After doing North Palisade via the U-Notch Couloir & Chimney Variation, we headed over to Polemonium Peak. Not sure of the route from the notch, we made our own. 3 short pitches of pretty funky climbing. Not too hard, but attention-getting. Descended L-snowfield below Sill.
My last CA 14er. Thanks RK for being there. (June 06)
Route Climbed: V Notch Couloir Date Climbed: September 18, 2005
A great climb up a classic route in hard water ice conditions. The berg was gaping open making for 28-32 ft of ~80 degree ice climbing right up the middle of it. 6 pitches total to the top of the notch: the first two were up the right side of the couloir and then the last 4 on the left or middle. Reached the top of the notch at 3:30PM, summited Polemonium in about an hour after traversing over, and then came down the "L-shaped" couloir on Sill to glacier notch - was <100 feet from the summit of Sill but bypassed it because I know I will be coming back anyway to do the Swiss Arete. In the end, a long day but a great ice climb. Can't wait for more sierra ice in the future ...
Route Climbed: From the U-Notch Date Climbed: August 14, 2005
Last of the 15 CA 14ers in a full time employed 11 week visit to CA...all daytripped except Starlight Peak...ran into 2 fireman from Napa, whom I initially met on Mount Williamson.
Route Climbed: Sill/Polemonium ridge Date Climbed: September 15, 2004
Climbed the Palisades Glacier, Glacier Notch, NW face of Sill to the Sill/Polemonium ridge. Traversed to the NW peak of Polemonium. Climbed straight across the gap (5.5 with belay), up the class 4 face and knife ridge to the summit. Rappelled down the U-Notch. A nice day!
Route Climbed: Traverse from North Palisade Date Climbed: August 9, 2004
Rappeled to U-Notch, solo'd the rest. Fun last 20-30' below the summit block. After summitting, we continued to follow the Polemonium-Sill ridge for a bit longer (until it became Class 2) and went down the Polemonium glacier, just in time to reach the Potluck Pass with the last light. Six more hours of night hiking continued until we got back to our base camp in Dusy Basin.
Route Climbed: V Notch Date Climbed: July 21, 2002
I climbed Polemonium Pk. from the car and then traversed over to Mt. Sill. The V Notch couloir took 37:42, including a bit of mixed climbing to get across the bergschrund.
Route Climbed: From the U-Notch Date Climbed: September 20th, 2003
Nice summit. I had an excellent view of the class 4 descent on Sill that Dirk and I had downclimbed in the dark earlier in the month. The climb from the U-notch was shorter than the Chimney variation to North Palisade, but it was definitely more difficult!
While descending the west side of the U-notch in the dark wasn't too fun, it was definitely better than returning at another date to climb Polemonium. Thanks for talking me into sneaking one more summit in that day, Dirk. : -)
Route Climbed: From the U-Notch Date Climbed: 20 September, 2003
Getting down from N. Pal via rapping down to the U-Notch a little later than hoped (15.38), partner Mark raised the concern that the sun was going down sooner than earlier in the season, & that we still had a long slog back to the tent (down the bowling alley chute, and across Palisade & Dusy Basins {& Thunderbolt Pass :( }.
Being optimistic about the time it would take to summit, & determined to finish the last California 14er on my list without needing to come back, I managed to convince him that it was feasible, and would be really cool to summit Polemonium Peak right then. Before he fully realized that he wanted to join me, I was flying up the southern wall of the U-notch, rope on, but off-belay. The 2nd pitch was fun, & contained the only 5th class on the route (10 ft of ~5.5). After the 2nd pitch, we unroped & completed the fun last 40 or so ft to the summit.
After hanging out for a little bit to take photos & sign the register, we rap'ed back down. *NOTE:* rap' stations are placed such that rope invariably runs over rock & may get into notches- watch out!! Almost got mine stuck twice!! Fun climb on my LAST CALIFORNIA 14ER (at least for the first time)!!!
24 September, 2005: failed attempt via V-notch couloir, with Julian- great weather was offset by a late start (we left Sam Mack Meadows @ 7.35), poor route conditions (up to a ft of snow over the ice in several spots), a difficult first pitch lead, & just general slower climbing than should have been. We lost our way down in the dark on the sparsely-cairned section leading down to the actual trail; after much cutting L on 3rd to easy 5th rock + talus hopping & bush-whacking, I miraculously found the trail again. I returned to camp @ 12.50. Still a great day in a remarkable place!
Route Climbed: Traverse from Sill Date Climbed: July 2003
The traverse was a bit tedious at times, but it went quickly. My but the false summit is such a bummer. We knew it was coming, but it still wasn't fun to see it. the coulior wasn't too hard to find and downclimb, and the last 4th class ridge was a real treat. Too bad it's so short, it's so clean and exposed.
