Re: 2016 Sierra Challenge Aug 5-14
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2016 1:44 am
Day 7: Potluck Pass Peak
Day 7 saw us at the South Lake TH, going over Bishop Pass and across Dusy and Palisade Basins to Potluck Pass to climb the 12,698-foot summit immediately south of the pass. Easy to say, but a long day to execute. There were 9-10 of us for the 6a start, two having started early and others coming later. It's a very pleasant hike up to Bishop Pass in the shade of the Inconsolable Range, going by some lovely lakes and taking the front group just shy of two hours. At 12,000ft before 8am, the sun was a welcome addition to the day. Crossing Dusy Basin to Thunderbolt Col is fairly pleasant too, except perhaps the last quarter mile or so over large boulders and sometimes loose morainal material. With a third hour required to reach the col, a fourth and change were needed to cross Palisade Basin and reach Potluck Pass. From here, Rob and Sean R headed north to tackle Mt. Sill from the SW side. An ungodly amount of rubble must be surmounted to climb it from this side, an effort that would take them nearly 16hrs to accomplish. Not recommended.
Bob P and Eric put on rock shoes while we contemplated how to climb Potluck Pass Peak. Our view from Palisade Basin had not been encouraging as it looked exceedingly difficult, though we had been told by Sean O, who'd climbed it a few years ago, that it goes at class 4. While they were changing footwear, I wandered over to the east side of the ridge in search of something more promising. I found something that looked like it might work and started up. The others, noticing I hadn't come back after a few minutes followed after me and up the steep ramp/gully I was climbing. Some five minutes later I had worked my way to the crest and wondered where the others had gone - no sounds came from below. I then spied Bob P well along the crest, having somehow navigated around me and gotten far ahead. We spent a full hour enjoying a fine class 3-4 scramble on decent granite, aided by convenient sandy ledges. Bob P made a remarkable ascent, particularly considering he's 12yrs my senior and more than three times Eric's age, beating the two of us easily to the summit.
The highpoint is a refrigerator-sized block of granite that conveniently holds 3-4 climbers. It looks out impressively over the Palisade Creek drainage to the south and the backside of the Palisades to the north. A second group of three climbers (Mason, Scott & Gavin) were making their way towards the summit as the three of us were descending as a group, taking a lower line to see if we couldn't get off the east side of the ridge in a faster fashion than we ascended. After returning to Potluck Pass, Eric headed up to tag Barrett Peak while Bob P and myself set off independently across Palisade Basin on our way back to Bishop Pass and the TH. I found Matt, Iris and Chris in Palisade Basin - they would make the third group of three to attempt the summit. They were cheery enough, but it was clear they would get back well after dark at the rate they were going. I got back to South Lake TH shortly before 5pm, the second longest outing after Mt. Morrow two days earlier. The second group would be some 4hrs later in arriving, the third group later still, not returning until after 11pm. Understandably hungry, the dined at the only place open that late in Bishop, Dennys, and wouldn't get to bed until nearly 2am.
Meanwhile, Michael G, JD and Robert had started from South Lake at 4am to do the Thunderbolt to Polemonium Traverse. They would be out for over 19hrs, returning about the same time as the last group from Potluck Pass Peak. Ouch. Unfortunately Michael rolled his ankle twice on the trail on the way back. In the morning it was swollen to the size of a softball, ending his Challenge run.
A few other participants chose easier targets, Agassiz for Ken and Patrick, Chocolate for Michael C. On a more ambitious note, Sean O set out from Sabrina to tag Pt. Powell, Pt. Wesley, Pt. John (Mt. Powell on the topo), the two Clyde Spires and Crumbly Spire in just under 11hrs. Not too shabby...
Bob Pickering atop Potluck Pass Peak
Day 7 saw us at the South Lake TH, going over Bishop Pass and across Dusy and Palisade Basins to Potluck Pass to climb the 12,698-foot summit immediately south of the pass. Easy to say, but a long day to execute. There were 9-10 of us for the 6a start, two having started early and others coming later. It's a very pleasant hike up to Bishop Pass in the shade of the Inconsolable Range, going by some lovely lakes and taking the front group just shy of two hours. At 12,000ft before 8am, the sun was a welcome addition to the day. Crossing Dusy Basin to Thunderbolt Col is fairly pleasant too, except perhaps the last quarter mile or so over large boulders and sometimes loose morainal material. With a third hour required to reach the col, a fourth and change were needed to cross Palisade Basin and reach Potluck Pass. From here, Rob and Sean R headed north to tackle Mt. Sill from the SW side. An ungodly amount of rubble must be surmounted to climb it from this side, an effort that would take them nearly 16hrs to accomplish. Not recommended.
Bob P and Eric put on rock shoes while we contemplated how to climb Potluck Pass Peak. Our view from Palisade Basin had not been encouraging as it looked exceedingly difficult, though we had been told by Sean O, who'd climbed it a few years ago, that it goes at class 4. While they were changing footwear, I wandered over to the east side of the ridge in search of something more promising. I found something that looked like it might work and started up. The others, noticing I hadn't come back after a few minutes followed after me and up the steep ramp/gully I was climbing. Some five minutes later I had worked my way to the crest and wondered where the others had gone - no sounds came from below. I then spied Bob P well along the crest, having somehow navigated around me and gotten far ahead. We spent a full hour enjoying a fine class 3-4 scramble on decent granite, aided by convenient sandy ledges. Bob P made a remarkable ascent, particularly considering he's 12yrs my senior and more than three times Eric's age, beating the two of us easily to the summit.
The highpoint is a refrigerator-sized block of granite that conveniently holds 3-4 climbers. It looks out impressively over the Palisade Creek drainage to the south and the backside of the Palisades to the north. A second group of three climbers (Mason, Scott & Gavin) were making their way towards the summit as the three of us were descending as a group, taking a lower line to see if we couldn't get off the east side of the ridge in a faster fashion than we ascended. After returning to Potluck Pass, Eric headed up to tag Barrett Peak while Bob P and myself set off independently across Palisade Basin on our way back to Bishop Pass and the TH. I found Matt, Iris and Chris in Palisade Basin - they would make the third group of three to attempt the summit. They were cheery enough, but it was clear they would get back well after dark at the rate they were going. I got back to South Lake TH shortly before 5pm, the second longest outing after Mt. Morrow two days earlier. The second group would be some 4hrs later in arriving, the third group later still, not returning until after 11pm. Understandably hungry, the dined at the only place open that late in Bishop, Dennys, and wouldn't get to bed until nearly 2am.
Meanwhile, Michael G, JD and Robert had started from South Lake at 4am to do the Thunderbolt to Polemonium Traverse. They would be out for over 19hrs, returning about the same time as the last group from Potluck Pass Peak. Ouch. Unfortunately Michael rolled his ankle twice on the trail on the way back. In the morning it was swollen to the size of a softball, ending his Challenge run.
A few other participants chose easier targets, Agassiz for Ken and Patrick, Chocolate for Michael C. On a more ambitious note, Sean O set out from Sabrina to tag Pt. Powell, Pt. Wesley, Pt. John (Mt. Powell on the topo), the two Clyde Spires and Crumbly Spire in just under 11hrs. Not too shabby...
Bob Pickering atop Potluck Pass Peak