Trip Report
Big Bird Peak NE Face Sequoia NP CA

by Send
Thursday July 19, 2018 5:35am
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From R.J. Secor Peaks Passes and Trails. Our 'topo'
From R.J. Secor Peaks Passes and Trails. Our 'topo'
Credit: Send
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Big Bird (R)(NW Face), Horn Peak (L) and Upper...
Big Bird (R)(NW Face), Horn Peak (L) and Upper Big Bird Lake. NE face not visible.
Credit: Send
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The big corner on the left. Looks like a fine ice gully on the left fo...
The big corner on the left. Looks like a fine ice gully on the left for early season. All day N face shade. Anybody done it?
Credit: Send
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crux in center. Took a peak at the smaller corner in the upper center....
crux in center. Took a peak at the smaller corner in the upper center. Looked really good, clean 5.10ish (2P)
Credit: Send
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P4: crux (10b). squeeze chimney bulge (center) to hand...
P4: crux (10b). squeeze chimney bulge (center) to hand crack, peters out to thin trending left back to big corner.
Credit: Send
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some grass and flowers, only had to scrape out a few cracks w/ the nut...
some grass and flowers, only had to scrape out a few cracks w/ the nut tool.
Credit: Send
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Credit: Send
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Big Bird Lake and Deadman Canyon
Big Bird Lake and Deadman Canyon
Credit: Send
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the P4 crux
the P4 crux
Credit: Send
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P5 really enjoyable ~5.9 crack/corner with a fun 5.8 chimney to leave ...
P5 really enjoyable ~5.9 crack/corner with a fun 5.8 chimney to leave the big corner.
Credit: Send
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view from the top looking east towards the Kaweah Peaks (R)
view from the top looking east towards the Kaweah Peaks (R)
Credit: Send
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Moose Lake
Moose Lake
Credit: Send
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Credit: Send
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Tablelands and Tokopah Valley
Tablelands and Tokopah Valley
Credit: Send
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After completing Horn Peak https://www.mountainproject.com/route/112076405/north-arete last summer, then doing it a second time because it was so good, I knew I had to check out another one of these 1970/71 Rowell, Jones, Henzie FA’s. Looks like they bagged some fine lines those years. South Arête of the Angel Wings is on that list and Rowell returned in 1971 to do the North Face of Glacier Ridge (5.7).
Big Bird was another fine climb. I mean, I think we were in the right dihedral. I would’ve imagined they picked that big, beautiful and obvious corner on the NE Face too. A mix of grassy cracks and clean splitters were encountered, with a few sections of 5.10a/b climbing. Is today’s 10a/b 1970’s 5.8? Topping out in the Tablelands was a very cool and different experience. Wild adventure climbing at its finest. Figured it to be a little over 1000' of climbing. We did it in 6P ~200' pitches like this:
P1: 5.9+ dirty start to cool chimney w/ double cracks.
P2: 5.6/7 some veg. scrambling.
P3: 5.2 scrambling to the start of the big corner 5.7
P4: crux 5.10b squeeze to hands, fingers. sustained.
P5: fun 5.9 crack/corner to 5.8 chimney exit.
P6: 5.6 slab/corner to finish just left of the summit.
70m rope. doubles 0.3"-1", single #0.1,#0.2,#2,#3. #9,#11 hexes, stoppers, 11 alpine draws.
Approached from Bearpaw area over Lightning Pass. Could also be approached via Pear Lake or Deadman Canyon. There is an incredible camp at a pond in the Tablelands up above 11k on the Kings/Kaweah Divide, 'top of the world'. Topped out 30 mins from our camp.





  Trip Report Views: 2,122
Send
About the Author
Send is a trad climber from Central Sierra.

Comments
Charlie D.

Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
  Jul 19, 2018 - 05:45am PT
Nice!!! "Climb the dihedrals to the summit"......love it. Thanks for posting.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Jul 19, 2018 - 07:29am PT
Stellar! Those grassy cracks and the environ make it look like something in Alaska or Greenland for some reason. Way to get off the beaten path. Rad send. Keep em coming.


Scott
mooch

Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Riverkern Annex)
  Jul 19, 2018 - 08:58am PT
I always did like tromping around in the Tablelands. Light duty traverse from Moose Lake over to Big Bird Peak and beyond. Good views into Deadmans Canyon. I've looked up at that route and beat myself up for not having gear to check it out. Have you thought about going over to Graveyard Meadow in the canyon and climbing any number of possibilities on the western side of the Whaleback? While were bringing up gems around that area, limpingcrab and V came back a few weekends ago from going out to the Alta Peak area and finishing up a line me and partner started 20+ years ago. End up being 5.9. Hope he chimes in and posts a few pics. Our intended line started in the corner, just above the big pine (left of center). Had to bail since my partner was feeling sick. Glad Daniel and crew had a good time with this line!!

Send

Trad climber
Central Sierra
Author's Reply  Jul 19, 2018 - 09:18am PT
nice mooch! those Alta peak towers look really good. About time those things get some lovin'. Rock quality looks like Tuolumne type, same south facing aspect as those Tokopah Domes, more quality stuff in the area.
Yes, Gravesite wall or something like that? Two multis: 5.10- and 5.11- splitters, I believe. Haven't seen them, though the north face of Glacier Ridge is kinda on my list to do now, just cause the position and super hard approach has some lure. Would be a good time to do something on the Whaleback too. Cloud Canyon is a gem.
mooch

Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Riverkern Annex)
  Jul 19, 2018 - 09:45am PT
Cloud Canyon......obscura at its finest! Send it, Send!!
DaveyTree

Trad climber
Fresno
  Jul 19, 2018 - 10:40am PT
Yes, Yes and Yes!!!!!
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Jul 19, 2018 - 10:51am PT
I will let those guys chime in if they see this thread, but yeah, they got some. Adam said it was super splitter rock for most of the way up.



They freakin' went on a Wednesday. Who goes on a Wednesday? I can never seem to make it happen to hook up with them. Because I have a real job. And I hate them for it.
Paul W

Trad climber
Three Rivers, CA
  Jul 19, 2018 - 12:43pm PT
Sick, Chad! I can’t get enough Sequoia trip reports.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  Jul 19, 2018 - 12:58pm PT
Kudos for getting off the beaten path for some radness! This looks like a really fun and solid adventure outing.
limpingcrab

Gym climber
Minkler, CA
  Jul 19, 2018 - 03:59pm PT
So cool! Looks like you’ve had a ton of fun on the Great Western Divide over the past few years!

That couloir you climbed next to is top priority for the snowboard this winter, got this from Palmer a few weeks ago.

Once we topped out on the Alta crag thing with found a bolted rap route over on the right side following a wide crack system. I texted you to see if you knew anything but now I know why you don’t have service!

Thanks for taking the time to share your exploration out there, love it!
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