Mike McL - Aug 8, 2024 10:13 am Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2010
Russell
With Brad. I led P1-5
Luke Swanson - Jul 24, 2015 2:42 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2014
Fishhook
Really liked this route. Good weather, although pretty cold on the first pitch. Lead odd pitches. I thought the second half of the route was easier and also really fun.
Dow Williams - Jul 29, 2014 10:59 am Date Climbed: Jul 24, 2014
Fishhook Arete
With Earl M. I led the first pitch which is the only real technical one. I combined the first two with a 70m. From there it was mostly scrambling 5th class with cool exposure. Descent route. The route goes fast. Russell almost always has a cold wind tunnel effect. Can combine with Mithril back to back in a day, do Fishhook first as its first pitch gets sun by 9am, Mithril's Dihedral does not start getting sun until noon.
Daria - Nov 4, 2011 10:05 pm Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2011
GREAT route!
One of my favorite high sierra routes. Fun in the sun all day long.
Desert Solitaire - Aug 27, 2011 11:47 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2011
Classic Sierra Granite
Climbed with Andy E. Amazing few days in the Whitney Area. Led all the cruxes, felt wanting more at the top. This is definitely a climb I'll be coming back for multiple times. That good.
zoomloco - Jul 7, 2011 11:46 am Date Climbed: Mar 12, 2011
Winter ascent of Fishhook
Winter ascent, no falls, all free, 4.5 hours from base to summit. We got down before the 1 crampon/ khram was a problem for getting back below iceberg lake. Tr here http://pullharder.org/2011/05/11/finding-religion-on-fishhook-arete-in-winter/
BLong - Jul 6, 2011 3:25 am Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2011
Fishhookin'
Enjoyed climbing the Fishhook from Upper Boy Scout Lake. Big snowpack this year meant the approach involved hiking as well as snow-travel. We descended down the awesomely exposed east ridge.
fossana - Aug 24, 2010 11:13 am Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2010
about time
Long overdue route. C2C in just under 13h. Windy and very cold for Aug. E Ridge descent.
SkydiveKen - Aug 13, 2010 10:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2010
Car to Car
Left the portal at 1am and returned at 9:30 PM. Long hard day. Thanks Kurt from SMI for a wonderful climb.
Climbed the East Face as an after thought to Fishhook Arete on Russell with Luis and Dave.
Bivy'ed at the portal Friday. Hiked to Iceberg Lake Saturday. Left camp for E. Face @ 3:30pm. The three of us climbed with double ropes. I had a great time leading the Fresh-Air Traverse. Summited a little after 8pm. Headed down the Mtnrs Route and saw the International Space Station fly by at 9:07pm. Exhausted back at camp at 9:30pm. I was feeling sick and not sure if I could do Russell the next day but agreed to see how I felt in the morning.
Dave woke me us 5:07 for Fishhook, I smoked a cig as the sky began to lighten up and I contemplated life...still in my bivy. Finished cig..."Lets do it."
Fishhook was Awesome! Lead 1st, 4th, & 7th pitch. Loved the first.
Back to camp at 3pm. Time to head back to car. 6:30pm, back at car...legs are done!
Great routes, great partners, great exposure, great fun!!!
Groundswell - Jul 4, 2009 1:39 am Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2009
Fishhook
talked to climbers Deb and Dave from Temecula on our way up to Iceberg. they warned us of the cold. luckily weather was good for us. still a little chilly but not bad. did this route day after East Face with buddy Tyler. we were last out of camp and first back. group of 3 did east buttress of whitney. 2 fellows from LA and SD did Mithral. Brrrr. weather was good. some clouds otherwise clear. awesome route. would come back again, especially for pitch 5!!
Deb - Jun 30, 2009 12:24 am Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2009
Pretty and Cold
Dave and I slayed this beast in our typical fashion. We had an incredible trip with beautiful weather and some new scenery over Whitney-Russell Pass. Yes, P5 was my favorite - I think I forgot for a moment how cold I was and majorly ran the thing out. Descent was not fun but my sleeping bag was mighty friendly - all in all, very worth the suffering.
atavist - Jun 16, 2008 2:26 pm Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2008
June 15
Climbed with Peter H. Rather than passing Iceberg Lake on the approach, we stayed in the drainage above UBSL skirting to the right of the large cliffs at the headwall.
We carried a light rack of (small nuts, large hexes, 4 small cams). The whole route can go passive with no head scratching. We each carried 1.5L of water, which was plenty since we still had some leftover at the summit. The belay ledges are huge and well spaced for a 60m line.
It was nice to walk off the East Ridge. At least until we started the downhill scree-ing section.
MichaelJ - Sep 27, 2006 1:16 am Date Climbed: Sep 26, 2006
Hooked
Climbed with Miguel Forjan. One of the best alpine rock climbs I've done in North America. Fun, technical pitches alternating with easy, arete scrambling all the way to the top, although I spent way too much time sussing out the line on Pitch 3. Started around 8:40 just as the sun was hitting the first pitch. Weather was perfect but chilly even in the sun. The crux 5.9 lieback just below the summit turned out to be easier than it looked. Topped out around 4.
Had great weather until about the 4th pitch. Had to rap off because of incoming hail and wind. Got down just in time and spent the next 12 hours in the tent. The first 3 pitches are exactly as described in other places.
