Mountaineering

California Fourteeners

California's tallest peaks at a glance.

Peak Height Trailhead / Elevation Elevation Gain/Distance from Trailhead Routes Notes and Links Mount Langley 14042' 4275 m Horseshoe Meadows 10000' 4042' / ~8.5 miles South Slope: Class 2 An enjoyable dayhike from Horseshoe Meadows, Langley provides nice views of Whitney and Williamson. Mount Muir 14015' 4271 m Whitney Portal 8340' 5675' / ~7 miles via Mule Trail West Slope: Class 3 Bypassed by most of the Whitney-bound hordes, Muir offers some fine scrambling and excellent views. Mount Whitney 14494' 4417 m Whitney Portal 8340' 6154' / ~8 miles via Mule Trail ~4.2 miles via Mountaineer's Route West Slope: Class 1-2 Mountaineer's Route: Class 3 The Mountaineers Route is a nice alternative to the easier but overcrowded Mule Trail. Mount Russell 14086' 4294 m Whitney Portal 8340' 5746' / ~4 miles East Arete: Class 3 While technically easy, the wonderful exposure of the East Arete has thwarted many parties. Photo Gallery Mount Williamson 14375' 4380 m Symmes Creek 6335' 1920 m ~9000' / ~11 miles Bolton Brown Route: Class 3 Not to be confused with Williamson Rock, Mt. Williamson is protected by a long approach and a bit of steep climbing. Mount Tyndall 14018' 4273 m Symmes Creek 6335' 1920 m ~8000 ' / ~10 miles Northwest Ridge: Class 2 North Rib: Class 2-3 Mt. Tyndall offers incredible views and straightforward climbing on good rock. Split Mountain 14058' 4280 m Red Mountain Creek 6620' 2006 m 7438' / ~6.5 miles North Slope: Class 2 An arduous approach makes Split Mountain a good choice for those seeking solitude. Middle Palisade 14040' 4271 m Glacier Lodge 7750' 2348 m 6290' / 6.5 miles East Face: Class 3-4 Almost 1500 feet of excellent scrambling leads to an airy summit. Mount Sill 14153' 4289 m Glacier Lodge 7750' 2348 m 6403' / ~9.5 miles North Couloir: Class 4 Ascending the North Couloir is a true mountaineering experience. Polemonium Peak 14080' 4267 m Glacier Lodge 7750' 2348 m 6330' / ~9.5 miles Southeast Ridge: Class 3-4 Haven't climbed Polemonium yet. North Palisade 14242' 4316 m Glacier Lodge 7750' 2348 m 6492' / ~9.5 miles U-Notch: Class 4 North Pal is still on my to-do list. Starlight Peak 14200' 4303 m South Lake 9850' 2985 m 4350' / ~ 8 miles Northwest Chute: Class 4, 5.4 summit pinnacle Also on the to-do list. Thunderbolt Peak 14003' 4243 m South Lake 9850' 2985 m 4350' / ~ 8 miles Southwest Chute: Class 3, 5.8 summit monolith. Another peak I've not yet climbed. Trip report TR with photos White Mountain Peak 14250' 4318 m White Mountain Road ~2000' / ~7 miles East Slope: Class 1 The easiest 14'er. Regularly summitted via mountain bike. Mount Shasta 14162' 4292 m Bunny Flat 6900' 2091 m 7262' / ~5 miles Avalanche Gulch: Class 2-3 A wonderful route, can be done easily as a long day hike (weather permitting). $15 summit fee.

Mountaineering Guidebooks

Guidebooks to selected areas.

California's Fourteeners S. Porcella and C. Burns
96 pages. This inexpensive guide has been an invaluable reference. Well written, good B/W photos, and sketch maps showing the dog routes for all the 14'ers. A deal at under $15!

Climbing California's Fourteeners S. Porcella and C. Burns
272 pages. The big brother to Porcella & Burns' earlier volume. This brand new guide contains not just the easiest routes, but almost every known route up all the 14'ers. Extensive historical notes, excellent bibliography, and a generous number of photos and topos. I had to buy it as soon as I saw it.

High Sierra Peaks, Passes and Trails R. J. Secor
368 pages. Covers every named peak in the Sierra, and dozens of interesting cross-country routes. A great reference when planning hiking or skiing trips off the beaten path.

Sierra Classics J. Moynier and C. Fiddler
328 pages. The authors came up with a list of 100 of their favorite Sierra peaks and put them into an excellent guide. Each peak gets at least a page of text and a full-page B/W photo. Some of the more technical routes also have detailed topos.

Mount Whitney: The Complete Trailhead-to-Summit Hiking Guide Paul Richins and Steve Roper
Published in 2001.

Mount Whitney Guide for Hikers and Climbers Paul Hellweg, Scott McDonald
Everything you wanted to know about Mount Whitney, and then some.

High Sierra Hiking Guide to Mt. Whitney Thomas Winnett
85 pages. Even more about Whitney.

The Climber's Guide to the High Sierra Steve Roper
380 pages. This was the original guide to the Sierra

Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada Clarence King
Written by one of the Sierra's early explorers.

Close Ups of the High Sierra Norman Clyde
Norman Clyde needs no introduction. Short essays describe Clyde's Sierra adventures in the early 1900's.

High Sierra : John Muir's Range of Light Phil Arnot
Over seventy Sierra hikes and almost forty wilderness trips.

More books...

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Stories

Trip reports and other accounts.

Matterhorn Peak

An early - almost too early - spring ascent of California's classic Matterhorn Peak.

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Other Sites

Tet's Mountain Corner Detailed beta for dozens of peaks

Rescue Dynamics Mountaineering and Skiing in the Canadian Rockies