NE Face of Middle Palisade Peak August 12-14, 2011 – Another Crowd Pleaser

The team on the summit of Middle Palisade Peak

On August 12 guides April Mayhew and Kurt Wedberg met two long time great friends of SMI John Rogitz and Fred Simmons plus Fred’s son James for a climb of Middle Palisade Peak.  Spectacular weather and good friends came together for a memorable climb of one of California’s 14ers.  Excellent snow conditions on the Middle Palisade Glacier led to the 1000′ 3rd class scramble to the summit.  A few pictures are below.  The rest can be found here:  Middle Palisade Peak August 12-14, 2011.

The creeks have remained high all summer. 6'3" Fred is up well past his knees.

SMI guide April cooking pizzas at camp with a mosquito netting hair net.

Polemonium in full bloom.

John geared up and ready on the pre dawn start for summit day.

Fred, John, and April on the Middle Palisade Glacier.

Jim surmounting the bergshrund of the glacier that leads to the start of the 3rd class rock climbing.

John and Fred negotiating the 3rd class rock climbing on the route.

April and Jim high on the route.

Jim picking is way high up on the route at 13,800'.

April leading up one of the last short pitches below the summit.

Jim on the final moves leading to the summit of Middle Palisade Peak.

Jim and Fred Simmons pose for a father/son summit photo.

John and Fred on the summit.

April reaching for the sky on Middle Palisade's summit block.

Summit photo on Middle Palisade Peak (14,012'/4271m).

Kurt jumping into Brainard Lake on the descent the day after reaching the summit of "Middle Pal".

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