White Peregrine's 5.10c III, Granite Park Spire (FFA)

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White Peregrine's 5.10c III, Granite Park Spire (FFA)

Page Type: Route

Location: California, United States, North America

Lat/Lon: 37.38925°N / 118.78075°W

Route Type: Trad Climbing

Season: Fall

Time Required: Most of a day

Rock Difficulty: 5.10a (YDS)

Grade: III

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Page By: The Chief

Created/Edited: Aug 2, 2008 / Oct 24, 2009

Object ID: 427267

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Page Score: 91.54% - 63 Votes

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Table of Contents

Overview

Granite Park Spire

Granite Park is set deep in the High Eastern Sierra eight miles above the Pine Creek Pass Trailhead. Base elevation is just shy of 12,000’ and it is a high altitude white and golden granite alpine setting with few if any low level trees, some medium sized lakes surrounded by low cover alpine vegetated meadows fed by snow and glacier melt streams.

1000 Crack Spire

Granite Park Spire proper is truly the matriarch of the basin. It’s elegance and stature sets the setting for an incredible challenge and an awesome route to be climbed. The route proper and summit offer incredible and stunning views of many different Sierra peaks such as Bear Creek Spire, Mt. Julius Caesar, Mt. Feather, Royce and Merriam Peak’s, Mt. Humphrey’s and the Seven Gables.

The Granite Park Basin looking Southwest...Mt. Feather, 1000 Crack Spire & Granite Park Spire

The weather during late Spring and mid-Summer can involve the potential for some very intense afternoon thunderstorms that can make for epic scenario’s. Late Summer and early Fall are the optimum time of the year to enjoy this secluded yet very pristine route that will most assuredly bring a complete sense of backcountry adventure in the high alpine setting of the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

*Please do keep in mind that this is a serious high altitude sustained Backcountry Alpine Trad Climb which starts just below 12,000 feet, is located eight miles in via the Pine Creek/Italy Pass Trail and any chance of quick rescue is not in the picture. Self-Rescue abilities are a must prior to even considering this challenging Route.

There are no guidebooks that include this route.

Getting There

From Bishop, take Hwy 395 North about 5 miles to the Rovana turn off on Pine Creek Rd. and turn left. From Mammoth Lakes, drive south on 395 past Tom’s place and down the grade approximately 9 miles then turn right at the Rovana turn off on Pine Creek Rd.. Continue up Pine Creek Rd. (be very cautious just before Rovana as there is a major deer run which crosses the road and can be a deer impact zone, so drive slowly here and when passing through Rovana's 35 MPH Speed Limit) past Rovana and all the way up canyon about 11 miles to the Pine Creek Pass Trailhead parking area which so happens to be located at the same locale as the Pine Creek Pack Station just below the famous Pine Creek Tungsten Mine, almost at the end of the road on the left just before the Pine Creek bridge.

Looking down towards the T/H, the mouth of Pine Creek Cyn and the beautiful Giant Blazing Star's that are found along the lower trail

The trail actually starts at the Pack Station. Take this aggressive Pack Train and once mining trail (elevation gain of 2800’ in just 3 miles) up to Honeymoon Lake (5.75 miles, elev. 10,433’) where you will run onto the Italy Pass trail. Follow the foot trail west and up several benches for a total of 1.8 more miles and an elevation gain of an additional 1200’ or so. You will then enter the obvious Granite Park basin. Continue to follow the trail up and down two large benches heading towards Italy Pass. Granite Park Spire is the stellar granite feature to the southwest. You will pass a series of three small lakes on your lower left upon which the trail turns south just below the Spire. There are several different ways to head up the bench that leads to various locations to establish a Base Camp. The best location is right below the obvious rock glacier where you will find a year round flowing snow melt stream. Here, the final approach to the base of the Spire and route is located. From this point, head up and right of the tow of the Spire over and up a series of small benches and through the obvious talus field to directly below the Northeast Buttress of the Spire, where the start of the route is located.

Final approach to the route from Basecamp

Route Description

Zak making the stretch across P1

PITCH 1:
*The following is a discription of the First Ascent (Free Ascent) of this Incredible Spire*
Obvious start at the very toe of the Northeast Buttress of this grand Spire. Start up the double shallow cracks on 5.9 face and slab moves. When the two cracks merge into one, head slightly right to a left facing corner onto some very nice stem and arête slab moves. Veering left onto a ½” downward facing 5.10 underclinging flake which protects well with small TCU’s or Alien’s and then a wide stretch left allows you to reach a solid 1” by 8” left foot stance just before the corner that sets you up to cross over left and up onto the main east face. Several 5.9 face and liebacking moves will get up to the two bolt anchor below the obvious flaring hand 2-3” crack of P2. The entrance crack above affords back-up 2-3” FCU pro for the two bolted anchor. 30M

Brutus starting on the Double Lower Cracks P1

The Chief making the hand crack look easy P2

PITCH 2: Head up the 5.9 flaring crack on 2-3” hands which protects solidly onto a left slanting bench that leads you straight up onto a 5.7 stem and face move right facing corner. This gives way to several moderate bump face moves up to the obvious large loose pillar. From here, head up left into the moderate chimney which ends on several face moves and puts you at the double bolted anchor. Again, several vertical cracks allow for optional pro to back-up the bolted anchor. 30M

PITCH 3:

