Charles Jennings
@chasjennings.bsky.social
Neuroscientist, founding editor of Nat Neurosci; current research manager at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; hiker and occasional marathoner; proud father. 🇬🇧🇺🇸
Yesterday I climbed Tripyramid (a NH 4000-er), and as usual in the White Mtns, the summit is in trees, so not much view there. But the ascent via North Slide was challenging, and despite great views in perfect conditions, I was not in the mood to take pictures until we reached safety at the top.
November 4, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Yesterday I climbed Tripyramid (a NH 4000-er), and as usual in the White Mtns, the summit is in trees, so not much view there. But the ascent via North Slide was challenging, and despite great views in perfect conditions, I was not in the mood to take pictures until we reached safety at the top.
Happy Halloween!
November 1, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Happy Halloween!
People travel from across the world to see New England fall colors, but we have them right outside our front door!
October 22, 2025 at 12:44 PM
People travel from across the world to see New England fall colors, but we have them right outside our front door!
Day 9: Our final half-day involved 6000’ of descent through different climate zones, from the alpine environment at Shepherd pass, down through forests, and ending in the semi-desert environment of the Owens valley. [End]
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Day 9: Our final half-day involved 6000’ of descent through different climate zones, from the alpine environment at Shepherd pass, down through forests, and ending in the semi-desert environment of the Owens valley. [End]
Sunrise at our final campsite at Shepherd Pass (12,000’). What an amazing place!
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Sunrise at our final campsite at Shepherd Pass (12,000’). What an amazing place!
We were very pleased with ourselves after summitting Mt Williamson, seen in the background. It’s slightly lower than Whitney—which I haven’t climbed—but is supposedly much harder, and felt like a real achievement.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
We were very pleased with ourselves after summitting Mt Williamson, seen in the background. It’s slightly lower than Whitney—which I haven’t climbed—but is supposedly much harder, and felt like a real achievement.
Day 8: Mt Williamson was tough, but we made it! Whitney is visible over my R shoulder in the summit pic. I didn’t take photos on the way up or down (too busy trying not to fall) but we met another climber who took a pic of me descending the chute—posted with permission (thanks Sean!)
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Day 8: Mt Williamson was tough, but we made it! Whitney is visible over my R shoulder in the summit pic. I didn’t take photos on the way up or down (too busy trying not to fall) but we met another climber who took a pic of me descending the chute—posted with permission (thanks Sean!)
From the summit of Mt Tyndall we had a great view of the W face of Mt Williamson, the second-highest summit in CA and our target for next day. It looked intimidating, but we were ready to trust Secor: “Aim for the cliff face with a large black stain and then follow the chute up to the left.”
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
From the summit of Mt Tyndall we had a great view of the W face of Mt Williamson, the second-highest summit in CA and our target for next day. It looked intimidating, but we were ready to trust Secor: “Aim for the cliff face with a large black stain and then follow the chute up to the left.”
Day 7: Summit pic on Mt Tyndall, my first 14er. I’ve been higher several times (over 20,000’ in the Andes) but on previous occasions I was defeated before reaching the summits.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Day 7: Summit pic on Mt Tyndall, my first 14er. I’ve been higher several times (over 20,000’ in the Andes) but on previous occasions I was defeated before reaching the summits.
Day 6: A shorter day, with amazing transition from the lush forests and meadows of the W to the more harsh and arid environment to the E as we approached the crest of the range.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Day 6: A shorter day, with amazing transition from the lush forests and meadows of the W to the more harsh and arid environment to the E as we approached the crest of the range.
Day 5: We originally hoped to climb Milestone Mountain, the iconic pinnacle seen in the middle of the Kern Ridge. (framed here between two trees). It is supposedly a class 3 scramble, but it looked daunting from every angle, and we decided not to risk it.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Day 5: We originally hoped to climb Milestone Mountain, the iconic pinnacle seen in the middle of the Kern Ridge. (framed here between two trees). It is supposedly a class 3 scramble, but it looked daunting from every angle, and we decided not to risk it.
Day 4: We crossed the Kaweah ridge via Pants Pass—a hard bushwhack to 11,960’ with our 50# packs—and were grateful to Secor’s guidebook for saving us from the mistake of climbing the aptly-named ‘Piss-your-Pants Pass,’ which looks easier from the W but ends in a vertical drop on the E side.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Day 4: We crossed the Kaweah ridge via Pants Pass—a hard bushwhack to 11,960’ with our 50# packs—and were grateful to Secor’s guidebook for saving us from the mistake of climbing the aptly-named ‘Piss-your-Pants Pass,’ which looks easier from the W but ends in a vertical drop on the E side.
