Trip Report
Ericsson Crag # 3 - (First Ascent of) Turn Down For What (1,400 ft - IV 5.10) - TOO MANY PHOTOS!
Thursday June 25, 2015 12:50pm
When I saw the comments section under Mark's Charlotte Dome trip report, my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Mamma Mia! The sunlit aręte splitting the Ericsson Crag #3 looks incredible! Too bad all these people on the internet are talking about it being unclimbed....Damn! It won't be unclimbed for long!" :(

Mark's TR, see the comments section below:
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/South-Face-of-Charlotte-Dome-III-5-8-Photo-TR/t11715n.html

FOR ALL THE PHOTOS FROM MY REPORT CLICK THE LINK BELOW, THERE ARE TOO MANY!
http://vividrea1ity.blogspot.com/2015/06/ericcson-crag-3-first-ascent-of-turn.html

I asked Mark and his partner Scott to see a bunch of other photos and kept salivating studying different features of the aręte. It was steep, there was an obvious spire on it and a clean headwall two thirds of the way up. The line is bad ass! Unfortunately, last year I found a 2,200 ft project on the Bubbs Creek Wall. It took all my energy and I simply did not have the time to make it out to Ericsson Crags. Fortunately for me, a week prior to this trip, I was able to free climb that beast. Now that I am liberated....WATCH YO LINE BROSEF!

CLIMBING A NEW ROUTE LIKE THIS ONE IS KIND OF LIKE THIS VIDEO:
[Click to View YouTube Video]


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Ericsson Crag #3 - a proud peak! Our route ended up being approx. 1,400 ft. Takes the headwall to the left skyline in this photo - Turn Down For What Aręte (IV 5.10) :))
Vinland/Brujo Dihedral take a path to the right of the prominent rib on the north face, joining it mid way up.
Original Beckey route goes to the left of the rib. Between the Arete we climbed and the rib. Info in the high sierra guidebook is not accurate beased on the research I have done.


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Ericsson Crag # 3 with Mt. Ericsson behind it. Route we climbed is the obvious sunlit beauty! I am a sucker for an awesome line! (Photo by Scott Berry)


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Damn, that's the beautiful Sphinx! Guess who put up a long route on it last year?!


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Maxim checking out Mt. Bago and all of the buttresses that may include the mysterious Tower of Delphina. :)

Fortunately we live in CA where 99.5% of climbers do not know of life outside of a guide book, 0.1% focus on first ascents in Sonora/SoYo, 0.1% consider a walk to Pine Creek to be an approach, 0.1% are injured/old/on supertopo, 0.1% work too many hours and other 0.05% had a second baby. 16+ mile approach from the trailhead kept the people away and the classic line on the peak has a whopping three ascents, ever! The peak had less than 10 ascents since the new register was placed in 1991! To be honest, the people are MISSING OUT! This was one of the most scenic approaches I have done. A great trail for 90% of the way with straight forward cross country route finding - no bush whacking bullsh#t. In his 100 Favorite North American Climbs book Fred Beckey describes Vinland, a line he and Alan Bartlette climbed on the North Face as "one of my finest in the Sierra." That is quite a statement coming from the man who climbed...like everything! The rock is a lot better than the photos I have seen would suggest.


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Charlotte Dome from the approach to Ericsson Crag #3


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Bubbs Creek Wall as seen from the other side of the valley. Guess who freed his line on it a week ago?! More on that later! :)))) Kings Canyon IS #DABOMBDOTCOM!!!!! #theemperor #bubbscreekwallproj


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Flowers in the soft morning light


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The East Lake


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When I saw the central buttress of Mt. Brewer I GOT MEGA PSYCHED to do a new route up it. But found out Dave Nettle did a route up the middle. #stink-eye #iamsuperjealous


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As we approached the route we stumbled upon THE CLEANEST lakes I have seen in the High Sierra.

My good friend Maxim and I started early on Friday. From Road's End Ranger Station up Bubbs Creek, to Charlotte Creek Camp. We dropped off our stuff and climbed the first 8 pitches of my new route the Emperor which is another mile up the trail, on the Bubbs Creek Wall (TR coming SOON to the hood near you!). The Emperor is stacked with quality free climbing and guaranteed quality pitches even if we don't find anything on Ericcson Crag #3.


