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 LPP Credit: jfailing |
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NROLPPIADWMFD!
Translation: North Ridge of Lone Pine Peak in a day with my friend Dan
Having moved to Lone Pine about two months ago to start a new job, the extremely aesthetic North Ridge of LPP would stare and laugh at me in the alpenglow of dawn every day.
Finally last weekend, my good friend Dan came to town and we took this sucker down.
Woke up at 4:30 and made breakfast burritos and coffee then schmobbed up to the Portal and started up the Meysan Lakes trail.
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I copied the beta from the Secor guide, and it was pretty dead on (except for 2nd tower, more on that later).
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Crossed the creek via a moderately sketchy snow-bridge, and started up to the ridge. Feeling the altitude at this point.
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Just below the first notch.
Two hours from the car to the ridge. We saw what appeared to be fresh tracks ahead of us - could have been Yeti or Peter Croft (same thing).
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Climbing up to the first tower was cake. Mostly all 4th, there was some easy 5th up to the awesome blade/pillar at the first tower.
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There was a hint of snow through the pillar section, then some fantastic and exposed easy 5th to gain the next notch.
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Secor says to go right "50 feet" to a 5th class ramp and eventually there is a ring piton. We got off route here and ended up doing some loose-as-sh!t 5.8 pitch. There was however, a knifeblade with some old gray tat hanging off of it... I almost killed Dan by accidentally trundling some microwaves in his direction...
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That was the only section we roped up for and was very glad we did - it was a sorta sketchballz. We brought an 8 mil 60 meter and a super light rack. I lead the pitch in my Camp 4's.
From the top of the 2nd tower is the real meat of the climb. It's exposed, consistent easy 5th and in a stunning location.
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Dan and I had totally bonked out at this point and were dragging our feet a good amount. We monkey called... sorry, "poseur monkey called"... some folks on the summit who didn't seem to hear us.
Finally, we manteled the last few boulders to the summit, gasping for air.
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Just two guys and we're having a good time...
There was a pack of Menthols in the summit register, so I had a victory smoke - thanks to whoever put them in there!
After an hour nap on the summit, the descent was fast, easy and mostly snow-less. Made it back to the Portal for burgers, where Myles slandered us for not starting from the road...
Great peak, great line, great day.
