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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Apr 19, 2010 - 11:22pm PT
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I was just reading over the weekend that a typical 1930's and 40's rope team would be 3 on a rope such that 40 ft. pitches were common. Leader climbed to a pin, and brought up 2nd. Works on pretty ledgey stuff, I guess. 40 ft. to pro is different than 200, but then again, so are sneakers, crappy ropes, and a handful of pins!
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Apr 19, 2010 - 11:54pm PT
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I did the 5.3 route on LB about forty plus years ago. We came down Michael's Ledge, which was a mistake, I'm sure. It would have been easier to rap down the corner. All I remember now is doing an awful lot of work for questionable rewards.
John
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JOEY.F
Social climber
sebastopol
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Apr 20, 2010 - 01:18am PT
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Like those photos, QINTL!
Humm...This sounds like a do-able FL2010 excursion, TT. You lead, I'll bring the vino.
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squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 26, 2010 - 09:58am PT
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The 1st 3 pitches are now a little cleaner, but damn!!!
what a rotten choss pile...the second half looks cool though....
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squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 26, 2010 - 06:58pm PT
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The "rotten 5.4 chimney" was indeed rotten, as was the face on the second pitch. I think I got off route on the third pitch and ended up in a pile of red ants on crumbling holds. I need to go back and scope the line I now think would be better, which would be up instead of traversing. There is a gully which follows under the 1s half of the route making it very easy to bail with a double rope rap, from even the top of the third pitch. No wonder this climb is no longer done. The top looks really nice though, a crack in a white open book leading up to the "improbable ledge" which is just above Sierra Point and off to the east. There is a lot of new tree growth on this ledge in one particular spot and it may be difficult to pass it without some gardening.
If there is a less crumbly way to that big white corner I would take it, I would avoid the beginning of the route described by Roper and head up the gully till below the corner and look for a route there. I may have some pictures showing the bottom few pitches.
The beginning of the route is not very obvious, once around the lowest part of the buttress keep going till near the bridge, I think we stopped near a bench on the trail (but I did not see the bridge) and headed up toward the gully I spoke about earlier, the rotten chimney start is to the left of this prominent gully on the southeast face right below the point. It is recommend that you know exactly where the Point is before trying to find the start. You can scope the entire second half of the route from the Point above.
We were so turned off and bloody we went over to the apron the following day to climb some rock that doesn't pull out...It's amazing how scary 5.4 can get when the rock is falling away. But still, I may give it another go...I encourage others to as well, maybe with a few ascents it won't be so bad...
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squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 26, 2010 - 07:17pm PT
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Also, be careful when cleaning the route, the mist trail is below you and covered in a constant stream of turons...
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Apr 26, 2010 - 07:23pm PT
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Post some pics!
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squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 26, 2010 - 08:07pm PT
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Apr 26, 2010 - 08:17pm PT
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Nice! I may give this rig a go this year.
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squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 26, 2010 - 09:10pm PT
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Oh cool, you can join me on the train...
I must admit there were other possibilities I spied in the area...but I'm not going to be specific on those...
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Apr 26, 2010 - 09:19pm PT
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Bailing ain't something to regret when you have your health.
I'd be in for another attempt, too!
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squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
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Topic Author's Reply - May 10, 2010 - 12:15pm PT
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Thinking about taking that emperor of Yosemite up there for some suffer fest this weekend...old route for an old guy...
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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May 10, 2010 - 02:05pm PT
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I always assumed the route would have started soon after turning the big 90 degree corner on the mist trail where the stone comes right to the trail. Doesn't mean I know anything. Still curious about this route but I guess there's usually a reason why routes don't get done anymore (although Tenaya Peak sure made a resurgence)
Peace
Karl
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mooch
Trad climber
Old Climbers' Home (Adopted)
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May 10, 2010 - 02:33pm PT
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Not near S.P. but this was a fun obscurity we found, only to be referenced in the old greenie....the NW Face Of Middle Cathedral. 5.7 adventure.....prolly hadn't been done since Roper first did it.