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Ericsson Crag # 3 as seen from another peak. Our route takes the prominent sunlit arete that joins the right ridge almost directly below the summit. Vinland/Brujo Dihedrak take the right side of the sunlit buttress to the right and traverse into that buttress about half way up the North Face. (Photo by Scott Berry)


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TURN DOWN FOR WHAT (IV 5.10) - left skyline. Lil John Spire and the Crunk Juice Headwall in the profile! :)


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Reminds me of one of those Temple Crag aretes...but better!! :) Up the headwall to the sun-shade line all the way to the headwall, which is climbed on the left and topped out in the center.


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The Lil John Spire is climbed up an overhanging hand crack on it's right side, summit, downclimb and go up the right arete above it to belay under the Crunk Juice Headwall. You can see the hand crack at the top of the headwall, it is NICE!!! #ILIKEEEEE

As I mentioned in my Castle Rock Spire trip report, Maxim is some sort of a hybrid between a human and a honey badger that doesn't give a sh#t, or at least it seems that way. After eight hard pitches and nine miles of hiking on Friday, he did not really give a damn about hiking another 20+ miles (my pedometer said 26.5 miles in the end of the day), climbing a new route and finding a way off from a peak we know pretty much nothing about. Why worry about something you don't know much about. While approaching the beast, at first sight I told him that it is the one. Maxim looked up and asked, "Oh Mt. Ericsson?" Pretty close this time! He is also a master of belaying leaders with one hand and an ATC. It is very helpful when you want to pick your nose as the leader is cruxing. Anyway, advanced techniques like this should be kept a secret.


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Me on pitch one. Climb up and into the bulging handcrack splitter above, pull the crux and go over the roof to the right on some sick crimps!


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YAYAAA!!!!


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I went right to the prow and climbed directly over the roof!


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Above the roof - awesome face holds and good pro.


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Start to pitch 3 - climb over to a traversing giant dike and walk to the crest of the ridge where a juicy hand crack is waiting. Did I mention this route has a LOT of handcracks?

On the other hand, I needed much help from my morning coffee and an mp3 player to get my ass to the base of that wall. The raging mosquitoes kept the pace up as we hiked past the East Lake. As I mentioned above, the scenery was drop dead gorgeous. I love being out there in the backcountry and appreciate ALL the views, but this spot was especially pretty. Views of North Guard, Brewer, South Guard, Table Mountain, Midway, Genevra, other craggy peaks, Lake Reflection, streams, clear as a tear drop alpine lakes, flowers and meadows. Yeah, no wonder Beckey did not mind to hike there twice!


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:)


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Polemoniums. Lots of those on the route.


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Me on top of the Lil John Spire :) #YEEEEAAAAHH

First thing you notice as you approach Ericsson Crags is that it looks steep and intimidating, so I turned up the volume - TURN DOWN FOR WHAT! There was a lot of Slipknot and Metallica but their songs do not bear many exciting titles that I wanted to associate with this climb. The thing was simply ongoing fun that kept my attention all the way up, but never got too desperate. I found a sweet direct start below the aręte proper - exciting moves to a steep hand crack which felt like a 5.10c due to a flaring, but very well protected crux. A bit of a traverse right with a move over a bulge got me over the gnar and onto easier terrain where I built a belay on a great ledge, with a rock to sit on. Beautiful.

Climbing, aesthetics of the line, rock quality and scenery aside, what makes a climb great, for me, are good belay ledges. This one has plenty. Pitch two traversed right and up to a roof which is directly on the arete. It looks unlikely, but there are awesome orange hand holds that allow you to pull the roof with not much trouble. I could have gone further left, but pulling a roof on the aręte, seemed damn fun at the moment. I tried to keep to the aręte as much as possible and found a lot of hand cracks and lots of great rock all the way up the route. A lot of great rock for an alpine ridge that has never been climbed that is. If you are thinking of getting on it, don't expect to find Positive Vibrations, it is more of a Fishhook Aręte type of an outing! Lots of cruiser ridge climbing with plenty of well protected 5.7-9 cruxy sections. One can decrease the difficulties by dropping off the crest, but why, you hike a long time in to climb right?! :) TURN DOWN FOR WHAT!


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Charlotte Dome and top of the Bubbs Creek Wall. Looks small from here!


