The High Sierra: 2015 - 2018

vera

2016.08.12 Medlicott Dome - Yosemite NP

PanShiBo

2016.08.12 Medlicott Dome (Yosemite NP) - contd.

High Sierra is so diverse that every time it is hard to predict what one will see on the next hike. Every trip is different. Trip to Medlicott Dome was different too.

Cathedral Peak is in full view - to climb this one is not going to be easy... (but we will) 8)



The summit block of Cathedral Peak. The damn route' description is so confusing that we will have no clue where it is - as often, Vera's cool head will save the day..(respect!)..

Cathedral Peak is an outstanding granite pinnacle in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. It looks good from all sides, has expansive views from its class 4 summit block, and the SE Buttress is considered a classic climbing route. John Muir made the first ascent of Cathedral Peak in 1869, possibly the first class 4 climb to be made anywhere in the Sierra.

http://www.summitpost.org/




At Lower Cathedral Lake. The lake is great for alpine swimming (~2,800m above seal level) or just to hang around. Camping here is super popular too (regulated by permits / lottery system).

vera

2016.08.12 Medlicott Dome (Yosemite NP) - contd.

California climbers' salute with Tenaya Lake at the back.

PanShiBo

2016.08.12 Medlicott Dome (Yosemite NP) - contd.

Actually our original plan was to climb Cathedral Peak, but we failed to locate the approach trail to the base of the climb - we followed the guide book route description which proved to be wrong, so we switched to plan B (Medlicott Dome).

There is no established trail to the summit of Medlicott Dome. Which means no much people but great views in all directions. 8)

Unclimbed Cathedral Peak


Above Tenaya Lake on the left is Tenaya Peak, which we climbed a month before on   2016.07.10




Cathedral Peak with the moon. This will be attempted 2nd time, tomorrow! 8)

vera

2016.08.12 Medlicott Dome (Yosemite NP) - contd.

Medlicott Dome is a prominent granite dome in Yosemite high country. It is located on the southeast side of Tioga Road, between Mariolumne Dome and Dozier Dome, not too far from Pywiack Dome, Cathedral lakes and Fairview Dome. Popular with climbers, hikers and backpackers due to short approach, easy scrambling and great views.

en.wikipedia.org

vera

2016.08.13        Cathedral Peak, Yosemite NP

我长吁了一口气：博士终于决定要登Cathedral Peak了！这之前的漫长的期待太考验人的耐性了！唉，终于等到了！

在我们进Yosemite之前，Cathedral Peak就已经上了博士的List，我就开始看它的TR，心里对它是向往、紧张并存。到了Valley，上网的时候也总在查询它的资料，好像总是心里没底，因为它的Summit block是mountaineering路线中级别最高的地方Class 4，到底怎么上去众说纷纭，而且最上面很小，看来只能容有一二人，它又是攀岩者的聚集之地，排队等待的可能性很大，这可不是我们希望的。一来二去，总是没有合适的时候。你想没人吗？休想！整个夏天，从来看到的都是所有营地“FULL” 的牌子，weekdays、weekends在这里根本没有分别。所以，总是从安全考量的博士委实难以定夺。（因为他的理想状态是除了我们绝无第三人，你们看，可能吗？）

这种对Cathedral Peak的向往和焦灼的心，进了Tuolumne  Meadow后，与日俱增：因为无论你走到哪里，你的视线里都有它！它虽然不是很高，但是太独立傲气，其他的山都遮盖不住它的光彩。我们去Echo Peaks，同一个TH，眼见着它就在我们的身边，却只能看着，可望不可即。博士每次用相机查看它的summit，都看到有人在上面，他还给我看拍下的照片，看得人心里痒痒的，馋得要命，又不敢出声询问，因为答案是明显的：还不是时候！心里超羡慕站在顶上的人，唉，什么时候轮到我呢？这个夏天还有没有机会呢？

在Tuolumne呆的第一轮，没有轮到它，我们就离开了，去了Whitney。当时不知何时还能归来的我，心里暗暗叹息，恐怕要等到下一次了，或许要到明年也未可知，不免对Cathedral Peak心生怅惘和不甘之情。好在我有特别正面的态度，积极争取下一切随缘，尽情享受当下拥有的才是正道。

Whitney的辉煌之旅加上Kearsarge区域的惊心动魄之后，谁曾想呢，博士竟然决定再次回到Yosemite的Tuolumne，简直太棒了，我们要登Cathedral Peak！（心潮澎拜，绝不夸张）

PHOTO: Cathedral Peak as seen from Echo Peaks

PanShiBo

2016.08.13        Cathedral Peak, Yosemite NP - contd.

Two random thoughts.

