Favorite High Sierra Scrambles

These are my favorite scrambles in the High Sierra! I’ve organized them by class rating, and within each rating, by my favorite at the very top (#1 spot) and on down. Generally the class two peaks will be less committing and serve as a good place to start for those just venturing into the high country. On the other end of the spectrum: I’ve succumbed to the temptation to include a few routes where I DID use a rope, that is, in a more sparing capacity, than for a full technical climb. These tend to have incredible rock and/or aesthetics, that “beg to be climbed” quality which yields cruiser happy feelings we all crave out of a good scramble route. Additional merit is given to longer routes rather than ones with a short memorable crux. I just love these long routes where you can slip into that calm gliding flow state and feel relaxed with big air all round … oh yeah …

For the most part, I’ve appended the face/feature to be climbed on each peak, although most of these routes are so classic such a detail becomes self-evident once you get a glimpse of the peak! For my part, I’ve romped up most of these with little preparation beyond printing out a few topographic maps and, as I’ve stated before, one can enjoy a grand adventure derived from a little uncertainty in this regard. If you’re real worried about getting lost on a complex route, OK … maybe go ahead and scan a few pics here and there …

PS. The astute Sierra scrambler will notice a lot of these peaks are on the Sierra Club Sierra Peaks Section List (about 250 in all). Generally all the peaks I’ve visited on this list had something unique or fun about them, although there have been a few clunkers. If you’ve got a few extra days, I recommend combing through the list, organized conveniently by geographic area, and see how many you can pick off in a trip. Although, such an endeavor can be QUITE addicting for certain personalities … you’ve been warned!

PPS. If a route is shown in blue, it means I have a trip report, or at least a page with some small hint of information, (linked) for it here on my website!

Without further ado, my favorite routes at each class rating are …

Class Two: Scylla, Northwest Slope

Simply stunning in its remote-ness.

Class Three: Middle Palisade, Northeast Face

The first scramble I ever did in the High Sierra, cross the ‘schrund and don’t look back (or down)!

Class Four: Devils Crags, Northwest Arete

A tour de force of exposure. Follow in the footsteps of Sierra mountaineering greats.

Class Five: Mt Conness, North and West Ridges

The absolute best mountain rock I ever touched. Although one climbing legend appended this moniker to the Evolution Traverse, it applies just as well to beautiful Conness: 

“I began at the first hint of dawn and spent all day on this great spine of granite, coming closer than ever to the ideal traverse. To climb for miles and never leave the skyline.” — Peter Croft

And, here is the full list, with a bonus list of my favorite snow climbs!

Class Two

1. Scylla, Northwest Slope
2. Mt Agassiz, West Slope
3. Olancha Peak, Southwest Slope
4. Banner Peak, Southwest Slope and Mt Ritter, Southeast Glacier
5. Mt Brewer, East Ridge
6. Pyramid Peak (S), by Bench Lake
7. Pyramid Peak (N), by Lake Tahoe

Class Three

1. Middle Palisade, Northeast Face
2. Mt Cotter, East Ridge
3. Mt Gayley, Yellow Brick Road
4. Junction Peak, South Face
5. Charybdis, Northeast Face
6. Mt Winchell
7. Mt Tyndall, North Rib
8. Mt Hilgard, Southeast Face
9. Mt Wynne –> Mt Pinchot Traverse
10. Mt Russell, East Ridge
11. Dragon Peak

Class Four

1. Devils Crags, Northwest Arete
2. Bear Creek Spire, Northeast Ridge
3. Arrow Peak, Northeast Spur
4. Mt Clark, Northwest Arete
5. The Hermit
6. North Peak

Class Five

1. Mt Conness, North and West Ridges
2. Mt Starr King
3. Tenaya Peak, Northwest Buttress

Snow Climbs

These are all non-technical snow climbs i.e. ya don’t need a rope! Look for these to come into ” snow scramblin’ ” condition between April and June, depending on the snow year of course.

1. Mt Langley, Tuttle Creek and Northeast Couloir
2. Mt Darwin, North Face
3. Red Slate Mountain, North Couloir
4. Matterhorn Peak, East Couloir
5. Mt Dade, Hourglass Couloir