Telescope Peak, California, USA (11,049 ft / 3367 m)

October 15, 2006

Trip reports:

• October 15, 2006 ascent:
I finally did the infamous Shorty's Well (Badwater) to Telescope Peak's summit hike. Thanks to Andrew for playing chauffer. We were a group of 7 people, divided into two smaller groups. One group started half an hour earlier: Ron Hudson, Kathy Rich, Wendy Conlon and Paul Garry. The other group was Paul Morash, Ron Norton and myself (we started at 3:00AM from Shorty's Well at an elevation of -253'). I reached Telescope's summit at 1:10PM. Stayed there over an hour while the others arrived. Bagged Bennett Peak on the way out. Got to Mahogany Flats just before 4:30PM.


• December 4, 2004 ascent:
This time I hiked with Alex Gorokhov. I was only able to drive my car to the Charcoal Kilns parking lot (elev ~ 6,900'), which was icy by the way. We started this snow hike of Telescope Peak at the late hour of 8:40am from the Charcoal Kilns. Took a lunch break at Arcane Meadows (9,630') just before noon. Then, we bagged Bennett Peak (9,980') and continued onto Telescope. We put crampons and pull out the ice axe at about 10,400'. I reached the summit at 2:42pm. Waited for Alex who arrived at the summit at 3:21pm. An absolutely clear winter day. Excellent views to the east: could see all the way to Charleston Peak in Nevada. Snapped some pictures and headed down at 3:31pm. I told Alex I was going to move ahead as I wanted to bag Rogers Peak (9,994') before it was too dark. I reached the summit of Rogers Peak at 5:18pm. Made it down to my car at 6:41pm (10 hrs car-to-car). Alex got to the car an hour later at 7:40pm. It was cold at the Charcoal Kilns icy parking lot. I felt the temperature was around 18 F.


• April 29, 2000 ascent:
I began the hike solo quite late at 5:00pm. Was on the summit by 7:40pm (a few minutes after sunset) and back to the Mahogany Flat camp by 10:05pm. Trail on 4/29/2000 was mostly snow free except the last few hundred feet before the summit. Ancient bristlecone pines appear just above the 10,000 foot level. Great views of Death Valley to the east and the High Sierras to the west.

Additional info about climbing Telescope Peak can be found here.