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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 10, 2016 - 11:50pm PT
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Nathan - Thanks for providing info about those 2 lines and the Cocktower. Do those crumbly wide cracks have names? Ratings?
More and more info for a big Lee Vining Canyon guidebook. So much obscurity in that canyon. So much must have gone on in there through the years.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 13, 2016 - 05:45pm PT
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Eric Gabel is free to correct me, but last week I think I did get a fairly accurate photograph of his ridge route, "The Backbone" (III 5.7), running up the south side of Lee Vining Canyon to Dana Plateau:
Eric did say that when the light was right, it really did standout. I think this was from a turnout a little ways down below the Green Bridge on US 120.
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Nudge Nudge
Trad climber
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Oct 14, 2016 - 11:07am PT
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Bruce-
I didn't see any signs of anything being climbed, so I had called the area T's Terrace, but no route names yet. Here's another new discovery in LV canyon, called it Jiffy Pop crag. Quick approach, fun easy routes on very featured rock.
-Nathan
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 14, 2016 - 04:10pm PT
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Wow, thanks Nathan. Where is that exactly? Along US 120 or the Poole Power Plant Road? Seems to be a bunch of new stuff across from the Power Station itself on the north side of the Canyon too.
I've got the feeling that this project is going to grow into a 100 page magnum opus before it's said and done.
But that OK. Lee Vining Canyon can act as a sort of "Anti-T. Meadows" over-flow area! Areas like that with short approaches are bound to be popular in the future.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2017 - 01:50am PT
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Does anyone know about routes on Elephant Head Rock just off the north side of Tioga Pass Road (US 120) near the east end of Lee Vining Canyon? It's just after the long downhill before the bottom of LVC flattens out. Think I heard about some routes there, but don't know any particulars.
Anyone know about Elephant Head Rock and any routes on it?
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Urmas
Social climber
Sierra Eastside
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Feb 28, 2017 - 04:02pm PT
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Bruce: Scott Cole, Becky and I put up some gear protected crack routes in one of the side canyons on the north side of Hwy. 120 near the bottom of the grade years ago. They were never reported to anyone. They were pretty stout - 5.10+ to 5.11. I don't think I can explain their location but next time I'm there I can send you a photo.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2017 - 06:55pm PT
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Thanks Urmas. I seem to remember those routes you and Becky and Scott put up on Elephant Head Rock. Maybe you told me about them? They're pretty close to the road near the bottom of the grade.
Just noticed that the formation did have a name: Elephant Head Rock. At least that's what Caltrans calls it.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 1, 2017 - 02:03pm PT
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Here's the FA information I have for the Sphinx formation so far:
The Sphinx
Orange Chimney (II 5.9) FA: Paul Teare/Todd Worsfold 1987
Cerro K’Narlé (II 5.10a) FA: Wayne Wallace/Fletcher Wilson September 13, 1984, 2nd ascent: Wayne Wallace/Paul Teare May 29, 1985
South Face (III 5.10b) FA: Stewart Johnson/Todd Worsfold (date?)
1-Pitch Bolt & Natural Pro Pitch FA: Wayne Wallace et al. Oct. 1, 1989
Great Googley Boogley FA: Eric Gabel/Ed Hartouni July 9, 2011
Big Horn (II 5.10b) FA: Paul Linaweaver/Mike Strassman October 1987
East Ridge (II 5.7) Upper East Ridge: FA: W.G. ‘Gerald’ Yongue August 19th 1938. Entire East Ridge: FA: Anon as early as 1959
East Ridge Continuation FA: Ian Ferguson
Any corrections of new information to add? Still not sure about that South Face route. Seem like there are 3 possibilities to the right of Cerro Knarlé? I'm thinking it's the one just left of the 1-Pitch Bolt & Natural Pro Route Wayne Wallace attempted back in Oct. 89, but not sure.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2017 - 02:04am PT
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Here's a panorama I just put together of all 3 Warren Towers with an inset showing the routes on the North Tower:
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Stewart Johnson
Mountain climber
lake forest
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cerro knarle' route on the left, south face on right
stewart johnson is the avatar for Paul Teare , i never climbed an orange chimney.
thanks for all your work on the guidebook, Bruce!
