The Pickets

Michelle, Crystal and I made a cool 4-day trip into the Pickets, a remote and rugged sub-range of the North Cascades. The approach is arduous to say the least - it starts at just 600 feet elevation a mere 6 miles from the peaks. Up a super-steep climbers trail, it gains almost 6,000 feet elevation then descends to good camping at 5,700 feet. This puts you still 2 miles of rugged sub-alpine terrain away from the peaks. We accomplished the approach on day 1 in about 7 hours enjoying cloudy weather that kept the temperatures cool.

Looking back across our "commute" from camp to the peaks.

Camp at 5,700 feet in the Pickets.

Michelle and Crystal heading up to West McMillan Spire.

Easy snow up the gully.

Scrambling up the ridge.

Michelle nearing the summit of West McMillan Spire.

Michelle and Crystal descending the upper ridge.

On the summit of West McMillan Spire.

Inspiration Peak. The East Ridge is in the foreground.

A view across the Southern Pickets from the summit of West McMillan Spire. Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan are in the distance.

Descending back down the couloir.

Descending the lower slabs.

The Southern Pickets from camp.

High Sierra Alpine Climbing

To kick off our next adventure, on July 31st Joe and I spent a great weekend celebrating the 25th Anniversary party of Bonair Winery with our family. The next day we headed South to spend a few weeks in the Eastern Sierras getting on a few of the classic alpine routes. Our first stop was the Ellery Lake Campground were we based for 5 days in Tuolumne. The weather was perfect, warm days and cool nights. Climbing uncrowded, mellow and beautiful.

Cathedral Peak

Crystal clear morning

Michelle cresting the summit

Eichorn Pinacle

Matthes Crest

Michelle leading up to the ridge

Walking the line

Looking East over the end of Matthes Crest

Hey Andrew, we were Focusing on Efficiency!

Does your man look like me?

Descending Matthes Crest

Cross country back to Cathedral Lakes - The crest in the background

Mount Conness

Michelle on the first pitch

Gaining the Ridge

What a view

Huh?

Tenaya Peak as the sun rises

Perfect slabs

Nothing like a morning climb

Yosemite Valley in the distance

Mount Whitney

Mount Russell Fish Hook Arete

Michelle on the Fish Hook Arete

Mount Russell

Summit of Mount Russell

Descending Mount Russell

East Buttress Route Mount Whitney

Ice Berg Lake in the background

Descending the Mountaineer's Route

East Face of Mount Whitney

Pitch following the Fresh Air Traverse

Summit #2, same day

Now back to camp and on the road again....