Article: Ticking California's 14,000ft Peaks

Introduction

Our original plan was attempt an extended traverse of the Sierra Nevada in California from Sonora Pass in the North to Mount Whitney in the South. Watching CNN news at Jonathan’s sister’s house the night before we were due to fly out of Manchester on 13th September ‘01, it seemed unlikely that we would get to the US as soon as we would have wished. With the images of the disaster burned into our memory we took the first leg of our journey to Paris and opted to spend a few days in the Pyrenees. A week later we were on a packed flight to San Francisco.

With only 3 weeks before our return flight, our original objective was unfeasible. We needed something challenging, vaguely do-able and a project that we could get inspired about. Bearing in mind that our rack consisted of a 50m twin rope, a few slings and half a dozen nuts, this project would have to be no more than YDS 5.9 (UK HVS).

We were both aware that Hans Florine (of ‘Nose Record’ fame) had made a couple speed attempts at climbing all the California fourteen thousand foot peaks consecutively. On his last failed attempt he was working on an 11-day schedule.

So, what kind of lightweight, high altitude, running, climbing, driving challenge was this?


Most of the 14s are situated relatively close together in the Southern Sierras. The town of Bishop is a pretty good base. There are two fourteeners outside the Sierra Nevada: White Mountain is close to hand on the east side of the Owens Valley and just behind Bishop. Mount Shasta is a tiring 10hr drive north to the Cascades Range. In terms of difficulty, the peaks ranged from casual walking to remote technical traverses with long approaches. The Split Mountain trailhead would only be accessible with 4WD. One thing was for sure, the only way we were going to achieve our objective would be by adopting a light and fast approach.


Our acclimatisation days were demoralising. After a week in the Pyrenees we thought that we might have gained some altitude fitness. A day of exhausting ridge traversing in the Rock Creek area followed by a night in a desolate ‘Afghanistan’ - like valley and another night below Bear Creek Spire was cut short by an autumn storm. Two nights at 12,000 feet barely seemed adequate but it was all we could afford. It was time to head south on Route 395 to Big Pine and our first fourteener.

The first half-dozen

Mount Langley is nothing more than a walk, but has a long approach. By the time we got back to the hotel in Big Pine, I was totally thrashed. Trying to put the day in perspective, we worked out that it was like running from Windermere to Kendal and back (20 miles) with Ben Nevis in between, and all at above 10,000 feet. The prospect of getting up the next morning a 5am to do something similar was not something we were looking forward to.

Inevitably, we headed back up 395 in the pre-dawn of the next day to reach the trailhead for Middle Palisade. We would have preferred to do Split Mountain that day but the 4WD approach was not possible, even with a hire car. The view of Middle Pal’s East Face from the Glacier Lodge road is gob smacking. It is easily confused with Clyde Peak but once you identify the line of the route, it’s difficult to imagine that it could only be 4th Class (UK Mod – Diff).

Jonathan - “Should we take the rope?”

Andy - “Bloody right we should!”

The approach to the foot of the route is long and navigation is tricky. We didn’t use the rope but situation on the East Face was impressive and I was glad we had it with us. After a 9-hour+ day, it was time for a rest.


Mount Tyndall had been weighing on our minds. Not because of any technical difficulty but because the approach was 14 miles (28 miles round trip) with the trail starting at under 6,000 feet and a 1000 foot height loss en-route. We started walking at 6.20am and reached the summit at 12.55pm. This is a place were you can really appreciate how much there is to go at in the Sierra. We had been walking for almost 7 hours and all we could see to the West were endless ridges, pointed peaks and big granite faces. With 30 million people living within a few hours drive of these mountains it is astounding, and refreshing, that there has not been more development. We got back to the car at 5.40pm.

Next day, by way of a rest, we opted for the easiest fourteener, White Mountain. It’s a bit of a drive, but the trail head is above 12,000 feet and you can reasonably bag the peak in 4 or 5 hours round trip – a very easy day in comparison to the other fourteeners.

The Russell, Whitney, Muir loop was our first enchainment. The spectacular East Ridge of Mount Russell is little more than a scramble, but the tricky down-climb into the huge chute leading to Russell/Whitney saddle is something you definitely don’t want mess up. The North Slope of Whitney adds a big chunk of ascent, whilst Mount Muir is a mere Class 4 diversion off the well-trodden tourist path. Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the 48 states and this trail was the only part of the whole trip where we saw more than one or two people – typically carrying huge packs and being sick. We were starting to really motor by now and this was relatively “relaxed” nine and a half hour round trip.

