasn't our objective, but we scrambled up the Yellow Brick Road to kill time while weather was keeping us from starting up the Swiss Arete on Sill. Fun little climb on some great rock. Cool summit and great views of Palisades too!
Hyadventure - Aug 12, 2013 2:32 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2012
Plan BWe bailed on the Starlight Butress and shifted quickly to Gayley as "Plan B." It's a quick, fun, scramble from Glacier Notch.
westhegimp - Aug 11, 2013 7:28 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2005
First time climbing in the mountains.Coming from Temple we fourth classed it. RIP Michael.
oliverkalt - Jun 28, 2013 2:05 am Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2013
High breakfastNice solo morning scramble over Glacier Notch and the SW ridge after being rejected in a storm and snow in the U-notch couloir the day before. The upper half of the climb had an invisible glace of water ice to add spice. While all mountains were hidden in clouds and wind I managed to find a sunny wind protected spot for a nice high breakfast close to the summit.
cab - Jun 18, 2012 11:11 am Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2012
Yellow Brick RoadA quick climb after Mt. Sill. Fun, solid class 3 with great views of Sill's north side and the rest of the Palisades.
sardude - Jan 13, 2012 1:41 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2008
Did it.Followed the yellow brick road. (Date approximate)
cbuelow - Jul 13, 2011 3:57 pm Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2011
Yellow Brick RoadClimbed the Yellow Brick Road route with Jed Porter of SMG after knocking out Sill and glissading down the North Couloir...
TheNobleSunfish - May 2, 2011 4:28 pm Date Climbed: Apr 30, 2011
SW ridgeWith Caltech Alpine Club
pratyush - May 2, 2011 1:49 pm Date Climbed: Apr 30, 2011
Yellow brick roadclimbed with members of Caltech Alpine Club. We did this the day before climbing Thunderbolt.
Guilty - Jul 21, 2010 7:37 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2010
Yellow Brick RoadTag this and Sill while waiting for my friends who were heading up to do Polemonium.