The Palisades region of the Sierra Nevada is located west of the town of Big Pine. It includes some of the highest mountains in California, including Thunderbolt Peak (4,267 m) with its subpeak Lightning Rod, North Palisade (4,341 m) with its subpeak Starlight Peak (4,328 m), Polemonium Peak (4,328 m), Mount Sill (4,316 m) with its subpeak Apex.

There are three main approaches to the Palisades:

• From the Seven-Lake trailhead west of Big Pine via Sam Mack Meadow.
• From the South Lake trailhead west of Bishop via Bishop Pass.
• From the South Fork trailhead west of Big Pine via either Scimitar Pass or Glacier Notch

For Mt Sill click here.

From Big Pine's Seven-lake trailhead

Directions from the Bay Area: take 580 east and then 120 east through Yosemite (follow signs for Tioga Rd and Tioga Pass). In Lee Vining (end of 120 east, Mono Lake in front of you), turn south (right) into hwy 395 to Big Pine (130 kms, about one hour). The total distance from the Bay Area is about 500 kms and should take about 5 hours (plus stops). In Big Pine, take the only road that goes west (right), Glacier Rd. The trailhead parking lot is almost at the end of the road (before Glacier Lodge). There is a campground about 200 meters before the trailhead.

From that campground drive up the road shortly and find the hiker's parking lot on your right-hand side (there are bear lockers right at the parking lot). The trailhead is behind the restrooms. The altitude here is about 2,000 meters.

This is the beginning of the North Fork route. And this is the popular "Seven Lake" trail.

The trail goes around a huge hill and coasts three of the lakes. It takes about 2 hours to the first lake. The second lake is at 3066m of altitude. About 1km after the third lake (3 hours into the hike, 3124m of altitude), turn left into the Glacier Trail (instead of continuing the Seven Lake loop).

The trail climbs up a canyon and reaches an enchanting place, Sam Mack Meadow (3280m), completely surrounded by mountains and waterfalls (3.5 hours into the hike, about 3200 m).

The trail turns left about halfway into the meadow, crosses the creek and ascends the ridge. As you ascend, you have a superb view of all the (eight) lakes. When the lakes are not visible anymore, the trail ends, and you simply ascend following cairns up boulders and slabs, until you reach the top of the ridge, which is actually the rim of the glacier. On your right, you have a view of the lake at the center of the glacier. In front of you the Palisades: North Palisade is the one in the middle (the third tallest mountain in California), Thunderbolt to the right and Mt Sill to the left (it looks like a closed fist). You are standing just below Mt Gayley.

The Palisade Glacier is not for the faint-hearted.

The route to climb North Palisade is via the U-notch, which requires ice axe and crampons. Beyond that it's serious climbing up the chimney.

If you want to reach Mt Sill, you have to walk around the eastern border of the glacier, which may be icy, a very tiring and trying experience. If you get to the chute between Mt Sill and Apex Peak, see the description from Glacier Notch.

In august 2003, the left side of the glacier was still too icy to walk without crampons (and dangerous even with crampons). In september 2004, there was still ice, but it was possible to work around it. In fact, the ice was holding the rocks firm (thus minimizing the danger of loose rocks). It was nonetheless a tedious exercise to get to the bottom of Mt Sill. It took two hours to reach the base of Mt Sill from the moment i entered the glacier.

There is a serious chance of falling rocks inside the glacier.

Thunderbolt from Bishop's South Lake trailhead

It takes about 3 hours hiking from the South Lake trailhead (2990m) to Bishop Pass (3645m, 12 kms) through a series of pretty lakes (notably Long Lake, the first one, with islands of vegetation, Saddlerock, which is the third major one, and Bishop Lake, the last major one). From Bishop Pass it takes about 2.5 hours to the Palisade Basin (4 km) and 2.5 hours to summit Thunderbolt.

Once you reach Bishop Pass, Mt Agassis is clearly visible to the south. Leave the trail (that continues down towards Dusy Basin) and make a sharp 90 degree turn south, coasting Mt Agassis. You should be coasting to the left a small lake and a permanent snow patch (which, incidentally, might be the last water you can get). After the lake, Thunderbolt Pass is clearly visible in the south. If you don't want to lose elevation, keep walking straight towards the pass, but it is a tedious and tiring exercise to walk on talus rock and countless side canyons make it an even worse experience. Alternatively, walk down to the lake east of Isosceles Peak and then up into the moraine that comes down from Thunderbolt Peak. The mountain next to Agassi is Winchell. After Winchell there is a small unnamed peak and then the southwestern face of Thunderbolt.

Once you reach Thunderbolt Pass (3800m), you enter the Palisade Basin. The chute immediately (20 meters) to the left of the pass is the "Southwest Chute 1", the only way to get to the top without using climbing gears. The pass is at about 3,600 meters, so you still have to gain 600 meters of elevation. The chute is about 1 km long and very steep. About one third of the way, the chute is blocked by a chockstone. (This is a good place to drop your backpack). Walk back about ten meters and look to your left (or right if you are facing up). A narrow ledge allows you to climb straight up without too much exposure. Follow the direction of the chute and eventually reenter it (no choice). The chute splits. Take the right fork. At one point (about 200m from the top of the chute) you are faced by a sort of "ladder" of ledges that can be climbed without gears, but do require some tolerance for heights. If you can climb this 100 meter ladder, you're done, because it ends at the summit block. If not, continue inside the chute. The chute ends at another chockstone, except that this time you can squeeze under the chockstone. You surface at the edge of the Palisade Glacier, an impressive view. The summit is to your right, Lightning Rod (a subpeak) is to your left. Retrace your steps about 10 meters and find again a ledge to the left (right if you are looking up the chute). This ledge leads to a toothpick stone that can be used as a springboard to climb this very last section. If you are taller than me or a better climber, you will reach the summit block. If not, walk two more steps to the right and find another stone that helps you go up near the summit. The very summit (where the register presumably is) is a pinnacle that is impossible to climb with bare hands.

My 2007 time (with a detour to Dusy Basin):

• South Lake (2990m):
• Bishop Lake and beginning of the switchbacks (3450m): 2h 15'
• Bishop Pass (3645m, 12km): 3h
• West Isosceles Lake: 4h 30'
• East Isosceles Lake (3350m, 14km): 5h
• Thunderbolt Pass and Southwest Chute 1 (3800m, 17km): 6h 30'
• First chockstone: 7h 45'
• Chute split: 8h 30'
• Second chockstone and top of chute: 9h30'
• Summit block of Thunderbolt Peak (4267m, 18km): 10h 15'
• Thunderbolt Pass (3800m): 12h
• Bishop Pass (3645m): 14h 30'
• South Lake (2990m): 16h 45'

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