Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Orland Bartholomew

Neat story in the LA Daily News sports section about Orland Bartholomew and the first winter ascent of Whitney back in 1928. I was happy to be drinking hot coffee in the comfort of my kitchen while reading it!!

Tried to post a link but the Daily News website was down. Maybe:

http:/www.dailynews.com

..and look for the sports section.

Here's the URL:

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2058554,00.html

CaT

In 1974 Eugene Rose wrote a book called High Odyssey about Orland Bartholomew's trip. It is an easy and fun read. I think it is being reprinted in paperback again. I saw a copy in a bookstore in Mammoth last January (The Booky Joint).

There's a thread on the Highpointers Club <a href="http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/thread?forumid=3897&messageid=1081037051">bulletin board</a> about an effort to name one of the unnamed peaks near the Minarets (see my <a href="http://www.mtritter.org">WWW site</a> for photos of the Mt. Ritter and Minarets area, especially the '98 and '99 Mt. Ritter trip reports) after Bartholomew.

Sounds like it would be an appropriate thing to do...especially since a number of the Minarets are already named after famous Sierra climbers.

Orland's trek is indeed an awesome adventure. Orland was discussed further in a previous thread on this board:

http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=001400

Thomas

I received a telephone call from Gene Rose last week. He is writing a book about the history surrounding Mt. Whitney, and a mutual friend suggested that he contact me for some information. We talked a while, and he asked if I had a copy of High Odyssey. I said I was familiar with Orland Bartholomew's journey, but had not read the book. He said, "Want one?"

Well, long story short, he sent me a copy. Brand new, hardbound, and autographed of course! For someone who already has a pretty extensive mountaineering library and who treasures all his books, this was a substantial windfall.

He also sent along his latest book, “Giants Among the Forests,” a hundred year history on the Sequoia National Forest (2005). It looks like a good read as well. So his book on the history of Mt. Whitney should be well worth having.

It occurs to me that if anyone out there really wants a copy, they might contact Mr. Rose directly. While I have his address and phone number, I am reluctant to share them publicly. But you can probably guess his city, and it shouldn't take much further sleuthing to get the details.

Wow, Bob, that's really great. Gene has written some good stuff, and I enjoy his work. After reading his book, I happened to work in the area of the Sierra NF west of Banner/Ritter. As we were taking a lunch break, the packer I was riding with mentioned that the mountain in front of us was the mountain proposed for naming after Bartholomew. He also pointed out the guaging station on the river below, that Bart had constructed. I must say that I was touched by the experience.

On a funny note, the guide that I was out with last week mentioned that every year, he gets a call from someone claiming to have done the first winter trip on the JMT, and who do they report it to?? A bit belated!

Thanks for sharing Bob, last month my dad and I stayed at Big Bend campground off Tioga pass hiked and travled in the area of Tioga what a history..I got back home and I got a email from yosemites website about a lecture from Gene Rose up north on his book "Yosemites Tioga country" (oct. 06)(what timing).Very good book first time I heard of him, now I will get his latest...mark

I came across Rose's book on Orland Bartholomew about 30 years ago at the Community College library where I was teaching at the time. I really enjoyed reading it and wanted a copy for my library, but was unsuccesful in trying to locate one. So I contacted Mr. Rose (you're right, Bob, it wasn't too hard to track him down), who said that there were no copies in print, and at that time there were no plans for a reprint. Mr. Rose sounded like a really neat guy who enjoyed what he did and had the same love of the Sierras that I did.
You can imagine my joy when so many years later I discovered that it had been reprinted. I bought a copy for myself and one for my son. I reread the book and enjoyed it just as much as the first time. Having traveled over much of the route that Bartholomew took, it was really neat to read about it when he did it, in the winter and without all of the equipment that we today are so used to. And he had to start from the valley floor, since Horseshoe Meadow Road didn't exist at that time.
For those of you who are interested in reading some history of our beloved mountains, I heartily recommend any of Eugene Rose's books!

Watch Ebay. Every now and again a copy of High Odyssey shows up.

Just did a quick search & picked up a used copy for $18.95

Orland Bartholomew and Norman Clyde, Gods of the Mountains. I like to think they are both still - in spirit - stomping around up in the Palisades, climbing Temple Crag, and of course, Whitney....

Did Rose say anything about doing a slide show up in Mammoth at the ski museum, perchance? I contacted him earlier this year and his wife wrote me a very nice letter and said they might be doing something this summer to that effect.

High Odyssey is definately a must-read for all those interested in the Sierras, and climbing.

I haven't posted on this board for several years now so you can imagine my surprise when I followed Thomas' link and noted that I had started that thread!!!!! ...... yep, a delightful read & thanks for awakening some pleasant Mt Whitney memories.

Rojo

Heads up! A copy of High Oddyssey is being auctioned on ebay: item 140155485275

I've swapped a few e-mails with Gene Rose lately. He is very interested in "all things Bartholomew," as you might guess. I told him I thought I read on this board where someone had stumbled across one of Bart's caches about 2 - 3 years back. I think it was in the Mt. Langley area, perhaps near Chicken Springs Lake or Soldier Lake. But I can't find any post dealing with it.

Any help out there?

Hi Bob,

Betsy and myself did find a trash can with food in it and is was indeed Mr.Bartholmew's. We were just off the Army pass trail around the soulder lake trail. Betsy can give more and better details then I can but she is visiting grandkids in Touson. I will have her post when she comes home. Good to see you on Sat.

Jack Northam

Betsy and Jack,

What a great find! Was the 30 gallon trash can still colored green, or had the paint faded over the three quarters century that had passed?

Page 34 of High Odyssey has a wonderful photo taken by Bartholomew that will be recognized by all who have adventured the length of the Miter Basin. In part the caption reads, "Near this alpine meadow along Rock Creek, Bart and his early partner, Ed Steen, placed the southernmost of the food caches, the one at Langley."

In anticipation of Betsy filling us in with the details,
Sincerely,
Jim

I just bought two brand new copies of High Odyssey from the Booky Joint in Mammoth. $18 per book. Nathan was very accommodating and mailed the books to me.