Approach
This climb starts from the Sawmill Gulch or Lone Cedar Creek
To get to Sawmill Gulch
Head north on 93 from Mackay 13.1 miles
Head right on Sawmill Gulch for 2.7 miles (Where the road will end)
From there it is easy hiking for a bit (On a old jeep trail)
Lone Cedar Creek
Head north on 93 from Mackay 11 miles
Head northeast for 2 miles where the road will end
From there you will have to bushwhack to Leatherman Pass
Route Description
From Sawmill Gulch
It is about 2 miles to Sawmill Pass and then another mile to Leatherman Pass.
Head directly up the ridge aiming for a spot several hundred feet below the summit, where you will encounter some class 4 rotten rock and then the summit.
Roundtrip is 8 miles and 5,000 vertical feet of climbing
From Lone Cedar
It is about 3 miles of bushwhacking to get to Leatherman Pass
Stay on the east (right) side as much as possible
From the pass head directly up the ridge aiming for a spot several hundred feet below the summit, where you will encounter some class 4 rotten rock and then the summit.
Roundtrip 8 miles and 5,000 vertical feet
Essential Gear
Helmet
All of your water (None in route)
Trekking poles
The class 4 section is short so no rope is required.
If you climb outside of Mid-June to Mid-September I strongly recommend crampons & axe.
Miscellaneous Info
If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.
doug rice - Sep 14, 2005 6:28 pm - Hasn't voted
Route CommentThe route is not technical but far from a walkup. The first part consists of an uphill on scree, swinging right to bypass a light-colored crag. Then to the ridge and a rock step, solid class 3 at least and high enough for a fall to break bones. Above that is a maze of crumbling crags and steep, unstable slopes of sharp-edged talus. You expend a lot of energy watching every step and making route decisions at each crag: around to the left, the right, or straight up? Which is least taxing and least likely to lead to a dead end? In general, bypass obstacles on the ridge to the left. The descent is slow and prone to rockfall. I downclimbed the rock step rather than take my chances down one of the steep gullies. Only after that can one relax.
rok_doc - Nov 13, 2005 10:29 pm - Hasn't voted
Route CommentWe climbed Leatherman Peak from the SW face. Rolling rocks down avalanche chutes were a hazard, just wanted to make other climbers aware. Be careful and have fun!!
pmcgrane - Aug 16, 2006 12:14 am - Hasn't voted
Wrong RouteThe route discribed is the West Ridge, not the Southwest Face. Look at your map. The Southwest face climbs 1000 feet of scree followed by a gully on the right side of the SW face. The gully gets progressively steeper. The last 20 feet are almost vertical and rotten. Then exit right to the E ridge about 100 feet below the summit. The steep part is pretty scary because the rock is very loose and a fall at the crux would have serious consequences.