Walking w/ Heavy Shit 3:00:00 [3] 4.0 mi (45:00 / mi) +500ft 40:14 / mi
shoes: Guides
Approach/descent from the watchtower. Lots of sugary snow and large talus, perfect combo...
Climbing: Ice 1:30:00 [4]
shoes: Guides
Mostly mixed since ice was practically nonexistent. Planned to do Moonage Daydream, but went left instead.
Started up 50deg snow-covered slabs (sketchtastic) for a few hundred feet, then a right facing corner that had 1/2 inch of poorly bonded ice under a few feet of dry faceted snow. I was already kinda freaking out, and then the corner turned into a snow-choked flaring chimney/offwidth with no real holds. I had to clear away the snow above me, wedge my arms in a sorta-chicken wing, then thrutch my feet up a few inches at a time. Really freaking scary with crampons on... I continued up about 20ft and then thankfully a small moss-filled crack appeared in the back of the chimney that I could get my tools into.
Topped out the chimney onto another slab and then the wall above turned overhanging. I tried to go up a tiny crack filled with frozen moss/dirt that I could sink my tools into pretty securely, but there were no feet. I was about 200ft above the lower slabs trying to edge on individual granite crystals when I decided it might not be the best idea... Thought about rope-soloing, but there wasn't any decent pro besides pins (only had 1). Figured I made it far enough and rapped the route.
Also dropped a brand new screw somewhere. Pretty pissed about that...
Walking w/ Heavy Shit 1:30:00 [3]
shoes: Guides
Hiking around the giant sequoias and lakes and whatnot.