The Palisades Traverse

The only efficient way to climb the fourteeners between Thunderbolt Peak and Mount Sill is to do the ‘Palisades Traverse’. We struggled to find anyone in Bishop who had done this traverse, although it seemed to be on everyone’s hit list. Eventually we talked to Galen Rowell who gave us some beta on the 5.9 summit block of Thunderbolt. He had climbed it with Peter Croft the previous season and left some slings on the top to aid his descent.

We opted to camp at Bishop Pass the night before the big day. A pre-dawn start got us to Thunderbolt Pass by first light. After the endless South West Gully the wildly exposed summit monolith lived up to its reputation and we were truly thankful that Galen Rowell’s slings were still in place. Starlight Peak has a similar summit, but at 5.7 it’s much easier. Fantastic ridge traversing led over North Palisade followed by a couple of abs down to the saddle at the head of the U Notch Couloir. Some 5.6 cracks to the summit of Polemonium Peak followed by easier traversing to the summit of Mount Sill meant that we had bagged 5 fourteeners in one day. The descent and long traverse back over two cols was exhausting. By the time we got back to the tent, we had been out for 12 hours. We decided to walk out the next day.

Jonathan had developed tendonitis on White Mountain and long tramp back from the Palisades Traverse was the last straw for his battered limbs. With just two fourteeners to go, he was forced to get some treatment at the hospital in Bishop.
End in sight


Split Mountain went without incident apart from the 4WD drive approach. I persuaded a Bishop local to give me lift in for $60. He was late coming back to meet me at the trail head after I had bagged the peak and I thought that he had probably thought better of a return trip. Walking out was unthinkable but I set off anyway. To my relief he turned up after I had walked a couple of miles, armed with beer and roll-ups.

A couple of days later and 14 days after we had set off to climb Mount Langley, I was trying to stand up on the summit of Mount Shasta in gale force winds and freezing temperatures. The jet stream had dipped down south and winter was coming. I was at the top of the final peak.

The California 14s: Route Basics

Mt. Langley 14,027ft: South Slope
Get your running shoes out for this one. Beautiful Sierra scenery, a high start and easy terrain.
Base town: Lone Pine
Trailhead: Cottonwood Lakes 10,050ft
High Point: Mt Langley 14,027ft
Total Height Gain: 4,000ft
Grade: Class1/2
Distance: 21 miles
Time : 6-9 hours

Middle Palisade 14,040ft: East Face
An awe-inspiring face, which turns out to be steady Class 3/4. Once you leave the marked trail at Brainerd Lake, navigation needs care to avoid losing time.
Base town: Big Pine
Trailhead: Glacier Lodge 7,965ft
High Point: Middle Palisade 14,040ft
Total Height Gain: 6,075ft
Grade: Sustained Class 3/4
Distance: 14 miles
Time: 8-12 hours

Mount Tyndall 14,015ft: North Rib
The low altitude trailhead and long walk-in make for a brutal though non – technical day, but the trail is spectacular and the scene grandiose
Base town: Independence
Trailhead: Symmes Creek 5,950ft
High Point: Mt Tyndall 14,015ft
Total Height Gain: 9,065ft
Grade: Class 3
Distance: 28 miles
Time: 12 - 14 hours

White Mountain Peak 14,246ft: S. Face
This can be a very easy day, with the drive in and visit to the Bristlecone pines en-route being more interesting than the hiking; or a very tough one, up the 9000ft West Ridge climb from the valley.
Base town: Big Pine
Trailhead: White Mountain Road locked gate 12,500ft
High Point: White Mountain 14,246ft
Total Height Gain: 2,000ft
Grade: Class 1
Distance: 14 miles
Time: 4-6 hours

“Mt Whitney Horseshoe”
Mt. Russell 14,086ft: E. arête
Mt Whitney 14,495ft: N. Face
Mt Muir 14,015ft: W. Face
A great day out, taking in one of the best ridge climbs in the range and the highest peak in the 48 states.
Base town: Lone Pine or camp at Whitney Portal
Trailhead: Whitney Portal 8,340ft
High Point: Mt Whitney 14,495ft
Total Height Gain: 8000ft
Access: You need a day-hike permit for this trip. Mt Whitney Ranger Station in Lone Pine (760 876 6200)
Grade: exposed class 3 (2 short sections of class 4)
Distance: 17 miles
Time: 8-12 hours

