Superb route and views. Hope to do one of the south face routes like Fishhook or Mithril one day.
Wheelbarrow - Mar 19, 2024 8:08 pm Date Climbed: Jun 18, 2022
Not This Time Altitude Sickness
Ascended up Carillon Col. Felt pretty bad in the thick of the East Ridge of Russell. Thankfully the sun came out and after a nice hour long nap on a ledge, I got a second wind that helped me gain the West Summit without yacking. Beautiful route.
stepho - Oct 24, 2022 2:07 pm Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2022
East Ridge
Climbed via East Ridge. Spicy ridge!
kleberr - Jun 13, 2022 3:03 pm Date Climbed: Jun 5, 2021
East Ridge
Great scramble via the East Ridge. Sad to find the backpacks from the party that was rescued from the mountains a few days earlier.
Romain - Jul 14, 2021 2:12 pm Date Climbed: Jun 5, 2021
AdventureUSA - Aug 23, 2020 11:17 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2020
East Ridge
Camped at UBSL night before. Slog up the scree chute was annoying, but is much faster coming down. The class 3 ridge was excellent. There is no pen in the registry can. Someone should bring a pen up if they plan to summit.
Rockawilliam - Aug 7, 2020 9:49 am Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2020
South Face Right Side
Climbed Russell the day after Whitney. The approach from Iceberg Lake was surprisingly quick and easy to follow. The route up the main chute was also more solid than the scree slog I was expecting. The rock on the ramp up was bomber with a couple of class 4 moves just below a rappel station. The north side summit traverse was fun. Superb views from the summit. One of my favorite Sierra peaks!
Guilty - Aug 13, 2019 10:17 pm Date Climbed: Aug 11, 2019
East Ridge
Perfect day. Saw two other climbers. Came over from Carilion.
Bill562 - Oct 29, 2018 3:03 pm Date Climbed: Oct 28, 2018
East Ridge
With Oscar O. Cold and windy, some snow on the north side of the ridge. Definitely a late fall outing.
farrisgl - Oct 28, 2018 6:21 am Date Climbed: Oct 4, 2015
Outstanding Late season assent with my son
Camped out the night before at lower Boy Scout Lake. Climbed the next day via the classic route. Perfectly clear day without a cloud in the sky.
sierramtngoat - Jun 8, 2018 5:14 am Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2004
East ridge via Rockwell variation
Climbed as a dayhike with balajisv. The Rockwell variation is less loose than the normal route, but is still a slog. Nice exposure along the East Ridge; a nice long day out!
utclimber - Oct 11, 2017 10:18 am Date Climbed: Oct 8, 2017
East Ridge
Day hiked Russell and Carillon from Whitney Portal. Round trip took around 8 and a half hours. Russell was my final CA 14er.
We climbed the chute and wall before the normal chute below the East Ridge. It gets you out of the sand sooner and the wall at the top of the chute is a fun class 3/4 climb. It looks class 5 from a distance.
This is the chute that in most guidebooks etc. labelled as: don't climb this chute.
After scouting the correct pass from Whitney, it took me a few attempts to gain the Russel-Carrilon Pass. After finally gaining on that rock strewn wet ledge, I did the traverse. Was that the best kind of rock for a ridge traverse? Super slabby and high friction. Returned to camp at Iceberg Lake.
DukeJH - Sep 12, 2016 11:18 am Date Climbed: Sep 10, 2016
Long Day
Hauled a load from the Portal to UBSL before ascending the Rockwell Variation to the East Ridge. Descended the sand scree after tagging Carillon.
Started the hike at 3:15am out of Whitney Portal's overnight parking lot. Rob and Tam, Frank and Brenda, and I Instantly started passing a dozen or so hikers before we left the main trail. We hiked in the dark all the way up to the Slabs just below Upper Boy Scout lake where we watched the sun rise. Just before we reached the slabs we found David, a member of our group who had left 30 min earlier than us. We filtered water there and then started hiking up the scree slog to the Hanging valley just below the Russell-Carillon pass. We were at the pass by 10am. The ridge was awesome the whole way with great hands and feet. Solid class 3 route + that exposure is insane! Summited at 12:30 and started going down just before 1. We filtered water again at the spot just below Upper Boy Scout lake. We arrived at the parking lot at 8pm and said our goodbyes to one another. A great day in the Sierras it was.
jdmorehouse - Oct 23, 2015 5:16 pm Date Climbed: Jul 8, 2015
Finally
Fourth time was the charm. Weathered off the East Ridge twice last year, and some unfortunate snow placement in June. As it was, I only got about ten minutes on the summit, as a storm was coming in (snow and rain began about the time I was back on the Russell/Carillon saddle). Day hike from Whitney Portal.
Diesel - Oct 19, 2015 11:12 am Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2014
Russell - the coolest looking mountain I've seen so far
I was very nervous going up to Russell due to never climbing a class 3 (on the East Ridge)- except for Muir, but that has only a short class 3 section. It turned out it is not as bad. The exposure, indeed great, did not scare me since I'm not afraid of heights. To get to the blade however, it is not for casual hikers.
Drewid - Jul 22, 2024 3:25 pm Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2022
East Ridge of courseSuperb route and views. Hope to do one of the south face routes like Fishhook or Mithril one day.
