A Day in the Minarets: Humble Pie and Snaileye

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marty(r)

climber

beneath the valley of ultravegans

Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 30, 2008 - 09:04am PT

SuperTypo Disclaimer: This thread will have nothing to say about the rising cost of beef, Nazi daggers, rapbolting, or Bob D'Antonio's lycra. It does however involve unaccompanied dayhiking up to and including 5.9 and at least a few raps. Oh, and some inelegant glissading and gratuitous blister shots.

Summary: June (edit: not July) 26, 2008. Fast hike and climb of Ken and Clyde Minarets, roughly 20 miles in just under 17 hours; minimal snow, "dry thunderstorms" and very hungry mosquitos.

***

From the Devil's Postpile trail head I brewed up and was on my way at 4 am.

The Minaret Falls are in pretty full flow despite drought conditions in the greater Eastern Sierra.

By 7 am I was at Minaret Lake, feeling confident and alert (that wouldn't last)

The snowfield leading to South Notch is about a thousand feet of gain but proved no match for a tight loop of Soft Cell on the iPod ("Sex Dwarf"/"Memorabilia"/"Frustration")

Three years ago I'd been back in there and both Ceccile and Iceberg Lakes had stayed frozen over until late July. Not this year.

Amphitheater Lake below Adams and Michael Minaret is still pretty cold.

The route through the Minarets is nearly impossible to describe other than "go up, then down, and when things get hard, go around." Here's the first tower of Ken Minaret.

And the second tower.

I couldn't find the summit register so I kept on going toward Clyde. At 1 pm I was on top and signed in. Unless I was in the wrong part of the book, this was the first ascent of the season.

From Clyde, the route across Eichorn is longer and more complicated than it looks. This is where the self-doubt and thunderstorm kicked in, basically sending me down with my tail between my legs.

After scooting down the Clyde-Ken Couloir I had to attend to some blisters that I'd been neglecting. Sabbath's 'Volume 4' was pretty important at this point.

I talked to some nice folks who had mule-packed in for a bid on the SE Face of Clyde over the weekend. These photos don't quite capture the weather accurately which of course fuels a bad case of the "what ifs."

I hoofed it back to the car by 6:45 with just enough time to freshen up and drive out after the ranger gate had closed.

Back at home base a big plate of pancakes and more coffee made the whole thing seem worth it.

Chiloe

Trad climber

Lee, NH

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:13am PT

SuperTypo Disclaimer: This thread will have nothing to say about the rising cost of beef,
Nazi daggers, rapbolting, or Bob D'Antonio's lycra. It does however involve unaccompanied
dayhiking up to and including 5.9 and at least a few raps. Oh, and some inelegant glissading
and gratuitous blister shots.

Good thing you started with a disclaimer, so we'd be warned.

Some great photos -- I liked the frozen lake. That ridge looks like a place to leave quickly if
there's thunder in the air.

Ouch, the agony of de feet.

Blinny

Trad climber

NWMontana

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:15am PT

YAY!

My OleStompinGrounds are still lookin' pretty good!

:-)

Thanks for postin' up!

eKat

rhyang

Ice climber

SJC

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:16am PT

Nice !!

susan peplow

climber

www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:21am PT

VLG, nice report and beautiful shots thanks for posting up. Your photos are as close as I'll ever get to areas like that.

~Susan

Dingus Milktoast

climber

NorCal

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:22am PT

Warriors! Come out to plaaaaaaayyyyyy!

Thanks for the cool TR. Been years since I was on Clyde.

DMT

marty(r)

climber

beneath the valley of ultravegans

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 30, 2008 - 09:24am PT

Susan,
You'd have no problem getting in there. The guy with the animal nickname...that'd be another story. Anyhow, it all goes to show that we should lurk less and train more. Good seeing you in the Gorge last month.
VLG

climber

Eating sand on the shores of Malibu...

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:30am PT

Marty,

Wonderful TR!!!

Loved the photos. Been wanting to do the thing solo but am quite sure I'd get lost as hell and epic would ensue.

Thanks for posting this--really excellent.

atchafalaya

climber

Babylon

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:32am PT

great Tr Marty. My case of snaileye always multiplies in the minarets. Great photos.

bluering

Trad climber

Santa Clara, Ca.

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:33am PT

Nice day out. Must've been nice being out there solo too!

Standing Strong

Trad climber

riding bikes thru the night

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:33am PT

nice!

p.s. is that a jesus magnet on your refrigerater??? hahahaha

climber

I drink your milkshake!

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:34am PT

Thanks!

(lurking and not training in the slightest)

climber

Eating sand on the shores of Malibu...

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:37am PT

SS,

That wasn't a magnet on his fridge! Call the National Inquirer today!

susan peplow

climber

www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:38am PT

Marty,

Come to the Portal this week. I can promise you no long hikes.

Just me and Bolton playing dice and palming up routes. Nobody wants to play with us. (wonder why)

Bring your own fake-meat we'll have a grand time. We can drink beer and tell Mussy stories as he's staying home tethered to the Taiko.

Seriously... join us.

~Susan

climber

Eating sand on the shores of Malibu...

Jun 30, 2008 - 09:40am PT

Susan--How's the air up there? Any smoke in the Portal?

marty(r)

climber

beneath the valley of ultravegans

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 30, 2008 - 10:30am PT

Susan,
We'll see. I'd love to hang with Bolton and you. Gotta check with the boss.

Anyhow, here's another view from that day--looking down at Amphitheater Lake from the top of Ken Minaret.

And a view of the famed Michael Minaret.

The notoriety of that route and Pete Starr's death has weighed heavily on me each time I've been up there alone.

Later this summer Scooter'll probably do up the full traverse good-style. Best of luck to him, and to a speedy recovery for Vern Clevenger who really inspired all of this silly running around in the backcountry.