Trip Report
A Tuolumne TR : Matthes Crest, Holdless Horror, NW Books
Tuesday July 14, 2009 3:29pm
It was another fine weekend in Tuolumne Meadows. Saturday at around 6-ish I and my friend Matthew started on our way to Matthes Crest. It was breezy and cool, with some clouds off to the east..
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Fortunately they stayed there. Again I was sucking wind on the approach, but the views were fantastic -

Cathedral Peak
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I managed to plod my way up to the base just before 9am, about 15 seconds ahead of the next party. As we roped up about four other parties arrived. It was a tad windy and chilly for me, but I took the first lead anyway. I wasn't feeling all that great and had some kind of allergies (pine pollen ?). By the time I yelled 'off belay' there were several parties climbing around and ropes crossing. It felt like Cathedral all over again ..

The climbing was easy of course, and Matthew took the next pitch up to the start of the crest.
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Here we unroped and just walked / scrambled about halfway.
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Matthew taking in the view
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There were a few spicy downclimbs, and at some point we got the rope out so I could give Matthew a crude belay. We simulclimbed from there. Neither of us had done much simulclimbing, so the going was a little slow at times. We were too busy enjoying the views and the exposure though.
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the Echo Peaks
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We decided to bail on the south summit and go for the north. There was supposedly some exposed third class ledge system down the east side to the notch between the summits, but we didn't find it. We ended up doing what I think was the 5.2 downclimb .. next time I think I'd rather just go up and over the south summit.

Finally we got to the big ledges near the notch around 4-ish. I was feeling a little tired, but decided to try leading the 5.7 route up the north summit anyway.
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I started up one way, then downclimbed, then tried another way, .. even had a look at the 5.8 crack. But I wasn't feeling very confident, my left hand was starting to cramp, and I was getting clonus in my left leg. In my eyes it all looked too steep, and the holds too small. My arms felt tired and weak. I downclimbed and apologized to Matthew.. I just couldn't pull it off :(

A sense of relief washed over me. I put my approach shoes on and scrambled down to the rap station with a rope end and fed it through the rings. It had been a fun ridge traverse, but I couldn't complete it, or even get to the high point. Oh well, that's life .. better than breaking my ankle(s) out there.

We rapped twice with our single 60m x 8.3mm rope and got to the class 2 ground below, then plodded back up over the shoulder of the Echo Peaks. Beautiful views. It was still windy. The hike back to the cars felt way too long. The muscles on my left side were aching.

Failure and humility are part of what makes climbing more honest to me I guess. Back at the trailhead around 8-ish Matthew and I talked about future alpine plans. I had thought to try Bear Creek Spire's N Arete, but I'm not sure so anymore .. maybe we'll just run up the NE Ridge again.

I headed up over the pass to get some comfort food at the Mobil Mart. Will type more later ...

  Trip Report Views: 1,929
rhyang
About the Author
rhyang is a climber from SJC.

Comments
L

climber
Just livin' the dream
  Jul 14, 2009 - 03:41pm PT
Rhyang...your TR made me realize that you're in the right place and I'm in the...er...learning situation.;-)

Thanks for the beautiful photos and accompanying text.



And BTW...although it is subject to argument...it's never "failure" when you can have an awesome day in the mountains and walk away plotting your next adventure. There's a lot to be said for ankles that work. Legs, arms, backs, necks, too.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
  Jul 14, 2009 - 03:43pm PT
Looks like a badass day out.

I've never done the Crest, looks sweet.
Jingy

climber
Random Nobody
  Jul 14, 2009 - 03:45pm PT
badazz TR, yo...

Keep it up

thanks
mucci

Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
  Jul 14, 2009 - 04:04pm PT
Sweet, gettin ready for the TM next week!
rhyang

climber
SJC
Author's Reply  Jul 14, 2009 - 05:20pm PT
Thanks everyone ! Yes, I'd like to try Echo #9 sometime ..

