Southeast Face 

**Disclaimer**

This is the way we went - you may find a better way.

Car-to-car makes for an enjoyable (albeit long) day. We hiked in at 1AM, completed the route (and the descent), then hiked back out before sunset. I recommend the 5.9+ direct variation, although there is loose rock. The lakeside bivvy spots are beautiful. But the creek-side mosquitos...

I found the topo fairly inaccurate. The topo from the 100 classic Sierra climbs is far more accurate. The first pitch is a long traverse up and right but is probably about 5.7. There was a pile of sticks at the start, though a better reference point is that it's nearly level with the toe of Michael Minaret to the left.

Three more pitches lead to a ledge atop a pedestal where you start the crux 5.8 + traverse R. into the dihedral, which really isn't indicated on this topo. From there, you following the dihedral to the traversing pitch up and left.

A great climb, but not for 5.8 newbies. It's long, committing, with route finding issues. A 5.8 climb for solid 5.9 climbers.

The direct start is well worth doing . It is two pitches of 10a climbing up a terrific dihedral . Overall the route is pretty sustained at 5.8 . It took us about 8 hours to climb the route . Route finding is not that hard . Much of the route is climbing up corners . The traversing pitch was 5.9 , and scary in my opinion . The pro is there but you have to make moves a few feet out at times . An amazing climb .

There is a direct start that is 5.10. A lot of parties start up the face too soon and end up doing this. To add to the confusion, the line in the photo in S&R does not show the initial traverse.

There was a lot of snow in the descent couloir when we climbed this. We got by without ice axes by doing a few more rappels.

In response to Fat Dad, see disclaimer.

As far as the traverse being one pitch, perhaps we had a shorter rope, or maybe I just stopped short at a convenient spot, didn't think 5.7 was called for when compared to the technical difficulties of the rest of the climb.
The traverse into the Shallow Dihedral is shown as 5.7 at the end of P7 (also in description as "Tricky Traverse"), but I didn't think it was the crux at 5.8, but rather the Shallow Dihedral itself. But then again I did this route in the 1980's (long before there were any schematics) maybe a hold broke off or something.

This route can be done in 7 pitch's with a 70 meter rope without bad rope drag.

Direct start is 5.9 and really not much harder than some of the cruxes higher up. Way too easy for the 5.10a that Croft gives it. Really fun, clean and worth doing. Frankly, we found the technical crux to be a move right off the belay on one of the last 5.8 pitches higher up. The route is stout enough that if you're strong and fast enough to do the route solidly, you should be able to handle the direct start, so don't skip it!