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2017 - 02:24pm PT
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Thanks a lot Stewart! Now I can see the 4 pitches of "Cerro K'Narlé" and where the heck the South Face actually is. Okay, so it's back to the re-edit, re-draw procedure for the 100th time. But it's great to finally be getting The Sphinx right at last.
Which brings up another question - What are the 2 lines to the right of the South Face on Ablegabel's Sphinx topo? You'll notice that between Cerro K'Narlé and the 1-Pitch Bolt and Natural Pro line, Eric has drawn in three lines. The left-most of which is your South Face. But the other two are as yet unidentified.
At least with all this rain, I've finally got the Pyramid and the North, Middle and South Warren Towers in the bag and that's saying a lot! Finally figured out the Ellery Ridges too. But that dang Sphinx still holds some mysteries.
So, you're saying SJ is really PT? Have to change some FA info in the back now.
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Stewart Johnson
Mountain climber
lake forest
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Yep, stewart johnson is just an avatar Bruce! I didn't get out to climb the knarley tower route last season but hopefully this year! Once again thanks for your diligent efforts in getting it right!
sincerely , Paul
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2017 - 03:43pm PT
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Yeah, you just got to keep going back to it again and again. Just like an engineering project.
But I was also wondering about Cerro K'Narlé? Seems like you third-class up to the small roof to the left of the Orange Chimney and start belaying the 5.10a face pitch from there, which would technically be the first pitch of roped climbing. Then, the 5.9 hands is pitch 2.
At the end of Pitch 4 it looks like there's a short 3/4th class scramble up to the true Sphinx Summit: el. 10,160.
Looks like you show 3 pitches on the South Face route (5.10b). Thought I read somewhere that it has 4 pitches (or does you're line cover up the little dot for a belay)?
At least the routes are all in the right places and sequence now! Thanks a million.
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Stewart Johnson
Mountain climber
lake forest
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Photos from the early 90s
Yes bruce the climbing starts after a 3rd class scramble to the base of the orange chimney.
Step right and begin the 1st pitch face/arch.
The last pitch goes through a roof at 5.9 excellent!
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 4, 2017 - 01:53pm PT
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Thanks Stewart! Your info keeps fleshing out the details a little bit at a time. Good to have more pics too. That second pitch of Cerro K'Narlé does look pretty amazing. The hand crack is obvious from the base, but this closeup gives you an even better idea how good it is.
Have to do CK myself next summer and draw a real detailed topo. But when is the Pass going to open this year? August?
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Scole
Trad climber
Zapopan
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Mar 10, 2017 - 11:13am PT
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Urmas, Becky and I climbed several routes in a side canyon at the bottom of the grade on what you are calling Elephant Rock. We called it Bighorn Crag after seeing several sheep on our first visit. Like Urmas mentions a few posts above the routes are stout. One I remember we called Big and Horny, and another was Ram It.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 10, 2017 - 04:42pm PT
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Think Caltrans calls it Elephant Head Rock, but what you're referring to scole is definitely the same formation. Lots of mysteries in Lee Vining Canyon like the 2-pitch 5.10a hand crack that me and Yerian and Marc Hill did on the north side of the canyon up the hill opposite the Power Station. Must have been c. 1987. Nice route except that D. Yerian almost dropped a 400 lb block on me and Hill from on top of the first pitch. Well, the block isn't there anymore . . . . A day to remember!
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 1, 2017 - 02:39am PT
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Front and back covers for the new expanded and revised 2nd edition of the Climber's Guide to Ellery Bowl:
Hopefully it will be out by the time the snow melts and the road opens in late June or early July?
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Scole
Trad climber
Zapopan
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Since all of Lee Vining Canyon seems to be covered in this thread, here is a shot of Dave Yerian on an unnamed crack in the lower canyon off the powerhouse rd. About 1980 I think
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 11, 2017 - 01:34am PT
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Marc Hill and Yerian and I did some stuff down at the bottom of Lee Vining Canyon up to the north of the Power Station in 1987. Wonder how close this is to that? Urmas Franosch says he's been doing some new routes across Lee Vining Creek on the south side too.
Well, the new expanded 2nd edition of the Ellery Guide was published yesterday, May 9th, 2017th. Now comes the hardest work of all, getting it distributed through REI and Amazon, Planet Granite and Touchstone et al. Even got a ISBN number.
About 57+ pages, 72 routes I think, plus FA information and index.
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