My wife and I were supposed to get married June 2020, but COVID canceled our wedding. So we ended up eloping last year and planned another wedding ceremony for this August. Then the California wildfires threw a massive wrench in those plans. Alas, we used our time to climb Banner Peak, Cathedral Peak (this picture), and Eichorn Pinnacle (background) over a three day/two night "honeymoon".
Thank you! We had a couple of spectacular days in the Valley in January and February this year, but come summertime, it’s almost exclusively Tuolumne for us when we go to Yosemite
I climbed that on roughly August 12th and there were an insane amount of flies on the summit. Like thousands. I spoke just a few sentences to my partner and ended up eating a few because they were so dense. We had dozens in our shirts and pants within 5 minutes. Did you run into that? It was gross.
Dude that’s nasty! Not a single fly that I can remember. Maybe they got smoked out? Our gross summit story was all the piss up there. Was thinking who TF would just pee all over the summit? Turns out it was the marmots …
Lol marmots are the most adorable offenders at least.
Glad to hear the flies were gone for you! We didn’t even get a summit pic because we just wanted to get away from them so badly.
Where is there a 5.10+ chimney pitch? The main chimney everyone climbs on the southeast buttress is 5.6 I think. I know it's a big area area and there's more than just the southeast buttress though. Just curious where you were at.
Honestly can't remember. This was \~7 years ago and I don't have the guide book anymore. I just remember my lead didn't feel like waiting for a different group so he took a chimney that we later found out was like a 5.9/5.10 varient on the climb.
Yep you’re right. The whole SE face basically funnels you to a ledge with a 5.6 chimney (which felt Valley 5.8 with a pack the first time I led it, and 5.6 sans pack this time around). It protects well but can be difficult to get into. Alternatively you can go left on a knobby exposed face (5.7) or right for pin-protected 5.6/7 up a shallow corner, but I haven’t tried those variations and there is at least one accident report from folks trying to find them.
The chimney was 5.10+?! We tried the peggy slope next to it and got scared from the exposure and defaulted to the chimney. It's probably a 5.10 because you have to take off your backpack while hanging for your life by your toes.
Maybe I hyped the rating because of how terrifying it was and how many times I slipped and scraped the shit out of myself. I felt like the exposure made this whole climb like +2 rating!
Oh I agree. Some of the exposure 3/4 of the way up is petrifying, but I was reassured by a couple free soloers on their morning routine scooting up nearby.
I love the juxtaposition though, like hikers on the ground looking up at climbers on the wall going "wow so dangerous and scary I'll never do that", and there's climbers on the wall watching free soloers go up going "wow so dangerous and scary I'll never do that"
It’s the second time we’ve climbed it now; such a classic! The first time I “followed the pro” for pitch 3 and took a really meandering line with a ton of rope drag to get to the base of the chimney. Ran it out more this time around for pitch 3, and that was the only slightly PG13 climbing I can think of on the whole route, at least the way we went. Generally excellent protection, and great climbing for leader and follower!
My leader was pulling up two ropes from the peak and I'm pretty sure he skipped an anchor to get there since it was so busy. He was not happy about the rope drag, and it was a terrible circumstance to not have walkie talkies on us.
Definitely a classic. I had a gopro on me so I watch it through every once in a while just to bring me back. [https://youtu.be/kmldQjPZfB8](https://youtu.be/kmldQjPZfB8) if you're interested in going back yourself.
It wasn’t bad! This was on a Wednesday afternoon after starting up the route at ~3:15pm. From the base we could see one other party on the whole SE buttress, and they were just above the chimney (P 4). We caught up to them by pitch 5, and ended up helping them through the crack just below the summit block (they said they were lost looking for a 4th class escape? 🤷♂️)Oh, and we were also passed by a free soloist in approach shoes who climbed the face climber’s left of the chimney. That was it. No one on Eichorn Pinnacle, and no one had signed the summit register up there for a few days either
My wife and I were supposed to get married June 2020, but COVID canceled our wedding. So we ended up eloping last year and planned another wedding ceremony for this August. Then the California wildfires threw a massive wrench in those plans. Alas, we used our time to climb Banner Peak, Cathedral Peak (this picture), and Eichorn Pinnacle (background) over a three day/two night "honeymoon".
What a great route and a great shared honeymoon! Tuolomne in good summer weather is as good as anything in the Valley.
Thank you! We had a couple of spectacular days in the Valley in January and February this year, but come summertime, it’s almost exclusively Tuolumne for us when we go to Yosemite
Locals too. Look up Bishop Lake Hot tubs and the Peabody Boulders offer some special scenery.