A few shots:
Starting up the second pitch
Nearing the top of pitch 4
A brief narrative after logging this one in my personal notes:
Route Climbed: Middle Cathedral Northwest Face (5.7) Date Climbed: 3 Nov 2002
Climbed with Michele Beaty and Bob Burd. We approached Middle Cath. NW Face by ascending The Gunsight. Our original intention was to climb the NW Buttress (5.6). Instead, we took a quick left at the top of The Gunsight and came to the base of NW Face approx. 100 yards away. Although obscure, this route gets 2 stars.....based on adventure climbing. We found some ancient slings wrapped around a tree at the end of the first pitch. The second pitch is just shy of 50 meters (the crux pitch). The third pitch heads straight up for 50 feet and then traverses right and over to a left facing corner. It ends at a tree near the top of the left facing corner. We moved the belay after scrambling and thrashing through chaparral and manzinita about 75 yards upwards (up a small groove filled with pine needles and through bushes). The fourth pitch moves up a left facing corner (our option) and then traverse left and over to a large bush. It continues past the bush and up a steep cleft which finishes at a stately ledge. The fifth pitch is 5.5 and runs up and left onto lichen covered rock. The pitch ends near the drop off of the north face by some moderate sized boulders. From there, we slipped on our approach shoes. The rest is a bush and tree thrash to the summit. We aimed straight up and referenced the north edge of Middle Cath. till the summit. The climb is definately Yosemite 5.7, although I thought the last 25 feet of Pitch #2 was 5.8+ (steep lieback up a left facing corner).
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squishy
Mountain climber
sacramento
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Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2010 - 09:54am PT
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Oh ya, the taco is rad, I can say sh#t without getting my hand slapped and the admins are world class...
I'll be in the valley this weekend, but I don't think fattie can make it up this route...DAO site in housekeeping...there should be sign on the board...
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M. Volland
Trad climber
Grand Canyon
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Feb 20, 2011 - 02:16am PT
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If you are talking about Grizzly Peak's Southwest Ridge, I partnered up with Joshua Leroy Holmes around 2004 for it after two failed ropeless solo trips. I do not have pictures, but this is what I remember:
1) Approach to Sierra Point - At the beginning of the Mist Trail is an interpretive sign on the left titled "Rock Piles", with no pun intended consider this to be your cairn to leave the trail. No kidding, behind the rock piles sign is a well marked path up the talus slope. Follow this uphill aiming for the trees above. Follow a dirt path uphill and to the right (south) until you reach a short section of cliff. An easy scramble leads to another trail to the right (south). When the trail forks, take the one on the left that continues uphill and wraps around to the south side of Grizzly Peak and the Sierra Point overlook railing.
2) Southwest Ridge - From the railing, walk and scramble uphill. Following the line of least resistance will eventually force you east until you reach a cliff with great exposure. Rope up here for a short pitch involving an exposed mantle. Continue scrambling uphill and back to the western side of the ridge and some exposure to the west. Some cool easy rock brings you to the base of a deep chimney with increasing exposure. Set up a belay here. You could climb the chimney, however, we climbed a crack on its right side that was 5th class. (I seem to remember a fixed piece of pro here.) Scramble to the sandy summit.
3) Descend - Walk off the northeast side until you are in a saddle. We bushwacked to Lost Lake and took the slot between Mt. Broderick and the Liberty Cap to the mist trail and back to Curry. This took much longer than expected though. Next time, I will try the rappels down the north gully of Grizzly Peak. I am not sure if this option requires two ropes or not.
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squishy
Mountain climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 3, 2013 - 04:19pm PT
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The route to which Squish and Roper refer is not that one, though. They're not taking the use trail up to to Sierra Point, but talking ground up from the Touron Turnpike. It's loose, success probably depends upon how much you value life - not yours, but those below.
/\ THIS!! ^
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