Sunday morning bright and early I met my friend Laura for breakfast at the Whoa Nelli. I related the previous day's saga, and earned myself a new nickname -- Brave Sir Robin -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZwuTo7zKM8

Whenever Laura and I climb together we giggle and rib each other and roar with laughter :)

We decided to do something easy & fun, and headed up to Holdless Horror.



I headed up wearing my JB's, in John's memory (and also because I didn't want my ankles to bleed :)



I'd previously done a bunch of heel-toe stuff in the wide crack on the second pitch, but this time I wasn't really in the mood for that kind of thing, and mostly stuck to the knobs. Laura seemed to enjoy it.


The sun started to angle over and gave us some warmth.

Tenaya Lake

Laura lounging at the second belay

I'm not sure what I was doing here, but I guess it seemed like the thing to do at the time ..


The next couple pitches went by quickly, and soon we were on third class ground. I had never actually scrambled up to the tippy top of Dozier Dome before, but Laura is a force to be reckoned with :) and I followed her up. I was surprised to see nice views of Cathedral, the Echos and even Matthes.




It felt like we'd giggled all the way up this climb. Just behind us a family brought up their 6 year old son -


What an enjoyable morning. Time to head over to Lembert and queue up for Northwest Books.

But as luck would have it, around 2pm there was nobody on NW Books. Great ! We headed up and quickly got underway.


The first pitch was short, but it had its moments :)



I hadn't actually led the second pitch before, so it was a fun exercise. Managed to get a green c3 in there somewhere before traversing -


The wide part had an awkward moment or two, but had a nice hand jam in there somewhere too.


We unroped at big ledge atop the second pitch and took in the wonderful views -


What would NW Books be without slogging up to the very top ? So we did ..




The view up there was just as good as I remember it from three years ago. Instead of heading down the hiking trail this time we descended the class 2 slabs and walked about 0.25 mile on the road back to the cars (I know there's a more direct route, but hadn't been on it before).

Woohoo, what a fun day !

F10

Trad climber
Bishop
  Jul 14, 2009 - 05:31pm PT
Glad you are out having a great time, nice shots,

Makes me wish I was up there,

Brought back some good memories
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Jul 14, 2009 - 05:41pm PT
Awesome TR, awesome photos!

Thanks for taking us along. Man I miss that place!

There is no failure, only learning.

Good job.
Michael Golden

climber
Mountain View, CA
  Jul 14, 2009 - 06:02pm PT
"Again I was sucking wind on the approach"

That will tend to happen when you're trying to keep up with Matthew. Thanks for the TR.
Gene

climber
  Jul 14, 2009 - 06:09pm PT
Rob,

You're motivating my shoulder rehab. Looks like a grand weekend.

gm
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
  Jul 14, 2009 - 06:24pm PT
Badass!!!!

Hey did that 1st belay ledge of NW Books smell like pee?

bwahahahhha!!!

I like linking the beta-pages to the TR, good idea!
rhyang

climber
SJC
Author's Reply  Jul 14, 2009 - 10:27pm PT
Thanks all ! Hope you are up & at it very soon Gene !
Mike Bolte

Trad climber
Planet Earth
  Jul 14, 2009 - 10:36pm PT
rhyang! Nice TR, thanks!
Rankin

Social climber
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
  Jul 14, 2009 - 10:37pm PT
Awesome!!! Those routes are so fantastic. Laughing and climbing go together like nothing else.
Captain...or Skully

climber
Boise, ID
  Jul 14, 2009 - 11:38pm PT
WooHoo!
MooseTracks

Mountain climber
Bishop, CA
  Jul 15, 2009 - 04:45pm PT
The adventures of Brave Sir Robin and Princess Buttercup continue! What an awesome day, Rob, thanks for running the sharp end. Your advice about taking my time and not rushing into leading was just what I needed to hear. I will continue to happy being a solid belay bitch for now. ;-)

Can't wait to hit it again: just remember that Lyell and Maclure are caaaaallllllllinnnnnggggg....

-Laura
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Jul 15, 2009 - 05:08pm PT
Great job guys! Thanks for the trip report. A ray of sunshine in a cloudy month in the climbing world.
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