Middle Palisade
Description
WikipediaMiddle Palisade is a 14,018-foot (4,273-meter) peak in the central Sierra Nevada mountain range in the U.S. state of California. It is a fourteener, and lies on the Sierra Crest as part of the Palisades group, a group of prominent Sierra Nevada mountain summits that includes multiple other fourteeners, approximately 12 miles (19 km) southwest of the town of Big Pine. Middle Palisade is the twelfth highest peak in California. Middle Palisade's eastern flank hosts the Middle Palisade Glacier, lying above the South Fork of Big Pine Creek. To Middle Palisade's west lie the Palisade Lakes, Palisade Creek, and the John Muir Trail as it ascends south towards Mather Pass. Several routes involving exposed scrambling class 3 and/or easy technical rock climbing (class 4) exist on the various flanks of Middle Palisade. Some routes involve travel on the Middle Palisade Glacier. The easiest route involves scrambling (class 3) up a chute on the east face of the peak.
First ascent
Best months
Hiking score 0–100 · 10-yr climate averagesNeighbouring summits
| Name | Elevation | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disappointment Peak | 4,244 m | SE 151° | 0.3 km |
| Balcony Peak | 4,220 m | SE 143° | 0.4 km |
| Norman Clyde Peak | 4,229 m | NW 314° | 0.7 km |
| The Thumb | 4,058 m | E 86° | 2.1 km |
| Palisade Crest | 4,131 m | NW 304° | 2.2 km |
| Mount Jepson | 4,082 m | NW 312° | 3.1 km |
Climbing routes
nearest first| Route | Area | Grade | From summit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Face | Middle Palisade | 1- | 83 m |
| Twilight Pillar | Norman Clyde Peak | 5b | 612 m |
| Firebird Ridge | Norman Clyde Peak | 5c | 612 m |
| North-Northeast Ridge | Norman Clyde Peak | 1 | 612 m |
| Rest Day Ridge | Peak 11,880 | 5c | 1.7 km |
| North Couloir | Mt. Sill | 1 | 4.1 km |
| Swiss Arete | Mt. Sill | 5a | 4.1 km |
| North Couloir Variation | Mt. Sill | 3 | 4.1 km |
| South West Ridge (aka Yellow Brick Road) | Mt. Gayley | 1- | 4.5 km |
| Traverse from Mt Sill | Polemonium Peak | 1+ | 4.6 km |
| Southwest Chute | Polemonium Peak | 1+ | 4.6 km |
| V-Notch Couloir | Polemonium Peak | 1+ | 4.6 km |
| Barefoot Bynum | Temple Crag | 6a+ | 4.8 km |
| Mendenhall Couloir | Temple Crag | 1 | 4.8 km |
| Eclipsed Arete | Temple Crag | 4c | 4.8 km |
| Backside of Beyond | Temple Crag | 5c | 4.8 km |
| Planaria | Temple Crag | 6b | 4.8 km |
| Moon Goddess Arete | Temple Crag | 5b | 4.8 km |
| Dark Star | Temple Crag | 6b | 4.8 km |
| Venusian Blind | Temple Crag | 5a | 4.8 km |
| Temple, Galey, Sill Traverse | Temple Crag | 5a | 4.8 km |
| Sun Ribbon Arete | Temple Crag | 6a | 4.8 km |
| Southwest Chute | North Palisade | 1 | 4.8 km |
| West Face | North Palisade | 4b | 4.8 km |
| U-Notch Couloir | North Palisade | 4c | 4.8 km |