In mid-May, Chaz Langlier and I made a trip to East Lake, south of the Bubbs Creek drainage, a beautiful base camp for three days and three nights. During our trip we climbed three routes that were likely first ascents.Climbing with Chaz is always...
The day after a climb on the Ruby Wall in September, Maxim Belyakov and I decided to check out Third Recess Peak (12,520’). We didn’t do much logistical research and were surprised by the approach—about eight miles (including a 12,000’ pass) from ...
In late May and June, Shaun Reed and I made two quick trips to climb on the southeast face of the Cleaver (13,382’), northeast of Mt. Carillon and Mt. Russell. After helping Shaun with the first free ascent of the Butcher (III/IV 5.12, AAJ 2017) i...
Since Roger Putnam and I are in the process of writing a guidebook to the High Sierra, we had planned a scouting mission to figure out all the routes on Mt. Chamberlin. While approaching Crabtree Lakes from the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead in early ...
OVER TWO SEASONS, in the winter and fall of 2018, several partners and I did first ascents of three ice couloirs in the eastern Sierra.The Central Tower of Pine (11,670’) is but a minor bump along the sinuous north ridge of unnamed Peak 12,388’, v...
SCOTT SINNER AND I FOUND the formation we named the Black Obelisk by accident after following some bad guidebook beta while looking for an established route in the area. We returned a week later, on April 21, armed with more substantial equipment ...
On October 20, Myles Moser, Amy Ness, and I hiked into the mouth of rugged Sawmill Canyon from the edge of the desert, about nine miles northwest of the town of Independence. This narrow, brush-choked canyon has thwarted many potential explorers f...
During the summer of 2017, Adam Sheppard, Daniel Jeffcoach, and I went out to Bubbs Creek Wall and attempted a line left of the Samurai Warrior/Ronin (V 5.12a) and Crystal Bonzai (VI 5.11 A3). We climbed to a dihedral toward a huge, guillotine-lik...
MANY HUNDREDS have passed by the Checkered Demon (13,121’) while descending from the adjacent and popular East Arête of Mt. Humphreys. The north side of Checkered Demon features one of the most stunning arêtes in the High Sierra, and the peak is u...
AN ATTRACTIVE and sheer granitic wall juts out of the North Fork of Lubken Creek Canyon, south of Tuttle Creek near Lone Pine. This 1,000’-plus cliff is plainly visible from town and many areas in the nearby Alabama Hills, but our research reveale...
In July, Neal Harder, Sebastian Thau, and I established a nearly 1,000' route on the east side of Lower Tokapah Dome. 1,000 Piece Meal Deal (5.10d) climbs a direct line to the summit and is to the right of previously established routes. The first,...
In October, Brian Prince and I completed the Money Shot (9 pitches, 5.11 C1), a spectacularly steep route that climbs the left side of the prominent Sunset Buttress, the first route up the face. [This Nose-like buttress was climbed by Richard Leve...
In September, Cristina Engel, Neal Harder, and I established the first known technical routes on Confluence Dome (37.445315, -119.242106), located at the confluence of the south and main forks of the San Joaquin River, downstream from Balloon Dome...
In early August, Becca Pilkerton and I approached Mt. Chamberlin (13,175’) from Cottonwood Pass. After a day of swimming and staring at potential routes, we climbed a mostly new nine-pitch route on the west buttress of Mt. Chamberlin’s northeast f...
In July, I backpacked to Upper Boy Scout Lake with my friend Steve Yamamoto and my wife Giselle Field. It was to be Steve’s first true rock climbing experience, and we had the intention of climbing standard routes on Mt. Whitney and Mt. Russell. H...
On July 28, Dave Spies, Steven Stosky, and I climbed what we believe to be a new route up the east face of Mt. Humphreys (13,986’), just west of Bishop. Our route ascends the center of the very prominent pillar on the far right (north) side of the...
The afternoon sun beat through the smoke-filled air. My mind was delirious and my legs ached from the previous 50 miles. I had left Tuolumne Meadows 19 hours and 15 minutes earlier, running northbound on the Pacific Crest Trail. Passing Dorothy La...
In July, Tad McCrea and I made the long trek up the East Lake Trail, aiming for the east face of Sky Pilot (ca 12,960’), just south of Longley Pass. After hiking 17 miles from Road’s End, we camped at Lake Reflection and set off early the next mor...
FREESTANDING PINNACLES are a rarity in the High Sierra, where it’s more common to top out on a flat plateau and surf down scree to descend. But in late August, Jon Griffin, Tad McCrea, and I found a new route up Shaw Spire, a freestanding tower be...
In October, Jon Griffin, Tad McCrea, and I climbed a likely new route in mixed conditions on the northwest face of Mt. Russell (14,086’) that we named Land of Milk and Honey (1,000’, IV 5.8+ M3 R 65°). We spied the line while scoping another objec...