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Cardiovascular Seizure

5.10+, Trad, Alpine, 700 ft (212 m), 6 pitches, Grade III,  Avg: 2.8 from 8 votes
FA: unknown
California > High Sierra > 14 - Whitney &… > Mt Whitney
Warning Access Issue: Certain Peaks: Access limited from May to October every year DetailsDrop down

Description

This worthwhile route climbs the right most dihedral system.

P1: varied cracks 5.8,
P2: right leaning crack system up toward corner, switch to higher of two cracks midway then up to ledge with 2 piton belay- 10a.
P3: unusual double cracks at 90 degrees inside corner (side by side foot jams and bilateral gaston)- 5.9 belay on small pillar with gear,
P4: steep flared hands with poor flaky feet 11- to chimney and ledge on right. This cruxy pitch could be avoided by staying in corner to the right at probably 5.9
P5: varied cracks to chimney to big ledge- long pitch 5.8
P6: step right from ledge then up steep clean corner (small gear), then hand traverse right to next corner to small roof/ledge then up final chimney to summit 10b.

Descend off the north side - easy 5th and 4th class downclimbing to ledges and scree the contour around to Whitney-Russell col.

Location

Between the Mountaineer's Route and the Whitney- Russell col: the most prominent, aesthetic sub-peak called "Iceberg Spire".

Protection

Nuts plus cams doubles to #2 Camalot plus 1 #3.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Following the crux pitch.
[Hide Photo] Following the crux pitch.
Linking pitch 1 and 2
[Hide Photo] Linking pitch 1 and 2
pitch 3 maybe combined with 4.  pitch 5 and 6 are already quite long.
[Hide Photo] pitch 3 maybe combined with 4. pitch 5 and 6 are already quite long.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

bio
mesa, az
[Hide Comment] Crux is 5.11- but a great line, though a bit grungy it's worth it, espectially the last airy pitch.
S Jul 15, 2008
Fat Dad
Los Angeles, CA
[Hide Comment] Wow, way to dig out an obscure climb. I always wondered where this route went. Was this in a more recent guide? The only place I ever read an account of it was a typically vague description in an old AAJ. FA: Galen Rowell and I think Vern Clevenger. Don't quote me on the latter though. Oct 10, 2014
markguycan
flagstaff, AZ
  5.10+
[Hide Comment] We had hoped we were embarking on a FA but discovered a few rusty pitons along the way. Oct 30, 2014
Dave Stimson
Pincher Creek
 
[Hide Comment] A little scaly, but a phenomenal line and some really stellar crack climbing! Give the spectators down at Iceberg something to watch other than the usual Butt-Face parties.

I don't think the corner at 5.9 is a viable alternative to the crux pitch. The main corner looked pretty loose and bottoming... maybe 5.9 R/X. Unless there was another corner to the right...

The descent beta wasn't very helpful. We went to the north side and did some exposed 4th/low 5th down climbing to a large ledge (about a half pitch). We were able to link together more ledges, but I think a hard traverse to the west on the big ledge would take you right out to a scree/talus slope. There was also a new rap station on the top of the "Iceberg Spire" that looked like it dropped you onto the south side to ledges and then worked down into a gully feature. Not sure about the details on this... Sep 6, 2016
Rprops
Nevada
  5.10+
[Hide Comment] I would pack a 2nd #3 and place the belay atop P3 inline with the crack. Using the pitons out right isn't that comfy and leaves you in the fall line for the inevitable rock and gravel. Jul 25, 2018
Roddy McCalley
Joshua Tree, CA
  5.10c
[Hide Comment] P1&2 link if you scramble up a bit at the start, easy 5th. Might even link without the scrambling. Piton belay at top of P2 w fresh cord and ring.

P3&4 link, total distance 160’. The P4 crux is a nice hand crack... .10c? P3 has a fixed nut anchor w same cord/ring, but linking pitches is recommended, puts belayer out of rockfall line.

P5 go right, then chimney past propped pillars, moving right into back of huge chimney. Alternate start looks possible (and fun) up nice hand crack/flake.

P6 climb splitter in back of alcove, make 5.9 move past chockstone at top (25’ up) then follow horizontal splitter directly right (improbable!) around corner to another nice corner crack. At top of that, climb grainy but protectable and cool boulder problem to summit. I would call this pitch .10a at most. Wandering, fun, and well-protected.

Rack: single set nuts, a few small cams, doubles #.75 to #3. #4 useful but not necessary. Jul 12, 2021