North Ridge, Lone Pine Peak 5.5

High Sierra, California USA

Currently 3.0/5

Avg time to climb route: 5-8 hours

Approach time: 2-3 hours

Descent time: 2-3 hours

Number of pitches: N/A

Height of route: 2000'

Overview

From the town of Lone Pine, Lone Pine Peak is more prominent than the distant Mt. Whitney, with a striking ridge line that calls to climbers. Scaling this peak is an enjoyable day at the mouth of the Whitney Portal, and since it only requires a permit for overnight use and not for climbing, Lone Pine Peak can be an excellent alternative for a day when you cannot score one of the limited Whitney Zone permits.

Don’t be fooled by this route’s moderate grade. The North Ridge, like most ridge climbs, is full of notches, towers, and gendarmes, creating routefinding that is not completely direct, and involves a lot of in-the-moment decision making. This long, fairly exposed route involves around 4,000 feet of gain, and since it is done in a loop instead of an up-and-down type climb, retreating can be almost as difficult as continuing the climb, giving the whole route a committing feel. Overall the climb involves a lot of 4th class and easy 5th class climbing with a couple memorable harder moves up to 5.5, and offers excellent views of the Owens Valley and Mt. Whitney.

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