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Omot
Trad climber
The here and now
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 17, 2009 - 03:00am PT
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OK! As a casualty of the recession, I finally have time to post a TR! This one from 2008. This should wet your whistle for the coming nice weather (finally!). Enjoy, Tomo
I had a free day in Tahoe, so I called my partner Rick from Reno. Inspired by Ricardo Cabeza’s solstice TR, and wanting a nice day in the mountains, I suggested Eagle Lake Buttress. Rick was game so off we went.
For the uninitiated, Eagle Lake Buttress is a climbing area accessed from the Eagle Falls trailhead by Emerald Bay in South Lake Tahoe. The area is home to the well-known crags 90 Ft Wall and Eagle Lake Cliff.
View from the parking lot. The buttress is clearly visible, forming the south edifice of the ridge high above. The Carville guide says 1 ½ hrs for the approach.
View from the trail to Eagle Lake. We took the talus gully on the left for the approach and the slabs in the middle right for the descent. Consensus opinion: take the talus field.
Rick on the approach.
Plenty of climbable rock on the way up. There must be routes on this wall. If not, there should be!
The trees tell the story: prevailing winds are from the west. Beautiful. Rocks, trees, clouds...
A cool erratic and our first glimpse of the buttress. Nice views back toward the lake. Not a perfect panorama, but close enough to get the idea. The lake is defying gravity. We will be too soon enough.
It took 1:50 to get to the base. Not bad at all! Here’s a view of our first objective from the base, the East Ridge route, 5.7. It goes up the ridge-looking section on the left, not the recessed area by the dead tree. You can barely make out the thin hands crack on the wall at the start of the 2nd pitch.
Rick starting up the 2nd pitch.
The last pitch for all the routes we did. A couple of steep steps on the low angle ridge. The summit is right there at the top.
From the summit, the ridge continues and looks like fun. We’ll save that for another trip.
We down led this, thinking it was the Mountaineer’s Route. The other party we met up there is coming down in this picture. Turns out the actual 3rd class descent goes past the next gendarme on the ridge and then down.
The next route we did was Orange Sunshine, 5.9. It goes up the left curving crack in the orange face on the skyline. Way fun.
Rick nearing the top of the first pitch of Orange Sunshine, where the angle kicks back. That’s Eagle Lake in the background.
Rick starting up the second pitch, already part of the East Ridge.
Panorama looking westward from the summit. We got some afternoon buildup and a nice breeze to cool things down.
Rick starting up our third and last climb of the day, Eagle’s Way, 5.5. This turned out to be the best climb of them all. Super fun 5.5 (and I know quality 5.5’s from my early years climbing at the Gunks), the likes of which you don’t usually find on Sierra granite.
Here’s looking down from about half way up the first pitch. Patina and weathering have left incut face holds along the crack’s edge. Seems like there was a jug wherever you needed one (to keep it 5.5).
And looking up the first pitch. You can see the Wind Tree and Rick’s head just poking out over the edge.
Requisite summit photo.
During the hike out, we got a nice view of the buttress over 90 ft Wall. Section 20 goes up this formation. Lot’s of rock to explore for the mildly adventurous.
Maggies Peak from the slabs on the walk out. There are routes on this wall too, somewhere.
Bottom line: if you enjoy moderates on bomber rock with nice views and few crowds, take the hike and check it out! The buttress is only about 300 ft, less than we were expecting, so you can do most climbs in 2 pitches. There’s plenty more routes up there, and plenty of rock all over the place if you wanted to explore.
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Jun 17, 2009 - 03:06am PT
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That looks awsome! Great TR. Especially like the tied off horn!
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taylor
Social climber
the local crag
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Jun 17, 2009 - 06:06am PT
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nice pics, its a shame i never got up there when i live in slt. now i'll definetely make the trip when i can
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Ricardo Cabeza
climber
Warner, NH
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Jun 17, 2009 - 09:29am PT
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Nice one! Thanks for posting that.
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Jun 17, 2009 - 11:00am PT
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Looks like fun!
thanks for posting
Zander
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Jun 17, 2009 - 11:09am PT
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Kick ass!!!!!
love the panoramas too!
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Jun 17, 2009 - 11:16am PT
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Cool ! I have only been there during the winter ..
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Llewelyn Moss
Trad climber
CA
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Jun 17, 2009 - 12:14pm PT
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nice, omot. the buttress over 90' wall is emerald point. killer lines all over the place and you can climb up to 6-8 pitches to the top, a nice chill multi pitch outing. we stopped along the way and climbed some rad single pitch face climbing stuff and then headed for the summit to make a longer day. the all american finger crack is worth checking out!
by the way, has the plectrum splitter been freed? anyone? gotta be one of the better overhanging finger cracks on the w. shore.
amazing.
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NotIt
Trad climber
Malaga Cove
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Jun 17, 2009 - 12:37pm PT
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This place is the ultimate spot for linking up longer moderate solos in the Tahoe area.
This place was a full-on obscurity a few years ago - now starting to get a bit more recognition.
If you're "motivated", you can do the approach in about 1:15, and yes, talus is the way to go.
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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Jun 17, 2009 - 12:39pm PT
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Nice!
Such a pretty area up there...and we only climbed the stuff by the lake...looks like some cool stuff up high...
Thanks for posting!
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Phil_B
Social climber
Hercules, CA
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Jun 17, 2009 - 01:49pm PT
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Cool Stuff! I likes me some TRs, yes I do.
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rogro
Trad climber
Sacramento, CA
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Oct 10, 2013 - 08:29pm PT
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Did the 5.5 route on 10/7/13. The book says climb a flared chimney about 200 feet up. That looks like a good way to go, but we did another way just to the right that's probably more fun. It's a left-leaning crack that you can stuff with cams. Work hands up the crack and feet up knobs on the wall.
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squishy
Mountain climber
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Oct 10, 2013 - 10:30pm PT
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Plenty of climbable rock on the way up. There must be routes on this wall. If not, there should be!
I climbed one corner already, it was pretty loose.
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kaholatingtong
Trad climber
Nevada City
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Oct 10, 2013 - 11:18pm PT
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very nice, very nice
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bergbryce
Mountain climber
California
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Oct 11, 2013 - 01:03am PT
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I've wondered if there is something worth cleaning on that slab to make a "more climbing, less talus hopping" link up with ELB.
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squishy
Mountain climber
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Oct 11, 2013 - 06:46pm PT
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But maybe that's the point, right? Maybe the slab could be a destination in itself. How long is this proposed slab route?
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Flip Flop
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Squishy,
It's a two pitch wander up the approach slabs. Just enough gear. I've done it 3 times maybe 4. I wouldn't have wanted to be in RA's shoes up there with no rope. The true classic is traversing the ridge after the summit of Eagle Lake Buttress.
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oakiedave
Trad climber
san francisco
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May 21, 2015 - 11:24am PT
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Great TR! Thanks!
We want to climb it this weekend - but the only camping permit that was available was for Lower Velma Lake. Does anyone on this thread know if its an easy approach from Velma Lk to the buttress? Or would it make more sense to backtrack down the trail to Eagle Lk for the approach? Thanks in advance!
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lars johansen
Trad climber
West Marin, CA
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May 21, 2015 - 02:55pm PT
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Appreciate the photo intensive TR, thanks-lars
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