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Middle Palisade Conditions?

PostPosted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 8:13 pm
by DukeJH
I'm planning a trip to Middle Palisade to (hopefully) finish the CA 14ers. Has anyone been to the area recently that can report on conditions? I'd love to leave the weight of my crampons and ice axe at home or in the parking lot but don't mind carrying them if needed. Thanks in advance.

Re: Middle Palisade Conditions?

PostPosted: Tue Aug 08, 2017 10:42 pm
by QITNL
If this helps, here's a shot of Sill-N.Pal, Sat. 8/3/17

Image

Re: Middle Palisade Conditions?

PostPosted: Tue Aug 08, 2017 11:29 pm
by DukeJH
Having been up there 5 times in the past 3 years, the difference from that photo to what I'm used to seeing is stark.

Re: Middle Palisade Conditions?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2017 1:19 am
by brichardsson
what's all that white stuff?

Re: Middle Palisade Conditions?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2017 4:20 pm
by Cy Kaicener
Found this on facebook from the Palisade area
Inyo County Sheriff's Office
@InyoCountySheriffsOffic
At approximately 7:00am on Monday, August 7th, Inyo County Sheriff’s Dispatch was notified by a satellite phone from an unrelated climbing guide of a stranded party on the face of Starlight Peak, on the climber’s right of a route called "The X", in the North Palisade area above Big Pine. The party consisted of a female that was alive and not seriously injured and a deceased male. Sequoia and Kings National Park (SEKI) also received a notification via a personal locator beacon of an emergency in the Palisades area.
SEKI launched their helicopter unit and located the party on the Inyo County side of the peak. Inyo Sheriff’s Office requested CHP aerial support and began working with CHP Central Division Air Operations H-40 out of Fresno. One Inyo search and rescue (SAR) member went to recon the site with H-40; however, due to the lateness in the day, high altitude, and wind, they could not complete the rescue. Air National Guard was activated for a Chinook, but the steepness of area was not favorable for the size of the large helicopter.
After discussing the location of the mission in depth, Inyo SAR team members determined conditions were not safe for accessing the subjects via climbing or rappelling. The area of the peak is known as one of the most dangerous walls in the Palisades. The team decided to request aid from Yosemite Search and Rescue (YOSAR), specifically for their high angle rescue team. YOSAR helicopter 551 responded and was able to rescue the female just before dark last night. They returned to the scene the following morning to extract the deceased male.
Further information revealed that the party of two from Durango, Colorado climbed Starlight Peak on Sunday, August 6th via Starlight Buttress. Both were considered experienced mountaineers. The party reached the summit around 2:00pm, and shortly afterward began their descent along the northwest ridge. After a few hours, they left the ridge and began rappelling down the face, no longer following their intended descent route. Part way down the face, an accident occurred while the female subject was descending; the system failed and became unattached from the wall. Though the rope was no longer attached to the wall, it became tangled on a rock feature and arrested the fall. The female in the party ended up tangled in the rope, and the male was hanging below. The female used a prusik loop (a friction hitch or knot used to attach a loop of cord around a rope to escape from a rope) and ascended to a small ledge where she then waited 26 hours for rescue.
Inyo SAR and Inyo Sheriff’s Office thank all of the assisting agencies: @ [145808212106571:274:Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks], CHP – Central Division Air Operations, California National Guard, and YOSAR.'Inyo County Sheriff's Office's photo.Inyo County Sheriff's Office's photo.Inyo County Sheriff's Office's photo.Inyo County Sheriff's Office's photo.'Mrs. Solomon - a good pic of her current gear''Mrs. Solomon''Inside the Chinook - Mt. Tom SAR mission''Mt. Tom SAR mission'

Re: Middle Palisade Conditions?

PostPosted: Fri Aug 11, 2017 1:29 am
by Deb
Uh, Cy....that's not what the OP asked. ?
Duke, judging by everything I've been doing in the Sierra for the past month through yesterday, it may be a stellar idea to bring your crampons and axe for the trek in. There is an extraordinary amount of snow left in the Sierra and not much else will be melting this year. Good thing is, while it is beginning to freeze at night in some high areas, the stream crossings will get easier...until they ice over. :/

Re: Middle Palisade Conditions?

PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 7:43 pm
by DukeJH
Thanks Deb. We bailed the trip. One of my partners was with a guided group that assisted in the rescue/recovery Cy mentions. It shook him up bad enough he needed to take a step back and couldn't go.