“The Palisades Traverse”
Thunderbolt Peak 14003ft: SW. Chute no.1
Starlight Peak 14200ft: NW. Ridge
North Palisade 14242ft: NW. Ridge
Polemonium Peak 14200ft: From U Notch
Mt Sill 14162ft: W. Ridge.
A magnificent outing with an exposed, committing traverse of five 14’ers, complex route finding and a 5.9 boulder problem at 14000ft. You need to be going well and with a good weather forecast to do this in a day. Thunderbolt Peak is well named and the ridge is no place to be in a storm.
Base town: Bishop
Trailhead: Start South Lake 9800ft
High Point: North Palisade 14242ft
Total Height Gain: 7000+ft
Grade: Once on the crest, continuous Class 4 & 5 with a couple of 5.9 moves
Distance: 23 miles
Time: 14-18 hours

Mount Shasta 14,058ft: Avalanche Gulch
This impressive volcano is the most southerly peak of the Cascades. Despite the route being SW. facing, you may need an axe and crampons for this one unless it’s dry year.
Base town: Mount Shasta
Trailhead: Bunny Flat 8,500ft
High Point: Mount Shasta 14,058ft
Total Height Gain: 5,662ft
Access: You need a summit permit for this trip. $15 Self register at the trailhead
Grade: Class 2
Distance: 14 miles
Time: 6-9 hours

Mt Williamson 14375ft: West Face
Not climbed on this trip due to access restriction (see below). Best combined with Mt Tyndall, as two trips up Shepherd’s Pass are not to be contemplated!
Base town: Independence
Trailhead: Symmes Creek trailhead 5950ft
High Point: Mt Williamson 14375ft
Total Height Gain: 10,000ft
Access: Currently Williamson is closed from July 15 to Dec. 15 to protect Bighorn sheep. Check with Ranger Station in Lone Pine for latest information.
Grade: Class 3
Distance: 29 miles
Time: 10 - 14 hours

Equipment notes

Footwear:
Ideal would be the lighter Sportiva Trango boots, light and precise enough to rock-climb in. On one or two of the peaks trail running shoes would suffice, but the terrain is very hard on footwear. I wore right through the soles of a brand new pair of Scarpa's in 14 days.

Clothing:
Shorts or lightweight trousers,
Helly style, polyprop. base-layers.
Very lightweight fleece e.g. Rab Powerstretch top
Light hat and gloves.

Shells:
Lightweight - We adopted a fairly minimalist approach and this occasionally meant wearing everything we had and keeping moving to stay warm.


Technical gear:
Carried on Palisades traverse and Middle Palisade only:
-50 metres of 8mm twin rope – very light and versatile
-a few Spectra slings
-4 or 5 wired nuts
-pair of rock shoes – not essential but makes it more pleasant on Palisades.
-harness (optional)

Grades
It’s best to be competent at around 5.8 or UK HVS at least, if you’re going to be able to move fast enough and with a margin for error.
Class 1 - walking
Class 2 - rough walking and boulder hopping
Class 3 – scrambling, hands and feet, can be very exposed. Some may want a rope.
Class 4 – Sierra class 4 is pretty much rock climbing - expect UK grades up to V.Diff, UIAA iii/iv. Many may want a rope.
Class 5 – Definitely rock climbing. Notable pitches are graded using the Yosemite Decimal System. Most people will want to rope up.

Further reading:

Books:
“Climbing California’s Fourteeners” Porcella & Burns ISBN 1-57540-006-5
Essential reading. This is a reasonable, though occasionally inaccurate guide which is strong on history - less so on route descriptions.
“The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, and Trails”; R. J. Secor ISBN: 0-8988-6625-1
The Bible. Covers a huge area in overview and inevitably leaves route detail to your sense of adventure.

Article by Andy Hyslop

Review: Boreal Stingma

Introduction:
It’s been a few years since Jerry Mofatt stepped back from the limelight and Ben Moon departed for pastures new. The subsequent lull in interest and the release of “new kids on the block” – such as Mad Rock, Evolv etc. – saw Boreal drop down the pecking order within the UK market, and for a while it looked like we might be seeing then demise of this iconic brand.

But that was then and this is now! With a competent rationalization of the range and the transcontinental importance of some of the sends completed in their shoes - primarily Danny Andrada’s uber tough sport routes and John Gaskins’ super hard bloc problems –, not to mention the ever topnotch build quality and good supply network offered by the company, Boreal have reestablished themselves in the UK’s top 3 or 4 rock boot manufacturers.

