B757 DEP FROM SNA ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB AT FL220.

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AFTER TKOF; WE HEARD A RPT OF MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB IN THE VICINITY OF TRM VOR. MY RECOLLECTION OF THE ALT GIVEN WAS 17000 FT TO FL230. EXPECTED TO CLB EXPEDITIOUSLY ABOVE RPTED TURB WELL BEFORE TRM. ZLA HAD A GREAT DEAL OF TFC; HOWEVER; AND WE WERE HELD DOWN AND CLBED IN STAIRSTEP FASHION. AFTER VECTORS ACROSS THE SXC 061 DEG RADIAL; WE WERE VECTORED ON A 040 DEG HDG TO REJOIN THE RADIAL ON THE MUSEL SIX DEP; THEN VECTORED 105 DEGS CLBING TO 17000 FT. PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS WERE SEATED AND WARNED OF POSSIBLE TURB. LIGHT CHOP BEGAN ABOUT 12000 FT. WX RADAR SHOWED NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY; LIGHT PRECIPITATION. RECEIVED CLB TO FL220; AND AT 17000 FT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB. AT FL220 AND 280 KTS ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB. RPTED THE TURB AND REQUESTED IMMEDIATE CLB. RECEIVED CLRNC DIRECT TRM VOR AND CLB TO FL230. CLB CLRNCS THEREAFTER WERE GENERALLY IN 1000 FT INCREMENTS. WE ASKED FOR A VECTOR TO EXPEDITE CLB AND EVENTUALLY GOT CLRNC TO FL250 HEADING APPROX 090 DEGS. BROKE OUT INTO CLR AND RIDE IMPROVED; BUT REENTERING CLOUDS AND ENCOUNTERED MORE MODERATE TURB. DENIED FURTHER CLB; I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I WOULD BE DECLARING AN EMER SHORTLY; AND WERE CLRED TO FL260; WHICH HELPED. ABOVE FL280 RIDE WAS SMOOTH. CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO DEN AT FL410. NO INJURIES. WROTE UP ACFT FOR SEVERE TURB INSPECTION. PROB APPEARED TO BE TFC UNABLE TO CLB EFFICIENTLY (RJ'S?). ACFT UNABLE TO CLB ABOVE THE TURB EXPEDITIOUSLY MIGHT HAVE BEEN VECTORED W TO ALLEVIATE THE PROB. ALSO OTHER TFC MAY HAVE BEEN LEVEL AT FL310; HOLDING EVERYONE ELSE DOWN IN THE TURB. CTLRS HAD TOO MUCH TFC TRYING TO PENETRATE THAT FL310 'BARRIER.' IF THE CTLRS HAD REQUIRED ACFT TO ACCEPT A CLB AS NECESSARY IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES IT MAY HAVE MINIMIZED LEVELING ACFT AT ALTS OF RPTED TURB FOR EXTENDED PERIODS.