Looking to climb Cathedral Peak, Matthes Crest and other Tuolumne peaks this coming week with the spring snow conditions. Anyone have some observations on current conditions? We're planning on snowshoes, etc. for the approach. Are GPS waypoints necessary for the approach? This is our first time in the Tuolumne area.

Thanks in advance.

marauders wrote:Looking to climb Cathedral Peak, Matthes Crest and other Tuolumne peaks this coming week with the spring snow conditions. Anyone have some observations on current conditions? We're planning on snowshoes, etc. for the approach. Are GPS waypoints necessary for the approach? This is our first time in the Tuolumne area.

Thanks in advance.

Prepare for lots of snow and water on the approach to Cathedral and especially Matthes. If it was me doing the approach right now, I'd wear my trail runners, have a spare pair of socks and bring trekking poles. But I am known for wearing my trailrunners from May to November in the Sierra, regardless of snow cover . Rock should be dry on both routes. Descending from Cathedral would be interesting; there is usually a snow field on the slabs this time of the year. Rappel from below the summit may make things easier. I don't think you need GPS for either one of them. If you have a map of the area and know how to use it, it should be sufficient. Bug spray may also be in order. I'd never forget being eaten alive near Budd Lake one June. First time in Tuolumne!? Wow... you're in for a treat!

Misha wrote:First time in Tuolumne!? Wow... you're in for a treat!

+1. A most-excellent area. Headed there myself. I look forward to it every year. Yeah!

Yikes! Have fun!

There is a ton of snow on Cathedral right now which makes Matthes even more of a concern if you're looking to climb on wet/snow covered rock. Went to the Valley this past weekend and it looks as though it will be many weeks before those guys are climbable by sane people haha.

The trails are fairly straight forward as many people still make the hike out to Cathedral Lakes. Once you get to Cathedral, you cannot help but admire the Matthes Crest- which means that it's fairly obvious how to get to the monolith. Good luck man, were it up to me, I'd much rather tag those guys at mid-summer and stick to Stately Pleasure (Great White Book, West Country), Lembert (NW Books, Crying Time Again) and/or Fairveiw Dome (Regular Route) for the time being if you're bent on climbing in Tuolumne.

This trip report from a few years ago might give you some inspiration -

http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/2 ... edral.html

AlpineAffinity wrote:There is a ton of snow on Cathedral right now which makes Matthes even more of a concern if you're looking to climb on wet/snow covered rock. Went to the Valley this past weekend and it looks as though it will be many weeks before those guys are climbable by sane people haha.

I can bet a pitcher of Mango Margarita at Whoa Nellie Deli that SE Buttress of Cathedral is free of snow. The actual route/traverse on Matthes should be free too. I am sure that there is snow on the approach though. We climbed Starr King a couple of weeks ago and short of a few wet spots, it was great fun.

The trails are fairly straight forward as many people still make the hike out to Cathedral Lakes.

Not sure why you'd take Cathedral Lakes trail to get to Cathedral Peak. Standard approach is via Budd Creek drainage. That trail will probably be in a rough shape right now but there are usually cairns to lead the way. It is fairly obvious too.

Once you get to Cathedral, you cannot help but admire the Matthes Crest- which means that it's fairly obvious how to get to the monolith.

You can't really see Matthes from the base of Cathedral Peak. It is barely visible from the summit, mostly obscured by Echo Peaks/Ridge. Having said that, it is not hard to get to Matthes from Cathedral, assuming that you took the Budd Creek drainage.
This photo was taken on June 5, 2004 from half way up SE Buttress, looking towards Echo Peaks. To get to Matthes, you have to skirt around Echo Peaks on the right side



If weather cooperates, I will be climbing West Ridge of Conness this weekend. Should be a blast! (sanity is relative)

As Misha noted, the main thing you need to watch for is the branch off of the Cathedral Lakes trail for the Budd Creek drainage. Worst case if the cairns are snow-covered you can x-country. Guessing they'll at least be a boot track though. Bring a topo and take a look at some of the photos of the Cathedral Range so you can recognize the formations as landmarks and you'll be fine without a GPS.

I was in the Tuolumne last weekend. It looked like the trail into Cathedral/Bubbs had snow pretty much right to the road. Cathedral itself looked clear and what little of Matthes that was visible looked clear. The routes are probably fine and there are enough options to handle the actual climbing. The hike in/out probably will suck.

Rick

Thanks for the input. It's very very helpful. I'm so stoked...

This photo was taken yesterday (5-15) from Lembert Dome

From the Cathedral summit on 23Jun08

Nice photos, there, you two. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hope to be there in Aug.

I was up Budd Creek last weekend. The turnoff from the main trail is harder to find than normal due to intermittent snow cover -- finding it will be a crapshoot if you haven't been up that way before. The trail up Budd Creek is actually pretty easy to follow, maybe 50% snow covered up to about 9200' where the snow cover increases but the views open up making navigation easier.

Cathedral itself is mostly free of snow. The descent is another matter...

dskoon wrote:Nice photos, there, you two. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hope to be there in Aug.

My advice would be to do Cathedral mid week in August, maybe even start in early afternoon. Or you can join the bread lines over the weekend

Misha wrote:

dskoon wrote:Nice photos, there, you two. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hope to be there in Aug.

My advice would be to do Cathedral mid week in August, maybe even start in early afternoon. Or you can join the bread lines over the weekend

Yeah, that's good advice. Hoping to do much stuff during the week. A ways off yet, we'll see how the schedule pans out. Thanks.