SierraDescents | Category | Climbing
April 25, 2022
The Division Creek Drainage
I wanted to see if I could reach the snow. In the eastern Sierra there is a tradition of long, heroic epics in which skiers carry skis up desperately remote drainages in hopes of (more)
March 25, 2020
Whitney’s North Face
For the best view of Mount Whitney's north face, try climbing Whitney's next door neighbor, fellow fourteener Mount Russell. From the summit of Russell you can clearly see how (more)
March 17, 2020
Cirque Peak
I've always wanted to ski Cirque Peak. This is a handsome sub-13K' peak in the Golden Trout Wilderness, near Army Pass and Mount Langley, with a scooped east face that looks ripe (more)
August 22, 2014
Sierra Class 3
Insofar as I can tell, the Yosemite Decimal System, which is by far the most widely-used climbing route grading system in the United States, works extremely well provided you stay (more)
July 13, 2010
Slings & Physics
If climbing's your bag you might want to check out this sling drop-test video by DMM, in which they conduct a head-to-head comparison of Dynema and nylon slings in Factor 1 and 2 (more)
November 6, 2009
This is Your Brain on Altitude
It has been known for some time that Everest climbers often show symptoms such as memory loss and poor coordination when they get home. And studies have found irregularities in (more)
August 27, 2009
Mt. Whitney’s East Face
When I close my eyes I see granite. Gray-white blocks angle sharply beneath my feet, plunging downward past my rubber-tipped toes. I press my back against a wall of rock as if I (more)
October 16, 2008
Falling Headfirst Down an Ice Cliff
Blame it on Chamonix—exposure to the big mountains of the French Alps made a big impression on me. I bought a Charlet-Moser axe and crampons, intending to incorporate the (more)
July 7, 2008
North Palisade: the U-Notch Couloir
What an absolutely amazing adventure this was! North Palisade offers the gamut of high alpine mountaineering challenges, from glacier travel to ice climbing to technical rock, (more)
June 30, 2007
Mount Whitney — the Mountaineer’s Route
If you are considering climbing the Mountaineer's Route, I heartily recommend it. The route is spectacular. Be aware, however, that hiking conditions are currently unusually (more)
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