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Perla's Ridge and environs
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Perla's Ridge (Satyr Ridge) 
Ridge of Bliss 
Stump the Stars 

Perla's Ridge (Satyr Ridge) 

5.8 R

   

FA: Ron Perla, Chuck Satterfield, 1964
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.8 [details]
Length: 11 pitches, 1800 feet, Grade IV
Season: Summer
Views: 380 page views

Submitted By: Bobby Hanson on Jul 6, 2006


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Bobby above the first pitch.


Description 

The Ruckman guide says this is 1800 feet, but really, from car to summit it is well over 3000.

Typical alpine granite (good to crappy) with a (relatively) easy approach. Lots of hiking, though.

Although there are lots of easy sections that you could either simul or solo, the technical sections appear often enough that it probably isn't worth it. We seemed to find a 40m 5.8 pitch just about every 50m or so (alternates 5.easy, 5.8, ...). These were almost always very exposed.

The (small amount of) beta that I heard before we did this climb was, "it is loose and scary, and I won't ever do it again." We didn't find it all that bad. We didn't complete the route, however; we were stormed off at about 700 feet from the summit (long descent involving many rappels).


Location 

Park just up-canyon from the LDS vaults. There is a bouldering area here, but I don't remember the name. Look for the talus field coming off the ridge, this is your goal.

Hike down past the boulders to the LCC trail. Walk up canyon to the bridge and cross the river. A small trail enters the woods here (toward more bouldering). Follow this trail until it begins descending a lot. Leave the trail and bushwhack WSW until you get to the talus field. Follow the talus up and into the gully.

You will eventually get to some immaculate white slabs on your left (after a couple of bouldery moves). Further up the gully, it splits into two gullies. The right one is sandy and loose, the left is solid, but requires technical climbing (5.8+ R).

Above each of these there is a grassy quasi-meadow below a headwall. It looked like several lines on the headwall would go at around 5.7 or 5.8. We opted to hike game trails in the trees to the left to bypass the headwall.

Above the headwall are a series of ledges on the left side of the huge slabs. Follow these up along the path of least resistance, heading left when possible and aesthetic.

If you can find the "Endless Dihedral" pitch and the 5.8 o.w. right on the ridge, I highly recommend both of them (see topo)

Descent: Either south into Bell's Canyon, or two drainages east back into LCC. You can scope the second descent option from the road just above the gate buttress parking area.


Protection 

Standard rack. We didn't bring anything bigger than a #2 (gold) Camalot, but there were a couple of places where a #3 would have been useful.



Add Photo Photos of Perla's Ridge (Satyr Ridge)
Above the first pitch and almost even with The Thumb!

Above the first pitch and almost even with The Thu...

A shot of me in the same spot...  It's a good spot.

A shot of me in the same spot... It's a good spot...

The headwall...  Climb some low angle (low 5th) to the base of the headwall, and scramble up left throught the trees (3rd).  The slabs can also be skipped entirely by heading left early.  Or check out all the cool crack systems directly on the headwall!

The headwall... Climb some low angle (low 5th) to...

I forgot to rate this climb.  Because I got high...  Because I got high...  Because I got (real F'n) high.

I forgot to rate this climb. Because I got high.....

The "Endless Dihedral" corner goes for a whole pitch!  Low angle, but sustained (except for one good pod to the left of the crux).

The "Endless Dihedral" corner goes for a whole pit...

Leading the dihedral.

Leading the dihedral.


Add Comment Comments on Perla's Ridge (Satyr Ridge)
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By Rob C.
Jul 9, 2006

Wow! Bobby nice topo. I'd like to add on the last pitch, the handcrack to gain those traversing ledges is probably somewhere between 5.8+ to 5.9+. It felt harder than any of the moves on Satan's Corner (and very exposed). Will try to get pictures up next Tues, Weds...

By Craig Martin
Jul 12, 2006
rating: 5.8 R

Thanks for the Topo! We climbed the Satyr Ridge on July 11th, and found the Topo to be pretty handy. Where your Topo ends there are 3 or 4 more pitches to get to an unroping spot and 300 to 400 feet of 3rd class to the summit. The remaining 3 pitches go at; easy 5th, 5.6 thru a nice roof, easy 5th. Never found the "Endless Dihedral" mentioned in your Topo. I may have been closer to the ridge at this point. I found an unprotected chimney (easily laybacked the edge at 5.6 or so) followed by a 5.7 OW to end the pitch at the blocks to the left of the belay indicated in the Topo directly under the 5.8 OW. This is the money pitch, probably only 5.7 but fun. The last pitch on the Topo is also very good, I would call it 5.9-, and a #3 camalot works very well here. We descended Coalpit #4, with Two single rope raps from trees towards Bells Canyon and a short hike over to the top of the couloir. Found water halfway down Coalpit#4, coming directly out of the western slope, with a nice pour over to fill bottles from. Very needed after a 12 hour day. Thanks again for the beta, it was my third time up Perla's, never touched the same ground twice, bit this was the best trip so far.