Mount Russell is Mt. Whitney’s next-door neighbor, offering great views and one of the best long alpine routes around. As one of the fifteen peaks in California that are over 14,000’ in height, Mt. Russell is popular, but generally via the less technical East Ridge route. The Fishhook Arête lives up to its name with a lower aesthetic curving swoop that takes four pitches to climb and then an arête direct to the summit. If you are climbing at a solid 5.9 level, this is assuredly a climb that will both challenge and excite you.

Prerequisites

You need to be able to follow at the 5.9 level and have experience on multi-pitch routes. Prior backpacking experience is recommended as is experience at altitudes above 12,000’. This is a physically demanding trip and you should be in good condition and have the ability to traverse broken and uneven slopes with a moderately heavy pack.

Inclusions

Price includes guiding, permits, group climbing gear, tents, kitchen gear, breakfasts, lunches and dinners (you bring hot/cold drinks and snack items).

Acclimatization & Physical Training

For proper acclimatization, we suggest spending at least one night at a moderate altitude, higher than 8,000 feet, just prior to the start of the journey. See our detailed tips on acclimatizing an physical training in the “Resources” tab.

This is our video description of what it is like to climb Fishhook Arete.