I have generally been intimidated by 4th Class ridges in the Sierra. People like to sandbag and I’m afraid of these routes developing into something that feels really exposed, sustained and generally 5th Class. However, I’ve also been feeling really confident this year in the backcountry so I wanted to see if I could confront these apprehensions. As a bonus, I might have also set a new record for “highest vert-in-day” with 8,100 ft.
Note: This trip is kinda weird because most people do Lyell from the Northern Yosemite side and do Clyde from Agnew Meadows. I linked them from Rush Creek via June Lake because the Devil’s Post Pile road was only open the weekend this late in the season (due to year-upon-year construction).
Day 1: Rush Creek to Mount Lyell
I was pretty tired arriving at Lower Marie Lake from Rush Creek (5 hrs, 11mi, 4,800 ft), but the clouds were starting to roll in around 1pm… so I made a quick camp and got on with my ascent of Lyell via East / SE ridge (4th). I actually gained the first ridge above Lower Marie Lake directly from the inlet (unlike the topo) and traversed. However, it was difficult to avoid getting too high and I had to descend a bunch so probably just best to go up at the back of Lower Marie Lake.
From the small upper lake, I gained the bulge via a line that kept it 3rd and then backed off to 2nd on the ridge before becoming 3rd again at the top.
Traversing under a highpoint I then started the first knife-edge section. Above the beautiful calving glacier, it went 3rd/4th if you stayed on the ridge proper and was really fun / cool setting.
The final East Ridge up to Lyell looked pretty knife-edgy, exposed, intimidating but once you get to the saddle you can see the North side has a lot less steep base backed up by a snow field. There was plenty of very solid 4th class on the ridge proper that got pretty technical and was not a place to make mistakes. I went right, off the ridge proper for the final “headwall” section which looked like beautiful low 5th crack climbing with huge fall risk.
I kinda would have liked some approach shoes instead of my trail runners, especially for the down climb which felt pretty spicy. There was a lot of snow around, but none on the route this late in season. However, if I took an easier line, there could be slippery, wet lichen sections.
Adding Lyell (5 hrs, 6.5 mi, 3,300 ft), together with the backpack, I’d rack up 17.5 mi, 8,100 ft this day. Understandably, I was really tired on the way back to camp. I missed my 3rd class line on the final technical section above the small lake and wound up doing more 4th class shenanigans, on lower quality rock, than I would have liked.
Day 2: Marie Lake to Clyde Minaret
The Minarets have such a spiky, striking silloutte from Mammoth Lakes, I’ve always wanted to get up them. Also, the “Starr Route” has such a history from being where the legendary Peter Star disappeared in the Sierra. I was often too intimidated to try it due to very little description on Mountain Project and one photo that looked like someone solo’ing 5th Class above hundreds of feet of exposure…
However, I really wanted to get on the Minarets and if it was indeed 4th Class, I knew I could do it. Arriving at Iceberg Lake from Marie (5.5 hrs, 13.6 mi, 2,500 ft) a little after noon, I definitely felt the exertion of the prior day. After getting a better look of the line from Cecile Lake, I thought, “that looks pretty steep, is that really it?”.
This line turned out to be one of those where “it looks better the closer / higher up you go”. I always get a little nervous with this because it’s easier to go up than down and it’s easy to imagine getting in over-your-head in technical terrain, that’s hard to reverse, by yourself, without a rope.
After some 3rd to gain the vegetated bench, “the chute” was very continuous with the feel of a 3rd/4th climber’s gulley to the tower and then a blocky-ridge-feel to the summit ridge. Even though the terrain felt only 3rd Class a lot… focus, deliberate movement and rock assessment were all essential skills to avoid a potentially catastrophic mistake in the event of a fall or slip.
After reaching the top ridge, there was a very short (20-25ft), high exposure down climb / traverse from a block onto the final summit ridge. I don’t think this would scare anyone off if you got this far. The hands / feet were very good and a spotter could be used on the more direct, less exposed down climb in a group.
It was an amazing view on the summit with the striking minaret ridgeline. Again, down climbing the route felt a bit spicer since it’s harder to do rock assessment / body orientation. (Even though I took a less technical way down than what I took up.) The down climb went fine though and I was stoked to have finally got up Clyde Minaret! This day’s total was 16mi, 5,000 ft.
Day 3: Rushing out to Rush Creek
It was pretty gusty the night before and continued throughout the day as I huffed it out to the Rush Creek trailhead via connector trails.
Reflecting on my way out, I was fascinated by how well adapted I find us humans for climbing in the alpine. The mountains can at times seem made for our hands and fingers as I find extremely good holds out of nowhere consistently. A huge variety of sharp edges, pinchable aretes, divots that perfectly fit my finger pads, small pockets and hand/finger jams.
I felt really accomplished finally doing both Clyde Minaret and generally 4th Class ridge traverses which had always intimidated me. I kinda loved how focused, deliberate, alive and in-the-moment I felt in the terrain. This kinda perplexed me a little too because while I love adventure climbing, I’m not a risk-seeking sort of person. Meanwhile, the “very limited margin of error” definitely contributed to my enjoyment of the terrain…
I ended the hike out laughing about getting physically blown around at the Gem Lake pass before enjoying a fizzy water at the truck. Day’s total: (14.5mi 3,000 ft)
Stats and Things
- Day 1: Rush Creek to Lower Marie Lake (5 hrs, 11mi, 4,800 ft)
- Day 1: Mount Lyell (13,100 ft) via SE ridge (4th) (5 hrs, 6.5 mi, 3,300 ft)
- Day 2: Lower Marie Lake to Iceberg Lake (5.5 hrs, 13.6 mi, 2,500 ft)
- Day 2: Clyde Minaret (12,264 ft) via Starr Route (4th) (4.5 hrs, 2.5mi, 2,500 ft)
- Day 3: Iceberg Lake to Rush Creek (14.5mi 3,000 ft)
- Trip Total: 48 mi, 16,100 ft
