Tripod? Swellguy? Halfwit? Smegma?
Trad climber
Wanker Stately Mansion, Placerville
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 9, 2012 - 10:19am PT
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Looking to do some 5.7 or easier, solid solos in the back country. Wondering about Matthes Crest, North or West ridge on Conness, Cathedral peak, North Ridge on North Peak. I Haven't done any of them, and would like to start on easy "scrambles".
I know a lot of you have done tons of this stuff, so a little beta to stay safe would be great
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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North rib of Mount Dana is my old route, mostly class 3-4 with a bit of easy class 5.
Loose as hell, though!
ASI says:
This great climb is about 13 pitches long. It has a lot of quick and easy climbing but is not for the "faint of heart". It contains areas of stacked loose rock but it is easily managed by a competent climber. The sections of polished, metamorphic rock provides interesting headwalls and corners that prove great climbing to a high summit.
http://alpineskills.com/cat_tiogapass.html
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Tripod? Swellguy? Halfwit? Smegma?
Trad climber
Wanker Stately Mansion, Placerville
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 9, 2012 - 10:29am PT
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Great. Thanks for the link, Very helpful
a
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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All of your suggestions are excellent. The rock on the knife-edge sections of the Conness North Ridge is superb. There is one significant down-climb, if soloing, but if you're comfortable doing 5.7 unroped, it shouldn't trouble you, nor should any of your other suggestions. I put the North Ridge high on my list, in part because it's less crowded than most of your other suggestions, except maybe Matthes Crest.
If you do anything on Cathedral Peak, you should do the Regular Route on Eichorn's Pinnacle, too. That's right on your way descending, has good rock, great exposure, and a satisfying summit.
Enjoy!
John
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khanom
Trad climber
The Dessert
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In terms of quality 5th class but still easy/scrambley, Tenaya Peak is probably about the best.
If you've not done any of them before, I would do Tenaya, Cathedral, North Ridge Conness, West Ridge Conness, Matthes in roughly that order. Unicorn is a good scramble too.
Matthes Crest has some little surprises, especially descending from the south tower (assuming no rope at all), depending on your feelings about down-climbing. If you do the whole thing the surprises get considerably more surprising but also of course more rewarding.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Tenaya peak is something you can do in 2 hours to the top without being in a hurry. Great views (can be done on the drive in day in an afternoon).
My favorite so far was a link up of North Ridge of North peak, North ridge of Conness and West ridge (we roped up for it) of Conness. Without West Ridge it would be less than a half day. Makes a lot of sense to approach N ridge of Conness via N peak. Adds just a bit extra, but a lot more fun.
Cathedral is cool. Matthis crest is great (we simul climbed) going N to S instead of S to N, but there is a small 5.8-5.9ish step before the summit (maybe there is a better/easier way with more careful route finding).
Cockscomb and Unicorn are cool too. Not climbed as often as others.
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wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
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East ridge of Humphrey's is nice. A bit of 5.6 and that's it. You can walk off the North side. Be sure to go along the easy knife edge for the exposure.
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Dr. F.
Ice climber
SoCal
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West Crack - good
Great Pumpkin - not good
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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East ridge of Humphrey's is nice.
Far from Tuolumne! LOL
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Great White Book (although not in the back country).
West Ridge of Conness, a beaut.
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F C
Social climber
truckee,ca
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i would say cathedral is an amazing first meadows solo..if you feel comfortable after that, you will love your life about 10 fold if you solo matthes!
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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I hadn't considered Tenaya Peak only because of its proximity to the road. It's a wonderful -- and very scenic -- climb. I first did it as a part of a roped party of three in 1977. We weren't aware of its relative ease, and weren't even sure precisely where we were supposed to go. Nonetheless, it took us only about 3 1/2 hours in a drizzle, and doing every pitch roped. Thus far, all of the suggestions are gems.
John
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Ditto Tenaya. Great rock and fun, easy 4th and 5th class.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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How does 5.6 way up Cathedral compare to Tenaya peak? When my friend and I did it as one of our first newbie routes we took some other harder variation on the right.
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Tripod? Swellguy? Halfwit? Smegma?
Trad climber
Wanker Stately Mansion, Placerville
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 9, 2012 - 12:54pm PT
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so if I get my feet wet on Tenaya or Cathedral, i'm thinking next day try N Ridge N Peak and include N Ridge Conness. Does N Ridge have the rap/down climb notch? How is that (don't want to get too sketched and have to back all the way down). If I took a rope, how much could I get away with for the rap. I'm assuming a simple topo would give me enough beta on approach etc?
a
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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The down-climb could be rapelled. There are two raps as I remember. N ridge is not hard at all, especially for someone like you (I know you put up routes I can't even do on TR). It was my first alpine 5th class climb that I soloed (aside from the rapell section), and I am not the bravest guy out there (trust me).
North Peak is fun too IMP. Much shorter ridge than on Conness, but climbing sections are really cool. Especially the last one if you do not jump the gap (which is also fun).
Crack exit on Tenaya is really fun too and does not feel like 5.8 as shown in the topo.
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Tripod? Swellguy? Halfwit? Smegma?
Trad climber
Wanker Stately Mansion, Placerville
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 9, 2012 - 01:20pm PT
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Thanks. I want to keep it all well within comfortable level as i'm solo
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10b4me
Ice climber
dingy room at the Happy boulders hotel
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Tenaya is definitely doable and there is a fourth class escape at the top( if you choose).
I really liked the the north ridge of north peak.
these two routes are my most favorite routes(along with Cathedral)in the tuolumne backcountry.
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Misha
Trad climber
Woodside, CA
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The linkup of NW Ridge of North Peak and North Ridge of Conness is probably my favorite solo ever. If you can downclimb a short section of bomber 5.4-5.6 (a bit of face, stemming and crack), the rest will feel cake in comparison. I did this solo three times now and it never ceases to put a huge grin on my face. If you're fast, you can downclimb from the summit of Conness to solo West Ridge of a fun trifecta!
My 2nd favorite would be Matthes. After that, a link-up of various Cathedral Range peaks... here's one option (in this order):
Tenaya Peak -> Tressider -> Columbia Finger -> Echo Peaks -> Cockscomb -> Unicorn -> Cathedral
Have fun!
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spyork
Trad climber
Tunneling out of prison
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Aidan,
I like Tenaya, have climbed it roped and un-roped.
Same for Cathedral, IMO its a bit of a step up from Tenaya, committment-wise.
I keep trying to get to Conness, keep getting thwarted (AMS, Snow Storm, etc).
I was soloing with a friend once on Echo Ridge, we were headed to the Cockscomb, but he thought it was sketchy, so we bailed. I still want to go back and finish that.
I was thinking of soloing Mathes with a rap cord, and bailing at the North Tower. Not sure I have the chops to solo the north end.
I met you once or twice at Sugarloaf years ago, climbing with my friend Tom from Davis.
Steve
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