North American Classic Climbs

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Matthes Crest

Traverse

Beta Images Slide Show

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Description

Climbers*

Photo*

Date

JH01

JH01

Panoramic view of the crest.

-

JH

09/10/05

07T05

07T05

The crest from the approach. The usual traverse is from South (right) to North (left.) (The lower gendarmes to the far south are not usually included in the traverse.)

GC, KG

RK

09/01/76

JH03

JH03

Hiking up slabs to the beginning of the climb.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH04

JH04

Looking up at the first couple of pitches. After these, the rope may be dispensed with for a while for climbers comfortable soloing lower fifth class.

-

JH

09/10/05

JH06

JH06

Beginning the knife edged ridge, which constitutes a good portion of the climb.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH07

JH07

Relatively easy ridge walking.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH10

JH10

Situations such as this are common along the ridge.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH15

JH15

Looking back along the ridge to the south.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH18

JH18

Continuing to the north.

-

JH

09/10/05

JH23

JH23

The climber inspects an undercling (5.4) that leads to a chimney (5.6)

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH24

JH24

A closer view of this section.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH25

JH25

Looking back along the ridge to the south.

-

JH

09/10/05

JH26

JH26

Easy scrambling.

-

JH

09/10/05

JH27

JH27

Climbing a short steep section towards the South Summit.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH31

JH31

A thin section before the South Summit.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH32

JH32

An exposed hand traverse just below the South Summit.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH35

JH35

Looking back along the ridge to the south.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH37

JH37

Hand traversing when it gets too thin to walk.

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH38

JH38

Looking towards the North Summit from the South Summit.

-

JH

09/10/05

JH40

JH40

Downclimbing (5.2) on ledges to the notch between the two main summits.

-

JH

09/10/05

JH44

JH44

Looking back from the North Summit.

-

JH

09/10/05

JH47

JH47

Rappelling from the North Summit (single 60m rope)

WG

JH

09/10/05

JH50

JH50

Down-climbing after two rappels.

WG

JH

09/10/05

07T15

07T15

If you stay on the ridge after the North Summit instead of rappel, you'll downclimb this extremely thin ridge.

RK, KG

GC

09/01/76

07T20

07T20

Relaxing on a rock "cornice" toward the end of the roped climbing.

KG, RK

GC

09/01/76

*Climbers & Photographers: Gary Clark, Kim Grandfield, Robert Kee, William Geist, Jason Halladay