Vitaliy Musiyenko: The Goliath Traverse

The Cutting Edge

Vitaliy Musiyenko fell in love with California's High Sierra in his early 20s. A decade later, at age 34, he is among the most prolific and accomplished explorers of the Range of Light, having climbed well over 100 long new routes. For much of this time, he has dreamed of putting all this experience to the test on a massive traverse of the Sierra Crest: by far the biggest technical traverse ever attempted in a range celebrated for its challenging linkups. Vitaliy made his first attempt on what he came to call the Goliath in 2016, doing the complete Evolution Crest, from Piute Pass to Bishop Pass. But something told him if he kept going that time, he might never make it out alive. His ultimate goal would add an extended version of the Palisade Traverse, including some sections that had never been done. In early August of this year, with a good forecast and eight days of food, he started out again. For episode 43 of the Cutting Edge, Lauren Miller, herself a longtime Sierra climber, spoke with Vitaliy about his extensive preparation and the physical and mental challenges of this Goliath traverse. The Cutting Edge is presented by Hilleberg the Tentmaker, with additional support from Polartec, Gnarly Nutrition, and Lowa Boots. This show is produced by the American Alpine Club.