Tackling Telescope Peak

Telescope PEak As I mentioned in my last blog, Brennan, our oldest son, is an avid mountaineer. One day, he was lamenting the fact that most of his climbing buddies were getting older and no longer wanted to tackle mountains with him. I suggested that maybe he and I could find a peak to climb together. He was quite enthusiastic about the idea, and we settled on Telescope Peak in Death Valley.At 11,049 feet (3,368 meters), Telescope Peak is the highest mountain in Death Valley National Park. Its base is in Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. That means the mountain rises more than 11,300 feet above the valley floor.Depending on the route, climbing Telescope Peak from Badwater Basin involves between 20 and 31 miles round trip. Regardless of the route, you're looking at more than 11,300 feet of continuous vertical elevation gain. Add zero water sources, virtually no shade, challenging navigation, and drastic temperature changes—often starting in…