Mike McL - Aug 8, 2024 10:13 am Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2010
RussellWith Brad. I led P1-5
Luke Swanson - Jul 24, 2015 2:42 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2014
FishhookReally liked this route. Good weather, although pretty cold on the first pitch. Lead odd pitches. I thought the second half of the route was easier and also really fun.
Dow Williams - Jul 29, 2014 10:59 am Date Climbed: Jul 24, 2014
Fishhook AreteWith Earl M. I led the first pitch which is the only real technical one. I combined the first two with a 70m. From there it was mostly scrambling 5th class with cool exposure. Descent route. The route goes fast. Russell almost always has a cold wind tunnel effect. Can combine with Mithril back to back in a day, do Fishhook first as its first pitch gets sun by 9am, Mithril's Dihedral does not start getting sun until noon.
Daria - Nov 4, 2011 10:05 pm Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2011
GREAT route!One of my favorite high sierra routes. Fun in the sun all day long.
Desert Solitaire - Aug 27, 2011 11:47 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2011
Classic Sierra GraniteClimbed with Andy E. Amazing few days in the Whitney Area. Led all the cruxes, felt wanting more at the top. This is definitely a climb I'll be coming back for multiple times. That good.
zoomloco - Jul 7, 2011 11:46 am Date Climbed: Mar 12, 2011
Winter ascent of FishhookWinter ascent, no falls, all free, 4.5 hours from base to summit. We got down before the 1 crampon/ khram was a problem for getting back below iceberg lake. Tr here http://pullharder.org/2011/05/11/finding-religion-on-fishhook-arete-in-winter/
BLong - Jul 6, 2011 3:25 am Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2011
Fishhookin'Enjoyed climbing the Fishhook from Upper Boy Scout Lake. Big snowpack this year meant the approach involved hiking as well as snow-travel. We descended down the awesomely exposed east ridge.
fossana - Aug 24, 2010 11:13 am Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2010
about timeLong overdue route. C2C in just under 13h. Windy and very cold for Aug. E Ridge descent.
SkydiveKen - Aug 13, 2010 10:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2010
Car to CarLeft the portal at 1am and returned at 9:30 PM. Long hard day. Thanks Kurt from SMI for a wonderful climb.
by skydiveken
dubhunter - Jul 27, 2009 5:52 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2009
East Face & Fishhook Arete - 2 long daysClimbed the East Face as an after thought to Fishhook Arete on Russell with Luis and Dave.
Bivy'ed at the portal Friday. Hiked to Iceberg Lake Saturday. Left camp for E. Face @ 3:30pm. The three of us climbed with double ropes. I had a great time leading the Fresh-Air Traverse. Summited a little after 8pm. Headed down the Mtnrs Route and saw the International Space Station fly by at 9:07pm. Exhausted back at camp at 9:30pm. I was feeling sick and not sure if I could do Russell the next day but agreed to see how I felt in the morning.
Dave woke me us 5:07 for Fishhook, I smoked a cig as the sky began to lighten up and I contemplated life...still in my bivy. Finished cig..."Lets do it."
Fishhook was Awesome! Lead 1st, 4th, & 7th pitch. Loved the first.
Back to camp at 3pm. Time to head back to car. 6:30pm, back at car...legs are done!
Great routes, great partners, great exposure, great fun!!!
Groundswell - Jul 4, 2009 1:39 am Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2009
Fishhooktalked to climbers Deb and Dave from Temecula on our way up to Iceberg. they warned us of the cold. luckily weather was good for us. still a little chilly but not bad. did this route day after East Face with buddy Tyler. we were last out of camp and first back. group of 3 did east buttress of whitney. 2 fellows from LA and SD did Mithral. Brrrr. weather was good. some clouds otherwise clear. awesome route. would come back again, especially for pitch 5!!
Deb - Jun 30, 2009 12:24 am Date Climbed: Jun 25, 2009
Pretty and ColdDave and I slayed this beast in our typical fashion. We had an incredible trip with beautiful weather and some new scenery over Whitney-Russell Pass. Yes, P5 was my favorite - I think I forgot for a moment how cold I was and majorly ran the thing out. Descent was not fun but my sleeping bag was mighty friendly - all in all, very worth the suffering.
atavist - Jun 16, 2008 2:26 pm Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2008
June 15Climbed with Peter H. Rather than passing Iceberg Lake on the approach, we stayed in the drainage above UBSL skirting to the right of the large cliffs at the headwall.
We carried a light rack of (small nuts, large hexes, 4 small cams). The whole route can go passive with no head scratching. We each carried 1.5L of water, which was plenty since we still had some leftover at the summit. The belay ledges are huge and well spaced for a 60m line.
It was nice to walk off the East Ridge. At least until we started the downhill scree-ing section.
MichaelJ - Sep 27, 2006 1:16 am Date Climbed: Sep 26, 2006
HookedClimbed with Miguel Forjan. One of the best alpine rock climbs I've done in North America. Fun, technical pitches alternating with easy, arete scrambling all the way to the top, although I spent way too much time sussing out the line on Pitch 3. Started around 8:40 just as the sun was hitting the first pitch. Weather was perfect but chilly even in the sun. The crux 5.9 lieback just below the summit turned out to be easier than it looked. Topped out around 4.
Mike N - Aug 17, 2006 7:23 pm
Fishhook AreteHad great weather until about the 4th pitch. Had to rap off because of incoming hail and wind. Got down just in time and spent the next 12 hours in the tent. The first 3 pitches are exactly as described in other places.