North American Classic Climbs

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Temple Crag

Sun Ribbon Arête

Beta Images Slide Show

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Description

Climbers*

Photo*

Date

d02_111

d02_111

Low on the approach trail.

LC

GC

09/01/02

d02_113

d02_113

Temple Crag from the trail above Third Lake, the usual camping site. The buttress forming the left skyline is the "Moon Goddess." Sun Ribbon is the next arête to the right.

-

GC

"

d02_115

d02_115

The couloir and the lower arête. This picture is late in the season, so you should expect correspondingly more snow earlier. The approach goes up the ledge that diagonals up to the right from the couloir, past the big patch of white rock. The first pitch is up the steep corner.

-

GC

09/02/02

d02_116

d02_116

Approaching the ropeup spot on crumbly ledges.

LC

GC

"

d02_117

d02_117

The route begins in the dihedral behind the climber.

GC

LC

"

d02_118

d02_118

Leading the first pitch, one of the best.

GC

LC

"

d02_119

d02_119

Scrambling the 3rd and 4th class section between the first dihedral and the beginning of more serious climbing. Third Lake is to the left, Second Lake to the right.

LC

GC

"

d02_120

d02_120

After the scramble, there are several pitches of clean steep arête.

GC

LC

"

d02_121

d02_121

Looking down the lower arête to the first gendarme, around pitch 5.

LC

GC

"

d02_122

d02_122

Climbers on the adjacent "Moon Goddess Arête," also a superb climb.

?

GC

"

d02_124

d02_124

Around pitch 7.

LC

GC

"

d02_125

d02_125

A short traverse around a gendarme.

GC

LC

"

d02_126

d02_126

More fun arête climbing.

GC

LC

"

d02_127

d02_127

Attempting to lasso the short sharp horn on the other side of the gap to set up the tyrolean traverse. After 3 tries, I gave up.

GC

LC

"

d02_128

d02_128

Rappelling into the notch that the tyrolean was supposed to cross.

LC

GC

"

d02_129

d02_129

Leading a short pitch on the west side to regain the ridge after the rappel.

GC

LC

"

d02_130

d02_130

Looking back from the belay of pitch 8. This pitch begins a long section of almost horizontal ridge with many gendarme passages.

LC

GC

"

d02_131

d02_131

Looking up the ridge from pitch 8.

GC

LC

"

d02_132

d02_132

Another short rappel from a gendarme, pitch 9.

LC

GC

"

d02_133

d02_133

Following the 5.7 variation pitch 10. This bypasses the 5.9R pitch shown on most topos as the standard route.

LC

GC

"

d02_134

d02_134

Leading a dihedral high on the ridge.

GC

LC

"

d02_135

d02_135

Looking back down the ridge to First Lake and Second Lake.

LC

GC

"

d02_136

d02_136

An exciting gendarme traverse.

LC

GC

"

d02_137

d02_137

Toward the top the difficulty eases, but the route finding stays interesting.

LC

GC

"

d02_138

d02_138

A steep face to the west provided some challenging climbing in the final stages. Don't get too far from the arête in this upper section.

GC

LC

"

d02_139

d02_139

More excellent ridge climbing.

GC

LC

"

d02_140

d02_140

The final "pitch", which could be scrambled.

LC

GC

"

d02_142

d02_142

On the summit ridge.

GC

LC

"

d02_144

d02_144

On the true summit. The hike up there is a long one, but is worth it if you have the time. The main Palisade crest is partially hidden behind Mt. Gayley, 13,510'. The massive peak to the left is Mt. Sill, 14,162'.

LC

GC

"

d02_145

d02_145

The lower section of the descent to Contact Pass has some 3rd and 4th-class.

LC

GC

"

d02_146

d02_146

The rappel to Contact Pass.

LC

GC

"

d02_150

d02_150

A final shot of Temple Crag from Second Lake. An alternate approach to a camp goes up the left side of this lake.

LC

GC

"

*Climbers & Photographers: Gary Clark, Lynn Clark