New Ellery Bowl Guidebook

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ablegabel

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Aug 28, 2016 - 11:55am PT

Nope, still not even close.

Once again, please look at my overlay that I drew directly over your photograph, on post 145. It shows it as close as I can get it on your photo.

Glad to hear Lonnie likes it. Hopefully he'll try out the other two to the right, which are also good.

Eric Gabel

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Aug 28, 2016 - 12:51pm PT

Left Red line is upper part of Backbone, but much of it is hard to pick out against the background ridge.
Black text "The Backbone" to right is not on a known climb.
These show the in between ridges with no known climbs, at present (maybe loose rock...).

Bruce Morris

Trad climber

Belmont, California

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 28, 2016 - 01:40pm PT

Left Red line is upper part of Backbone, but much of it is hard to pick out against the background ridge.
Black text "The Backbone" to right is not on a known climb.

Ah hah! Now I see what Able Gabel is trying to indicate in his overlay shot.

I do remember that that area does have its share of loose rock. When Urmas and I did Mr Catastrophe (beneath the Northwest Ridge), I was really impressed with all the loose blocks. The second pitch of the Chicken Foot cracks was also in a class by itself as far as loose rock is concerned. It does seem that The Backbone ridge-arete is very, very solid tho. Therefore, pick and choose your line and watch yourself. The East Ellery Ridge, the North Ellery Ridge, and the Backbone all seem fairly solid. But the Northwest Ellery Ridge has some loose blocks to avoid as Ed Hartouni did successfully.

ablegabel

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Aug 28, 2016 - 03:36pm PT

I would imagine the rock on the other ridges that I haven't climbed, is probably quite good. We encountered very little loose rock on any of the routes we climbed, with the exception of the block I launched off that almost killed Ed. That route (Northwest Buttress) wasn't particularly loose, just not as aesthetic as the others.

There are several other ridges to be climbed, and I would think they would be quite good. I just never got around to them.

Eric Gabel

Bruce Morris

Trad climber

Belmont, California

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 28, 2016 - 11:38pm PT

"The Backbone" III 5.7:

Did I get close to it this time, Eric? But where is the 5.7 lb next to the block?

I do see some aretes to the right of The Backbone that look fairly solid and inviting. You never know till you get out there and try. That right-facing dihedral seems to lead to an arete that joins the Backbone up on the skyline. Any pioneers?

ablegabel

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Aug 29, 2016 - 10:22am PT

Your picture on post 170 is correct.

Your picture on post 171 is not correct and does not show the Backbone in that photo. Wrong ridge, again.

Not sure what is confusing you?

Eric Gabel

Bruce Morris

Trad climber

Belmont, California

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2016 - 12:37pm PT

I'll stick with #170. Just stumbled on #171 and wondered if it was a new view of The Backbone? Not! You're right about there being a lot of unclimbed ridges on that Lee Vining Canyon North Slope!

Deleted #171 from this string and also from The Backbone entry on Mountain Project. Finally looks pretty accurate.

Quick question: Where should I mark the 5.7 lb around the block in #170. I imagine people want to know where the crux of the route is. I think that 5.7 LB must be what you see Lonnie doing on his head cam video on Instagram and FB. Might not be too hard, but there sure is a lot of air below.

It's funny though from one angle all those ridges are really obvious, but from an oblique angle or straight on, they disappear into the slope. In the shots where they're obvious, there are shadows in the late afternoon sun.

ablegabel

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Aug 29, 2016 - 02:32pm PT

Bruce Morris

Trad climber

Belmont, California

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2016 - 01:25am PT

Here's an upgraded version of EG's shot above:

Stewart Johnson

Mountain climber

lake forest

Aug 31, 2016 - 05:30pm PT

Back in the early 90s
I would park at the power plant and
Solo what is called the north Ellery
ridge. Then cross the plateau and
Climb Dana glacier on to the
Summit of mt Dana
Then hitchhike down from the pass.
Once I got a ride all the way back to
The power plant !
And here is a photo of the route
Cerro Knarle'
Clean cracks and face makes it a
Great route at about 5.9 4 pitches
(Trying for a better photo)

Bruce Morris

Trad climber

Belmont, California

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2016 - 05:43pm PT

I have a better picture of the Sphinx from that angle. Will try to draw your topo over it.

