mount clark

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ryankelly

Trad climber

el portal

Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 12, 2010 - 05:57pm PT

Thinking of checking out the NW Arete of Mount Clark this weekend.

Any beta on the approach via LYV and getting on the proper ridge after the trail passes Bunnel Point?

Thanks in advance,
Ryan

Gene

Social climber

Nov 12, 2010 - 06:12pm PT

Ryan,
Can't remember the cut-off point from the JMT. But I do remember that the creek drainages running west of Clark shown on the USGS topo are not accurate. I suggest you return the way you came.

Have fun.

g

ryankelly

Trad climber

el portal

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 12, 2010 - 07:57pm PT

Hey Gene,

I've been looking at the Half Dome and Merced Peak 7.5 minute quads. Are these the ones you were talking about?

Thanks for the good word.

Gene

Social climber

Nov 12, 2010 - 08:14pm PT

Ryan,

i got them all on CD now so I can't tell you which version is whacked. I don't recall a problem with the published maps going from the JMT to Clark. You might wanna check out the Mt. Clark page at summitpost.org.

Again, have fun.

g

Going to/from Clark westerly is a bitch. DMT?

Slakkey

Big Wall climber

From Back to Big Wall Baby

Nov 12, 2010 - 08:34pm PT

I am not 100 % sure but I believe it is the 15 Minute Quad Map as it relates to this area that is whacked but best to verify that.

Adamame

Big Wall climber

Santa Cruz

Nov 12, 2010 - 10:44pm PT

I approached from Starr King when I did it, but I would imagine that cutting off after Bunnell Point would be better with the recent snows. Given my experience in the area I would follow the trail around Bunnell Point and then cutoff the trail sometime after the last witchback and then contour around and up the eastside of the rock, then follow the ridge that leads in a SSE direction from Bunnell Point towards Mt. Clark. Aim towards the mellow slopes that come off the west side off the ridge a good 1.5-2 miles from where the ridge meets the summit and not too far to the east that you end up in the cirque to the north of the peak, which looks pretty hard to gain the ridge from. Definitley gain the ridge as soon as possible and follow it for what seems like miles. It is pretty cool the whole way. The route defintely felt like a classic sierra class 3 sandbag, with the mandatory 5.6 moves and all being quite exposed and exciting. One of my favorite Sierra Ridges ever! This way would avoid the problem area on the 7.5 min maps. The error being in the path that a few of the creeks take on the west side of the clark range. Those inaccuracies are not problematic when descending but would be if you were ascending towards the peak and trying to pick which creek to ascend towards the peak. Have fun.

ryankelly

Trad climber

el portal

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 14, 2010 - 08:12pm PT

So we hiked out there and got totally shut down by snowy bushwhacking through what I think was Mt. Alder. The snowy talus fields were pretty slow too and our turn around time was 1 pm. We turned around at 8,000 ft, only around 3,000' short of our intended goal, and then walked the 8 miles back to the Valley so we could get pizza at the Carabiner.

It was a stunning day in the Sierra.

Gene

Social climber

Nov 14, 2010 - 08:16pm PT

Glad you had a good day. Which way did you go?

g

ryankelly

Trad climber

el portal

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 14, 2010 - 08:20pm PT

Mist Trail to LYV and along the Merced River and up the switch backs past Bunnell. Then we crossed a creek and started heading roughly south.

Gene

Social climber

Nov 14, 2010 - 08:21pm PT

Thanks

ß Î Ø T Ç H

climber

Nov 14, 2010 - 10:25pm PT

Rad. You gonna try again?

LuckyPink

climber

the last bivy

Nov 15, 2010 - 01:09am PT

bump for good effort.. (trouble posting hope it doesn't show up twice)

mouse from merced

Trad climber

The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.

Nov 12, 2012 - 06:00pm PT

^^^^Bump in case anyone likes this sort of time in the Park.^^^^

this is not rocket science, finding the way into Mt. Clark. Judging from reports, the snow is going to look this way through Thanksgiving. I cetainly hope so. It's deserted in the LYV and the cables are down, the lakes are icy in the a.m. and it's freezing in the shadows of the camp, so get off your ass and move out.

Jim, my rocket science friend, climbed the NW solo in the eighties. We are working up his slides so we can do that TR. Here are a sample.

Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber

San Francisco

Nov 12, 2012 - 06:10pm PT

It's a beautiful peak for sure. Did it last year as a day-hike. Up the arete.

Adamame

climber

Santa Cruz

Nov 12, 2012 - 06:20pm PT

Its so much bigger then it looks in the last photo. Real Sierra class 4. I ran into fixed pins up there. Sure sign you're off route, or maybe on?

graniteclimber

Trad climber

The Illuminati -- S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Division

Nov 12, 2012 - 06:39pm PT

Edit: Thanks QITNL

Sheets

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Nov 12, 2012 - 06:41pm PT

I day-hiked it early this year by going up the LYV.

Going around Bunnell point you eventually leave the trail and cut cross country up and onto a ridge which is followed to the NW ridge of Clark.
The crux of the trip for me was backtracking this cross country part, I wasted an hour or so trying to get down into the right drainage.

Kinda a long ways to go for a bit of a ridge scramble, sorta enjoyed the trip through LYV more than the ridge since I had never gone further than the H.D. trail before.

Inner City

Trad climber

East Bay

Nov 12, 2012 - 07:03pm PT

Great effort trying to get up there this time of year. I love that part of Yosemite. Enjoyed doing that ridge, but must concur with earlier poster that the obligatory 5.6 moves on a "Class 4" were encountered.

Such a beautiful peak!

HighTraverse

Trad climber

Bay Area

Nov 12, 2012 - 07:40pm PT

I've only seen Mt Clark from a distance. It's a much more complex and interesting peak than I thought.
Has anyone got closeup shots of the NE and E aspects?