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MAXIM CLIMBING ON THE ARĘTE


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Some awesome exposure on the arete :) Homestretch


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Two thirds up the route we finally hit the white granite spire which extends out of the mountain like a giant...fang. I did not want to drop down from the ridge to bypass it, and was psyched to find a few moves of overhanging hand jamming on the right side, which took me directly to the notch between it and the wall made up of featured red rock of lesser quality. Before moving on, I summited the spire and dubbed it Lil John - YEEEEAAAAAAHHHH!! Turn Down For What!!!! Remainder of the pitch got me to the base of a clean and steep headwall which seemed troublesome from the bottom, but there also was an obvious splitter at the top. After some looking around I found a way to climb it starting on the left side in a fist crack which took me to the left side of the formation. After about 30 ft of climbing on the left side I was able to step back and transition to the middle of the thing. The beauty of climbing awesome in-cut black knobs on a steep headwall, in the middle of a First Ascent is hard to describe, but it was basically AWESOME! These positive holds and intermittent cracks allowed me to place good pro and took me to the final splitter, which was a cherry on top. Kaboom! Intimidating but not even a 5.10! TURN DOWN FOR WHAT!


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Goodies!


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Above the Lil John Spire


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Me climbing the top of the headwall.


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Maxim on the Crunk Juice headwall with our route directly below.


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Some Beckey dude was here too. I think I saw his signature on top of the Castle Rock Spire


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Maxim on the summit


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Houston we got the Summit! #monkeysaresendin #megastoked


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The area is stunning...


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DROP DEAD GORGEOUS! #stayclimbingatthehulkbrah


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#nothingtoseeinsequoia


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Maxim can walk on water! I had much more trouble! #myshoesgotwet

Bonus story: as we are hiking out on Sunday, I ask Maxim if he wants to check out the Boyden Cave on the way out. He asked me how far away is it, so I told him it is a few miles down the road but there is a 10 mile hike to get to it. His reply was "Oh," with not even a "maybe not a good idea after hiking 40+ miles in the last three days. Yeah, the guy is not from this planet. TURN DOWN FOR WHAT!


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Bonus shots from the Boyden Cave!


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#iceclimbing


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TROLL!!


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Happy birthday to me! I don't have to wait for October this year! :)


Hope everyone is having a great summer so far! Stay safe, hang out with good friends and get some good climbs in!

  Trip Report Views: 4,983
Vitaliy M.
About the Author
Vitaliy M. is an annoying gym climber from San Francisco.

Comments
Brian in SLC

Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
  Jun 25, 2015 - 12:53pm PT
Great TR!
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  Jun 25, 2015 - 01:04pm PT
I love your trip reports, but you're letting the secret of Kings Canyon out! Thank you much for your superb climbing, writing and pictures of same.

John
Radish

Trad climber
SeKi, California
  Jun 25, 2015 - 01:05pm PT
Very Nice Job Vitaliy ! I always look forward to your TR's and the stoke inspired by the photos and words. The Beautiful Sierra is calling!! Thanks!
sharperblue

Mountain climber
San Francisco, California
  Jun 25, 2015 - 01:15pm PT
favorite spot in the whole range! great work on one of the finest in the Sierra!
jonnyrig

climber
  Jun 25, 2015 - 01:25pm PT
Cool stuff. For some reason, that first pic of Little John Tower, and especially the one you marked "good stuff" just look like a jenga tower of loose crap that I wouldn't want to touch, much less climb. Guess it didn't feel that way to you, huh? Nice going!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jun 25, 2015 - 01:36pm PT
I love your trip reports, but you're letting the secret of Kings Canyon out! Thank you much for your superb climbing, writing and pictures of same.

I hope to see other people climbing out there and posting about it! The area is awesome and there is plenty to share! It only adds to the stoke!!! :)
If other people climb some of the formations I want to check out, maybe I will not have to do as much hiking too. Everyone wins! :)

AND if there are others out there who do not mind the long hikes and want to get out to some of these obscure places, PM me. Finding competent partners for these outings is not super easy...and I want to do a lot of hiking/climbing this summer...

BIG THANKS to Sharperblue (Scott) and Mark (PellucidWombat) for their photos and beta!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jun 25, 2015 - 01:35pm PT
Cool stuff. For some reason, that first pic of Little John Tower, and especially the one you marked "good stuff" just look like a jenga tower of loose crap that I wouldn't want to touch, much less climb. Guess it didn't feel that way to you, huh? Nice going!

haha yeah! It looks shitty in the photo, but in reality the climbing there was pretty solid for an alpine arete. The Spire itself is SOLID white granite with splitters on both sides. You can see it well in the profile on these shots:



Cool stuff! You can sort of see the splitter at the top of the headwall too.
Capt.

climber
some eastside hovel
  Jun 25, 2015 - 01:36pm PT
Proud!!!
looks easy from here

climber
Santa Cruzish
  Jun 25, 2015 - 02:06pm PT
Awesome! Congrats on one of the most gorgeous FAs I've seen in quite a while.