We met a couple guys on the summit who had been benighted in the U Notch, and were pretty strung out. When they asked us for the fifth time what are plans were in as many minutes, I became concerned. But they did OK, staggering out under their own steam, refusing any water or food from us. They saw some fairly fresh bloodstreaks coming up from the U Notch, does anyone know of any accidents in early to mid July this last summer?
Route Climbed: V Notch Date Climbed: August 7, 1993
My partner Dean was booked for a post monsoon climb of Changtse, so he got me to spend seven days in the Palisades. We climbed six routes in the seven days. He led the shrund which was steep that year, the rest was nice hard alpine ice 50 - 65 degrees.
Route Climbed: The V-Notch with Direct Start in 1986
Bill Oliver and I climbed the V Notch on patchy but hardening ice in September of 1986. We went directly over the shrund which forced me into some strange maneuvers; the last 4 feet were a bit overhanging. I remember hooking the edge with my crampon and pulling on my tools like madman. The Couloir above was nice. Descended the North Glacier of Sill.
cp0915 - Jul 2, 2006 4:26 pm
from the U-Notch (funky variation)After doing North Palisade via the U-Notch Couloir & Chimney Variation, we headed over to Polemonium Peak. Not sure of the route from the notch, we made our own. 3 short pitches of pretty funky climbing. Not too hard, but attention-getting. Descended L-snowfield below Sill.
My last CA 14er. Thanks RK for being there. (June 06)
physics - Sep 20, 2005 3:08 am
Route Climbed: V Notch Couloir Date Climbed: September 18, 2005A great climb up a classic route in hard water ice conditions. The berg was gaping open making for 28-32 ft of ~80 degree ice climbing right up the middle of it. 6 pitches total to the top of the notch: the first two were up the right side of the couloir and then the last 4 on the left or middle. Reached the top of the notch at 3:30PM, summited Polemonium in about an hour after traversing over, and then came down the "L-shaped" couloir on Sill to glacier notch - was <100 feet from the summit of Sill but bypassed it because I know I will be coming back anyway to do the Swiss Arete. In the end, a long day but a great ice climb. Can't wait for more sierra ice in the future ...
kovarpa - Sep 8, 2005 8:32 pm
Route Climbed: From U-Notch Date Climbed: August 31, 2005Third peak of the day. Traverse to Sill looked inviting...
Completebum - Sep 6, 2005 12:58 pm
Route Climbed: Traverse from Sill Date Climbed: September 3, 2005Almost a bonus peak. The 4th class knife edge isn't that bad if you can get over the exposure.
Brian Kalet - Aug 15, 2005 3:14 pm
Route Climbed: From the U-Notch Date Climbed: August 14, 2005Last of the 15 CA 14ers in a full time employed 11 week visit to CA...all daytripped except Starlight Peak...ran into 2 fireman from Napa, whom I initially met on Mount Williamson.
cottersnow - Apr 23, 2005 12:09 am
Route Climbed: from the south side Date Climbed: 08/04After a forced bivy from North Pal we tagged this guy on the way to Sill and our base camp.
ripper333 - Oct 24, 2004 5:05 pm
Route Climbed: traverse from thunderbolt to sill Date Climbed: sept 2004traverse
ocelot - Sep 26, 2004 7:12 pm
Route Climbed: Sill/Polemonium ridge Date Climbed: September 15, 2004Climbed the Palisades Glacier, Glacier Notch, NW face of Sill to the Sill/Polemonium ridge. Traversed to the NW peak of Polemonium. Climbed straight across the gap (5.5 with belay), up the class 4 face and knife ridge to the summit. Rappelled down the U-Notch. A nice day!
Robt - Sep 20, 2004 6:21 pm
Route Climbed: U Notch (W. approach) Date Climbed: 3 Sept. 2004Led by Bob Suzuki. TR by Ron Karpel at climber.org.
Misha - Aug 16, 2004 11:33 am
Route Climbed: Traverse from North Palisade Date Climbed: August 9, 2004Rappeled to U-Notch, solo'd the rest. Fun last 20-30' below the summit block. After summitting, we continued to follow the Polemonium-Sill ridge for a bit longer (until it became Class 2) and went down the Polemonium glacier, just in time to reach the Potluck Pass with the last light. Six more hours of night hiking continued until we got back to our base camp in Dusy Basin.
Click for the trip report.
