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mooch
Trad climber
Old Climbers' Home (Adopted)
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 13, 2011 - 01:31pm PT
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Headed out with Deb to hit dis biotch up. Heading in Friday morning over Shepards and staying in Williamson Bowl that night. Tackling the route in the AM. Still not clear to me where to get onto the rib itself. Heard you get on its east side at 11K but based on topos, I see no reason why we couldn't reach the arete from the west. Also, how is the downclimb from the horn and into the notch?
Anyone been up in that area and seen snow levels? Info welcome.
~ mooch
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DonC
climber
CA
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Jul 13, 2011 - 01:45pm PT
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mooch - I took these last week, just a few miles out the Shepherd Pass road. Is your route visible or out of view? I've always wanted to do something on this bad boy - it is a beautiful peak.
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Jul 13, 2011 - 01:54pm PT
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Good luck, mooch. It is a huge mountain, massive really. We only did the dog route and it was spectacular.
IIRC, Misha did it and they had to bivvy?
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Anxious Melancholy
Mountain climber
Between the Depths of Despair & Heights of Folly
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Jul 13, 2011 - 02:18pm PT
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I believe going over Shepard is taking the long way to access this route. Walked under it when we did the N Face via Shepard/Williamson Creek. Personally, I'd do Williamson Creek again if I was going to do Twisted Rib.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Jul 13, 2011 - 02:30pm PT
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I did it from Williamson bowl with Chelsea Griffie in about 2001. The approach down Williamson Creek is beautiful, and when you finish and descend the west chute you are back in the Bowl set to do Tyndall the next day. Williamson Creek from the bottom involves ascending long stretches of steep scree to gain the ridge.
On your second shot the correct route is in red. Several guidebooks show it going up the right hand ridge (green line) where they split. When you go up the left ridge and look across you will be very pleased not to be over there.
It's a great climb. There is a mandatory 5.4 move down low and the rest is easier. When you are on the upper part and look down at Independance it is like the view from a plane. Spectacular.
Getting off the West Horn summit and over to the summit plateau looks odd at first. Scramble down to the northwest looking around carefully and you'll find it.
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mooch
Trad climber
Old Climbers' Home (Adopted)
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 13, 2011 - 06:24pm PT
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Good shots Don and crew. It was my understanding that the 5th was up near the top, on the east side of the horn before topping out on it. Call you later Kri
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213
climber
Where the Froude number often >> 1
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Jul 13, 2011 - 06:35pm PT
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A friend soloed this route ~10years ago and said it is his all-time favorite alpine ridge climb in the Sierra...Have a great time!
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mooch
Trad climber
Old Climbers' Home (Adopted)
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 13, 2011 - 07:08pm PT
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That's what I'm curious to find out 213. So far, the North Ridge of LPP is my fave. Guess we'll see! :)
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Jul 13, 2011 - 09:14pm PT
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We soloed. Crux move is down low, a bouldery move up a step / headwall. It is wild up top, a knife edge ridge, but easy.
Waaaay betta than N ridge LPP imo.
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micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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Jul 13, 2011 - 09:35pm PT
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Go git sum! Have fun. Take pictures!
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Jul 13, 2011 - 10:02pm PT
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A couple photos to wet your appetite. Sorry we just had a cheap disposable camera.
Chelsea taking a break up high. Weather looks good here.
Me, on terrain between West Horn summit and the true summit plateau. Weather deteriorating. We abandoned the main summit when an electrical spark arced from the rock to my thumb with a loud pop and ran for our lives down the west chute. Over the next few days I lost my left thumbnail...
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Jul 13, 2011 - 11:51pm PT
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Thanks for the beta Kris ! Interested to hear how it goes for you Dave .. the route is on our schedule this year.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Jul 14, 2011 - 12:21am PT
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Basically there are two ridges which join like a wishbone. This is not obvious in DonC's pics because of the angle of view. It is obvious in the Porcella/Burns book which shows the climb going up the right ridge (which is the wrong ridge.) The newest Secor book shows the route correctly, following the left ridge.
When you are standing below the ridges looking up the choice is obvious.
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mooch
Trad climber
Old Climbers' Home (Adopted)
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 14, 2011 - 05:22pm PT
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Gee Kris....those were some good sized packs! What were you and Chelsea training for? Or did you just want to lug packs up there and take your time?
Basic itinerary: solo gig.....steady as she goes! Going to hit the route no later than 4AM and hopefully get back to Williamson Bowl just before nightfall. Age has its pitfalls :P
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Jul 14, 2011 - 05:39pm PT
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Gee Kris....those were some good sized packs! What were you and Chelsea training for? Or did you just want to lug packs up there and take your time?
The packs weren't bad. We had a shaky weather forecast so extra clothing was in order, and I carried a rope and a short rack which we didn't use. We did the route pretty fast, being back down in the bowl late afternoon.
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mooch
Trad climber
Old Climbers' Home (Adopted)
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 14, 2011 - 05:44pm PT
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I'm hoping we get back around that time too. But between my progressively aging knees and Deb's 50/50 "bonk" resume (ok, 40/60).. this one has me thinking conservatively. HA!
Yep, have a 30M 8mm rope, slings (for the rap) and light harnesses.....but I don't think we'll need 'em. But just in case...
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Gene
climber
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Jul 15, 2011 - 07:21pm PT
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It's great that we no longer have to deal with the seasonal closures.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Jul 15, 2011 - 07:39pm PT
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Here she is from the hike out of Williamson Bowl, looking down the upper section of Williamson Creek. The upper part of the Long Twisting Rib to the West Horn Summit is the left skyline.
edit: The West Chute (descent) is the right of the two chutes on the west face with snow tongues...
Here's some good beta. The small lake at the top of Shepherd Pass was all silty and plugged up my filter. I was lucky to have one which could be taken apart and cleaned in the field.
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mooch
Trad climber
Old Climbers' Home (Adopted)
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 18, 2011 - 12:30pm PT
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Just back from Williamson. Successful ascent via Long Twisting Rib. Never had to break out the rope, although there are a couple of spots you don't want to lose focus (especially the downclimb from the West Horn into the notch while headed to the summit plateau. Some highlights:
1) Mooch lost his camera on the route. F*ck!! Thankfully I had an iPhone with me. Mrs Mooch managed to keep her camera. She hasn't downloaded her photos yet.
2) Shepards Pass still has a bit of snow on it but managable. The outlet from the lake just past Shepards Pass (the one Kris mentioned that is silty) was pouring out in large volumes! So much that water was flowing over the snow....2 feet deep! Managed to find a spot to cross....used Tevas. One a side note, be sure you absolutely bring Tevas or something similar....you'll be needing them for several stream crossings. All the creeks are swollen and moving fast.
3) The route is not obvious until you get right under it. Don't get suckered into traversing in from the west like we did. We had to do some adjusting to finally get on it.
4) Best climbing on the entire route is up high on the West Horn, IMO.
5) Overall, "been there, done that". That's all I have to say about LTR. All in the eye of the beholder. Nahmeen? LPP's North Ridge is still my fave.
Pictures to follow.....damn slow Monday morning network.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jul 18, 2011 - 02:23pm PT
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Lost camera? Bummer! Not so much for the camera but for the frightening
possibility that you could be on the downhill slide to what many of us know
as reality. That's why I carry a 5 pounder - If I put my pack on and it is
too light then I know the camera isn't in it.
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