Chimney Pass
Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:07 pm
TITLE: Chimney Pass
GENERAL OVERVIEW: This pass leads from Lake 11,676 of Glacier Creek to the next Northeastern cirque from Cirque Pass.
CLASS/DIFFICULTY: Class 4
LOCATION: Kings Canyon National Park Southeast of Lake 11,676 and above the Palisade Lakes to the East of Cirque Pass along the same ridge line. HST Map
ELEVATION: 12,422
USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Split Mountain
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: WARNING: I can not personally recommend anyone using this route as it involved very high level technical Class 3 down-climbing on the Southern side of the pass. There was one move in particular that we rated as a Class 4 face. Cirque Pass is far easier and much more direct.
Given my warning about this pass here goes the description. The North side of this pass starts out fairly tame with a system of granite shelves and boulders until you reach the entrance chute for the final push up to the top. Rogue Photonic & I decided to take a more Westerly approach (Right side from the North) which entailed lots of annoying loose rocks and a small snowfield to cross. From there the going got steeper and less obvious since there was a large system of cracks and shelves to choose from. We fortunately found a challenging Class 3 route up to the top of the pass. At the top you truly are at a notch in the ridge where there appears to be nowhere to go except straight down through very technical Class 3 terrain.
The South Side starts with an extremely challenging down-climb. After going through the first down-climb you face a large slab that we rated as Class 4 because of the lack of hand & footholds. It was mostly a friction climb that was very hairy with a full pack. Once this area is crossed the going gets easier through large and unstable boulder fields until you finally reach the bottom which is marshy flat area. Several Class 3 moves are encountered through the easier boulder fields nonetheless.
Photos by Rogue Photonic since my camera lost all the photos from this section.
GENERAL OVERVIEW: This pass leads from Lake 11,676 of Glacier Creek to the next Northeastern cirque from Cirque Pass.
CLASS/DIFFICULTY: Class 4
LOCATION: Kings Canyon National Park Southeast of Lake 11,676 and above the Palisade Lakes to the East of Cirque Pass along the same ridge line. HST Map
ELEVATION: 12,422
USGS TOPO MAP (7.5'): Split Mountain
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: WARNING: I can not personally recommend anyone using this route as it involved very high level technical Class 3 down-climbing on the Southern side of the pass. There was one move in particular that we rated as a Class 4 face. Cirque Pass is far easier and much more direct.
Given my warning about this pass here goes the description. The North side of this pass starts out fairly tame with a system of granite shelves and boulders until you reach the entrance chute for the final push up to the top. Rogue Photonic & I decided to take a more Westerly approach (Right side from the North) which entailed lots of annoying loose rocks and a small snowfield to cross. From there the going got steeper and less obvious since there was a large system of cracks and shelves to choose from. We fortunately found a challenging Class 3 route up to the top of the pass. At the top you truly are at a notch in the ridge where there appears to be nowhere to go except straight down through very technical Class 3 terrain.
The South Side starts with an extremely challenging down-climb. After going through the first down-climb you face a large slab that we rated as Class 4 because of the lack of hand & footholds. It was mostly a friction climb that was very hairy with a full pack. Once this area is crossed the going gets easier through large and unstable boulder fields until you finally reach the bottom which is marshy flat area. Several Class 3 moves are encountered through the easier boulder fields nonetheless.
Photos by Rogue Photonic since my camera lost all the photos from this section.