Mount Sill - Access South Slope from Palisade Glacier?

[CBoldt1010]

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone with experience in the area knows if there is a class 2-3 traverse from the Palisade Glacier side of Mt Sill over to the South Slope route, maybe via the ridge between Mt. Sill and Mt. Jepson?

I was hoping to hike in via the North or South Fork trail and summit Sill from the South Slope side. I've attempted the North Couloir before unsuccessfully due to my current experience and I know I can summit via the south slope.

Thank you very much for any information and advice!

Cory

[seano]

Conveniently, I was just looking at this a couple weeks ago. TLDR: Yes, but don't do it.

If you really want to do this, you can take the South Fork trail, then go over Scimitar Pass. Scimitar Pass is a pain in the butt, with a bunch of cross-country to get to the late below the Clyde glacier, then some obnoxious talus to reach the ridge. The next problem is that you have to lose almost 1000 feet on the other side of the pass to get around Jepson's W/SW ridge, which is cliffy on its north side. Honestly, it might be easier to go over Bishop, Thunderbolt, and Potluck Passes, if it weren't for the South Lake road closure.

I'd just practice a bit and come back via the north couloir. (EDIT: It's quite a bit easier when completely dry, like this year.)

[CBoldt1010]

Thank you very much for the quick reply and all the info!

Looking at maps it does look like a lot of cross country and other various hassles I want to avoid this trip. When I attempted last time, the mountain had just been lightly dusted with mixed snow and ice so it added to my decision to turn around when I hit the most exposed part.

Sadly it is much dryer this year as you mentioned so I think I'll give the North Couloir route a try again as I was feeling pretty confident in attempting it.

Thank you again!

[Romain]

Hey Seano,
How's the North Couloir route any easier when dry? The crux of that route is the 4th class rock after the L-shaped couloir. That part does not get any easier or harder when the couloir is dry... Not trying to discourage CBolt1010, but he should have realistic expectations...
For what it's worth I think the North Couloir route is quite hard for a scramble. There is an intimidating atmosphere after you pass Apex Peak. My 2 cents.
Romain

[seano]

Point taken, Romain -- it's hard to predict how someone will view a route. I found the final rock up along the rib to Sill's back side neither exposed nor sustained; there were probably a few 4th class moves, but quite a bit easier than e.g. the standard route on Norman Clyde. The traverse between the Apex saddle and the rib was mostly dirt, but I could imagine it being more intimidating with bullet-hard consolidated snow.

That said, the route kind of sucks, with endless loose talus from the terminal moraine all the way to Apex Peak. Cory -- you'd probably have a lot more fun doing Middle Pal.

[CBoldt1010]

Thank you for the input Romain and the followup seano!

I'm looking at the routes for Middle Pal now and others in that area.

Romain, I know exactly where you're talking about. I believe that is where I got turned around last time. It was a bit snowy that time so I felt a little more exposed than on something like that would normally make me feel. I'll be discussing the options with my climbing partner tonight.

I really do appreciate all the input!

Cory

[Romain]

Agreed that Middle Pal NE face is a much more fun route - and I actually found it less intimidating than some parts of the N Couloir. Of course, the way one experiences a route depends on the particulars of the day, mood, conditions, etc. I guess I just have a bad memory of that Sill route (Swiss Arete on the other hand, now you're talking!).

[DukeJH]

Scimitar Pass is just frustrating. Was up there this summer and saw the amount of elevation loss, and additional gain, and loss, and gain to get to Sill and back to the top of the "pass" and just threw in the towel under black skies. To egt to Elinore Lake, stay climbers left of the creek on a well defined use trail until you reach a large falls. Cross the falls to climbers right until you reach the Elinore drainage, cross the creek, and then stay climbers left in the draingage on a much less defined use trail.

I've heard of and looked into another route from Elinore Lake heading southwest up slabs to the saddle between Gayley and Sill. I've had folks bail the North Couloir route due to the loose (and big) rock along the base of the west face of Gayley.

[96avs01]

I've heard of and looked into another route from Elinore Lake heading southwest up slabs to the saddle between Gayley and Sill. I've had folks bail the North Couloir route due to the loose (and big) rock along the base of the west face of Gayley.

I've gone that way, it's very straightforward route finding.

[MoapaPk]

Boy, that south slope route looked awful, and class 2 only if you are about 10 feet tall or magically wind around all the big boulders.

Last I knew, the L-couloir was melted out -- but there was some snow up there within the last few weeks, just a bit.

[Deb]

L Couloir looks pretty treacherous right now with snowfall from Wed. Climbed Gayley via Yellow Brick Road yesterday from North Fork. Average 1" of fresh snow over 12K', made moving across the moraine a little tense with snow freezing on the bottom of my shoes and verglas on the rock on the way to the notch. Great conditions on the south side but that couloir on Sill has just enough new snow and ice in it to make it a bit dangerous and unenjoyable. Crampons wouldn't even enough to ease the "pain." Wait until Spring for that one.