Alpine Ridges in the Range of Light - USA

by Bruce Goodlad

When most people think of rock climbing in California in America, they think of multi-pitch, big walls, Yosemite, Tuolumne Meadows, The Needles or bouldering in the Buttermilks but probably not Alpine climbing.

The Sierra Nevada is the range of mountains dividing the rich agricultural land of coastal California from the desert of Nevada and these granite mountains contain the lower 48’s highest peak, Mount Whitney. The granite is some of the best mountain rock I have climbed with fantastic faces, ridges and summits and a photographer's dream. The unique quality of the light has given the mountains the name 'the range of light'. The reason that Galen Rowell chose to live there and set up his Mountain Light Gallery is no secret.

If you are looking for a venue this summer that has fantastic granite climbing on high mountains with no glaciers and generally approach shoe accessibility then give the High Sierra a thought. The access to the mountains is all from the US 395, the road that runs from Reno all the way to Joshua Tree you can fly to Reno, LA or San Francisco depending on how far you want to drive. Access would be really difficult without a hire car. When planning any High Sierra adventure you need to remember that it is high, just because you are in a T-shirt and approach shoes doesn’t mean that you can forget about the altitude. Remember Mount Whitney is higher than the Aiguille Verte in the Alps.

The range stretches from just south of Reno for over 170 miles so there are plenty of mountains to choose from, today I want to share a few of my favourites in the northern end of the range. With so many mountains to choose from it is hard to know where to be based, in the height of summer the valleys can be very hot. Having climbed there in September anywhere is pleasant in the evening but in August the lower towns like Bishop are too hot for me so on our last trip we stayed in Mammoth a winter ski town where accommodation is easy to come by. It also has the beauty of being pretty central for all the peaks at the northern end of the range. Tuolumne would also be cool but it is a long drive to approach any of the more southerly peaks.

The big difference I found to climbing in Europe is the permit system for backcountry camping or bivvying, the concept that someone – the government in this case – can limit access to the mountains is completely alien and to my mind wrong. Those are the rules so we have to work with them, on the flip side if you don’t mind long days out then you can climb most of the Sierra classic routes in a day which allows for a lighter pack. I have found that a long day followed by a rest day in the valley is more efficient than a walk-in, camp, climb and walk-out. There are a few exceptions like Mount Whitney where it is worth applying for a permit a long time out as they are quite difficult to get. There is also a permit lottery system each day for the following day.

While you are getting used to the thin air, Tuolumne is a great place to do a few routes, get used to the rock and get in the groove. SuperTopo’s excellent Tuolumne Free Climbs guide has all the routes you need (www.supertopo.com/climbingareas/tuolumne.html)

My favourite route in Tuolumne is the South East Face of Cathedral Peak (5.6-5.8), a fantastic spire of perfect granite with an hour-and-a-half approach and loads of possible variations. First climbed by John Muir in 1869 the route was probably the hardest route in the US at the time, I have climbed it at least five times and always had a great day out. The approach leads through some beautiful trees to the South East Buttress. When you arrive at the apron of slabs there are a number of possibilities that you can link together as the mood takes you. My preferred option is to start on the right, climbing slabs, knobs, cracks and grooves to the ledge at two-thirds height. There are three options above but I think the bold, but amazing, knob climbing to the left of the obvious chimney is the best. The descent is a short down climb that you may want to protect, then scramble onto the North Face, then another abseil followed by a scrambly terrain leads down to sandy ledges. Head north to cross a ridge then descend sandy trails back to the base of the climb.

Warmed up and acclimatised you will be ready for a bigger route. The West Ridge of Mount Conness is exactly that, it is probably the best 5.6 ridge in the Sierra with great positions and fantastic climbing. The approach is long and involved but worth the effort, having climbed the North and West Ridges we had the mountain to ourselves on both occasions. The approach will take about four hours, much of it on small tracks and cross country, whilst hard work, it does mean the way home is easy to follow. The guidebook describes being able to scramble all the way to the base but we found an abseil so it would be worth having some tat with you.

The route starts at the toe of the ridge, there are lots of variations so don’t get hung up on finding the exact line, look for the clean rock that follows the crest and you won't go wrong. The rock and positions are superb with lots of climbing between grade 4 and 5.6. If you are comfortable moving together there are a few sections where this is possible, alternatively, the rock is so good and the gear so easy to place that pitching can be done really quickly. With about 500m of climbing don’t hang about if you are to avoid one of the Sierra’s infamous thunderstorms. The descent is pretty easy, head southeast along a ridge to a large sandy plateau; head northeast to the corner keeping height then join the track you used in the morning. It might be worth stashing water there on the way in to save you from carrying it on the route.

