California 14ers Partner

[mtn_nut]

If anyone is wanting to do the California 14ers, I highly recommend my friend Sean's book. I helped with a little of the editing, and it's a solid resource, the maps alone are worth it. It's styled like the Gerry Roach CO 14ers guide.

http://www.drdirtbag.com/book/

[ChicagoMike]

Hello all,

Colorado Transplant here. I am living in Central Marin and would really enjoy meeting some that is looking to knock off some CA 14ers this summer.

I climbed all the CO 14ers plus many 13ers, Rainier, Grand Teton and many others. My only CA 14er was a ski off of Shasta. I did get three permits for the Mountaineers route for July.

I had some great long time partners in Co and looking to find some new connections out West.

Mike

[WanderingJim]

I'll be living/working in CA soon, in the San Fran/Oakland area (E of in San Ramon), and I'm wondering what's the best resource for the CA 14ers? I seem to recall a member here having published a book on them? Was it seano?

I'll be out there April thru early August, and thought I might try a 14er or two while there.
Mt Diablo will be my new training ground during the week, or if there's other suggestions in that area, anyone reading this that may know, please let me know!

The Whitney Zone is probably my favorite forum for California 14er info. http://www.whitneyzone.com/


Mt Diablo is my training mountain too.
A good long hike is to go from Stinsen Beach to the east summit of Mt Tamalpias. Very beautiful hike and there's even several different routes, so you can take a different one up and down.

Lots and lots of great trails everywhere you look.

Of course, there's Yosemite and all of it's trails and elevation climbs to have fun with.

[Wentzl]

I think the book your are referencing is "California's Fourteeners"; by Sean O'Rourke. You can contact him through his site, www.drdirtbag.com. The second edition of his book is sold out, but I see that he is offering an ebook version for $12.00.

While on the topic, those of you familiar with California 14ers. If you had 2 weeks in August and wanted to start ticking them off, how would you invest your time? I admit to being a bit of a checklist hound, but would trade number of peaks for quality of experience.

[Craig Barlow]

While on the topic, those of you familiar with California 14ers. If you had 2 weeks in August and wanted to start ticking them off, how would you invest your time? I admit to being a bit of a checklist hound, but would trade number of peaks for quality of experience.

Quality-wise, I would rank them like this (based on their standard routes) and grouping these together:

1. Shortened Palisade Traverse (Thunderbolt, Starlight, North Palisade, Polemonium) - Tough climbing here.
2. Middle Palisade
3. Russell
4. Shasta (better done as a snow climb earlier in the year, not August, though this year may be an exception with all the snow there).
5. Williamson & Tyndall
6. Sill
7. Whitney & Muir
8. Split
9. Langley
10. White Mountain Peak

[angry]

I am very interested in the Palisades traverse.

[jf32]

I generally agree with Craig. Some additional thoughts with the caveat that I have yet to summit North Pal and Polemonium:

I would drop Sill down a few places as I ran into a lot of rockfall on the north col route (climbed it late in a drought year) that made the day quite unpleasant.

Shasta is a few hours away from the rest of them so if you're looking to cluster them it may be worth skipping - I also climbed it in early June as a snow climb.

Middle Pal and Russel are my favorites.

Starlight can be quite annoying if not climbed as part of the traverse. Thunderbolt by comparison was quite pleasant.

I'd say this ranking values climbing and scrambling (which I am on board with) over long pretty hikes - Langley via Old Army is really pretty and the lakes there give you a shot at Golden Trout.

While on the topic, those of you familiar with California 14ers. If you had 2 weeks in August and wanted to start ticking them off, how would you invest your time? I admit to being a bit of a checklist hound, but would trade number of peaks for quality of experience.

Quality-wise, I would rank them like this (based on their standard routes) and grouping these together:

1. Shortened Palisade Traverse (Thunderbolt, Starlight, North Palisade, Polemonium) - Tough climbing here.
2. Middle Palisade
3. Russell
4. Shasta (better done as a snow climb earlier in the year, not August, though this year may be an exception with all the snow there).
5. Williamson & Tyndall
6. Sill
7. Whitney & Muir
8. Split
9. Langley
10. White Mountain Peak

[seano]

In terms of fun for effort, Middle Pal and Russell are indeed the best. Russell's east ridge is not that hard, but you will never forget the exposure and views of Tulainyo Lake. North Palisade and its neighbors are quite a bit harder than any Colorado 14ers; be cautious.

[psycholoco]

North Palisade and its neighbors are quite a bit harder than any Colorado 14ers; be cautious.

How do they compare to something like the Bells Traverse?

[seano]

North Palisade and its neighbors are quite a bit harder than any Colorado 14ers; be cautious.

How do they compare to something like the Bells Traverse?

Harder, and with trickier route-finding, similar to Jagged.

[ChicagoMike]

I am planning a skin and ski off of Mt Williamson from Bairs Creek in mid May if anyone is interested.

[Fletch Lives]

I'd say this ranking values climbing and scrambling (which I am on board with) over long pretty hikes - Langley via Old Army is really pretty and the lakes there give you a shot at Golden Trout.

I agree with Craig's ranking as well. I climbed Langley in a long day and threw at Goldens on the way up and the way down and couldn't get them to grab any of the flies I had in the box. Unbelievable day though. Paradise up there...

Colorado Transplant here. I am living in Central Marin and would really enjoy meeting some that is looking to knock off some CA 14ers this summer.

Hi Mike, keep me in the loop if you need partners. I'm looking to do Split and Middle this summer and Williamson/Tyndall in September. Sill/Polemonium next year will round them out for me...

Whitney and Shasta by the alternate routes are a blast and Russell is just a really fun time any way up. My favorite 14ers are Rainier, Shasta, Russell, Whitney, Longs, Bells, Crestones, Wetterhorn and Sneffels. Same as everyone else, LOL.