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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 1, 2009 - 01:32pm PT
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Any info on these two peaks on Yosemite's northern boundary? What's the rock like? Are there any technical routes?
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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I've been on Tower Peak twice, both times from Tower Lake. It was many moons ago and as I recall there was a small snowfield to cross but otherwise class 3. The rock seemed pretty good and there should be some good technical rock to be had, but I know nothing about climbing activity in the area. Somebody probably has climbed there. Beautiful Area.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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long way in there
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cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
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I'll get back to you with some info in 6 weeks. I'll be out there Aug 1-9. We're packing in with mules @ 75 lbs gear per person.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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long, long hot hike.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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pretty low angle on some of it too
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aldude
climber
Monument Manor
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Patrick - John Nye and I hiked in there from Leavitt Meadows in the late 80's and established nice technical routes on the NE face of Tower , III 5.10 and the West Face of Hawksbeak IV 5.10.Check out the Secor guide - every serious Sierra climber should have one! Kind of a long approach regardless of trailhead choice (12 miles). I'm assuming the " Watchtower " is the tusklike formation 1 mile north of Tower. Didn't climb on that but there is certainly potential there....
Happy Trails*
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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way to go al.
now every sport climber in america will be lining up to crowd that thing.
heh.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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sheeesh Al
spill the beans why don't ya
;)
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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dammit- you snooze you lose I guess.
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Risk
Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
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Way remote. Here's a picture looking north to Tower. Looks like a rubble pile from this end. Wish I did it when I was back there.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 2, 2009 - 02:09am PT
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Gene, I had already checked out SummitPost but hardly any climbing info.
Cragnshag, have a good time.
Aldude, from the photos I have seen, it looks like there could be some good climbing. I'll see if I can get the Secor guide as the Supertopo guide and the Moynier/Fiddler guide (I use to be a housemate and climbing buddy with Claude in Cedar Ridge) do not mention anything that I can tell, though supposedly according to the SummitPost entry, M/F recommend Tower Peak.
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big wall paul
Trad climber
tahoe, CA
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Aug 11, 2009 - 02:47am PT
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Got back yesterday from the trip with Bob Steed (cragnshag).
What a trip!
The climbs I did with Bob were a new 10 pitch 5.8 on Watchtower, a new 5 pitch 5.8 on WatchTower, and a new 5.8 on a 150' cliff on the descent from watchtower. Look for photos and topos soon.
Paul.
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Banquo
Trad climber
Morgan Hill, CA
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Aug 12, 2009 - 05:37pm PT
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Paul-
On 8/5/09 Bob and I did a 10 pitch 5.7 on the NE face to the north summit plus a hand crack pitch on the east side of the south summit.
Got a shot of you, or Bob, or somebody, on the north summit. Taken from the east side ~ 2:15 pm 8/7/09
Dan
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Eastside Barbie
Social climber
Eastern Sierra, CA
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Aug 13, 2009 - 03:22pm PT
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Watchtower is mmmm gooood. Super clean consistent grade highcountry granite. Worth the long walk on short plastic legs.
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Aug 13, 2009 - 03:46pm PT
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Wow, nice shot .. definitely curious ..
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Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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Aug 13, 2009 - 03:51pm PT
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Went up to Tower for a fast and heavy backpacking overnight a few years ago. Long slog on a severely beat out trail (friggin' pack trains!), but a nice spot. No technical climbing, but tagged the summit before heading out.
From the Leavitt Meadow, looking south:
North(east?) side of Tower. I guess this is what folks call the Watchtower. Looked like a lot of potential:
Summit:
Hawksbeak? (from the west)
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cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
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Aug 13, 2009 - 08:07pm PT
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Amazingly enough, 8 folks summited the Watchtower formation last week, via 4 independent new routes in the 5.7-5.8 range, 8 to 10 pitches apiece (long pitches... 185'-200').
The Watchtower is a separate formation from Tower Peak and consists of three summits separated by long couloirs on the West. The South and middle summits are class 3/4 from the saddle with Tower Peak, while the North Summit is 5th class from any direction. Great climbing in a great location.
When Eastside Barbie, the Old Dork, and BigWallPaul send me their photos, I'll post up a TR along w/ some topos.
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Aug 13, 2009 - 10:24pm PT
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I hate you people.
Don't take it personally. I'm just really really jealous.
What can I expect, you can see the thing from the road.
I've been trying to get someone to go with me for the past four years. I asked around, nobody knew anything about it. Then it was on summit post. That, I knew was a bad sign, but the photo helped spark some interest from my lazy ass friends.
Like I said above you snooze you lose.
It sounds like you guys did it in better style than I would have anyway. I was thinking the three day weekend style, which would have been one route if we were lucky.
Good job on picking this one. Congratulations.
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