Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Mount Russell 100th Anniversary of First Ascent

The first ascent of Mount Whitney was in 1873. Another California Fourteener, Mt Russell (el 14,086'), is only one mile north of Mount Whitney. Yet the first ascent of Mount Russell was not accomplished until more than half a century after the first ascent of Mount Whitney. This large time gap seems remarkable, as Mount Russell can be ascended as a (serious) scramble.

Norman Clyde, starting from his camp near Tulainyo Lake, made the first ascent of Mount Russell on June 24, 1926. Clyde wrote a trip report of this first ascent in the Sierra Club Bulletin 12 (1927).

Jim

PS: Yesterday at the WPS, I had an interesting chat with the Whitney Portal Store Crew and enjoyed a fine double cheeseburger for dinner. The season is off to a good start!