Nov 3

Posted by: Matt Spenceley
03 November 2010 

After a late finish on Lucky Streak the night before, Kris Munckel, a talented young climber from Florida, and I headed for a dash up Cathedral Peak and the subsidiary summit, Eichorn's Pinnacle. Classic low grade alpine rock climbing that we could run up in Scarpa approach shoes with a light rack and one rope.

Cathedral, a granite spire that rises out of the forests above Tuolumne, is accessible within around an hour and a half's walk from the roadhead along a beautiful trail that first follows a creek before rising above the treeline.  We raced up the alpine granite, enjoying stunning views out over the HIgh Sierra, and from the summit, Cathedral Lakes and even Half Dome.  After a quick climb and then ab off Eichorn's, we dropped down the western side of the peak on third class terrain to reach the John Muir Trail and a final dusky run back to the car for pasta and a beer.  The snow's due to arrive any time, so overnight parking is banned.  The warmer temperatures of Camp 4, around 2000m in elevation lower down in the Valley, called.  Winter's on it's way.

Cathedral Peak as seen from the idyllic approach

The summit

Kris nearing the top on perfect granite

Stepping over to the summit

Lena Torres 1 pitch below the top

Matt and Kris Munckel on the summit of Cathedral Peak

Abbing off Eichorn's Pinnacle
 

The granite Domes of Tuolumne and the Sierra stretching off into the distance
 

Descending towards Cathedral Lakes at sunset
 

Running down the John Muir Trail...
 

... to reach beer and pasta at the car.  Perfect day