Three guys · Two ropes · One crest
Tenaya Lake → Matthes Crest → the Valley
Times are targets, not suggestions — see Rule 3. Default plan is the day-blitz (permits sold out); a cancellation permit upgrades us to the backcountry camp.
Bolted friction up black streaks to the classic White Flake traverse — the sane alternative to the runout original. P1 black streak 5.7 → ledge. P2 corner + second streak → belay under the flake. P3 flake traverse left (5.5).
Draws + gear to 4" — bring the #4 Descent: walk off, or rap past Jabberwalky Warm-up + systems rehearsal dayGain the ridge from the south end, follow the crest — climbing both sides as needed — over endless exposed fins to the South Summit (crux: strenuous crack below it), then the North Summit. Most parties rope up for the start and the summits, move together in between.
Rack: nuts + cams 0.3–3 + MANY slings Own tat + rings for rap anchors 2.5–3L water each — refill Budd Creek Descent: 2× double-rope raps, west side of N summit3 guys · Sat B/L/D, Sun B/L/D, Mon B/L + snack engine. Low added sugar; meat, cheese, nuts do the heavy lifting. Fri dinner = Whoa Nellie Deli.
| Meal | Where | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Sat bfast | Lee Vining camp | Bagels + PB + cheese, mandarins, coffee. Zero cook — we make the 8:00 meet. |
| Sat lunch | Tenaya Lake | Wraps: salami + cheddar + avocado + mustard. Carrots, apples. |
| Sat dinner | Tuolumne | Dehy pouch each (Peak Refuel) + miso + summer sausage. |
| Sun bfast | Camp, pre-6am | Oats + almond butter + nuts, or dehy skillet. Instant coffee. |
| Sun lunch | On the crest | Pocket food: salami rolls, biltong, cheese, nuts, Epic bar, 85% chocolate. |
| Sun dinner | Back at car | THE FEAST: one-pot pesto penne + parm + sun-dried toms + salami. Pickles. Beer. |
| Mon bfast | Camp | Oats + nut butter + leftover cheese, coffee. |
| Mon lunch | Valley | Tuna + olive oil + avo wraps, or Degnan's Deli. |
Math: ~3.5–4k cal/guy on climbing days. Snack pool ≈ 2k cal/day each and IS Sunday's lunch. Pouches ≈ 1k cal + sides. Spare dehy = emergency margin.
Tuolumne: 8,600–10,900 ft. Warm days, mid-30s°F nights, afternoon storm risk. Checks persist on your phone — everyone ticks their own.
Distilled from the post-mortem doc. We lost a rope, a radio, a knife, a hiking pole, microspikes and a nut tool learning these — they're not up for debate.
Secure rope to anchor before anything gets tossed → knot both ends → saddle-bag or lap-coil on windy/ledgy terrain instead of throwing → verify which strand pulls and test it before the last man commits → pull the end knots out before pulling the rope → 360° gear check before leaving the station. Both climbers check the setup, out loud.
THE designated headlamp + a backup that lives in the daypack, packed the night before — not found-at-the-trailhead. Spare batteries for both. Fresh set before Matthes.
Waypoint times written down before we start. South Summit by 13:00 or clouds building = bail west — one 60m rap from the notches per MP. Missing a gate is information, not a challenge. No exposure-soloing to buy back time.
Everyone reads the topo, the descent, and the bail options at Saturday camp — not on the route. Know how the traverse starts. Printed topos + offline maps on every phone.
Gear rides on load-rated loops or inside the pack. Radios and knives get leashes. Real climbing packs only — the Cotopaxi stays home.
Party-of-3 transitions, simul protocol, knots — rehearsed at Stately on Saturday, sorted before they're needed at 10,800 feet.
| Pass | No entrance reservation needed in 2026. James's America the Beautiful annual (bought at Grand Canyon) covers his carload — physical card + photo ID at the gate. A second vehicle needs its own pass or pays $35 (NPS fees). |
| Bears | Canisters required in the backcountry (rent at TM Wilderness Center). Trailhead overnight: food in bear boxes, nothing scented in the car. |
| Storms | Check NOAA point forecast for the Cathedral Range Saturday morning in Lee Vining — last dependable signal. Blue morning ≠ safe afternoon. |
| Signal | None past Tioga entrance. Radios on agreed channel; leave the itinerary with someone at home. InReach if we have one. |
| Gas | Fill at the Mobil in Lee Vining. Nothing dependable in the park high country. |
| Camp Sun | Tuolumne Campground is reservation-only if open (check rec.gov) — fallback is back over the pass to Friday's dispersed spot. |
| Falcons | Peregrine closures run Mar 1–Jul 15 — just ended, but glance at NPS climbing closures to be sure both cliffs are open. |