Mike McL - Aug 8, 2024 10:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2008
Matthes Crest
Traversed to the top of the N summit. Rapped from here due to some incoming weather. I need to complete the entire traverse some time.
Dow Williams - Jul 18, 2024 12:52 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2024
Approach beta
I soloed this ridge along with Cathedral Peak over a decade ago. A double vs the triple crown. When I did that, I obviously approached from Cathedral Peak. I went back to climb Anduril, 5.10bR located on its east face. This time I used the Supertopo guides approach beta which is copied to MP.com. This beta is by far not the best way to approach Matthes.
Rather stay on the Cathedral Peak trail until you are maybe 15 minutes away from the base of the east face of Cathedral. Go off trail to the southeast looking to cross a small marsh and gain a beautiful vegetated and rocky bench. This bench involves considerably less elevation gain and loss than if you follow the guidebooks suggestion of traveling east all the way to Budd Lake and then up. Follow this natural bench as it parallels an often snow filled shallow canyon on its east side. It tops out to one of the prettier grassy meadows in all of Yosemite replete with marmots and deer. Follow this lovely flat bench as it circumvents Echo Peaks far above on your left. You descend a clear notch onto a down sloping bench with your first clear view of Matthes Crest. You are aiming for the south end (right side).
From a calorie burn perspective, it is important to aim for the middle of the crest, crossing through the small treed valley below and then traversing the western slop back south and up to the col at the south end of the crest. If you head straight for the south end from when you first lay eyes on it, you will lose and have to regain a considerable amount of elevation. Same on return of course.
Deb - Jun 20, 2018 12:00 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2018
Long Ass Day but Worth It!
With Kevin and Big Al, three on a rope worked out pretty well, although I felt like a wishbone when I was tied in the center. Surprisingly, easier than I expected with no drama (other than our exit in the dark). Much simul climbing and parties getting backed up. The last pitch to the summit really pumped me up on lead, was thrilled to get into the chimney and relax! Would totally do this one again! Happy to have tagged South Summit, North Summit, and scrambled down the north ridge just as the sun was setting.
Vertigo soul - Aug 4, 2017 7:26 pm Date Climbed: Aug 21, 2015
Awesome!
Such a classic traverse with a little bit of everything. Will do it again someday.
gordonye - Oct 6, 2014 9:25 am Date Climbed: Oct 4, 2014
fantastic climb
Lead 6 pitches and simul- climbed the rest, with Mike Chen. Fantastic day. Easy enough until the 5.7 section, where dropping the pack was key.
Standard South-to-North traverse with Ryan. Simulclimbed except for the North Summit pitch. Rapped off the North Summit in a light rain. Nice rock, incredible views, - classic traverse!
haishan - Mar 13, 2013 2:40 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2012
Almost all the way...
Soloed all but the N tower pitch. We made it to within a few hundred meters of the north end of the ridge, but couldn't see a reasonable downclimb along the ridge and walked off west. Continued on to Cathedral and Eichorn for the tri-fecta... great day!
It was a long day for us and we had to bail at the north summit because it was getting late. Next time I will do the full ridge with less belayed climbing. Did the 5.7 diagonal crack to the North summit. Felt hard.
The classic part of the traverse (south to peak) is perfect; the hyped traverse from peak to north is chossy and only has one excellent section (the wave) I was happy to solo the whole first half but due to rock quality was glad to rope up on the 2nd half. north 1/2 is not as classic as its hype, though the southern 1/2 certainly is. perfect rock and cool views. exposed but not terrifying...did the 5.9ow variation to the summit, which was very soft for the grade and well protected with a couple link cams...Sept 2010
Led two pitches to the crest, and simul-climbed to the North Summit at about the same speed as some of the other soloists. The 5.7 knob/crack pitch was a bit much with a heavy pack on so I had to ditch it at the notch to finish the pitch - stout!
Climbed sometime in the last century (mid-90s) with Andrew Mullis. Simul-climbed the entire route with the exception of the final tower, which had a couple of moves I thought were pretty stiff for 5.7. Wonderful, wonderful scenery and vistas.
fossana - Jul 4, 2009 1:42 am Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2009
repeat
Back again for another solo of the full S > N traverse with Jascha. Only one other party on the route.
Very fun route. We belayed 3 pitches of it and stayed roped for the traverse...in retrospect, it is probably best to free solo the ridge section.
After getting on the South and North Summit we rapped down. Some friends joined us on the North summit and carried on for the rest of the northern part of the ridge....Next time!
fossana - Jun 23, 2008 2:28 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2008
love the exposure
Soloed the full S > N traverse (minus the final small tower) in 3 hours with Jascha. Brought a 30m, but left it in the pack when we found the crux to be a boulder problem. Started off disconcertingly windy, but then the winds died down. Even better the second time.
Fred Bagni - Jul 4, 2007 3:10 pm Date Climbed: Jun 23, 2007
Spectacular
Traversed the rige to the base of the north tower. Windy day. Soloed the ridge section.
Mike McL - Aug 8, 2024 10:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2008
Matthes CrestTraversed to the top of the N summit. Rapped from here due to some incoming weather. I need to complete the entire traverse some time.
Dow Williams - Jul 18, 2024 12:52 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2024
Approach betaI soloed this ridge along with Cathedral Peak over a decade ago. A double vs the triple crown. When I did that, I obviously approached from Cathedral Peak. I went back to climb Anduril, 5.10bR located on its east face. This time I used the Supertopo guides approach beta which is copied to MP.com. This beta is by far not the best way to approach Matthes.