Brutus finishing the wild runout 5.10a face moves on P3

This is where the route gets interesting. From the anchor, head up onto the left most vertical 1-2” crack on 5.8 finger’s and hands. This crack will lead you to once again cross over left and onto the main east face. Continue climbing the well protected 1” crack to it’s end. At this point, an unprotected series of 5.10a wide stretch moves up and right 10-15’, allows you reach some minute face features and then back into a 1” vertical right veering crack that heads up to the corner dihedral system that begins down at the anchor’s. Continue up this dihedral on 5.9 stem moves that ultimately gets you to the double anchor’s located just left of a 3-6” vertical crack where you will find a small tree proudly reaching out to the sun. 30M

*An optional but very runout and loose, 5.10c line, can be taken heading straight up the obvious dihedral located right of the P2 anchor’s. Beware! Many of the obvious stemming features on the left facing wall are loose and not at all solid. The pro is sparse at best and a fall at the crux finger lieback, 30’ up in the corner, would end at the large loose pillar below the anchors resulting in a serious ankle, foot or even leg injury. This dihedral will also lead you directly up to the double anchors. 30M

Nurse Ratchet enjoying the splender's of P3's exquisite 5.10a face climbing

The Chief starting on the 5.9 Layback of P4

PITCH 4: Head up left on a series of 4th Class ramps for 45-50’ which end at the vertical corner that heads straight up to the large alcove above. A series of 15’ sustained 5.9 but well protected layback sections will allow you to reach a small ledge 25’ feet below the large alcove and will set you up for the grand traverse left onto the main very shallow and runout crack face. This corner ledge allows for a very solid 2-5” protected belay. 30M

Brutus and Nurse Ratchet simply love'n life on the FA!

*Do not head up and right to the bolted/double fixed pin anchor on the upper right face. This is the rappel anchor. Utilizing this anchor will increase the runout danger on the grand left traverse.

PITCH 5:

Brutus on the Grand Runout Traverse P5

OK folks, this is what and why you all suffered up the trail five to eight hours for. The incredible sphincter puckering runout Crux pitch. From the Pro belay, traverse left 30’ on 5.10a face/slab moves through a series of vertical shallow unprotectable cracks to a small stance just right of the corner which heads out to the blank east golden face and directly below the only possible protectable 5.10a vertical crack. Head straight up this crack 20’ palming the left corner and stemming on very small foot edges on the crease of the crack, where you will find a solid Yellow/Red Offset Alien placement to the close right, then proceed up and just below the obvious boulder that forces you to cross over left onto a sloping comfortable ramp on the east face. I highly recommend that you place a solid 2” FCU with a 4’ sling above you at this logical location, below the boulder above, to secure your second on the traverse. From here, head over to the beautiful vertical corner and begin the 5.10a 3-5” wide and 30 foot lieback which ends at another small bench. Continue up another short lieback ending at a 1” horizontal crack which turns you right 12-15’ onto a nice boulder. At this point, set up a solid 1-2” Pro Belay 20’ directly above the rappel anchor. 30M

*Do not utilize the bolted/fixed pin rappel anchor located 20’ below as this will make rope drag unbearable in bringing up the second.

PITCH 6: Head right 15’ from the belay onto a sloping ledge just below a vertical shallow chimney with two nice vertical 1-4” cracks on either side and is located just to the right and 40’ below the two large summit blocks. Stem up and pull over a small 5.8 bulge onto a face that leads directly up to the summit bench located right next to the two summit blocks. Beware of very loose debris all over this summit bench. The true summit block is located just to the south, 60’ or so, up a series of 3rd Class benches. 20M

Nurse Ratchet on the Summit enjoying the Sunset

Brutus:"Let's Rap...NOW! I'm tired and hungry!"

*RAPPEL THE ROUTE! DO NOT UTILIZE THE GULLY TO THE WEST AS A DESCNET ROUTE!!! IT CONSISTS OF VERY LOOSE SCREE, IS FULL OF BLUE SIERRA BULLET ICE AND HOLDS VERY LARGE LOOSE DEATH BOULDERS.

RAPPEL ROUTE: Begin at the summit bench where you will find two solidly fixed large wired nuts with independent attached rappel biner’s. Head directly down 25 meters to the next bolted/fixed pin rappel anchor. Be very careful just above this 2nd rappel anchor as there is a 15’ very loose boulder that will dislodge with just the right push and may impact, take out the rappel anchor and anyone that may be at the station or on the route. From this anchor continue down to the ensuing four more bolted/fixed pin rappel stations which ultimately leads you just to above and to the left of the start at the base of the buttress.

ALL RAPPEL’S ARE 30 METER’S IN LENGTH.

The Chief content after two year's of hard work and a dream come true!

Finishing the final full 60M Rap from P2

THE ENTIRE ROUTE CAN BE DONE WITH A SINGLE 60 METER ROPE

Essential Gear

GEAR:

1 EA 60 METER ROPE
1 SET OF SMALL TO MED NUTS
2 SETS OF TCU’S AND/OR ALIEN’S INCLUDING A YELLOW/RED OFFSET
2 SETS OF FCU’S 2-5”
1 EA #2 & 3 BIG BRO
10 EA ALPINE SHOULDER LENGTH DRAWS
4 EA 4’ LONG SLINGS
6 EA EXTRA BINER’S
2 CORDELETTES W/LOCKER’S
MANDATORY HELMET

*A HEADLAMP AND THIN TO MEDIUM JACKET ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Topo's

Other Ref's

Topo Maps: Mt. Tom, CA (37118-C6-TF-024) & Mt. Hilgard, CA 7.5 Minute USGS

Photo credit's: Nurse Ratchet, Brutus of Wyde, ZAK and The Chief!

Wilderness Permit

A free overnight Wilderness Permit is required for this area (Zone J8) and can be attained at any Inyo Forest Ranger Station: Lone Pine, Bishop or the Mammoth Lakes District Ranger Offices.

Images