Trip Report
FA Style Ascent Near Twin Lakes, Desolation Wilderness
Monday July 6, 2015 11:49am
While hiking up to Twin Lakes one day (from Wrights Lake), I saw an obvious rock face on an unnamed peak north of the lakes. I have always wanted to climb something in a first ascent style, where I would scout out routes on a face/peak and just go for it. I decided this was the time!

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The unnamed peak
The unnamed peak
Credit: berlindx
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After seeing the peak from a distance, I made a second trip specifically to scout out the rock. I strained my neck looking over every inch of the rock through my compact 20x binoculars. I was surprised to find some shiny bolts on one of the lines that looked good. I also saw a piton on a section that branched off from the top of the established line.

When my climbing partner Steven and I hiked out on this trip, we decided to climb another route I had seen that didn't have any signs of development.
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Our route up the face
Our route up the face
Credit: berlindx
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Here's a picture of the climb I took and marked after my scouting trip. We ended up taking the left branch of orange to the green. The right branch of orange looked beautiful, and probably doable, but it was harder to get into and looked a lot harder to climb.
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Some possible lines I saw during the scouting mission. We climbed left...
Some possible lines I saw during the scouting mission. We climbed left orange to green.
Credit: berlindx
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We set off and the first pitch was easy, no harder than 5.5 or so. It was still harder than it looked because we thought we would be able to hike most it! (Rookie mistake haha)
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Steven heading up the first pitch
Steven heading up the first pitch
Credit: berlindx
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I didn't take pictures in the middle of the next pitch, but it was an awesome experience of uncertainty and discovery. I was amazed to find features that made the hardest looking sections not just climbable, but fun! There was also one section after getting onto the "ramp" that was much harder than I expected. The hardest move probably went at around 10a or b and there was one section that was easy but a bit runout. Here's a couple of pics from the top of that pitch.
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Steven climbing the second pitch
Steven climbing the second pitch
Credit: berlindx
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Steven finishing the second pitch
Steven finishing the second pitch
Credit: berlindx
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Steven took the next lead and decided to take the straight up way instead of traversing way. This pitch went up through a steep and very featured section of rock. It had good and bad: a large questionable block (that you pretty much have to use) and an awesome splitter crack. If you ignore the block (or just assume its bomber), the pitch was stellar. Steep and juggy to start, steep and splitter to finish. Here's a few of pictures of that pitch, which I would estimate at 10b or c.
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Steven leading P3
Steven leading P3
Credit: berlindx
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Steven about to get into the good stuff on P3
Steven about to get into the good stuff on P3
Credit: berlindx
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Steven about to climb into the crux section of P3
Steven about to climb into the crux section of P3
Credit: berlindx
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P3 awesomeness!
P3 awesomeness!
Credit: berlindx
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We simul-climbed to the top from there.
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Steven topping out with the crystal range in the background
Steven topping out with the crystal range in the background
Credit: berlindx
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The rock was very licheny and some sections were a little grainy, but overall the quality was excellent.

After we hiked off, we decided to climb the route that had a bolt on it and a 2 bolt anchor. It was dirtier and climbed different than I expected, but it was fun and thought provoking through the crux.

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Developed line(s). We climbed the marked first pitch
Developed line(s). We climbed the marked first pitch
Credit: berlindx
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Steven on the first pitch of the developed route
Steven on the first pitch of the developed route
Credit: berlindx
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Overall it was an awesome time and went surprisingly smoothly. Does anybody have any info on the climbs that are on this face, or if anybody has climbed the same route to the top before?

Thanks for reading!

  Trip Report Views: 2,287
berlindx
About the Author
berlindx is a trad climber from Yosemite, Ca.

Comments
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  Jul 6, 2015 - 11:57am PT
Nice! I hope it was a FA, but it doesn't matter, because you got the FA experience. I look forward to more of your TR's.

John
mattyj

Mountain climber
Truckee
  Jul 6, 2015 - 12:03pm PT
The peak is generally known as pooch peak (I think some people call it dogface, as well), since when viewed from Wright's, it looks like a dog's face in profile. Think basset hound. You climbed up to the nose, the forehead is the manzanita covered lump to the left of it in your first photo.
mtnyoung

Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
  Jul 6, 2015 - 02:42pm PT
Nice trip report. Clear and with good, well marked photos.