1. We, who live next to the US border, are blessed with having some of the most spectacular US national parks, all within "can drive there" distance.

Those are:

Mount Rainier  (WA)
Crater Lake  (OR)
Yosemite + Kings Canyon + Sequoia (CA)
Death Valley (CA)
Grand Canyon (AZ)
Arches (UT)

Each can be reached from Vancouver, BC by driving  a regular passenger car. Each park is special on its own and worth visiting and revisiting! The driving option as opposed to flying makes a few things quite easier and possible  - in terms of gear one can bring (camping, backpacking, hiking, climbing and comfort).

2. Intuition

当你该理性思考时，你却是否听从了自己的内心想法？
当你该追随内心时，却是否选择了理性思考？

-D430



PHOTO: Climbing Cathedral Peak, class 3 section. Without Vera's route finding intuition we would certainly fail the second attempt too. 8)

PanShiBo

vera
...它虽然不是很高..

In the High Sierra, a 3,326 m peak is not really high, even though it is higher than impressive Mt. Baker, WA (3,286 m) 8)

PHOTO: at  the summit of Cathedral Peak, CA with Echo Peaks at the distance.



PHOTO: Sunset at Mt. Baker, WA as seen across the border from New Westminster, BC yesterday (Nov-3 2016) / climbed in 2014 /.

PanShiBo

2016.08.13        Cathedral Peak, Yosemite NP - contd.

Cathedral Peak is very popular among traditional rock climbers because it is one of only few peaks that lets them experience an alpine  route: the approach is very short (you won't get far wearing slippers) and unlike a typical rock climb (e.g. those in Squamish), the route ends at a real mountain peak.

Our route. We didn't rappel though, "just" climbed back down. 8)


At the top with Lower Cathedral Lake below.

vera

8.12 试探
Yosemite的天气在这个季节，真的永远不会令你失望，它怎么也没法成为你不爬山的理由。从Kearsarge Lakes回来后，夏天还在继续，放弃这里的蓝天回温哥华？不能，真的不能，太难割舍了。博士英明，除了没有网络及质量极差的Toilet paper外，Tuolumne这个地方实在没什么可以挑剔的，相反，这里的高海拔下，和Valley相比，不但气温低了十来度（白天25℃左右），重要的是景色更美加上选择又多，这才是最吸引我们的地方。

从7月22号去Echo Ridge，20多天过去了，再次回到熟悉的TH：Cathedral Lakes，它就在120公路上，没有专门的停车场，见了路旁的指示牌沿着路边停就行；它离这里的Vis Ctr很近，我们先去那里洗漱、吃早餐、准备背包（因为这里的停车场相对宽敞，早晨人也很少，也可以补水），这样到了TH，就无需多停留，下了车就可以直接开步走了。

清晨的阳光下，我们将头盔等挂在包上，套上gaiters，提上登山杖，就离开了马路，进了Trail。按照博士的计划，今天我们是从Cathedral Lake这一边去Cathedral Peak，按照书上的描述，应该也有不少人试过了，想必会有现成的trail吧。我们是这样猜测和希望的，而且博士自己在GPS上设了一个坐标，加了alarm，这样到时候会提醒我们注意路旁是否有岔路通向我们的目标。这条路线和通常的攀岩者们选择的并不一样，现在想来，可能是博士觉得这样less traffic；而我呢，正好趁这个机会去见一下这个久仰的湖（另外一条路线是不经过湖的），这样的“顺便”还是蛮不错的，有一举二得的感觉，好像捡了便宜似的，也开心得很。

走啊走啊，没有太多爬升，舒适的山路（马也允许走的），绕过了几个Dome，到了alarm提示的地方，我们开始注意是否有分出的trail通向左侧的Cathedral Peak。没有！再走，还是没有！继续走，眼见快要绕过整个山脚、再往前就要离开它了，仍然不见踪影！此时，对面走来一人，我们逮着就问，噢，多年前他还上过Peak呢，他告诉我们没有路，朝着peak过去就行，先到山脚下，然后看着哪里好走就走哪里，自个儿想着办法到顶！不过呢，他看看我们说：时间恐怕是不够的！