Wheelbarrow - Mar 19, 2024 8:08 pm Date Climbed: Jun 18, 2022
Not This Time Altitude SicknessAscended up Carillon Col. Felt pretty bad in the thick of the East Ridge of Russell. Thankfully the sun came out and after a nice hour long nap on a ledge, I got a second wind that helped me gain the West Summit without yacking. Beautiful route.
stepho - Oct 24, 2022 2:07 pm Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2022
East RidgeClimbed via East Ridge. Spicy ridge!
kleberr - Jun 13, 2022 3:03 pm Date Climbed: Jun 5, 2021
East RidgeGreat scramble via the East Ridge. Sad to find the backpacks from the party that was rescued from the mountains a few days earlier.
Romain - Jul 14, 2021 2:12 pm Date Climbed: Jun 5, 2021
East RidgeTrip report.
AdventureUSA - Aug 23, 2020 11:17 pm Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2020
East RidgeCamped at UBSL night before. Slog up the scree chute was annoying, but is much faster coming down. The class 3 ridge was excellent. There is no pen in the registry can. Someone should bring a pen up if they plan to summit.
Rockawilliam - Aug 7, 2020 9:49 am Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2020
South Face Right SideClimbed Russell the day after Whitney. The approach from Iceberg Lake was surprisingly quick and easy to follow. The route up the main chute was also more solid than the scree slog I was expecting. The rock on the ramp up was bomber with a couple of class 4 moves just below a rappel station. The north side summit traverse was fun. Superb views from the summit. One of my favorite Sierra peaks!
Guilty - Aug 13, 2019 10:17 pm Date Climbed: Aug 11, 2019
East RidgePerfect day. Saw two other climbers. Came over from Carilion.
Bill562 - Oct 29, 2018 3:03 pm Date Climbed: Oct 28, 2018
East RidgeWith Oscar O. Cold and windy, some snow on the north side of the ridge. Definitely a late fall outing.
farrisgl - Oct 28, 2018 6:21 am Date Climbed: Oct 4, 2015
Outstanding Late season assent with my sonCamped out the night before at lower Boy Scout Lake. Climbed the next day via the classic route. Perfectly clear day without a cloud in the sky.
Fletch - Sep 10, 2018 1:23 pm Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2018
Great DayE Ridge with my brother and Alex.
sierramtngoat - Jun 8, 2018 5:14 am Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2004
East ridge via Rockwell variationClimbed as a dayhike with balajisv. The Rockwell variation is less loose than the normal route, but is still a slog. Nice exposure along the East Ridge; a nice long day out!
utclimber - Oct 11, 2017 10:18 am Date Climbed: Oct 8, 2017
East RidgeDay hiked Russell and Carillon from Whitney Portal. Round trip took around 8 and a half hours. Russell was my final CA 14er.
wmolland - Sep 5, 2017 1:31 pm Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2017
East RidgeUp the east ridge, which had epic exposure in spots. Great views of Whitney and a spectacular scramble.
BranchWhitney - Sep 15, 2016 10:23 pm Date Climbed: Sep 14, 2016
Found a better wayWe climbed the chute and wall before the normal chute below the East Ridge. It gets you out of the sand sooner and the wall at the top of the chute is a fun class 3/4 climb. It looks class 5 from a distance.
This is the chute that in most guidebooks etc. labelled as: don't climb this chute.
SchwartzOn - Sep 15, 2016 12:51 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2016
Lots of Class 3After scouting the correct pass from Whitney, it took me a few attempts to gain the Russel-Carrilon Pass. After finally gaining on that rock strewn wet ledge, I did the traverse. Was that the best kind of rock for a ridge traverse? Super slabby and high friction. Returned to camp at Iceberg Lake.
DukeJH - Sep 12, 2016 11:18 am Date Climbed: Sep 10, 2016
Long DayHauled a load from the Portal to UBSL before ascending the Rockwell Variation to the East Ridge. Descended the sand scree after tagging Carillon.
austinorville1 - Sep 6, 2016 2:59 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2016
East Ridge DayhikeStarted the hike at 3:15am out of Whitney Portal's overnight parking lot. Rob and Tam, Frank and Brenda, and I Instantly started passing a dozen or so hikers before we left the main trail. We hiked in the dark all the way up to the Slabs just below Upper Boy Scout lake where we watched the sun rise. Just before we reached the slabs we found David, a member of our group who had left 30 min earlier than us. We filtered water there and then started hiking up the scree slog to the Hanging valley just below the Russell-Carillon pass. We were at the pass by 10am. The ridge was awesome the whole way with great hands and feet. Solid class 3 route + that exposure is insane! Summited at 12:30 and started going down just before 1. We filtered water again at the spot just below Upper Boy Scout lake. We arrived at the parking lot at 8pm and said our goodbyes to one another. A great day in the Sierras it was.
jdmorehouse - Oct 23, 2015 5:16 pm Date Climbed: Jul 8, 2015
FinallyFourth time was the charm. Weathered off the East Ridge twice last year, and some unfortunate snow placement in June. As it was, I only got about ten minutes on the summit, as a storm was coming in (snow and rain began about the time I was back on the Russell/Carillon saddle). Day hike from Whitney Portal.
Diesel - Oct 19, 2015 11:12 am Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2014
Russell - the coolest looking mountain I've seen so farI was very nervous going up to Russell due to never climbing a class 3 (on the East Ridge)- except for Muir, but that has only a short class 3 section. It turned out it is not as bad. The exposure, indeed great, did not scare me since I'm not afraid of heights. To get to the blade however, it is not for casual hikers.