THE GOLDEN HYPE

1 Mar

There was a great deal of “hype” on the trail about ascending Mather Pass – and the the Golden Staircase – our third to last pass before ascending Mount Whitney. As with many tales of horror and dread we heard along the trail we took the comments with a grain of salt, but in the back of my mind I knew this climb was not going to be easy. I took to heart what Jen said about “hype” along the trail; the stories people tell were first hand accounts, and their experiences and perceptions were real to them! People reported falls, bleeding, exhaustion, exposure, tough water crossings and there was a Park Service Ranger warning to stay away from an area at the top of the pass where a hiker double post-holed above a 15 foot snow cave. But I don’t recall much discussion about the climb up for south-bounders. I think the reason why I heard little about ascending the Golden Staircase was because everyone we ran into was walking down it, not up.

The “staircase” began AFTER we worked our way through the Palisade burn area where we had to scramble, climb, or circumnavigate around numerous downed Jeffrey Pines littering the trail. The climb was 1500 feet almost straight up, bordering beautiful but raging Palisade Creek. The trail was completed in 1938, (according to our guide book) comprised primarily of carefully placed blocks of golden colored granite (I think, can’t find geology info on this), that switchbacked about zillion times up to Lower Palisade Lake. My plan was to take the slow and steady approach which meant I would just keep walking and stop ONLY to take photos of the amazing valley and river. We met some interesting people on this stretch, I think Mather Pass had a way of getting to people and making them a little crazy! The climb seemed to go on… and on… and on! But Durand and Jen and I just kept walking. Once the grade began to lessen (slightly!) the INCREDIBLE 14,000 foot palisade peaks came into view above us. They were absolutely ominous yet astonishingly beautiful; I don’t know that I have ever felt so small and so taken aback by a sight. It was as though the mountains were bending over the top of us to intimidate and inspire. It was relatively easy to keep walking despite the grade with the view we had.

Of course I repeatedly said to myself “I think camp is right around this corner”, and FINALLY we turned a corner and I saw Dave standing by Lower Palisade Lake. He had powered up the trail to stake-out a campsite for the group, knowing that would be the spot everyone climbing the Golden Stairs that day would want to collapse. I recall being very tired and my swollen feet hurting to the point of being numb, but as each person in our group rolled into camp there was a celebration of pure enjoyment and satisfaction for what we had all just experienced. I had been certain that Evolution Lake was the most beautiful spot on the trail, but I had to revise my mental note because the Palisade Peaks towering over Lower Palisade Lakes and the Golden Staircase had literally and figuratively taken my breath away.