Looks like what everyone is calling the Orange Chimney is in fact Cerro K'narle'? Or, rather they are the same line with different names. This will certainly impact the Sphinx topo on MP.

Pretty stout enduro workout there! Lots of elevation gain over varied terrain. Definitely an A+ for effort!

Thanks for the help. Corrections like that really help unravel the mysteries of LVC.

Stewart Johnson

Mountain climber

lake forest

Aug 31, 2016 - 06:23pm PT

Bruce!
There's no climbing in an orange chimney on Cerro Knarle'.
First pitch steps right across the big gash And follow an arch
back left to the base of the second pitch a 45 ' fist crack
Visible from the ground.
Ive been doing the climb for about 25 years.
I thought it was called Tioga peak from the old days.
There's another route I did with Todd Worsfold
that was more crumbly . To the right more,

Thanks for all your hard work!
Cheers, Paul

Bruce Morris

Trad climber

Belmont, California

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2016 - 08:00pm PT

Sounds like the Orange Chimney and Cerro K'narle' are 2 separate routes that run close to one another. Have to indicate that on the topo. The Sphinx and Tioga Peak are definitely separate features.

Thanks for the clarification.

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Aug 31, 2016 - 08:45pm PT

Sphinx - South Face
1. Cerro Knarle (aka South Face) 5.9 or 5.10a, 4p, starts L of Orange Chimney, then is right
p1: face with fixed knifeblade for pro, cross chimney, climb arch
p2: up to 45' 5.9 fist crack, to horizontal break
p3: face to upper corner, p3 or p1 has a fixed knifeblade piton
p4: finish
2. Orange Chimney
3. more crumbly route, right of Cerro Knarle, FA by Paul Teare and Todd Worsfold 1987

Sphinx - East Face
4. Short bolt and pro route to 2x anchor
5. Great Googley Boogley 5.10
6. Bighorn 5.10 - right of #6, cracks and corners, finishing w/ crack splitting upper headwall
7. East Ridge 5.7 (on skyline)
(Slightly edited version of ablegabel's August 4 post, which contains route descriptions and FA info):
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=2819395&msg=2854801#msg2854801

I heard back from Wayne Wallace about his South Face route in 1984:

It has been too long for me to remember much about the climb. It did go up the most prominent dihedrals though.

Bruce Morris

Trad climber

Belmont, California

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 1, 2016 - 01:33am PT

Thanks a lot Clint! Looks like the inscrutable Sphinx is starting to yield some of its secrets. Keep poking away at it and we may get an accurate topo at last.

Sounds like that "Cerro K'narle'" is a pretty good route that ought to be seeing more mainstream traffic. Certainly is in a very spectacular location in LVC.

Nudge Nudge

Trad climber

Sep 1, 2016 - 07:47am PT

I've always heard the Sphinx referred to as The Pope's Hat. I was up the canyon behind it last year for the first time for some patch-skiing.

Looking down the east ridge- is that the "halfway highpoint" with the 1959 peanut butter jar?

And for the backside route do you aim for the far left notch of the saddle?

-Nathan

Bruce Morris

Trad climber

Belmont, California

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 1, 2016 - 12:31pm PT

And for the backside route do you aim for the far left notch of the saddle?

ablegabel knows for sure. Maybe there are others?

This string sure is getting informative.

ablegabel

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Sep 1, 2016 - 06:51pm PT

Nathan,
Here's a overlay of the ridge with the 1959 register marked. To do the backside route, go up somewhere in the vicinity of my arrow (5.4 or 5.5) to the saddle, then up the ridge (one spot of 5.6 or 5.7) to the summit.
My friend Ian Ferguson climbed down the other side of the summit, and continued on the ridge up to the next peak. I see no reason why you couldn't access the summit by going to the top of the bowl, and doing that in reverse. But I haven't done it.

Eric Gabel