Planning an alpine rock trip to the sierras. Looking for suggestions for easy/moderate 5th class climbs, up to 5.6 or 7.
Thinking of starting with NE Ridge of Bear Creek Spire, then, West Ridge of Mt. Conness.
Any other suggestions? We are somewhat limited for time so I'd like to avoid long approaches.
Thanks!

I'd love to know the answer to this question also...as we'll be traveling south in the next few months as well.

Any help for the OP is appreciated!

Lots of stuff in the Sawtooth, the approach is a hop, skip & a jump!

Matterhorn Peak
Doodad
Dragtooth
Three Teeth
Etc.

Matthes Crest (one of my favorite climbs)
Venusian Blind on Temple (not sure if the approach is too long for you)
N Ridge of Lone Pine Peak

If you do Conness consider the N Ridge link-up.

Between your ideas and fossana's (Matterhorn would be good too), I think you're pretty well off. Maybe Whitney's E. Face (if you can get a permit).

I'll let you decide what's too long of an approach for you:

Tuolumne
Cathedral Peak
N Ridge of Conness (4th or easy 5th)
Matthes Crest

Mammoth
Crystal Crag - N arete I think... the classic one. Good day trip.

High Sierra
NE Ridge of Lone Pine
E Buttress of Whitney
SW Face of Charlotte Dome (kind of a long approach but very worthy)
E RIdge of Humphreys (highly recommended boardwalk knife-blade ridge)

Have fun

What guides are you Californians using for some of these area alpine classics?

Tenaya Peak is also supposed to be a lot of fun, about 5.4-5.5. Looks nice at least. Doable in a day too. Laurel Mt. (5.2) looks pretty fun. I'd recommend Charlotte Dome (5.7), but I think you should be solid 5.8 or above given some of the potential route finding options.

GUIDES?!?!

Deb wrote:GUIDES?!?!

lol. guidebooks, is what I meant!

Joe White wrote:What guides are you Californians using for some of these area alpine classics?

Supertopo has some select climbs -

http://www.supertopo.com/climbingareas/highsierra.html

Their Tuolumne Meadows guide is also quite handy if you're in the area anyway -

http://www.supertopo.com/climbingareas/tuolumne.html

For Crystal Crag I recommend Mammoth Area Rock Climbs by Marty Lewis and John Moynier, 2004 -

http://www.amazon.com/Mammoth-Climbs-Ea ... 0967611652

Peter Croft's The Good, The Great, and The Awesome is not bad, though a little skimpy on detail for some climbs -

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Awesom ... 0967611644

and of course R.J. Secor's The High Sierra : Peaks, Passes and Trails is kind of like the Becky guide

http://www.amazon.com/High-Sierra-Peaks ... 0898866251

rhyang wrote:

Joe White wrote:What guides are you Californians using for some of these area alpine classics?

Supertopo has some select climbs -

http://www.supertopo.com/climbingareas/highsierra.html

Their Tuolumne Meadows guide is also quite handy if you're in the area anyway -

http://www.supertopo.com/climbingareas/tuolumne.html

For Crystal Crag I recommend Mammoth Area Rock Climbs by Marty Lewis and John Moynier, 2004 -

http://www.amazon.com/Mammoth-Climbs-Ea ... 0967611652

Peter Croft's The Good, The Great, and The Awesome is not bad, though a little skimpy on detail for some climbs -

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Awesom ... 0967611644

and of course R.J. Secor's The High Sierra : Peaks, Passes and Trails is kind of like the Becky guide

http://www.amazon.com/High-Sierra-Peaks ... 0898866251

Thanks Rhyang. That's really helpful. I think I'll pick up a few for my trip down.

I was thumbing through Peter Croft's book last night just to get back into the mood, as it were -- some great stories in there

The Good, The Great and The Awesome is perhaps one of the best books out there for an individual looking for the absolute best the Sierra has to offer. My personal fav was the West Ridge of Conness. A spectacular route in an alpine setting. BCS looks very flavorful too IMO.

Here's a glimpse of the West Ridge...



OUTSTANDING

I highly recommend the NW buttress of Tenaya. I don't recommend the 5.2 route on Laurel as it is VERY loose.
you don't say when you are coming out, but Tenaya is not in condition right now.