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High Sierra winter rock routes?
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Wanted to reach out to see if anyone had good suggestions for routes in the Sierras (ideally south of mammoth) that don’t hold too much snow and are sendable year round. I’ve done Whitney’s EB in the winter a few times, and I’m looking for something similar that I could take my wife up. We’ve done most of the mega classics in the summer, so I’m looking for which of these routes don’t hold too much snow and can be navigated reasonably well without turning into a full winter event. Thanks in advance |
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Just tried NR of LPP this past weekend. Aside from the snow on the approach and return (akin to EB on Whitney) it looked (mostly) snow free and super fun. We were just a little slow on the approach coming from sea level. I'd recommend that to start. Also curious what other options exists, and I'm game for any winter climbing in the Sierra. Cheers, Dave |
Dave Schultz wrote: Such a good route! I did that in January of last year and it was actually totally doable I completely forgot about that. Thanks! And if you’re looking for a partner in the Sierra ever I’m also always looking |
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Tanner- We did the easy 'stemwinder' route on Thor (a south face) as a party of three last year in January, it was super fun. (almost is a solo, but has a weird grovely moment or two and some slab) The true summit was a bit of a hike but a great vista, and descent gets kinda snowy. (would recommend bringing 'pons & maybe gaiters too, and trekking poles) there are other climbs on that South Face of Thor that could be in play in winter. But still a snowy ish approach. Might be a fun 'alpine' feel but way more bite-size than N Ridge LPP. |
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A few other great winter climbs: The Winter Route on Lone Pine Peak. Superb introduction to Sierra winter climbing, 2,600', a bit of 5.7, touch of ice in some years. Likely 2 days. The Winter Chimney on Lone Pine Peak. Mixed ice and rock climb when in full conditions, IV, 5.8. North East Ridge of Lone Pine Peak, 3 miles long, almost 7,000' of gain, Average party 2-3 days in full conditions, 5.5-5.6. The Original South Face of Lone Pine Peak (better approach on skis, leave them at the base, pick up later.) V, 5.8 or A1 in winter. Moon Goddess Arete on Temple Crag The Sill to Thunderbolt traverse. Huge, multiday trip. Swiss Arete on Mt Sill. Long trip in winter, good climbing. The South Face of Charlotte Dome. Dries quickly after storms, great ski trip from the East. Can be done in three days. East Ridge of Carl Heller. George Creek approach is a bit easier in winter and on skis, still one of the hard approaches in the Sierra. Can recommend all of them as long, technical and worth every tired step. The Lone Pine Peak climbs can be approached on foot. The others require skis but all are within good weekender's ability. |
Alois Smrz wrote: You are a badass Alois!!! |
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I think my ass is not bad at all, x15x15. Love your humor. Cheers, Alois. |
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Alois- hi! As usual, great advice. |
Tanner James wrote: Wow, your wife is a good sport. I took mine out to the White Cliffs of Dover on a cold day and I thought one of us (me) would not make it home. |
Fat Dad wrote: Haha, she’s an animal! We went up Whitney in February last year via the east buttress all the way from the lower rock gate. 27 miles round trip in 17 hours, I was in pure survival mode on the way down hardly conscious and she was having an excellent time. I’m just trying to keep up! |
Alois Smrz wrote: On the routes listed above that are mid fifth class rock climbs, what is your shoe strategy for winter? If you're climbing the route, is it assumed that it's warm enough for rock shoes? |
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Great info here, thanks a ton! Looking for anyone who might be intetested in any of these this weekend? Sat-mon (15-17 Jan). Ill be skiing at baldy on friday so ill be in the neighborhood. Opem for C2C or bivy on the route. Re footware: probably mtn boots (or ski boots) assuming its within ability. Harder terrain I'd have rock shoes available, probably just one pair for the group as insurance. With lots of harder terrain rock shoes for everyone with socks for extra warmth. Cheers, Dave 239-two-three-three-2oo2 |