It’s not rocket science but for any rock boot manufacturer it’s wise to have a 4-pronged strategy when compiling a range:

1. 1. An entry level lace-up product – Good supportive fit, price point and instant comfort. Core bread and butter product.


2. 2. A semi technical lace-up product – Aimed at the mid-grade traditional climber. Again, a bread and butter product.


3. 3. A technical Velcro or lace-up product – Key to keeping your brand seen as a top-end player.


4. 4. An aspirational an innovative product – Low volume seller, essentially a sponsored hero line, a lost leader to keep the consumer aware the manufacturer cares about innovation.

Obviously there are always going to be a myriad of variations on these key styles but I believe if you cover these points WELL you stand a good chance of competing in the market place. In the Joker (1), Spider (2), Crux & Stingma (3) and Mutant (4) Boreal has these bases well covered.
The Stingma is the core technical lace-up shoe in Boreal’s range and can be seen well represented in any climbing media news report. The Stingma is a shoe that appeared with the range re-appraisal mentioned above, and was forged from the best features of two older (now defunct) models - the Stinga and Matrix. Whilst not a new shoe, I’ve recently been giving this established sticky the once over, here’s what I found.

The Fit:
I generally fit rock shoes pretty tight, yet in spite of this, the first thing I noticed when initially pulling on the Stingma was the instant comfort not usually synonymous with a brand new pair of technical shoes. I have a low volume foot, with a wide-ish forefoot; this is generally a pretty rock boot friendly foot shape. The Stingma has a slightly higher than usual volume in the arch and heel, which meant for me there was a bit of dead space. Nevertheless it was still a decent fit and would be ideal for climbers with a less contrasting (scrawny) foot shape.


For a technical fit I fitted the shoe as a UK8. To give you some idea of how they compare to other models I am the following sizes in other styles of shoe: La Sportiva Miura and Katana 39.5, Five Ten Anasazi Velcro and Verde UK7.5, Five Ten Dragon UK8, Scarpa Booster UK7/41 Mad Rock Mugen UK8 and Red Chili Corona UK8.5. PLEASE NOTE: This is only meant as a rough guide, as it will depend how you like your shoes to fit.

Quote from John Gaskins with regard to the Stingma:
"The Stingma gives excellent performance across a range of rock types and at angles from slabs to roofs. The shoe gives you confidence in your footholds no matter how poor these may actually be."

Usage:
I predominantly used the shoes on rough Rhyolite and smooth, steep Limestone, and on both rock types the shoes held up well. The injection molded heel cup is great at protecting the foot on uncomfortable high load heel hooks, and as it’s completely encased in rubber the Stingma doesn’t have that annoying trait of slipping onto the area with no rubber when the heel rolls. The toe box is soft and malleable with a rubber strip over the upper, which means they perform well in toe-hooks/locks. The stiffness of a shoe is a personal thing, and is always going to relate to your preferred style of climbing. I prefer a slightly stiffer shoe, and for me (contrary to the manufacturers blurb) the Stingma was a bit soft on vertical terrain. So if the world of the straight up and down is your forte then perhaps the Boreal Spider would be a better option?

Image: MACHO Man, Font7b+, Sampson's Stones, Eskdale.


Downsides:
As pointed out above, the two features of this shoe that least rocked my boat were the volume and stiffness, but as stated above, one man’s cream is another man’s poison and these features are merely traits of the shoe which will either suit you or not. I’ve always been an advocate of the “fit over rubber” school of thought, i.e. the fit is the most important thing to consider when buying a rock shoe, and the rubber used should be the last thing you worry about when purchasing a model. That said I can’t help feeling the Fusion rubber used on Boreal’s isn’t quite in the same league as and Five Ten Stealth/Onyxx and Vibram X-Grip – purely a personal view and not based on any consensus of opinion.

Summary:
All in all this one of the better rock shoes I’ve tested over the last year and has the generic appeal and instant comfort which will make a favorite with a great many climbers. The key points of this shoe are its medium/high volume fit, soft forefoot and great heel construction, so if that ticks all your boxes you could do a lot worse than purchase the Stingma. Finally, if you do decide to invest in the Stingma, and are after a technical fit, take into account that they will stretch up to half a size due to the nature of the unlined leather construction.

Boreal Stingma Demo:

Purchase the Boreal Stingma here

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