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5749 Hits
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72.08% Score
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2 Votes
Page Type:
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Mountain/Rock |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
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36.59234°N / 118.57072°W |
County:
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Tulare |
Activities:
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Trad Climbing |
Season:
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Summer, Fall |
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Elevation:
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10000 ft / 3048 m |
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Overview
Saber Ridge is the right featureSaber Ridge was originally written about in the AAJ of a wilderness, alpine knife-edge ridge longer, more exposed and more sustained than Matthes Crest. Given this description, I had to check it out and the experience more than lived up to it. The climb is sustained 5.7+ to gain the headwall and then mostly 5.5-5.7 for the entirety of the ridgeline. In all its about 19 pitches if you pitched the whole thing out.
A knife edge sectionGetting There
15 miles, 6000 ft from Cresent Meadow trailhead to Tamarack Lake. Saber Ridge is the giant piece of granite to the right of Prism.Route
Solo the lower slabs until on top of the dihedral, then gain the headwall and continue along the ridge. Inefficiency from climbing in threes and not feeling comfortable simul-climbing as much as I thought we would resulted in an unexpected bivy at P13.After reaching the ridgeline intersection head left (towards Prism) and descend the second gulley which goes back to Tamarack Basin.
I provide a detailed, technical route description in my trip report and the logistics and adventure in my story.