I think John got it right - it may turn out that it wasn't an FA, but you still got the FA experience.
squishy

Mountain climber
  Jul 6, 2015 - 01:01pm PT
Warren Harding use to pound pins up near there...fyi..
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
  Jul 6, 2015 - 01:22pm PT
Nice... Thanks for posting, always nice to look at pictures during lunch.
Sheets

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
  Jul 6, 2015 - 01:27pm PT
The start of the second pitch of the developed route looks pretty sick with a finger undercling out to the right. Maybe 10+/11??? Hope somebody with info on it pipes in. It has relatively newish Fixe bolts on it.

Steven
squishy

Mountain climber
  Jul 6, 2015 - 02:23pm PT
There's entire guild book for the area, some info found at a nearby bar...but it's all a secret and the place smells and has lot of mosquitoes...I would just stay away..
Ney Grant

Trad climber
Pollock Pines
  Jul 6, 2015 - 02:50pm PT
Nice TR, thanks.

So what do you think each route was rated?
berlindx

Trad climber
Sacramento, Ca
Author's Reply  Jul 6, 2015 - 04:47pm PT
I definitely didn't climb anything harder than 5.10, but beyond that it gets harder to say. The line to the top might have been 10b or c, the pitch at the base with the bolt on it was maybe a little harder, 10c/d?

Thanks for the info mattyj.

squishy: I'll have to contact this "Warren Harding" fellow and ask him what he climbed up there...
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
  Jul 6, 2015 - 05:17pm PT
Rad.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Jul 6, 2015 - 05:57pm PT
Well done sir, full on adventure!!!
Jerry Dodrill

climber
@dodrillphoto
  Jul 6, 2015 - 08:33pm PT
Nice work. I love that area but haven't yet done any of the technical routes. Caught an awesome sunset at Wrights the other day though...
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
  Jul 6, 2015 - 08:48pm PT
A first ascent is a first ascent is a first ascent. Doesn't matter if other climbers have first ascended it first, you still had the full first ascent experience.

No one can ever take that away from you.

Kalimon

Social climber
Ridgway, CO
  Jul 6, 2015 - 09:31pm PT
Beautiful stone . . . doubt if it is an FA.
big wall paul

Trad climber
tahoe, CA
  Jul 7, 2015 - 12:04am PT
Don't worry about tracking down this warren harding fellow.
He is long gone.
I say you got the first ascent, since Warren isn't around to dispute it.

nO seriuously, kudos to you for climbing up terrain without a topo or beta, it's new terrain to you and that hightens the adventure factor.
Branscomb

Trad climber
Lander, WY
  Jul 7, 2015 - 07:00am PT
Paul Brown and I did a route on that face in the mid 1980s. I can't remember much about it, it sort of wound around a bit. I don't recognize anything in your pictures, so, yeah, could be a FA for ya. Good on you!

We came across an old piton when we were up there. I know Warren Harding used to conduct classes in that area. He did the first ascent of the big chimney behind the detached pinnacle on the wall near Wright's Lake and the Enchanted Pools. Could be his piton.

In 1976-something some old friends of mine and I climbed the obvious tower on the crest between the Island Lake drainage and Clyde Lake. We found a couple of old pins on that also.

Check out the Lyons Lake basin sometime. We put up a lot of routes in there in the 70s and 80s...really beautiful setting and good stone.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
  Jul 7, 2015 - 07:08am PT
The climbing looks great, FA or not you certainly got the experience of looking at something and seeing a line that might go, then going for it and realizing it did. Funny how the two letters FA will get you a little grief. Great TR and congratulations.
10b4me

Social climber
Lida Junction
  Jul 7, 2015 - 08:02am PT
Thanks for the tr. glad for your stoke.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Jul 7, 2015 - 08:12am PT
These days you can just say you "identify" with a FA.


Well done. Great adventure. Makes me want to get out there!

Scott
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