Too bad all these people on the internet are talking about it being unclimbed....Damn! It won't be unclimbed for long! :(

I thought the same thing, too. But that didn't stop me from mining everything I could:


Of course if I had made it out there first, the 5.10 would have made me cry.
The Alpine

climber
The Sea
  Jun 25, 2015 - 02:25pm PT
But V.... I heard there was some loose rock.

Isn't that dangerous?
dee ee

Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
  Jun 25, 2015 - 02:34pm PT
NICE!


"What loose rock?"
limpingcrab

Gym climber
Minkler, CA
  Jun 25, 2015 - 02:50pm PT
and other 0.05% had a second baby.


If she wasn't so cute I might be more bummed I missed out on this.

Beautiful! Happy you went out there after an already tiring day so we could all enjoy the pictures, you guys are like llamas.

Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jun 25, 2015 - 03:25pm PT
looks easy from here, well now I can give you a nice topo :) You would be able to avoid the 5.10 crux if you wanted to. And you can drop off the difficulties up higher by dropping off the ridge. But up higher it is 5.7-5.9. No 5.10. Maybe 10a for the top of the headwall.

The Alpine, we cleaned it well. There is no more loose rock up there, it is all at the base ;)
Reeotch

climber
4 Corners Area
  Jun 25, 2015 - 03:40pm PT
Badass, dudes!
Ain't it nice to go w/o a guidebook for once.
I'd totally repeat your route.
Thanks!
Ryan Evans

climber
Mammoth Lakes
  Jun 25, 2015 - 03:45pm PT
Your spray is unmatched.

Rowell put it up years ago
Banquo

climber
Amerricka
  Jun 25, 2015 - 03:51pm PT
Well done Vitaliy.

I was just up there poking around, Here's two photos taken yesterday.


This was an impressive pile of rocks:
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jun 25, 2015 - 04:01pm PT
Rowell put it up years ago

His spray was unmatched in the AAJ. I often use it to find obscure things to climb actually. :) He has climbed more obscure walls in the Sierra then anyone aside from maybe Nettle?


WOAH Banquo, NICE photos of the North Face! I was checking that one out on the descent. Don't think I would go there again this year for another climb. Too many other areas to see! :)
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
  Jun 25, 2015 - 04:14pm PT
Still trying to wrap my head around that music video and to find out what that asian dude has been eating....



Killer TR!
johntp

Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
  Jun 25, 2015 - 04:21pm PT
It does look like choss from a distance.

Another fine TR by V.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Jun 25, 2015 - 04:32pm PT
, 0.1% focus on first ascents in Sonora/SoYo,

I resemble that comment
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
  Jun 25, 2015 - 06:21pm PT
what more can be said?? that is a fine write up
and
your crushing it, bro!

good to get to see!
thnx for posting.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
  Jun 25, 2015 - 07:06pm PT
I suppose you don't even feel a little bit guilty poaching that plum?

But I don't get how you went in via Kearsarge and went out at Roads End.
Did you just abandon yer car at Onion Valley? I probably missed the
explanation cause I was drooling over the purdy pictures.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jun 25, 2015 - 07:24pm PT
I went in from Bubbs and went out via bubbs :)
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
  Jun 25, 2015 - 07:27pm PT
F*#k yeah!
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
  Jun 26, 2015 - 04:47am PT
Wasn't the approach rather long? Kudos to ya
Norwegian

Trad climber
dancin on the tip of god's middle finger
  Jun 26, 2015 - 05:57am PT
come in here, dear boy.
have a cigar.
you're gonna go far.

welcome to the machine.[Click to View YouTube Video]
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jun 26, 2015 - 07:27am PT
Wasn't the approach rather long? 

We split it by stopping at Charlotte creek and climbing on Bubbs creek wall on day one. Then we hiked from there, climbed the route and came back to Charlotte creek camp on day two. Hiked out on day 3.

CLIMBERS, if you are looking for a badass vacation, get up from Bubbs to east lake and climb different formations on the way. I'd love to take a week vacation to do that some day. Would be incredible. Bubbs creek wall, Charlotte dome, north dome, sphinx, brewer, north guard, south guard, bago, Ericsson crags, other random walls and formations...lots of fun to be had.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
  Jun 26, 2015 - 09:18am PT
I forgot to ask - is Чебурашка retired, or what?
cat t.

climber
california
  Jun 26, 2015 - 11:53am PT
This is beeeaaaauuutiful!!!

