John and Tony on pitch 2.

All Locations > California > High Sierra > 06 - Little Lak… > Bear Creek Spire > N Arete (5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c)

John and Tony on pitch 2.

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Bear Creek Spire viewed from the Dade Lake area. The North Arete is the prominent Arete facing the viewer, with the NE Ridge being the line which crosses diagonally across the image starting in the bottom left corner.

Summit ridge.

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4.8 from 4 votes

Chris Owen

Mar 14, 2006

“John and Tony on pitch 2.”

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Nearby Photos

Chimney After Crux Pitch

Colin just below the summit on the ridge

The North Arete of Bear Creek Spire viewed from the west.

Picture of Ross taken from the summit block. Great view of the lakes.

The spectacular Bear Creek Spire

Bear Creek Spire viewed from the Dade Lake area. The North Arete is the prominent Arete facing the viewer, with the NE Ridge being the line which crosses diagonally across the image starting in the bottom left corner.

John and Tony on pitch 2.

Summit ridge.

Jascha about to top out on P6 (P5 on Supertopo)

Summit!

The N Arete lit from the west.

The incredible view from the summit of<br>
Bear Creek Spire

Summit of Bear Creek Spire

The final 4th class pitches to the summit. Note the "smog" in the background due to the [[Zaca Mesa fire]]http://independent.com/news/2007/jul/28/zaca-mesa-fire-again-sends-smoke-coast/ burning north of Santa Barbara.

Pitch two

view down the E Arete

Little Lakes Valley

Adam soloing P1

view toward Dade

Mary Erdei climbing what we thought was the crux pitch in June 1977. No topos back then. Just the Sierra Club Roper Guide. Bryan Becker waiting below.

The 5.9(?) variation off the P3 belay (P2 per Supertopo). The main route goes slightly right up the "trough", then up the flake system.

Climbers on the N Arete as seen from the NE Ridge.

success!

thumbs up so far on the route

getting closer

Jascha approaching the P5 belay (P4 on Supertopo)

N Arete, viewed from the descent (looking SE)

Pitch 5 North arete

final snow field

Dave Burda and Lisa Pritchett on the North Arete of Bear Creek Spire.

Looking up at a party on the crux pitch (.10b variation) we unknowingly followed thinking it was 5.8 boy were we surprised!

almost to the summit block

John negotiates a gendarme.

Michelle on the 5.10 dihedral variation on P6 (P5 on Supertopo). The variation climbs the front of the tower, while the main route goes up a right-trending off-width behind the tower. photo by Jascha

Me leading fifth pitch (5.8). Photo by Justin Marion

Jascha following up the first pitch

P2 per Mt Project (P1 per Supertopo)

DVS leading the start of the crux pitch. The off-width/"chimney" is pressed up against the the obvious wall on the left. Photo by E. Kim.

en route<br>

The route we took. Pitch 4 felt very loose and we could have been off route but was no harder then 8. Pitch 5 is definitely foreshortened in this photo.

Adam on the approach

North Arete in afternoon light, seen from descent.

navigating the upper ridge

view toward Dade

Tony Tennessee leading off on pitch 1.

Descending the NE Ridge to escape the storms.

P1 per Mt Project

5.9 Variation of pitch 2 where I went straight up instead of following the flakes right.

BCS from the Gem Lake approach trending left up the shallower talus fields. I think this is easier than the Treasure Lakes slabs or going right up the steeper talus at Gem Lake.

Eric Collins following one of the lower pitches, circa 1985

Jascha approaching the P3 (P2 in Supertopo) belay

5.9 variation

On the final traverse before the summit. 07/20/19

Looking to the E

jim following after 5.8 crux section

Summit of BCS

Stormy skies over BCS and Dade. Time for us to bail.

John Fujii at the top of pitch 1.

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