Middle Palisade East Chute

The route starts at the South Fork Big Pine Creek trailhead, west of Big Pine, and ends at the summit of Middle Palisade. From the trailhead, follow the South Fork Trail west through a glacially carved valley, passing Brainerd Lake and continuing about 0.5 miles and 531 vertical feet farther to Finger Lake. Beyond Finger Lake, leave the maintained trail and turn right (northwest), climbing talus and boulders toward the moraine below the Middle Palisade Glacier — this section requires route-finding, with no continuous tread. From the moraine, work up to the base of the East Chute, the prominent red-rock couloir splitting the peak's northeast face directly above the glacier. Crux: To reach the ledge that accesses the chute, you'll need to step onto the edge of the glacier for a short distance; this is the crux of the approach, and it's the non-technical option — the alternative is Class 4-5 rock at the glacier's margin, which is harder and best avoided. An ice axe is useful for the brief glacier crossing, especially early in the season. Once on the ledge, climb the East Chute directly: a sustained Class 2-3 scramble up a ramp of boulders and a red-rock gully that never exceeds Class 3 if you stay in the main line, though loose rock demands careful footing throughout. The chute leads to the summit ridge and a short final scramble to the top. Retrace the same route to descend, using extra care on the loose rock in the chute and the glacier-edge step, both of which are more consequential heading down.