0.1% work too many hours
Paper revision resubmission. Will. HAPPEN. SOON! Haha I love that every friend you're referencing in this sentence knows which category they're in.
Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
  Jun 26, 2015 - 01:36pm PT
Mad props again V. I almost got back up there a few years back (well, probably ten years or so) when I planned on hiking up over Harrison Pass. I ended up not really finding the trail from East Lake, hiked to Lake Reflection, which was so pretty I just hung out there for a couple of days. Beautiful area which is such a great reminder of how much potential is still out there. Good on you for getting out there and finding it.
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
  Jun 26, 2015 - 02:40pm PT
Yeah, the King-Kern Divide is a long ways from anywhere
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jun 26, 2015 - 02:48pm PT
Haha I love that every friend you're referencing in this sentence knows which category they're in.

I am glad Daniel, munge and you got the joke :))

Thanks for the comments all, hope this report will get some people out there to climb or to hike! The area is worth the visit!! The summer is still young but is it?!?! Make plans!

Reiley, if cheburashka was a blow up balloon I would have brought him! On a hike like this one, I left everything that could be without. Even the bolt kit, #5 and a #6 cam and I did not wear the underwear. Went up with a singles from #2 to 4 camalots. That is the lightest rack I have carried on a FA. Should have called it the "The No Underwear Arete." :)
em kn0t

Trad climber
isle of wyde
  Jun 26, 2015 - 06:10pm PT
Shame on you, young man. There are a lot of wet diapers at the Old Climbrs Home after looking at your photos (not to mention the unmentionably funny intro video).

u r wonderfully bAAAAAADASSSSS!

em, aka nurse ratchet

ps next up, how about the wall of 100 cracks in tuttle creek?
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jun 26, 2015 - 07:04pm PT
Pictures or it doesn't exist! :) if there are a 100 cracks, the route finding may be too difficult. The crux must be figuring which ones Amy and My lesson have not done :)
BryanE

climber
Minnesota
  Jun 26, 2015 - 09:25pm PT
Super cool FA, way to go man. Really enjoyed the pictures.
The Alpine

climber
The Sea
  Jun 27, 2015 - 08:29am PT
Careful dude, you're precariously balanced on the knife edge ridge that is the distinction between climber and HIKER.
Bob Harrington

climber
Bishop, California
  Jun 27, 2015 - 09:20am PT
You guys rock like monsters! Great looking route and trip report! Did some peak bagging in that area a few years ago (Deerhorn and East Vidette) - such a beautiful area. Soo.... what's the pitch count, info for locating the start, and how to descend???
rincon

climber
Coarsegold
  Jun 27, 2015 - 09:57am PT
Loved the DJ Snake video!
rudyg

Trad climber
Sausalito
  Jun 27, 2015 - 10:36am PT
Nice work! Saw you and chatted as you past our camp at East Lake, was wondering what you guys were going to climb up there! Also my first time up that drainage, but definitely not my last!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Jun 27, 2015 - 03:21pm PT
Awesome V!!!!
looks easy from here

climber
Santa Cruzish
  Jun 27, 2015 - 09:45pm PT
looks easy from here, well now I can give you a nice topo :)

I'll let you know if I need one, but I'm pushing myself towards more adventurous climbing. Not quite as fast as you have, though. ;)

Is this the Crunk Juice headwall?
My cousin and I both keyed in on that blank-looking facet of the arete during our armchair scouting sessions.

Maxim checking out Mt. Bago and all of the buttresses that may include the mysterious Tower of Delphina. :)

Tease!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jun 29, 2015 - 11:05am PT
Is this the Crunk Juice headwall?

Yes. If you want to do some adventure climbing, there are many options out there. Doing this route would be one of them, without beta. At least you know it goes and you know you can bail off the ridge if it is too hard at some point. On the arete we did, you can try climbing the crack on the left of Lil John Spire, it also looked cool, we did one on the right side. And on the headwall, you can try climbing the right side of it. Seemed like there were some cracks going up that way, but to access them the pro seemed tricky. I did not want to lose a bunch of time up there because we were climbing unknown route etc...but the cracks above looked good.
You can also try finding the Brujo Dihedral/Vinland route which ascends crack systems right of the central North Face buttress (one right of the arete we climbed). Seems like the climbing there is less sustained and different systems could go, from what I looked at. Will be an adventure for sure.
You could also try the arete left of the one we climbed. Looks easier, maybe, but it is the type of a peak where you could choose your own adventure me thinks. Too easy, you can make it harder, or the other way around.

