10 days in the Sierras - Conness, Matthes, Russell and Whitney 6/13/2008
Posted By: curtveld in California
Trip: 10 days in the Sierras - Conness, Matthes, Russell and Whitney
Date: 6/13/2008
Trip Report:A good climbing trip is so much more than climbing. So rather than bore you with climbing shots of golden granite and blue skies, here’s the full spectrum of highlights.
Day 1: Fly to Reno, pick up car, groceries and tour the big-box stores looking for white gas (Wall Mart!). Take a nap in the park, then pick up Andy at the airport and skedaddle southward on 395. Bivy among the aspens and coyotes near Monitor Pass.
Day 2: On southward, then over Tioga Pass into the Promised Land of Yosemite NP. Water grooves on Lembert Dome prove irresistable, then we hike into Young Lake for the West Ridge of Conness (near the left skyline). Tad bit of altitude queasiness passes quickly.
Day 3: Two miles of amazingly easy cross-country to the base. Camera is uncooperative due to chill/altitude/battery but we climb anyway: 1500’ or so of clean class 4 to mid-5th ridgecrest goes smoothly, then a mellow snowy descent. Tip: At the big orange block about ¾ up, go around on the right and hang your butt over the SW face! Hike out past panoramic views.
Day 4: Slow morning then a windshield tour of the Meadows’ domes. Check out the tourists at Olmstead Point – that lump over there looks strangely familiar? The best rest day intentions flex when we see that West Crack is unoccupied - definitely a full-value 5.8!
Day 5: Hiking at dawn to the classic knife-edge Matthes Crest. Awesome climb alright, but not for the faint at heart. Nor, in my case, for low-stress climbability in approach shoes. Despite the lovely rock and views, the endless up-and-down towers and crazy knife-edge flake traverses begin to make me crazy.
Day 6: A driving rest day, stopping in Crowley Lake for a Haagen Daz brunch, then onward to Bishop where the dude at Wilson’s fixes the leaking Whisperlite like it was his own
. Next up is air-conditioned pizza and beers and then true refreshment in the unheated Motel 6 pool, next to one of America’s more scenic trailer parks.
Day 7: Through the lumpy Alabama Hills to lush Whitney Portal, straight out of Lord of the Rings. Packed up the bare essentials, then up the dramatic and improbable North Lone Pine approach route. We pass through overflowing streams, along slabby ledges, over spawning trout and up miles of talus to the mini-Patagonia of Iceberg Lake.
Day 8: A semi-alpine start for the Fishhook Arete on Russell. Chilly climbing on impeccable golden granite on the lower ridge leads to the steeper pillar. A wonderful route, with tons of classic 5.7 and 5.8 climbing and an easy talus descent.
Day 9: Whitney for the Solstice. The East Buttress is considerably easier than it appears (and Fishhook) and we cruise it. Approaching the summit, we begin to hear voices, laughter, conversations…. now several at a time? After lunch, we consentingly join the pose-fest.
On the hike out, we encounter a craggy old fellow with unruly sideburns, ski poles and a rope over his faded pack. Will Fred ever give it up? The car has a warning note from the bear police – we had stupidly left an empty grocery bag plainly visible in the back seat – tsk, tsk!
Day 10: Inhale ham&eggs& biscuits, tour some choice real estate (no purchases) and roll northward back to Reno. How could all this have happened in only ten days?
Gear Notes:Rope and a rack and two bivy sacks
Approach Notes:Allegiant Air, B'ham-Reno direct and cheap!