Rather stay on the Cathedral Peak trail until you are maybe 15 minutes away from the base of the east face of Cathedral. Go off trail to the southeast looking to cross a small marsh and gain a beautiful vegetated and rocky bench. This bench involves considerably less elevation gain and loss than if you follow the guidebooks suggestion of traveling east all the way to Budd Lake and then up. Follow this natural bench as it parallels an often snow filled shallow canyon on its east side. It tops out to one of the prettier grassy meadows in all of Yosemite replete with marmots and deer. Follow this lovely flat bench as it circumvents Echo Peaks far above on your left. You descend a clear notch onto a down sloping bench with your first clear view of Matthes Crest. You are aiming for the south end (right side).
From a calorie burn perspective, it is important to aim for the middle of the crest, crossing through the small treed valley below and then traversing the western slop back south and up to the col at the south end of the crest. If you head straight for the south end from when you first lay eyes on it, you will lose and have to regain a considerable amount of elevation. Same on return of course.
Deb - Jun 20, 2018 12:00 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2018
Long Ass Day but Worth It!With Kevin and Big Al, three on a rope worked out pretty well, although I felt like a wishbone when I was tied in the center. Surprisingly, easier than I expected with no drama (other than our exit in the dark). Much simul climbing and parties getting backed up. The last pitch to the summit really pumped me up on lead, was thrilled to get into the chimney and relax! Would totally do this one again! Happy to have tagged South Summit, North Summit, and scrambled down the north ridge just as the sun was setting.
Vertigo soul - Aug 4, 2017 7:26 pm Date Climbed: Aug 21, 2015
Awesome!Such a classic traverse with a little bit of everything. Will do it again someday.
gordonye - Oct 6, 2014 9:25 am Date Climbed: Oct 4, 2014
fantastic climbLead 6 pitches and simul- climbed the rest, with Mike Chen. Fantastic day. Easy enough until the 5.7 section, where dropping the pack was key.
strudolyubov - Jul 29, 2013 6:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 26, 2013
Classic TraverseStandard South-to-North traverse with Ryan. Simulclimbed except for the North Summit pitch. Rapped off the North Summit in a light rain. Nice rock, incredible views, - classic traverse!
haishan - Mar 13, 2013 2:40 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2012
Almost all the way...Soloed all but the N tower pitch. We made it to within a few hundred meters of the north end of the ridge, but couldn't see a reasonable downclimb along the ridge and walked off west. Continued on to Cathedral and Eichorn for the tri-fecta... great day!
cliffm - Oct 2, 2012 4:59 pm
funstill haven't done the second half, after the summit.
seano - Sep 29, 2012 9:21 pm Date Climbed: Sep 27, 2012
Sweet soloAfter chickening out at the crux last year, I finally nailed it this time around. Awesome climb! Trip report.
ElGreco - Sep 11, 2012 6:58 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2012
Yeah!Spectacular climb with Jonathan! Just outstanding, all around. The 5.7 section to gain the summit was stout for the rating - I agree.
hubix - Jul 28, 2011 8:08 pm Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2011
Greate RouteIt was a long day for us and we had to bail at the north summit because it was getting late. Next time I will do the full ridge with less belayed climbing. Did the 5.7 diagonal crack to the North summit. Felt hard.
zoomloco - Jul 16, 2011 6:02 pm
traverse rock is excellent for first 1/2The classic part of the traverse (south to peak) is perfect; the hyped traverse from peak to north is chossy and only has one excellent section (the wave) I was happy to solo the whole first half but due to rock quality was glad to rope up on the 2nd half. north 1/2 is not as classic as its hype, though the southern 1/2 certainly is. perfect rock and cool views. exposed but not terrifying...did the 5.9ow variation to the summit, which was very soft for the grade and well protected with a couple link cams...Sept 2010
PellucidWombat - Sep 7, 2010 2:32 pm Date Climbed: Sep 4, 2010
Wonderful Climb!Led two pitches to the crest, and simul-climbed to the North Summit at about the same speed as some of the other soloists. The 5.7 knob/crack pitch was a bit much with a heavy pack on so I had to ditch it at the notch to finish the pitch - stout!
fatdad - Sep 29, 2009 5:58 pm
A good dayClimbed sometime in the last century (mid-90s) with Andrew Mullis. Simul-climbed the entire route with the exception of the final tower, which had a couple of moves I thought were pretty stiff for 5.7. Wonderful, wonderful scenery and vistas.
fossana - Jul 4, 2009 1:42 am Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2009
repeatBack again for another solo of the full S > N traverse with Jascha. Only one other party on the route.
bighornmonkey - Sep 2, 2008 2:21 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2008
Really great routeVery fun route. We belayed 3 pitches of it and stayed roped for the traverse...in retrospect, it is probably best to free solo the ridge section.
After getting on the South and North Summit we rapped down. Some friends joined us on the North summit and carried on for the rest of the northern part of the ridge....Next time!
fossana - Jun 23, 2008 2:28 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2008
love the exposureSoloed the full S > N traverse (minus the final small tower) in 3 hours with Jascha. Brought a 30m, but left it in the pack when we found the crux to be a boulder problem. Started off disconcertingly windy, but then the winds died down. Even better the second time.
Fred Bagni - Jul 4, 2007 3:10 pm Date Climbed: Jun 23, 2007
SpectacularTraversed the rige to the base of the north tower. Windy day. Soloed the ridge section.