Careful dude, you're precariously balanced on the knife edge ridge that is the distinction between climber and HIKER.

During the last month I did a BUNCH of hiking, so I don't mind. My leg muscles are way stronger then my upper body at the moment. Started as a hiker/mountaineer, and peak bagging season is right here...so maybe it is a good thing! Don't think I am about to be sending much gnar brah.

You guys rock like monsters! Great looking route and trip report! Did some peak bagging in that area a few years ago (Deerhorn and East Vidette) - such a beautiful area. Soo.... what's the pitch count, info for locating the start, and how to descend???

Pitch count...it depends. I think we did 8 pitches. On 3 or 4 I ran the rope for almost the full 70 M. I'd say 8-12 pitches depending how it is pitched out. Plenty of belay spots to use. We unroped about 200-300 ft below the crest, from there it was 4th/3rd to the summit.
Descend east (climber's left when you are facing the peak). Scramble down about 300 ft (?), and you will see a prominent sandy gully leading down. It will take you down to the same side of the mountain where the route begins. So you can drop off any of the extra gear/packs/jackets and pick them up after you get down. Descent was sandy, but seemed much more pleasant than getting down Mountaineer's route on WHitney! I went down the gully and transitioned to the solid ridge/rock to the skier's left. :)

Loved the DJ Snake video!

That thing is crazy!
Jdizzle

Boulder climber
Lander, wy. Born 1992. student of physics and pain
  Jun 30, 2015 - 09:57pm PT
If you keep at it you might single-handedly climb out the whole sierra.

that route looks spectacular! Let me know if you want to hike that far to climb in the winds sometime... there are alot of faces waiting to get freed by those who can leg it far back, and places were even the "classic" routes have like 2 or 3 ascents.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  Jul 1, 2015 - 12:42am PT
You're tearing it up man! Thanks for sharing the stoke and the beauty.
thebravecowboy

climber
The Good Places
  Jul 1, 2015 - 12:45am PT
Lil John Spire

Whaatt?
Charlie D.

Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
  Jul 1, 2015 - 05:42am PT
Beautiful, thanks!
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
  Jul 1, 2015 - 09:18am PT
Bitchin adventure bump
reach

Trad climber
Brisbane, CA
  Jul 1, 2015 - 09:29am PT
This is fantastic! I took this photo of Ericsson crags on a trip to Brewer some time ago and I've been using it for my profile pic, since it's one of my favorite views:


Also, putting routes up on Brewer would be great too. I have similar aspirations for that face.... Go do it!
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
  Jul 1, 2015 - 11:10am PT
Ho boy, this thread f*#kin' wood inducing.

I need a cold shower...
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Jul 2, 2015 - 10:18am PT
Reach, haha I never clicked your profile photo prior, but this is awesome! You have the route we climbed in the profile on the left skyline.
Before getting out there, my friend Daniel told me it was one of the most beautiful parts of the range, and he was right! The whole way up from Bubbs Creek is fantastic. Kings Canyon, North Dome, Charlotte dome, Bubbs Creek Wall, Bago, East Lake, Brewer, Lake reflection and Ericsson Crags with a view towards Tangle, Milestone and many many more peaks. Incredible setting. Hope I can return some day. Even Beckey hiked out there multiple times!
part-time communist

Mountain climber
Bishop, CA
  Jul 3, 2015 - 01:36pm PT
so much gnar, I can't take it...

way to go with one helluva awesome objective!
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
  Jul 21, 2015 - 04:42pm PT
63! Oh for goodness sake this a bump for V's 63rd write up!
Gary

Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
  Jul 21, 2015 - 06:07pm PT
Most excellent!
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Jul 21, 2015 - 06:13pm PT
Very Nice!
Banquo

climber
Amerricka
  Jul 21, 2015 - 08:21pm PT
How about the mystery portal on the south face of Ericsson Crags? Wormhole? Passage to the mother ship?
Banquo

climber
Amerricka
  Jul 21, 2015 - 08:27pm PT
Here is a 180 degree panorama of the north side side of Mt. Ericsson.

http://dammerr.com/ericsson/index.html

If you right click and download the image it is even bigger.
Charlie D.

Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
  Jul 22, 2015 - 05:29am PT
Fantastic, love it......thanks for the stoke!
Go