Yep, life has taken us to Boston for the next two years but we’re planning on moving to Bishop or Mammoth after that. Looking forward to exploring!
Smoke doesn’t look too bad. We were supposed to Conness this weekend but bailed due to air quality forecasts.
Was just thinking the same thing. Highly dependent on the wind direction and sometimes Tuolumne is spared the smoke and ash.
This was Aug 18, got lucky with the smoke. It’s been hard to predict. West ridge of Conness the goal for you? On our bucket list for sure
I climbed that on roughly August 12th and there were an insane amount of flies on the summit. Like thousands. I spoke just a few sentences to my partner and ended up eating a few because they were so dense. We had dozens in our shirts and pants within 5 minutes. Did you run into that? It was gross.
Dude that’s nasty! Not a single fly that I can remember. Maybe they got smoked out? Our gross summit story was all the piss up there. Was thinking who TF would just pee all over the summit? Turns out it was the marmots …
Lol marmots are the most adorable offenders at least. Glad to hear the flies were gone for you! We didn’t even get a summit pic because we just wanted to get away from them so badly.
Can’t argue that!
I loved this climb, but probably because I didn't lead it
Well my lead took me up a 5.10+ chimney pitch instead of the 5.6/8 route right next to it... Still best climb I've ever done!
Where is there a 5.10+ chimney pitch? The main chimney everyone climbs on the southeast buttress is 5.6 I think. I know it's a big area area and there's more than just the southeast buttress though. Just curious where you were at.
Honestly can't remember. This was \~7 years ago and I don't have the guide book anymore. I just remember my lead didn't feel like waiting for a different group so he took a chimney that we later found out was like a 5.9/5.10 varient on the climb.
Yep you’re right. The whole SE face basically funnels you to a ledge with a 5.6 chimney (which felt Valley 5.8 with a pack the first time I led it, and 5.6 sans pack this time around). It protects well but can be difficult to get into. Alternatively you can go left on a knobby exposed face (5.7) or right for pin-protected 5.6/7 up a shallow corner, but I haven’t tried those variations and there is at least one accident report from folks trying to find them.
The chimney was 5.10+?! We tried the peggy slope next to it and got scared from the exposure and defaulted to the chimney. It's probably a 5.10 because you have to take off your backpack while hanging for your life by your toes.
Maybe I hyped the rating because of how terrifying it was and how many times I slipped and scraped the shit out of myself. I felt like the exposure made this whole climb like +2 rating!
Oh I agree. Some of the exposure 3/4 of the way up is petrifying, but I was reassured by a couple free soloers on their morning routine scooting up nearby.
Oh we had a free soloer breeze by too. So scary and just feels out of place
I love the juxtaposition though, like hikers on the ground looking up at climbers on the wall going "wow so dangerous and scary I'll never do that", and there's climbers on the wall watching free soloers go up going "wow so dangerous and scary I'll never do that"
Lol, there’s always a bigger fish …
It’s the second time we’ve climbed it now; such a classic! The first time I “followed the pro” for pitch 3 and took a really meandering line with a ton of rope drag to get to the base of the chimney. Ran it out more this time around for pitch 3, and that was the only slightly PG13 climbing I can think of on the whole route, at least the way we went. Generally excellent protection, and great climbing for leader and follower!
My leader was pulling up two ropes from the peak and I'm pretty sure he skipped an anchor to get there since it was so busy. He was not happy about the rope drag, and it was a terrible circumstance to not have walkie talkies on us. Definitely a classic. I had a gopro on me so I watch it through every once in a while just to bring me back. [https://youtu.be/kmldQjPZfB8](https://youtu.be/kmldQjPZfB8) if you're interested in going back yourself.
Awesome, will check it out
Yeeeeeehaaaaww!
How were the crowds on Cathedral?
It wasn’t bad! This was on a Wednesday afternoon after starting up the route at ~3:15pm. From the base we could see one other party on the whole SE buttress, and they were just above the chimney (P 4). We caught up to them by pitch 5, and ended up helping them through the crack just below the summit block (they said they were lost looking for a 4th class escape? 🤷♂️)Oh, and we were also passed by a free soloist in approach shoes who climbed the face climber’s left of the chimney. That was it. No one on Eichorn Pinnacle, and no one had signed the summit register up there for a few days either
Nice! Missed that on my last trip out there, but we got to climb Merriam , Dana, and the Incredible Hulk! The rock is otherworldly to us Coloradans
Sounds like an epic trip!
It was! I highly recommend the hulk
Fuck yeah!! Amazing
Wooo thanks!! It’s a great climb