这样的答案可是我们没想到的，这意味着我们要进入树林，朝山走，在没有任何trail的情况下，背着登山的gear盲目登顶？这不是整个一误打误撞吗？不知天高地厚的我还有心跃跃欲试呢，老练的博士才不会无把握地贡献出他金子一样的时间去这样 “试” 。他一方面对书本质疑，一方面快速做了决定：游Cathedral Lake，登Medlicott Dome！我呢，觉得好可惜啊，又错过了，下一个机会在哪里啊？想归想，罢了罢了，看来时机未到，天意不可违，去游湖吧！湖在右手边，很快就到了，离trail的这一边是弧形的石坡接着湖水，两侧过去，沿湖的trail在林间忽隐忽现，从哪里都可以随时下水。博士随即就开始享受起来：拿出垫子铺着，头枕背包，晒着太阳，睡起觉来！我也想这样，但是偶尔经过的蚂蚁让我没法淡定，只好开始东瞧西看，四处闲逛，好在不远处发现了一处平坦的石床，我也照葫芦画瓢地睡着了。

不知几时，等我睁开眼时，只看到博士在湖里的背影，他竟然开始游泳了！连忙拿出相机拍拍拍，微风吹起的涟漪带着凉意，远远的对面也有别人抡着胳膊跟着下了水。这可不是Silliman那里的小清新，二十米水平的我怎么看也不敢下去，只能特别羡慕地观望。不多会儿他就游到了湖心，一来二去，随心所欲。上岸后那种畅快的样子充满了感染力，不得不叹，有的人生来就是属于nature的，我等即便尽了洪荒之力，恐怕也不能得其一二。贵有自知之明的我，想得这么明白透彻，心情能不好么？

上岸后，再次小憩到午后，博士起来了，轻描淡写地说：“去Medlicott Dome！”

看，这就是我们的第一次Cathedral Peak的attempt，连个山脚也没碰到的第一次！

PanShiBo

2016.08.13        Cathedral Peak, Yosemite NP - contd.

Views from the summit

Echo Peaks as seen from the summit of Cathedral Peak, the tallest is Echo Peak #3, which we will climb in two days (2016.08.15).

Echo Peaks is a cluster of 9 rock pinnacles southwest of Tuolumne Medows in Yosemite National Park. Hardcore climbers have ascended all 9 in one day! The technical difficulty ranges from Class 3 to 5.9.

This granite cluster is a fantastic place to practice alpine rock climbing habits - approach is a short maintained (class 1) hiking trail but foot traffic is minimal. Great solid stable Yosemite granite. No lack of exposure obviously. Swim in the Budd lake and ice-cream from Tuolumne grocery store is a bonus. And of course, California blue sky every day! Easily can spend a week or more just there! 8)



Budd Lake - great place to swim. Minimum people (camping is not allowed). Echo Ridge far at the back (climbed 2016.07.22)

vera

2016.08.13        Cathedral Peak, Yosemite NP - contd.

Class 3 exposed move @ rappel section.


The summit block.


At the top.

vera

2016.08.13        Gaylor Peak, Yosemite NP

At the top of Gaylor Peak, with Mt. Gibbs at the back (climbed 2016.07.23).


Gaylor Lake


Gaylor Lake - 3.1 km above sea level.

PanShiBo

2016.08.13        Gaylor Peak, Yosemite NP - contd.

A before sunset relaxing stroll, approaching Gaylor Peak with Gaylor Lake below (waiting for us to be swam in). 8)

This is Cathedral Peak which we just climbed in the morning.

vera

2016.08.13        Cathedral Peak, Yosemite NP - contd.

vera

2016.08.14        Columbia Finger, Yosemite NP

At the back is what we climbed the previous day (Cathedral Peak)


..and this is what we will climb today (Columbia Finger). It looks steeper - and it really is!

vera

2016.08.14        Columbia Finger, Yosemite NP - contd.

Listen to the sound of fighting wild coyotes near Echo Peaks

PanShiBo

2016.08.14        Columbia Finger, Yosemite NP - contd.

That's certainly a lot of air below Cathedral Peak. Today finally, our hearts are content, even seeing a climber above the crack: we did it (too)!  8)

vera

2016.08.14        Columbia Finger, Yosemite NP - contd.

Summit block of Columbia Finger







Panorama from the top

PanShiBo

2016.08.14        Columbia Finger, Yosemite NP - contd.



At the top of Columbia Finger! 8)