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Lone Pine Peak via the North Ridge
$985


Dates
- Custom trips available at anytime! Contact us to book.
A superb, classic ridge climb. The ridge is only rated 5.6 in difficulty, but carrying a pack makes all the difference. This ridge involves continuously interesting climbing on impeccable Sierra granite with exhilarating exposure and fantastic views of the Whitney region.
It can be done with a low bivy or a high, en-route bivy. The en-route bivouac is worth the trip in itself: from the sleeping bag at night one can gaze the length of Highway 395, all the way past Bishop, 60 miles to the north.
Options
The Low Bivy Option – Here we camp in the Meysan drainage and do the ridge in a day, pick up camp and hike to the trailhead. This is a very long day, but involves less pack carrying over technical ground.
The High Bivy Option – This splits the climb over two days and gives one the opportunity for an incredible high bivy. But then you have to carry that pack!
Both options are great and we will talk with you to decide which one will be your best option.
Prerequisites
You should be in good physical condition, have some backpacking experience and have the ability to traverse broken uneven slopes with a moderate pack. Prior experience at altitudes above 10,000’ is required. You need to be able to follow at the 5.7 level and have experience on multi pitch routes.
Inclusions
Price includes guiding, permits, group climbing gear, tents, kitchen gear, breakfasts, and dinners (you bring lunches, 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 and physical training in the “Resources” tab.
The approach is via the Meysan Lake Trailhead, just down the road from the Mt. Whitney Trailhead (The Whitney trail sees hundreds of people a day and we’ll be lucky to see another group on this trip). We leave the trail around 10,000’, several hours after leaving the cars. If we are making the climb with the low bivvy this is where we camp.
Gaining the Northeast Ridge proper takes several more hours and is via steep second and third class terrain. Early season ascents will encounter significant snow on the approach, which can make for tough going. Eventually the terrain becomes predominantly third and fourth class and we rope up, usually where we join the main ridge. The un-roping point is the summit. The difficulties are generally towers that must be either climbed and descended, or traversed around. Some of these offer short sections of easy fifth class.
Shortly before the high bivvy two solid fifth class pitches are encountered. One often wonders just what guidebook authors are thinking when they rate these as 5.4; we’ve always been happy to call both pitches solid 5.6, especially with the weight of an overnight pack. The first pitch is more difficult with a tough layback and the second has several hard crack moves. If spending the night here the bivvy is the reward for climbing these pitches though and one of the highlights of the day is watching the afternoon shadow of the Sierra creep across the Owens Valley. The bivvy has room for three people and is small enough that we usually remain tied into the rope for safety. Snow is our water source on early season trips (before mid July) and on mid or late season trips we carry all our water up the route.
From here the ridge continues on around more towers and pinnacles. There are a couple of hard moves out of the final notch and then the last ridge section is five pitches long and we pop up over the final block and the summit register is about ten feet away. We’ll be happy to be off the rope for the first time in a while. Then we descend into the Meysan Creek drainage and back to the trailhead.
Rental Equipment
We have rental equipment available at checkout.
Reviews
Jason, Palisase Traverse
“What a fantastic trip put together for us by the Sierra Mountain Center. From the start Emma was fantastic and professional in the coordination efforts for our Palisade Traverse trip. My son and I had a 1:1 guide ratio and the guides, Dave Stimson and Tyler Logan, were exceptional. Exceptional in their knowledge of the route, their efficiency with rope craft and their trailside manner – despite the exhausting climb we had such a fun time. We are already planning next year’s outing with SMC.”
More Reviews
Chris, Mt. Whitney via the Mountaineer’s Route
“I went on the Mt Whitney via the mountaineers route with Sierra Mountain Center. Our guide Louie made sure we were safe while helping us reach our goal of getting to the summit. Everything was explained clearly beforehand. I’ve never done rock climbing before and Louie did a great job of providing the needed instruction and coaching. Best of the best – highly recommended!”
Fred, Mt. Whitney via the East Buttress
“Used SMC for a climb of the East Buttress of Mt. Whitney June 17, 2024. Great experience all the way around. Dave was my guide and I highly recommend choosing them for your Sierra adventure!”
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