[TR] cathedral peak- SE butt 8/9/2004

[kullaberg]

Climb: cathedral peak-SE butt

 

Date of Climb: 8/9/2004

 

Trip Report:

Hi,

 

Greatly inspired by dberdinka's recent report (thanks), we headed to Cathedral Peak earlier this week and did the SE Butt of the objective mountain, to use Becky language. It is easily the best route of its grade that I have done in a quite a while. It's long (almost a prerequisite for classic status), solid (little or no WA Pass kitty litter here) and sustained at around .8 for almost 10 pitches, with a few harder sections thrown in, most notably the headwall. Even more important, the route is a striking sight from near and far, begging to climbed, and leading straight to the summit.

The downside, and there has to be one, cause that's life and nothing comes for free, is the approach. We went in from the Chewuch via Tungsten, about 16 miles of boring, lead-footed hiking on hammered stock trails deep in the woods, thankfully followed by 5 more trail miles of awesome high country traversing over a couple of passes right to the foot of the route.

What more? The 'table sized boulder in an alcove' start that dberdinka mentions is indeed a fine way to get on the route. This is good, since the .6 start mentioned in the Becky book seemed improbable, if not nonexisting?

 

See attached pic for dramatic view of peak.

 

jan

 

 

Gear Notes:

set of stoppers, set of cams to #4 camalot, draws, runners. If you want to do the original OW thru the headwall it might be prudent to haul another, even bigger cam along. Otherwise, the thin crack immidiately to right is a better way.

 

Approach Notes:

long

[dberdinka]

Sweet!