Friend and I climbed Seven Gables Peak via North Ridge on June 19, 2014 - day 4 of our recent North Lake to Pine Creek SHR variation trip.
Seven Gables Peak tops out at 13’060 ft. and has earned a position in the Sierra Club's Sierra Peaks Section Mountaineer's List of 35 peaks based on the quality of their climbing.
- Seven Gables Peak
We used Vee Lake for our base camp with a great view of Seven Gables right from our tent.
- Seven Gables from Vee Lake camp
On the day of the climb we've started fairly early and were already walking by 7 am.
We ascended the green gulley that starts west of the lower Seven Gables Lake, which ended up with a perfectly formed cornice.
- Start of ascent near the lower Seven Gables Lakes
It was easily avoidable on the left side via class 2-3 rocks.
- Cornice at the end of the green gulley
Above the cornice, at the start of the East chute it was a mix of rock and snow at first, eventually becoming all snow towards the top. The snow was very good when we've got there around 11 am, but the final portion of the chute is fairly steep, so we used ice axes and crampons for safe ascent. Right before the saddle a section of clear class 2 rock appeared on the right, which we gladly used as our hands were tired from plunging the ice axes into the snow.
- Start of the East chute
- In the chute
- Rocks at the end of chute right before the saddle
The saddle was entirely clear; we took a short break and started ascending the North Ridge, which was a mix of snow and talus, with portions of class 3 rocks near the top.
- At the saddle
- North Ridge
- View South West from the ridge
To be continued...
