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South Fork of Big Pine Creek
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Date: 07/08/2006
Views: 12
The approach starts at Glacier Lodge outside of the town of Big Pine, and heads up the south fork of Big Pine Creek.
07/08/2006
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Mariposa Lily
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Date: 07/08/2006
Views: 12
Flowers abound in this canyon, such as this Mariposa Lily
07/08/2006
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Creek Crossing
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Date: 07/08/2006
Views: 8
The first of many crossings of Big Pine Creek on the way up to the Norman Clyde Glacier.
07/08/2006
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White Flowers
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Date: 07/08/2006
Views: 8
These white flowers caught my eye, I haven't been able to identify them yet.
07/08/2006
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Mystery Ball
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Date: 07/08/2006
Views: 7
I've seen these balls a couple times before- I have no idea what they are! Is it a plant?
07/08/2006
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First sight of Mt. Sill
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Date: 07/08/2006
Views: 16
Mt. Sill comes into view several miles up the trail. Storm clouds are already closing in.
07/08/2006
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Shooting Stars
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Date: 07/08/2006
Views: 14
Just before leaving the meadows for the high country I came across a patch of shooting stars.
07/08/2006
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Big Pine Creek S. Fork, near the glaciers
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Date: 07/08/2006
Views: 13
This is about the point where I left the main creek and headed up to Elinore Lake and the Norman Clyde Glacier.
07/08/2006
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Norman Clyde Peak and Norman Clyde Glacier
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Date: 07/08/2006
Views: 8
I hope to climb this beautiful arete on Norman Clyde Peak some day- it looks awesome!
07/08/2006
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Elinore Lake
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Date: 07/08/2006
Views: 9
Right at the foot of the Norman Clyde Glacier is this beatiful little lake called Elinore Lake. Soon after passing this lake, as I was climbing up the glacier, a storm began with a bolt of lightning right on Mt. Sill, accompanied by the kind of earthshaking thunder that rips through your chest and leaves you whimpering. As heavy rain began, I hid under a rock until a pause in the storm when I retreated to my bivy sack for the night.
07/08/2006
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Mt. Sill up close
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 13
I thought my summit hopes were dashed due to the storm, but I awoke to clear skies! The Swiss Arete is shown here rising up to the right-hand corner of the summit of Mt. Sill.
07/09/2006
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Down the Glacier
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 6
From the base of the Arete, this shot looks back down the Norman Clyde Glacier, with Norman Clyde Peak in the distance.
07/09/2006
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On the Swiss Arete
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 9
Partway up the Swiss Arete- it gets pretty exposed up there; there are spots where it is probably 1000 ft. straight down to the glacier below!
07/09/2006
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Crux section of the Swiss Arete
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 16
This little section is probably about 5.7 and was very intimidating for me, not having a rope or any kind of protection. Once I got my nerve up though, it was very solid and well within my comfort zone.
07/09/2006
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Down the Swiss Arete
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 9
This route is amazingly aesthetic- just beatiful, and exciting the whole way to the summit!
07/09/2006
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Mt. Sill Summit Register
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 5
I reached the top before noon and set my sights on traversing to Polemonium Peak.
07/09/2006
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Summit of Mt. Sill
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 7
This is the summit of Mt. Sill, looking southeast down the Palisade Crest.
07/09/2006
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Neal with Mt. Jepson and Kings Canyon beyond
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 7
Mt. Jepson sits just behind the Palisade Crest, creating the bowl in which lies the Polemonium Glacier- the only south facing glacier in the Sierras.
07/09/2006
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Polemonium Glacier and the Palisade Crest
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 6
My second objective, Polemonium Peak is the spire on the left side of the sharp V-notch towards the left of this shot. It is just a couple hundred feet shorter than North Palisade, the highest point on the ridge. The traverse was pretty quick and the climbing was only technical right at the summit block of Polemonium.
07/09/2006
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Polemonium Peak Summit Register
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 7
Made it! Now it's time to get back down!
07/09/2006
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Neal on Polemonium Peak
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 4
Looking Northwest from Polemonium, just left of my head is North Palisade, the last of the 14'ers that I haven't climbed, and considered "The Crown Jewel" of the Palisades.
07/09/2006
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Mt. Sill from Polemonium Peak
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Date: 07/09/2006
Views: 7
Looking back at Mt. Sill. To get down I have to traverse back and across the west face to the top of the snowfilled couloir visible here to the left and below Sill's summit. From there a quick slide down a snowfield on the other side gets you back to the Norman Clyde Glacier. Despite getting stuck in the thickest underbrush I have ever seen I got back to the car before dark!
07/09/2006
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Neal's Photo Gallery
