Labour Day: Tuolumne Meadows (Serrated Edge, Lucky Streaks), Patricia Bowl
September 3-5, 2011
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After The Hulk the previous
weekend we planned a more relaxed itinerary for Labour day, with more time
to hang out and eat good food, in addition to climbing. Karen and Wen
joined us for Saturday and Sunday.
Being a long weekend, crowds are always an issue, so we picked a route not
in supertopo: Serrated Edge, a 4-pitch 5.10b on Mariuolumne Dome in
Tuolumne. We thought about doing OZ first, but it had a line of parties on it,
and we started at the car at noon... due to sleeping in, and making a big
breakfast at the park gate :) Instead as an approach, we started on Euro
Trash on the lower slab (which adds another 4 pitches, mostly easy but
enjoyable). Euro Trash went quickly but there looked to be two parties
ahead of us on Serrated Edge - a shocker! Thankfully the first was already
past the first two pitches, and we waited for an hour for the second party
to clear the first belay ledge (which is fairly uncomfortable). The climb
is super super fun! A 4" camalot is nice for the start of the 2nd pitch,
but it's possible to get a #2 or #3 in there too (just deeper in the
crack), and the rest of the climb doesn't need big gear, despite what some
will tell you. The crux move is a bit awkward, but very well protected and
didn't end up as hard as it looked. I ended up linking pitches 2 and 3,
since I had left my #3's behind and the belay wasn't very trustworthy
without them. The third pitch has about 15 meters of very cool climbing
right on the knobby "Serrated Edge"... cool! We waited for Karen and Wen
at the top and we all walked off together.
On Sunday, we went to Patricia Bowl, an amazing alpine crag that has some
of the best quality granite you'll find in the Sierra. On Monday we
lazed around in the morning and drove into Tuolumne, unsure of what to
do next. We ended up getting on Lucky Streaks with our typical late
start - there was only one party on it (two Italianos) who were having
an absolute blast, hooting and hollering and laughing up the climb...
super friendly too! We chatted a bit about Italian climbing and since
they were in no rush, they let us get past them, which was very nice and
allowed us to have some beach time at Tenaya Lake (~3 hours for the
climb), before beginning the drive back. A great end to a long weekend!
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Starting Euro Trash slab, photo by Karen |
Starting up Eurotrash |
Wen on Eurotrash |
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Karen, Melissa and I on Euro Trash (photo by Wen) - we had a social day on Euro Trash + Serrated Edge |
Euro Trash with Mariuolumne Dome above |
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Karen and Wen |
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Beautiful Tuolumne |
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Euro trash approach pitches to Mariuolumne Dome |
This route is more fun than walking! |
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A party on Serrated Edge (leader at the awkward 5.10b crux move) |
On the first pitch of Serrated Edge |
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Karen chilling while waiting for us on Serrated Edge |
First pitch of Serrated Edge |
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Melissa pulling the first awkward roof on the climb (there are 3) |
More awkward climbing |
Karen on the first pitch |
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Agent Orange |
On the last pitch of Serrated Edge |
It's a party on Serrated Edge! You can see the crux roof |
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Pulling the roof move is hard... |
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Fairview Dome |
Half Dome in the haze |
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It seems like an incredible feat for these guys to survive here |
Uh-oh sun is setting... |
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Breakfast |
Hiking up to Patricia Bowl |
Karen and Wen on the way to Patricia Bowl |
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The beautiful Patricia Bowl lake |
Patricia Bowl lake |
Where should we climb first? |
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One of the most beautiful alpine lakes we've seen anywhere.. |
Starting up a nice 5.10a corner |
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Amazing granite! |
Karen on Dirty Girl, nice 5.9 |
Melissa cruising the 5.10a |
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When it doubt, layback! |
Wen climbing |
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Such nice splitters at Patricia Bowl! Hulk-like quality |
Yours truly on the 5.9 |
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Karen on the 5.10a, getting into the crux section |
Loving the 5.9, after the wide start |
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A nice 5.10b |
The crux - when in doubt, lay it back :) |
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Sweet jamming! |
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Karen toproping the 5.10d which is very thin/spicy to lead at the start |
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And here it gets easier |
Lounging or climbing? |
Karen toproping the 5.10d (very thin at the start, tricky lead) |
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Wen showing she can layback |
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Karen and I racing to the chains of two neighbouring routes (not really) |
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I'm falling behind (and was off route on an unnamed crack into grainy, flakey rock) |
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After traversing into the correct crack system, the crux 10d crack is above |
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The grunting ensues |
The race |
Both of us nearing the top |
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Getting into the business section |
Into the sky... |
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Good morning! |
On the 5.10a 2nd pitch of Lucky Streaks |
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Third pitch, Lucky Streaks |
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Fourth pitch (before the Italians who gratuitously let us pass |
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On the fourth pitch of Lucky Streaks (belaying after the traverse) |
At the top of Lucky Streaks, on a beautiful day! |
Another party on Lucky Streaks (as we walked out and went to the Tenaya beach) |
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The third (crux) pitch, with the whole upper part of the route visible |
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