After climbing with Patrick in the meadows for a few days we wanted something away from the road and quiet. We wanted to go to the Hulk but Patrick didn't want to climb it in a party of three so we decided on Clyde Minaret. It was a great decision. We drove down to Mammoth and crashed at the hot springs, got up late the next day, drove into town got permits, coffee, food, all that stuff... It was late by the time we finished packing our bags and I had one of my "Classic Headaches" but we decided to go ahead and hike in. It is about 8 miles into Minaret Lake . We got there just at sunset and found a perfect little campsite in the trees by the lake. The sunset was beautiful, we ate something and I went to sleep hoping to wake up without the headache so we could climb.
The hike in was beautiful, once we got off the John Muir Trail and away from the Devils Post Pile tourist traffic it was quiet and peaceful . You can just see Clyde poking above the trees in the middle of the photo.
Getting closer.
Last light on the lake. This photo is taken from our campsite.
Nice Sierra color at sunset.
We woke up the next morning at 6am (without a headache). More of a "Yosemite Start" than an "Alpine Start" but we were out of camp at 7am exactly to start the hour+ hike to the base of the climb. Krystina woke up feeling sick and decided to stay at camp and hike around while we were climbing. I was bummed that she couldn't go since she had carried her share of gear all that way and was really looking forward to the climb. It turned out to be a blessing though and now I'm glad it turned out the way it did.
Looking up at Clyde from the base.
Traversing in to start the first pitch. This is the way the first ascent party started the route and I'm really glad that we decided to go this way versus the direct start. This pitch was really fun.
Cecil Lake is the lake on the left and Minaret Lake is the horseshoe shaped lake in the middle of the photo. Our campsite was in the trees at the lower side of Minaret near the bottom of the photograph.
one of the corners about 1/3 of the way up the route.
Looking down about 2/3 of the route. You can see the small snowfield that we would go down on the descent in the background.
We climbed the route from the ground to the proper summit in 8, 70 meter pitches. Most of them were full 70 stretchers.
Patrick took this photo of me from the summit pitch. This buttress seemed to be the summit from our previous belay but after reaching it we still had a full rope length left up easy 5th (that didn't look easy) and then some easy 4th to the actual summit.
Patrick on top. So Serious...
And of course the Sierra Clubs Summit Register. We hung out only for a little while on the summit and then started down.
So, there is no Super Taco beta for this climb and I have to say that what we found for the actual climb turned out to be basically worthless. We used Peter Crofts description and one that we found on Mountain Project. They were both basically crap which we had heard and read from several accounts, but that's part of the fun in the mountains. When we got back and looked, the line we climbed turned out to match the one described in the 50 classics. The line was actually easy to follow once we decided that the two topos were crap and just climbed the natural line. This photo is of me looking down the 4th class ramp system saying "well i guess this is it... it fits the description... we can exit the ridge here and head down there..." it was the right place and after some careful ledge traversing and down-climbing we were skidding down the last talus to Amphitheater Lake.
Amphitheater Lake, Perfect and very secluded. This was one of the most unique lakes I've seen. We traversed the lake to the notch to drop back over the ridge toward camp.
We rappelled down a fixed rope. Through this notch to the snowfield.
Looking up at the rappel. This thing was nasty. Tons of loose rock.
I went down first and waited on the snowfield for Patrick to get down so we could rig our rope to the end of the fixed line and rap to the rock area in the middle right of this photo. After making the rap I looked up and could see another notch just down the ridge from where we made this rap that seemed easier from below. I'm not sure if it would have been but I was very glad for the fixed rope since there was so much loose rock falling.
Coiling the rope. From here we were able to walk the rest of the way to camp. We got back at exactly 7pm. 12 hours after leaving camp. Turned out to be a perfect day.
The next morning we headed back to the car and the hot springs.
Starting the long hike out.
Yeeha...
MmmmMmmm Good.
Patrick found this guy on the hike out... Pasta just got better.
More of Patrick's quick Panos.
One the hike out.
Near the summit.
Half way up the route.
On the hike in.