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One issue would be what kind of winter you are having in the Sierra. Some winters are totally dry and some very snow heavy. But in general, we always brought boots on the climb and rock shoes for at least one person in the party. Most of these easy fifth class climbs can be done in not so heavy leather or equivalent boots. Both climbers always carried a pack as we, in those years, were not strong enough to do some of these climbs in one day In general, on multiday trips carried a bit of water, stove, fuel, no cook food, down bag -5 F, pad and ground sheet and pair of spare gloves per party. You cannot assume that weather in winterized Sierra is ever warm enough to just rock climb in summer shoes. That will be reserved for those pitches that shed snow. There are not many of those. But as you climb harder and steeper routes, rock shoes, possibly oversized to accept thick wool socks, can be used Winter Route...both of us had leather boots. Winter Chimney is a mixed climb, boots, crampons, two tools required. NE Ridge...both had boots. South Face of LPP... (climbed in 1993) We both had One Sport Trango over-boots which had a rock shoe as a inner boot. Not sure if anything like that exists today. Climbed in rock shoes, carried over-boots in our packs. Moon Goddess-(climbed in March 2010)..Both had Sportiva Trango Tower Extreme boots equivalent with rock shoes for the upper pitches. Carried 2,400 c.i. pack and carried the boots high up Sill Traverse..One Sport Trango overboots which we skied in. Climbed in these boots. Swiss Arete,, skied in Alpine Touring Dynafit boots, climbed in them. Charlotte Dome-skied in Dynafit Boots, climbed the whole thing in rock shoes, descended in rock shoes ( a big mistake, but survived, barely) Carl Heller-boots all the way Hope this helps you JC. |
Whoa man coming down those slabs with snow and ice on them... mind boggling. |
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Thank you for your reply Alois. Any further beta on the Winter Route on LLP? Thinking about checking it out this weekend...but I live 8 hours away... Some of the trip reports make it sound like a really big outing, and others make it sound easy. If you were driving 8 hours, anything else that would be worth it, and ok without skis? |
J C wrote: Thor peak via Stemwinder is relatively simple and easily done in a day. I’m sure it’ll have some snow on route but I’ve done it in dead winter before and it’s really pretty mellow although with the winter gates closed it’ll be a little longer if an approach. Same access point as LPP though as they both begin in the portal |
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Thanks for the suggestion Tanner, I will look into it. In the winter, is it more of a lightweight boot and one ice axe climb, or more of a two ice tools and drytooling type of route? |
J C wrote: Well I don’t own norhave I ever held two ice tools so I really wouldn’t be able to accurately say when they are necessary and not. But I’ve done Stemwinder twice once in summer and once in winter and both times I wore boots/shoes and only used our short 30m rope to belay my newer partner through one section. However with the heavy snow year currently there might be more snow on route but the majority of the climb is 3/4th class in the summer. If I were going to do it tomorrow I’d have spikes and a single ax for the walk off more than anything, and maybe a light rack to negate any weird snowy sections that I’m uncomfortable soloing up |
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JC The Winter Route is a long alpine route. Almost as long as anything on the South Face. I tried it twice in a day, failed both times, was fine overnight, but we knew the way off the mountain. It is feasible when the gullies lower down get filled with snow. If there's little snow you need to scramble up never ending rock slabs. The snow allows you to bypass the slabs via gullies. There is about 40-60 feet of ice (about 50 degrees), it does not form all the time, but if it's there below the notch, you'll need at least one ice axe per person and crampons (which I think one should carry anyway on winter trips). The upper part (above the notch) has some real rock climbing (about 5.7, pitch and half, rest is dirty chimney at 5.4, or a much cleaner variation hand crack at 5.8). You top out on the plateau and need to get down via the east side. Study the down route, people don't always pick the easiest route (class 2) and end up in harder terrain. About three hours down if you hit it right. All in all, 2,600'. I hesitate to talk about the difficulty. It totally depends how strong one is. The first ascent was done in one long winter day (19 hours?) back in 1970, but I can count a few people of my generation, who managed it in a day. On the other hand, young people today are incredibly strong (see the E. Butt of Whitney in 17 hours comments above) It would help if you did some climbing there in the summer (something on the South Face?) just so you have the descent covered. Or bring a bag, stove, fuel and a bit of food and do it over night. The approach starts at the Stone House and one can find info on the Internet how to get there and where to leave your car. There is a good topo of the route (somewhere on Summitpost??). So, while this is not a piece of cake in the winter, if you can keep going in alpine terrain, you should be fine. Technically it is almost easy, just long and tiring trip. But IMO, the best intro into real winter Sierra climbing. Any questions, e-mail me. Alois. BTW what Tanner wrote above, re. The Stemwinder is on the money. That is one route that can surely be done in a day |
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Are the gullies on Temple Crag anything worth climbing in winter? Just big snow climbs? |
J C wrote: The only couloir I'm aware of people climbing (very infrequently) is the Mendenhall Couloir. Maybe there are people here, that can chime on this. I'm sure it will be a snow slog in winter, but when in condition later in the year (ice), I hear it can be a good climb. |