Day 3: We climbed Lawson Peak, deep in the Sierras and far from any trailhead. Behind me is the Kaweah ridge, with several jagged peaks that looked great but were beyond our skill level.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Day 3: We climbed Lawson Peak, deep in the Sierras and far from any trailhead. Behind me is the Kaweah ridge, with several jagged peaks that looked great but were beyond our skill level.
Day 2: Campsite at Pinto Lake. Earlier in the day, we tried unsuccessfully to climb Mt Eisen, but the loose rock made for very slow progress and we ran out of time.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Day 2: Campsite at Pinto Lake. Earlier in the day, we tried unsuccessfully to climb Mt Eisen, but the loose rock made for very slow progress and we ran out of time.
Day 1: My in-laws Clark and Rosa came with us to Mineral King. Their car is wrapped in tarp to protect it from marmots, which for their own reasons love to chew through tubes and wire insulation, and are a notorious problem there (although more so in spring than fall).
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Day 1: My in-laws Clark and Rosa came with us to Mineral King. Their car is wrapped in tarp to protect it from marmots, which for their own reasons love to chew through tubes and wire insulation, and are a notorious problem there (although more so in spring than fall).
Williamson was even harder – Simon & I agreed it was the second hardest summit that we’ve climbed (after Gannett Pk in WY)—lots of talus to cross, tricky route-finding up the W face, then a long haul up a chute ending in a scramble up the headwall to the summit plateau.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Williamson was even harder – Simon & I agreed it was the second hardest summit that we’ve climbed (after Gannett Pk in WY)—lots of talus to cross, tricky route-finding up the W face, then a long haul up a chute ending in a scramble up the headwall to the summit plateau.
Mt Tyndall (my first 14er) was more challenging, with exposed class 3 scrambling along the ridge to the summit. Not technically difficult, but it requires a good head for heights.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Mt Tyndall (my first 14er) was more challenging, with exposed class 3 scrambling along the ridge to the summit. Not technically difficult, but it requires a good head for heights.
Trails were mostly good (compared to New England mtns), but they stick to valleys and passes—unlike the NE, reaching summits in the Sierras almost always requires off-trail hiking/scrambling, which is much harder. This pic is an example of an easy summit route (Lawson Peak).
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Trails were mostly good (compared to New England mtns), but they stick to valleys and passes—unlike the NE, reaching summits in the Sierras almost always requires off-trail hiking/scrambling, which is much harder. This pic is an example of an easy summit route (Lawson Peak).
We didn’t meet any bears, but we heard coyotes and saw their fresh footprints near our campsite one morning.[
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
We didn’t meet any bears, but we heard coyotes and saw their fresh footprints near our campsite one morning.[
We both carried bear canisters but couldn’t fit 8 days-worth of food in them. Some nights we camped near bear boxes (the only facilities in the back country) but other times I got to practice my bear bag hanging skills.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
We both carried bear canisters but couldn’t fit 8 days-worth of food in them. Some nights we camped near bear boxes (the only facilities in the back country) but other times I got to practice my bear bag hanging skills.
We covered ~78 ml and 22,000 ft of ascent in 8 1/2 days, and climbed three summits including Lawson Peak, Mt Tyndall and Mt Williamson (the second highest in CA after Mt Whitney).
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
We covered ~78 ml and 22,000 ft of ascent in 8 1/2 days, and climbed three summits including Lawson Peak, Mt Tyndall and Mt Williamson (the second highest in CA after Mt Whitney).
My companion was my old friend Simon from London, with whom I’ve done many hiking trips ever since graduate school—still going strong 40 years on! We documented our combined age in the summit register on Lawson Peak (13,140’).
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
My companion was my old friend Simon from London, with whom I’ve done many hiking trips ever since graduate school—still going strong 40 years on! We documented our combined age in the summit register on Lawson Peak (13,140’).
A longer thread about our 8-1/2-day hike across the Sierra Nevada in 9/25. We started at Mineral King in the W and finished at Shepherd Pass trailhead in the Owens Valley on the E side. So no way out but through! Luckily we both have family members in the area who were kind enough to give us rides.
October 11, 2025 at 1:19 AM
A longer thread about our 8-1/2-day hike across the Sierra Nevada in 9/25. We started at Mineral King in the W and finished at Shepherd Pass trailhead in the Owens Valley on the E side. So no way out but through! Luckily we both have family members in the area who were kind enough to give us rides.