Shepherd Pass, Williamson and Tyndall

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quentinc
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Shepherd Pass, Williamson and Tyndall

Post by quentinc »

I just got back from a 3 day weekend to climb Williamson before the July 15 closure date (always wondered -- how do the bighorn sheep know to wait until July 16 before prancing into Williamson Bowl?). The biggest adventure was that my boots practically fell apart. I climbed Williamson and Tyndall wrapped in duct tape!

I had planned on climbing Cal Tech, but the weather was kind of iffy, and I wanted a quicker hike (Tyndall) on my 3rd day. It was good thinking, because the rain and hail started by 9a.m.

Here are some pics and a narrative:

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/55 ... good-times
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Post by giantbrookie »

Nice photos and report. They bring back some fond memories (did Williamson in 1978). I notice you have a lot fewer photos of the Tyndall climb. From your 1/3 way up photo I take it you did Tyndall via the NW ridge. How was the summit ridge portion? I've never been up there, but I've heard numerous folks getting hung up on squirrely class 3 on that section, whereas there seem to be others that bypassed that stuff (I'm guessing by dropping down and clearing the obstacles on the south side).
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Post by Snow Nymph »

Great trip! Williamson is one of my favorite 14ers! It was fun looking thru your pix! :nod:
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


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quentinc
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Post by quentinc »

Thanks all. GB, yes we went up the northwest ridge. Once you get to the summit ridge, it does look a bit dicey. We dropped down just a bit on the east side to traverse to a point halfway across the summit ridge, from where it was class 2 the rest of the way. It was actually pretty easy going, although to my surprise the other guy (who had done Williamson the day before) was too nervous and stopped. On the way back down, it was a bit dicier, since the granite was slick from drizzle.
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Post by Trailtrekker06 »

Nice pics! I loved both those peaks, too, but I'm partial to Tyndall. Thanks for posting. If ya ever get to Cal Tech, I'm interested in that one, so let us know how it goes. I'd planned on doing it last time I was through there, but the weather was pretty nasty, so we skipped it.
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Post by KathyW »

Very nice pictures! - that was a tough 3-days (at least for me it would have been). Every year is so different - we had snow starting at 10,000 feet when we did Williamson - remember Sooz? I am also partial to Tyndall - nice and solid along that north rib - not loose crap like the stuff I usually end up on.
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Post by madeintahoe »

Quentinc...Those are beautiful pictures! I love the ones showing the Great Western Divide!
Funny but it sure looks like there is water in Symmes creek to me by your nice picture..does not look dry to me at all. :eek:
I love the duck tape boots! :nod:
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Post by quentinc »

Anita, those Symmes Creek pictures were just trick photography. ;)

Kathy -- it was a tough 3 days for me. It was only my second backpack of the season, and it usually takes me a while to hit my stride during the summer. So I was kind of pleased that I was able to pull it off. If I had hiked Tyndall on my own, I would taken the north rib route too. The folks I was with were a bit nervous about class 3 stuff. And I have to say that the northwest rib route was quite pleasant -- almost like climbing a (very long) flight of stairs. No loose stuff at all, which was a godsend after doing Williamson.
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Post by madeintahoe »

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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Post by langenbacher »

quentinc wrote:... we went up the northwest ridge. Once you get to the summit ridge, it does look a bit dicey. We dropped down just a bit on the east side to traverse to a point halfway across the summit ridge, from where it was class 2 the rest of the way...
Do you mean the north side?

I went up the NW ridge (http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1169 ... 2585gpbkTv), 3 years ago, because it was supposed to be class 2, but when I got to the top of the ridge I had to go left, onto the steep north slope where I could see my friends going up the North Rib http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1172 ... 2585Vrtndq. After climbing Junction in the morning, it didn't seem so bad but it was definitely class 3, with some loose rock the last few feet up to the final summit ridge. I met up with the others right where they got to the crest of the N slope. We all went down the North rib, but with a combination of my route up, and theirs. It was much easier to go down that way http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1169 ... 2585wHWScZ

I think it's a mistake to say the NW ridge is easier than the north rib, as Secor does.
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