Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Safest way up Mt Russell

Trail name, Isn't it "50 pounds? did I take enough Trail". Isn't that what the "sign" says on the Patio Cover?

What about the "Rockwell Variation"

I had heard that a group (including BobR) was on the way to the RV, when they caught up with a smaller group, one of whom asked "Does anybody know where the Rockwell Variation starts"?

Axeman confirmed this anecdote, and later in the weekend I spoke with Bob, so yes, that is a true story.

No, Dave. It was during the first WPS group hike up the Smiley Face route on Thor, 11:18am, September 15, 2007. The question was posed by these two guys who were planning on Russell the next day:



(Sorry, I wouldn't want stray addenda to make this become an apocryphal story, since the truth was what made it so exquisite.)

Jo, there is always this option (from the classical mountaineering literature):

There is nearly always some other mountain or route at hand to modify the raptures of the climber's success, prick his self-satisfaction, and fire his ambition.
HW Tilman, China to Chitral page 698

Harvey