Mt. Russell TR

[mike r]

Great trip report! I am going to try my luck soon getting passes weather permitting. A couple of questions if you don't mind.

Ive seen your picture "thinking about the next move". Everyone shows this shot and still I can't get a sense of how tricky this move across the rock under the east peak really is. In all the pictures it looks very exposed. Your thoughts? Is the best route more obvious or marked when you are there?

It looks like you didn't go down the southwestern chute to exit but another. Where is that start? Is it between the east and west peak? How did you know what you were comitting to as you descended.

Thanks for any additional guidance.

[lilbitmo]

Great trip report! I am going to try my luck soon getting passes weather permitting. A couple of questions if you don't mind.

Ive seen your picture "thinking about the next move". Everyone shows this shot and still I can't get a sense of how tricky this move across the rock under the east peak really is. In all the pictures it looks very exposed. Your thoughts? Is the best route more obvious or marked when you are there?

It looks like you didn't go down the southwestern chute to exit but another. Where is that start? Is it between the east and west peak? How did you know what you were comitting to as you descended.

Thanks for any additional guidance.

Mike r a week after harryquach went up, 10 of us went up for Tinabelina's birthday and took the southern approach to the summit of Mt. Russell - that TR can be found here Trip Report on San Gabriel Board for Mount Russell it shows pictures and gives a little beta on the approach. Basically you go as if you are doing Mount Whitney by way of the mountaineers route, at Ice Berg Lake you go around the south side to the west side of the lake and look northwest up through the rocks there, you will see a faint use trail that leads to a saddle dead in the middle between Whitney and Russell, on the other side of that you will see a "use trial" that leads down 200 feet but heads almost "true north" to the scree field leading all the way to "Headwall" that is between the West and East summits of Russell, once you are at the top of that scree field up against that headwall you will see a "chimney" that leads up the ledges/rocks that seperate the two summits (about 75-80 feet of climbing). Going up is easier than the downclimb with plenty of handholds and footholds, we brouth a rope for safety and used it for both.
Once on top of the chute there's a couple of ways to scramble over the top of the ridge to either summit, the west is the higher point but some folks like to bag both while they are up there. Hope this helps?

Enjoy, be safe and I think (not sure) that the Whitney Zone lottery is over for the season and they allow anyone to get permits after Oct 1st, good luck.

[mike r]

Thanks lilbitmo.

I saw your trip with tina and your quality pictures and description as well. Your report is one of the few going up in that chimney. Yesterdays post helps me understand where it comes out. Thanks as usual to those who take the time to post high quality TRs.

I was still curious about the back (north) side bypass of the east peak from those who have taken the east ridge out.

Whitney lottery still not over until nov 1 unfortunately. I've been up in langley/muir/whitney area a couple of times in the last month and weekdays are doable but I am worried about weekend availablity.

[harryquach]

Great trip report! I am going to try my luck soon getting passes weather permitting. A couple of questions if you don't mind.

Ive seen your picture "thinking about the next move". Everyone shows this shot and still I can't get a sense of how tricky this move across the rock under the east peak really is. In all the pictures it looks very exposed. Your thoughts? Is the best route more obvious or marked when you are there?

It looks like you didn't go down the southwestern chute to exit but another. Where is that start? Is it between the east and west peak? How did you know what you were comitting to as you descended.

Thanks for any additional guidance.

Mike, the ridge before the East summit, specifically the move in that picture are not really that exposed. The path is pretty obvious and IMO the exposure was not to bad. It really depends on what you are comfortable with, I do not have an issue with exposure so it was not a big deal but if you do than it may be a little more difficult.
The most exposed section comes after the east summit about halfway to the west summit. This is where a block has to be mounted with a few careful moves. I believe there may be a way around to the north but I had read about this block and wanted to find a way over it.

As far as descending the south face there were a few cairnes (I think I may have misspelled that) marking the area for the 3rd class route down the face. There are two ways to descend the south face the right side and the left side. The right side is closer to the east summit and much easier. We new based on the GPS waypoints where the descent should be and sure enough there it was. There was about 50-100 feet of 3rd class downclimbing before the terrain eased up.

Good luck with your trip and feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.


This picture shows the start of the descent route down the south face right side. It is behind the large boulder


Here I am looking down the south face right side. to my right is the descent path


Here I am looking down the south face left side. It is definetly more difficult than the right side


Here is a picture of the block move from Bob B's site. Like I said above there may be a way to bypass this on the right hand side but I did not check
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[mike r]

Thanks Harry. As is evident by your posts, careful preparation always avoids injury and wasted time.