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mt russell summit 9/10/2018
#54242 09/13/18 08:10 PM
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futbol Offline OP
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Hiked/climbed up Mt Russell Monday on a day permit, which was easy and free to get. This was my 3rd trip this year to the Eastern Sierra Nevada, and might not be my last.

Trail entry ~7:30am, summit ~2:30pm. This was my 5th attempt in 4 years, and the first successful one. Weather was perfect with sunny skies and very mild gusts.

Ran into rangers again (3 for 3 this year) on the North Fork/MR. They checked my permit and we chatted. They said they don't go up that way often and I must just be lucky.

The water levels in the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek are the lowest I've seen, but that is not unexpected (I guess) in September.

Google Images pasted together a panoramic photo from those that I took at the summit.



Note, if you are driving down from Horseshoe Meadow please consider using a low gear instead of just using brakes. I smell burning brake s often when going up and passing cars going down. You don't want your brakes to give up on you going down that stretch of road!

Re: mt russell summit 9/10/2018
futbol #54249 09/14/18 09:30 PM
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Congrats on the successful summit. That's a pretty good pace 7:30 to 2:30. Did you go via Iceberg Lk, or from just below Upper Boy Scout lake? They are both really long climbs!!!

Re: mt russell summit 9/10/2018
Steve C #54253 09/15/18 09:48 AM
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futbol Offline OP
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Thanks Steve!

The way from Iceberg Lake is via Whitney/Russell pass and the south arete, which is much longer but the funnest, according to a guide I met on the trail. That's on my list, and so is the north ridge.

To get to UBSL in that time is to not miss the easier creek crossing between LBSL/UBSL, which is right at where that massive rock rests. Cairns point people around it, which leads to bush whacking and bouldering. Although being my 7th time up this trail, I missed it and wasted 10 mins trying to hike around it until realizing this. That crossing is even a waypoint on my InReach.

I was only at Upper Boy Scout Lake for ~30 minutes refilling water and resting.

From UBSL up the scree, I veered off the ideal way and wasted maybe 15 mins this time (need to pass through the right two rocks), but still took me just under 2 hours. That's the worst part of the entire journey except for the drive up the 395. Someone I met at UBSL a month ago was able to make it up the scree in ~45+ mins.

The hike across the Russell/Carrillon pass took me maybe ~20+ mins.

I took my time on the class 3 to the summit because of the exposure and it being my first ascent.

Re: mt russell summit 9/10/2018
futbol #54493 11/09/18 05:36 PM
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Wow nice ascent! Russell is on my list too after a failed early spring attempt a few years ago (tons of snow at the top, almost fell). Would like to do it as a day hike, how is it descending the e-ledges in the darkness?

Re: mt russell summit 9/10/2018
fusial #54508 11/18/18 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted By: fusial
Wow nice ascent! Russell is on my list too after a failed early spring attempt a few years ago (tons of snow at the top, almost fell). Would like to do it as a day hike, how is it descending the e-ledges in the darkness?


Good idea not to try and summit Mt Russell with snow on the East Ridge. It is a safe route if it is not slippery.

I didn't cross the E-ledges in total darkness (I think it was around 5pm). In fact, last year I spent and unplanned overnight at UBSL to avoid doing just that. If I ever traverse the E-ledges in darkness I'll do it very slowly/carefully.


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