Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 18 of total 18 in this topic |
rockermike
Mountain climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 21, 2009 - 09:08pm PT
|
of the start of NE buttress of Higher Cathedral? Particularly from a bit of a distance. I climbed it once, but I remember we were dragging our butts thru the bushes for a long time before we figured out where to start. Don't want to waste time again...
TIA
|
|
Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Idaho, also. Sorta, kinda mostly, Yeah.
|
|
|
Sep 21, 2009 - 10:19pm PT
|
The start is fairly obvious.
Get up there bro, Ya wanta live forever?
Yarrrr.
|
|
Ray-J
Social climber
socal
|
|
|
Sep 21, 2009 - 10:43pm PT
|
Rockermike,
I remember skirting the base of middle
to get up there. Have fun, a good climb.
|
|
rockermike
Mountain climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 21, 2009 - 10:49pm PT
|
I remember the last time I went up there we ended up way too high, and ended up wasting more than an hour - which in turn ended up in an nighttime epic. ha I don't want to make that mistake again and would love to have a photo in my pocket. "Get on it", right on! Here's to that damn squeeze chimney; it squeezed some real tears out of me last time. This time I'll arrange to take the easy leads. har
thanks all
|
|
Ray-J
Social climber
socal
|
|
|
Sep 21, 2009 - 11:00pm PT
|
The flare up there is: right side in...
|
|
rockermike
Mountain climber
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 21, 2009 - 11:12pm PT
|
Nice photo Ed (linked). Is the tree in the lower right more or less the start? Looks vaguely familiar to me.
|
|
Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Idaho, also. Sorta, kinda mostly, Yeah.
|
|
|
Sep 21, 2009 - 11:16pm PT
|
Pretty much. Lotta choices at the start. They narrow down prety quickly. I thought that route was a blast, even the squeeze.
Have fun....
|
|
Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
|
|
|
Sep 21, 2009 - 11:41pm PT
|
here's what you will be seeing at the ground looking up the route
have fun!
|
|
Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Idaho, also. Sorta, kinda mostly, Yeah.
|
|
|
Sep 21, 2009 - 11:42pm PT
|
There's your tree.
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2009 - 01:17am PT
|
Just look in the "beta" section of this website.
http://www.supertopo.com/rock_climbing/Yosemite_Valley_Higher_Cathedral_Northeast_Buttress
photo by Greg Barnes,
with the big fir tree halfway up p1 visible
p1 actually starts on the double blocks below the right side of the fir tree - the red line is too far to the right there.
The route crosses behind the fir tree and goes up to the white ledge (belay at end of p1). Then up and right, and the red line is pretty accurate above that. (Minor edits could be made at the left traverse up high, and the line also stops too soon at the top - you traverse right from the top of that 5.9 hand crack along a ledge and up some loose flakes to the unroping point).
To reach the start, like Kevin said, hike up the Spires Gully trail, which is in the left side of the gully and heads for Higher Cathedral Spire. The trail disappears into a big talus field, about 200' above the base of the North Face of Higher Cathedral Spire (on your left), at the highest giant fir trees. At this point, you diagonal to the right up the talus, looking for some magnolia trees if you can find them. Then go straight up a narrow talus gully to the base of the wall (to avoid brush to the right). Then straight right, along the base of the wall, until you are below that big fir tree, at a 10' right facing corner where the blocky ledge is.
Here is an overlay photo of various finish options:
|
|
Jay Wood
Trad climber
Fairfax, CA
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2009 - 02:43am PT
|
|
|
mcreel
climber
Barcelona
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2009 - 03:39am PT
|
Does any route go under the big roof out to the R at the top, very prominent in Clint's photo of the finish a couple of post up? Just curious, with no guide book at hand.
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2009 - 05:12am PT
|
The Gravity Ceiling pitch goes out that roof, although I'm not sure of its exact line (maybe somebody else knows).
Crucifix goes out the right arm of the cross in the face below the roof.
2296. Wild Apes 5.9 A3+, V, 10p, start betw. LTC & MT, L of Crucifix, AAJ2004
2297. Mary's Tears 5.11b **, 4p
2298. Gemini 5.12b, IV, shield feature L of NE Buttress, R&I topo, ST, AAJ2004
2299. Higher Cathedral Rock - Northeast Buttress 5.9 ***, 12p
2300. Gravity Ceiling route 5.13a, 3p freed on upper Wild Apes; half of ceiling freed, ST
2301. The Crucifix 5.12b R ***, 6p
2302. Higher Cathedral Rock - Northeast Corner 5.8 A3, Ro
2303. Power Point 5.11c R **, 6p, FFA of NE Corner with minor vars.
|
|
mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2009 - 06:13am PT
|
Finally, seeing Clint's photo with the lines, I don't feel so bad about the last few pitches of the NE Butt. First 3 or 4 times up it, seems like I ended up finishing a different way every time and wondering WTF? I've been up here, where's the finish???? The answer clearly being, any which way you go is it. Great route. But I've never had trouble finding the start quickly. Also have thought, every time, that exiting that chimney where it squeezes down is definitely the hardest spot on the whole climb (for me).
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2009 - 06:52am PT
|
There is a trick to doing that exit from the "5.8 squeeze".
My first time up, I was cruxing there, running out of strength and about to give up and hang.
I started oozing down the rock, but suddenly I stopped (without weighting the rope). I was pinching the flake between my thighs!
I depumped my hands, shimmied up the flake a bit, and latched the jug!
But, yeah, that's where my partners have often hung on later trips....
|
|
lucho
Trad climber
California
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2009 - 09:59pm PT
|
The route that goes out the big roof is the "Gravity Ceiling" 12c.
One long pitch goes up the corner at 10b to the base of the roof. Then the roof pitch 12c, then the summit pitch 11-. I've spent many days under that roof though at the time never had a chance of sending. Cool location and a great line when climbed from Marys Tears.
|
|
tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
concord, california
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2009 - 10:27pm PT
|
no photos of the start...here are some higher up
|
|
| Messages 1 - 18 of total 18 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!