Climbing Polemonium Peak



September 3rd-5th, 2004

Trailhead: Bishop Pass (South Lake)
Route: SW chute to U-notch
Class 5.6
Total Distance: ~28mi
Total Elevation Gain: ~6040ft

Distances and Elevation gain:

  • South Lake to Bishop Pass (trail): 7.5mi, 2240ft.
  • Bishop Pass to Palisade Basin (xc): ~2.5mi, ~1000ft
  • Polemonium Peak (xc): ~4mi, ~2800ft


We hiked in on Friday after getting a walk-in permit at the Bishop Ranger station. The weather was really bad and half way up Bishop pass it started snowing. Fortunately, the snow stopped after we went over the pass and crossing Thunderbolt Pass was uneventful. However, when we dropped into the Palisade Basin, the weather deteriorated fast and throughout the night we had howling winds and a minimum (inside the tent) of 18F.


Picture by Arturo Crespo (LR) and Peter McColgan (C)
Hiking up the Bishop Pass Trail


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Deteriorating Weather


On Saturday, we woke up to much better weather, clear skies and warmer temperatures and we headed up Polemonium. The hike to the base of the SW chute was uneventful and since we had done it twice before. The chute up the U-notch was steeper than I remembered, but after a couple of hours of battling with loose and steep rocks, we got to the U-notch. There, we found a Sierra Club group (including Bob Suzuki, Ron Karpel and, Jim Ramaker, and 2 other) that were doing the climb.

We realized that it would quite a long wait before we could start so we decided to have lunch, sitting on the very loose rocks at the top of the chute. We had no idea how small the belay stances would be that we might have to share but after about 2 hours, we decided to wait no longer and head up.

When we finally got to the route, we efficiently did the 3 pitches. I found them much harder than Snowburd claims and I'd rate them 5.2, 4th class, 5.4 [Ron's trip report rates them 5.4, 4th, 5.6]. The top is an interesting pile of boulders that required some exciting class 3 moves (not a big deal on rock shoes). After getting to the top, we signed in the register (first entry 1991) and quickly set up rappels. As we had only one rope, we had to do 3 rappels... an airy overhanging 25m rappel to a ledge, a short vertical 20m rappel from a small flake, and a final easier 30m rappel to the notch [with 2 ropes plus a safety line, the Sierra Club group only need to do 2 rappels].


Picture by Arturo Crespo
SouthWest Chute


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Peter climbing the First Pitch (5.2)


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Arturo at top of Second Pitch


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Arturo in the easy part of the 3rd pitch


Picture by Arturo Crespo
North Pal Chimney and Starlight


Picture by Arturo Crespo
At the top of Polemonium Peak


Picture by Arturo Crespo
U-Notch from the top


Picture by Arturo Crespo
North Palisade and Starlight


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Nice register


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Mount Sill


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Palisade Glacier


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Palisades Basin


Picture by Arturo Crespo
First Rappel


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Second Rappel


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Third Rappel


Picture by Arturo Crespo
At the Bottom of the SW Chute

We were about 30 minutes from our camp in the Palisade Basin. The major talus was behind us and these boulders, while big, were not enormous car-sized blocks, but maybe more like big 36 inch TVs. I stood on one with a nice flat top and it instantly pivoted. My foot fell through very fast and then the boulder kept rotating until my foot became totally trapped underneath. The pain was intense. Besides pinning me down just above the ankle bone, it also caused my foot to be twisted at a weird angle. I tried moving the boulder with my bare hands but it was useless.

Fortunately I was not alone and my climbing buddy hearing my cries realized something serious was wrong. I wasn't your normal "oh shit" type curse. I was loud! He came quickly and tried to move the boulder with his hands, but only succeeded in bring it up a fraction before letting go and causing the pain to get much worse. I was starting to think about all those poor unfortunate hikers who had gotten trapped and their outcomes. In my case there was one big difference I was with someone.

Arturo switched to his legs and pushed really hard, in a leg press type maneuver. I reckoned I had only one or two shots to drag my leg from underneath the boulder before his strength gave in, so I heaved my stuck leg with both hands and it slowly came free. Instantly the pain stopped, as did the noise ;-) Thank goodness for Arturo's bootcamp sessions!

Needless to say we canceled our Sunday plans for Starlight, but slowly hiked out instead. The ankle and lower leg are still pretty swollen, but nothing is broken.


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Boulder that fell on Peter's Foot


Picture by Arturo Crespo
All our stuff


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Thunderbolt Pass


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Views from Bishop Pass


Picture by Arturo Crespo
Sunset on Banner and Ritter


Do you want more Pictures? Follow these links:
All of Arturo's Pictures

© 2004 Arturo Crespo