User:Blackdog

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Sunny High Sierra. PT at the top of Middle Palisade

The best climber in the world is the one having the most fun! - Alex Lowe (Dec'1958 - Oct'1999)

Contents

Who am I?

I am a punk in crampons.

Now a 4th year Grad student at Caltech, I got introduced to mountain climbing after coming to Caltech. I have been slowly getting into technical rock and ice, but my real passion still remains scrambling without a rope, or putting on a pack and trekking in the mountains, especially in the Indian Himalaya where I can go from one remote village to another. On days when the weather is very beautiful (or when my research is going either too well or too bad), I dream of becoming a trekking guide in the Himalaya after my PhD.

I also am the current Club President, taking over from Stephen.

I also go by the name of Pratyush Tiwary. Mail me at pt@...

And yes, I love classic rock!

Upcoming climbs

Fall-winter 2011/2012 was Joshua Tree time, see this for my to-do list! Then in the summer, with hopefully more rock sense acquired over the past few months, I have started to climb LOTS of alpine (technical) routes in California and Washington State, and also climbing at Tahquitz regularly.

My list for alpine climbs next year includes the following. There is so much love in the High Sierra, I think I am screwed for life.

  • Palisade Traverse: I tried it twice this last summer and made it through Thunderbolt - Starlight - North Palisade. This coming summer, I will climb this from the opposite direction, making it a Gayley-Swiss Arete-...-Thunderbolt traverse.
  • Liberty Ridge and more ice-climbs in the Washington State, getting ready for India 2013!

My long-term goals are aplenty, but two that really turn me on are the Full Palisade Traverse and an alpine style-ascent of the East Pillar of Shivling.

What I climbed

Cragging tick-list is here.

Alpine tick-list:

Mountain Altitude Location Date Partner Route Rock n' Ice Objective Hazards
Lone Pine Peak 12944 ft/3945 mt Sierra Nevada, California 12-13 May led (with Patrick and Hamik) trip of 15 members from Caltech Alpine Club Winter Route Class 5.7 rock, 5 pitches None
Mt. Whitney 14505 ft/4421 mt Sierra Nevada, California 7-8 Apr led (with Patrick and Hamik) trip of 28 members from Caltech Alpine Club Mountaineer's route Class 3 rock None
Baldy to Iron traverse Mt. Baldy (10064 ft/3302 mt) and Iron Mountain (8007 ft/2441 mt) San Jacinto Range, California 13 November with Ana, Aron, Bill and Chirranjeevi San Antonio Ridge 200~300 feet of class 3 rock, sometimes a little loose Dense fog leading to route finding difficulty. on a personal level, I broke my glasses and had to descend 6000 ft in dark and fog in prescription glacier goggles.
Mt. San Jacinto 10834 ft/3302 mt San Jacinto Range, California 8-9 October with Megan Devil's Slide Trail from Idyllwild None None
Mt. Baden Powell 9399 ft/2865 mt San Gabriels, California 25 September with Megan, Anna and Jerry from Vincent Gap TH None None
Thunderbolt to North Palisade traverse Thunderbolt (14003 ft/4268 mt), Starlight (14200 ft/4328 mt), North Palisade (14242 ft/4341 mt) Sierra Nevada, California 12-14 August with Dan Berisford Same as last attempt Rope management problems plus route finding issues Class 4-5 unroped scrambling, few pitches of 5.5-5.7 Loose rock
Middle Palisade 14012 ft/4271 mt Sierra Nevada, California 20-22 July led CAC summer mountaineering trip with 13 members total Northeast Face Class 3 rock Loose rock and blood-thirsty mosquitoes
Thunderbolt to North Palisade traverse Thunderbolt (14003 ft/4268 mt), Starlight (14200 ft/4328 mt), North Palisade (14242 ft/4341 mt) Sierra Nevada, California 24-26 June with Patrick, Kedron and Jon Ascended SW Chute, stayed on Palisade ridge, descended west side of U-Notch Class 4-5 unroped scrambling, few pitches of 5.5-5.7 Loose rock
Thunderbolt 14003 ft/4268 mt Sierra Nevada, California 29 Apr - 1 May with Caltech Alpine Club (Patrick, BG, Odin, Theo, Hamik, Kedron, Erik) North Couloir Class 4-5 Bergschrund
Mt. Gayley 13510 ft/4118 mt Sierra Nevada, California 29 Apr - 1 May with Caltech Alpine Club (Patrick, BG, Odin) Southwest ridge Class 3 None
Mt. Tyndall 14018 ft/4273 mt Sierra Nevada, California 16-17 Apr with Alex, Brandon, Kostya, Lauren and Patrick Northwest ridge Class 3 summit ridge, mostly class 2 talus. Avalanches: wet slides!
Mt. Whitney 14505 ft/4421 mt Sierra Nevada, California 11-13 Feb led (with Kedron, Patrick, Nick, Hamik and Stephen) trip of 22 members from Caltech Alpine Club Mountaineer's route Class 3 rock None
Mt Baldy (3 trips) 10064 ft/3068 mt San Gabriels, California 15 Jan, 29 Jan, 6 Feb 2011 (resp.) 8 other CAC members, led practice trip of 18 members with Kedron and Patrick, led practice trip of 28 members with Stephen, Kedron and Nick Baldy Bowl None None
Cloudripper 13525 ft/4122 mt Inconsolable Range, Sierra Nevada, California 10-12 Dec Nick Stadie and Patrick Sanan East Ridge Upto class 2 rock, class 3 summit ridge None
Lone Pine Peak (winter conditions failed attempt) 12944 ft/3945 mt Sierra Nevada, California 25-27 Nov Hamik Mukelyan and Tim Drayna Winter Route 5.7 iced rock, bailed from around 10500 feet None
Iron Mountain 8007 ft/2441 mt San Gabriels, California 7 Nov Jack, Odin, Theo and William Heaton Flats None Blood thirsty Yucca thorns!
Cucamonga Peak 8859 ft/2700 mt San Gabriels, California 31 Oct Joe and Shriharsh Icehouse Canyon None T-Rexes in F-14s
Bear Creek Spire 13713 ft/4180 mt Sierra Nevada, California 24-25 Sep Marc, Nate and Rembrandt North Arete 7 pitches of upto 5.8 rock Exposed class 4 knife-edge ridge
Mt. Agassiz 13891 ft/4234 mt Sierra Nevada, California 27 Aug Patrick and Nisheeth West Slope Class 2 with optional class 3-4 moves None
Mt. Sill 14153 ft/4314 mt Sierra Nevada, California 19 June Hamik Swiss Arete Rock upto 5.6, mostly class 4-5 None
Mt. Winchell 13768 ft/4196 mt Sierra Nevada, California 18 June Bill,Dan,Dani,Patrick East Arete Class 3 climbs with nice holds None
Mt. Rainier 14411 ft/4392 mt Cascades, Washington 22-24 May Dan Fisher,ML and Marc Ingraham Glacier Direct None Glacier climb upto 40 degrees with many hidden and exposed crevasses, and high avalanche danger
San Gorgonio 11499 ft/3505 mt San Bernandino, California 16 May Dan Berisford,Bill, Patrick,Morgan,Tucker and Martin Pilhofer Vivian Creek None Snow monsters
North Palisade 14242 ft/4341 mt Sierra Nevada, California 27-28 Mar Caltech Alpine Club U-Notch + chimney variation 2 pitches of 5.6 rock One hungry bergschrund
Mt. Whitney 14505 ft/4421 mt Sierra Nevada, California 20-21 Mar Caltech Alpine Club Mountaineer's route Class 3 rock None
El Pico de Orizaba 18490 ft/5636 mt Mexico 16-19 Jan'10 Annelen Sierra Kahl, Martin and Karl Jamapa Glacier None Glacier climb with some hidden crevasses
Middle Palisade 14012 ft/4271 mt Sierra Nevada, California 17-19 Sep Bill,Marc,Nisheeth and Patrick Northeast Face Class 3 rock loose rock
Kang Yatze II 20340 ft/6200 mt Ladakh Himalaya, India 14-20 Aug Bettina Kraus and Nima Sherpa North Face None Stretches of crevassed 50 degree snow, camping at 16500 feet
Stok Kangri 20187 ft/6153 mt Ladakh Himalaya, India 25-29 Jun Garrett and Hamik Southeast face Class 3+ rocky ridge at 20000 feet Crevasses, camping at 16000 feet
Mt. Williamson 14375 ft/4382 mt Sierra Nevada, California 22-24 May Bill, Dan, Dani, Jon and Patrick West face Class 3 rock Loose icy scree slopes, and post-holing extravaganza
Mt. Shasta 14162 ft/4317 mt Cascades, California 04-05 April'09 Caltech Alpine Club Casaval Ridge Class 4 rock None.
Split Mountain 14058 ft/4285 mt Sierra Nevada, California 07-08 June'08 Bill,Hamik,Julian Jamison and Michael North slope from the east Class 2 rock None. This was my first mountain!

Alpine related links I find interesting

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