If you fancy an easier day with less walking then the North Arête (5.7) on Crystal Crag is a great multi-pitch outing with some really unusual rock. Crystal Crag sits above Mammoth Lakes so even if you are not staying there you can stock up on groceries and enjoy the coffee shops and eateries. The approach to the climb is an easy 30 minutes on good trails and the route starts with a right-facing corner in a chimney this is probably the crux, the rock is much more angular than some of the granite in the area so takes a few moves to get used to. Above the corner, the route follows slabby cracks, corners and a chimney to reach the amazing corridor of quartz that gives the crag its name. I have never climbed a pitch entirely on perfect white quartz before, truly amazing though it would be like climbing soap in the rain. When you reach the summit enjoy the view then scramble to a col between the summits where you can scramble down to the approach trail. The route fits nicely into a short day so is perfect between bigger adventures.

If your feet have recovered from hiking into Mount Conness then the next big objective I would suggest is the North East Ridge (5.5) on Bear Creek Spire. This is one of the best ridge routes I have done anywhere, partly because the approach is so scenic, the views from the ridge are superb and the rock is immaculate all the way. It doesn’t get much better than this, though the North Arête (5.8) is pretty special too.

The approach starts from Mosquito Flats which, at over 10,000ft, only leaves you 3,500ft to the summit, but it is a long way away. You can hike in and camp but with a three to four-hour walk-in, it is very achievable in a day. Although you will start the walk in the dark as the sun arrives you can enjoy the dozens of lakes that you walk beside. As the mountain approaches, you will treated to it turning yellow and orange in one of the legendary Sierra sunrises. The North East Ridge is one of those routes that gains in exposure and quality with height. The easier lower sections give way to more exposed climbing on the ridge crest that leads to a final unprotectable summit mantelshelf. Once you have left the summit scramble, make an abseil on the northwest side then scramble northwestwards to a notch in the North West Ridge down climb till making an abseil to a snow patch then rejoin your approach track at Dade Lake.

These are just a couple of suggestions to get you started, as approach shoe Alpinism goes it doesn’t get much better than climbing in the High Sierra.

Guidebook

High Sierra Climbing, second edition published by SuperTopo by Chris McNamara and McKenzie Long.

Season

You can climb in the Sierra from June till early October. June may have snow patches and October can have early winter snows. July and August are reliable but watch for thunderstorms. September can be perfect as the mountains are quieter and the weather can be settled.

Permits

You will need a permit for backcountry camping (info here) Don’t expect to rock up and get permits, I did this on our first trip and decided it was just easier to walk in and out. You could just go ahead and camp but the rangers carry guns, will arrest you and generally aren’t as friendly as you would expect. As we coined it, the USA land of the free, home of the permit. (It's still worth going though.) If you are camping it is worth taking a bear canister as bears are a real problem, you can hire them and get advice from friendly rangers. In the high mountains bears are less of a problem but the marmots will eat your food so make sure you can hang it up somewhere when you leave the tent.

Water

Some of the streams in the area have giardia so take a filter or purification tablets, this is lighter than trying to carry water for a whole day.

Valley Accommodation

In July and August, the lower towns like Bishop are really warm so it is worth staying a bit higher where it is cooler. Campsites inside the national park will need reservations but outside should be fine. A condo in Mammoth can be a cost-effective option and saves bringing camping kit on the flight. On one trip we bought a really cheap tent from Wal-Mart and then gave it to someone on the site when we left.

Gear

The guidebook tells what you need for each route but generally, a set of nuts and a set of cams with a selection of quickdraws plus folded four-foot slings and a longer sling will see you right. A 50m single rope works for the routes discussed.

Footwear

Sticky approach shoes are great for Bear Creek Spire, above 5.6 I wore comfortable rock shoes and carried my approach shoes. Take a wind/waterproof in case you get caught in a shower on the way out. You aren’t going to try these routes unless the forecast is good so wait for the weather then go fast and light.

Valley Cragging

There is some great cragging around Mammoth and Bishop and you are close to the excellent climbing around Lake Tahoe if the weather chases you from the high mountains. You are only a few hours from Yosemite too.

Other recommended routes

Matthes Crest (5.7), a fantastic, exposed ridge route.

Mount Humphries East Ridge (5.5), a great, remote feel.

Mount Conness North Ridge (5.6), a shorter but no less worthy way to the summit.

Temple Crag, Venusian Blind (5.7) might be worth taking a light axe for the approach slope.

Mount Whitney East Buttress (5.7) is a classic way to the summit of the highest mountain in the lower 48 (you will definitely need to book a permit).

This article was originally published in Climber magazine. Take out a great value subscription and read more articles like this by clicking here