North Arete 5.8

 
  • Currently 4.0/5
Search
Go

Bear Creek Spire


High Sierra, California USA


Trip Report
Bear Creek Spire - North Arete - Quickie
Thursday July 27, 2017 4:25pm
This is my second time doing this route.... The first was back in 2005 and we camped out the night prior up above Dade Lake. I was 12 years younger and there was much less snow!

This time, my boss and I left work around 4pm on Friday 7/21/17 for a car to car ascent (ugghhh). We bivy'd somewhere on the road up to the trailhead around 8k feet, woke up at 3:30am Saturday and hiking by 4:45am.

Timeline:

4:45am to 10am - Took us all this time to get to the base of the route with a couple stops to rest and get water. There was a sh#t ton of snow and left the ice axe in the car. This came back to haunt me on the decent. Had micro spikes for my approach shoes which helped. My thighs were worked form 1.5 miles of snow. Why am I doing this? This was the crux of the route.

10:15ish am to 4:30pm - Climb the route. Super fun mellow climbing. I was tired from dealing with the snow.

4:30pm to 10:30pm - Descent on the upper snow field was scarry without an ice axe. I had not gloves and slipped at the top sliding down about 500 feet. I was freaking out a little, trying to stay feet forward as I recently broke my neck in a surfing accident. All went well with only a few bumps and scratches. I was impatient waiting for my partner as he didn't slip! About 18 hours car to car. To tired too drive home we pulled over off of highway 395 to sleep 4 hours before driving back to LA. He had to be at his daughters Gymnastics comp sunday morning. I laid around my apartment all day sunday super tired drinking mimosas. Fin....

top left corner top right corner
Long Lake Reflections
Long Lake Reflections
Credit: Esparza
bottom left corner bottom right corner

top left corner top right corner
Ugghhh....
Ugghhh....
Credit: Esparza
bottom left corner bottom right corner

top left corner top right corner
More ugghhh.... I fell and slid down the upper snow field. Kind of epi...
More ugghhh.... I fell and slid down the upper snow field. Kind of epic.
Credit: Esparza
bottom left corner bottom right corner

top left corner top right corner
Almost to the easy part!
Almost to the easy part!
Credit: Esparza
bottom left corner bottom right corner

top left corner top right corner
Woohoo!
Woohoo!
Credit: Esparza
bottom left corner bottom right corner

top left corner top right corner
My cool Boss throwing the shaka brah!
My cool Boss throwing the shaka brah!
Credit: Esparza
bottom left corner bottom right corner

top left corner top right corner
The Crux pitch 5.... Not bad.
The Crux pitch 5.... Not bad.
Credit: Esparza
bottom left corner bottom right corner

top left corner top right corner
pooped!
pooped!
Credit: Esparza
bottom left corner bottom right corner

  Trip Report Views: 3,415
Esparza
About the Author
Esparza is a trad climber from Westminster, CA.

Comments
FRUMY

Trad climber
Bishop,CA
  Jul 27, 2017 - 04:47pm PT
TFPU good post.
mucci

Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
  Jul 27, 2017 - 05:09pm PT
Hey buddy, long time...

Glad you got in a proper romp!

Looks sweet.

Cheers!
10b4me

Social climber
Lida Junction
  Jul 27, 2017 - 06:12pm PT
Nice pics.
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
  Jul 27, 2017 - 11:09pm PT
Outstanding 🏁🏁🏁 TR Thanks for the look at the place.
The driving back to LA ... tons of fun. 😄😄
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
  Jul 28, 2017 - 10:06am PT
Nice!

I would have much preferred the snow than that hop skip n jump over all the rock that lay just below your feet in those pics.

What I was thinking. Maybe you guys were breaking through though.
AndyG

climber
San Diego, CA
  Jul 28, 2017 - 06:01pm PT
Good one Mike! Gettin' out there!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Jul 29, 2017 - 06:13am PT
Strong work,
Good advice about the axe,
It must be awesome to have a boss who's a climber!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Jul 29, 2017 - 11:57am PT
Looks good.
Go
Bear Creek Spire - North Arete 5.8 - High Sierra, California USA. Click to Enlarge
The route from just above Dade Lake.
Photo: Chris McNamara
Other Routes on Bear Creek Spire
Bear Creek Spire - Northeast Ridge 5.5 - High Sierra, California USA. Click for details.
Northeast Ridge, 5.5
Bear Creek Spire
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

The route as seen from above Dade Lake.