Scott M. - Aug 13, 2004 5:01 pm
Route Climbed: Traverse from Mt. Sill Date Climbed: August 11, 2004Made the quick traverse over from Sill. Descended to the U Notch.This seemed like a pretty easy leg of the traverse to me.
bobpickering - Jun 21, 2004 3:28 pm
Route Climbed: V Notch Date Climbed: July 21, 2002I climbed Polemonium Pk. from the car and then traversed over to Mt. Sill. The V Notch couloir took 37:42, including a bit of mixed climbing to get across the bergschrund.
Guilty - Oct 7, 2003 10:10 pm
Route Climbed: From U-Notch. Date Climbed: 10/03/99Very fun traverse from North Palisade in 45mins.
Guilty - Oct 7, 2003 10:02 pm
Route Climbed: Traverse from Mount Sill. Date Climbed: 08/05/00 and 08/09/99Free-Solo from Sill, usually taking less then 1hr. I went on and did North Pal, and Starlight.
PellucidWombat - Sep 23, 2003 9:04 pm
Route Climbed: From the U-Notch Date Climbed: September 20th, 2003Nice summit. I had an excellent view of the class 4 descent on Sill that Dirk and I had downclimbed in the dark earlier in the month. The climb from the U-notch was shorter than the Chimney variation to North Palisade, but it was definitely more difficult!
While descending the west side of the U-notch in the dark wasn't too fun, it was definitely better than returning at another date to climb Polemonium. Thanks for talking me into sneaking one more summit in that day, Dirk. : -)
Diggler - Sep 22, 2003 4:13 pm
Route Climbed: From the U-Notch Date Climbed: 20 September, 2003Getting down from N. Pal via rapping down to the U-Notch a little later than hoped (15.38), partner Mark raised the concern that the sun was going down sooner than earlier in the season, & that we still had a long slog back to the tent (down the bowling alley chute, and across Palisade & Dusy Basins {& Thunderbolt Pass :( }.
Being optimistic about the time it would take to summit, & determined to finish the last California 14er on my list without needing to come back, I managed to convince him that it was feasible, and would be really cool to summit Polemonium Peak right then. Before he fully realized that he wanted to join me, I was flying up the southern wall of the U-notch, rope on, but off-belay. The 2nd pitch was fun, & contained the only 5th class on the route (10 ft of ~5.5). After the 2nd pitch, we unroped & completed the fun last 40 or so ft to the summit.
After hanging out for a little bit to take photos & sign the register, we rap'ed back down. *NOTE:* rap' stations are placed such that rope invariably runs over rock & may get into notches- watch out!! Almost got mine stuck twice!! Fun climb on my LAST CALIFORNIA 14ER (at least for the first time)!!!
24 September, 2005: failed attempt via V-notch couloir, with Julian- great weather was offset by a late start (we left Sam Mack Meadows @ 7.35), poor route conditions (up to a ft of snow over the ice in several spots), a difficult first pitch lead, & just general slower climbing than should have been. We lost our way down in the dark on the sparsely-cairned section leading down to the actual trail; after much cutting L on 3rd to easy 5th rock + talus hopping & bush-whacking, I miraculously found the trail again. I returned to camp @ 12.50. Still a great day in a remarkable place!
darinchadwick - Sep 14, 2003 12:53 pm
Route Climbed: Traverse from Sill Date Climbed: July 2003The traverse was a bit tedious at times, but it went quickly. My but the false summit is such a bummer. We knew it was coming, but it still wasn't fun to see it. the coulior wasn't too hard to find and downclimb, and the last 4th class ridge was a real treat. Too bad it's so short, it's so clean and exposed.
We met a couple guys on the summit who had been benighted in the U Notch, and were pretty strung out. When they asked us for the fifth time what are plans were in as many minutes, I became concerned. But they did OK, staggering out under their own steam, refusing any water or food from us. They saw some fairly fresh bloodstreaks coming up from the U Notch, does anyone know of any accidents in early to mid July this last summer?
depclimb - May 7, 2003 7:13 pm
Route Climbed: V Notch Date Climbed: August 7, 1993My partner Dean was booked for a post monsoon climb of Changtse, so he got me to spend seven days in the Palisades. We climbed six routes in the seven days. He led the shrund which was steep that year, the rest was nice hard alpine ice 50 - 65 degrees.
asmrz - Nov 17, 2002 8:53 pm
Route Climbed: The V-Notch with Direct Start in 1986Bill Oliver and I climbed the V Notch on patchy but hardening ice in September of 1986. We went directly over the shrund which forced me into some strange maneuvers; the last 4 feet were a bit overhanging. I remember hooking the edge with my crampon and pulling on my tools like madman. The Couloir above was nice. Descended the North Glacier of Sill.
thenunz - Oct 29, 2002 12:30 pm
Route Climbed: West Face Date Climbed: 09/21/2001This is the best summit in the area. The summit has a back rest! What more can you ask for when enjoying a summit view?