Good info on summer climbing but this page could use more beta on winter climbing, so i added some winter photos and topo (with elevations at key forks). hope this helps. OR perhaps there is a separate page for summer climbing/scrambling and a page for winter climbing... since the climbing is so different between the two seasons? i dunno... also, the SEASON category could be edited/changed to include WINTER or ALL. okay good luck Bob...
Aaronski4433 - Jan 30, 2018 4:26 pm - Hasn't voted
The route shown is actually the North East Trough...
The North East gully starts about the same spot but heads left up on the main face. It is a long straight sustained class 4 gully with a 5.2 section near the top of the initial route. I submitted some pictures with route corrections showing the arête and route variations that match the original guide to the high sierra.
When the North East trough was originally climbed in the 30's there was more snow filling in the crux at the bottom so they originally called the North East trough class 2. Now that the snow is melted out and exposed the small crux at the bottom everyone thinks the 5.2 is at the bottom. The 5.2 is actually high up on the route near the top after you turn right past the arête. See "Laurel Mountain Route Update" photos...
Aaronski4433, your route doesn't match Secor's description: of a "steep gully... halfway between the Northeast Trough and the arete that separates the cliffs on the east side of the face.." Your route is left of the arete. And it doesn't strike me as a 1925 or 1930 Mendenhall route; maybe it's new :-).
Everyone is calling this route the NE Gully including SuperTopo and Croft; maybe Secor needs to change his names.
Snowball - Mar 25, 2010 12:15 pm - Voted 8/10
recommended editsGood info on summer climbing but this page could use more beta on winter climbing, so i added some winter photos and topo (with elevations at key forks). hope this helps. OR perhaps there is a separate page for summer climbing/scrambling and a page for winter climbing... since the climbing is so different between the two seasons? i dunno... also, the SEASON category could be edited/changed to include WINTER or ALL. okay good luck Bob...
Aaronski4433 - Jan 30, 2018 4:26 pm - Hasn't voted
The route shown is actually the North East Trough...The North East gully starts about the same spot but heads left up on the main face. It is a long straight sustained class 4 gully with a 5.2 section near the top of the initial route. I submitted some pictures with route corrections showing the arête and route variations that match the original guide to the high sierra.
When the North East trough was originally climbed in the 30's there was more snow filling in the crux at the bottom so they originally called the North East trough class 2. Now that the snow is melted out and exposed the small crux at the bottom everyone thinks the 5.2 is at the bottom. The 5.2 is actually high up on the route near the top after you turn right past the arête. See "Laurel Mountain Route Update" photos...
Donno - Sep 12, 2020 1:15 pm - Hasn't voted
Route NameAaronski4433, your route doesn't match Secor's description: of a "steep gully... halfway between the Northeast Trough and the arete that separates the cliffs on the east side of the face.." Your route is left of the arete. And it doesn't strike me as a 1925 or 1930 Mendenhall route; maybe it's new :-).
Everyone is calling this route the NE Gully including SuperTopo and Croft; maybe Secor needs to change his names.