Pitch 7. The acute handcrack corner. I found I could reach my hands back in and get good jams the whole way up by just climbing it straight in. Protection is good the whole way up.

All Locations > California > Yosemite NP > Yosemite Valley > Valley S Side > P. Cathedral Area > 5. Higher Cathe… > Northeast Buttress (5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a PG13)

Pitch 7. The acute handcrack corner. I found I could reach my hands back in and get good jams the whole way up by just climbing it straight in. Protection is good the whole way up.

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Pitch 9 traverse. Easy (5.5ish) yet exposed traverse across a steep face.

Traverse from a high belay

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4.5 from 2 votes

Steph Abegg

Sep 15, 2016

“Pitch 7. The acute handcrack corner. I found I could reach my hands back in and get good jams the whole way up by just climbing it straight in. Protection is good the whole way up.”

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Nearby Photos

Route Overlay NE Buttress Higher Cathedral Rock

Beautiful location before the traverse.

"Old people can do this too"<br>
Photo credit-Cory Fleagle

Finish options on the Northeast Buttress, and routes to the right.
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Original photo by Dennis Erik Strom from Higher Cathedral Spire.

Route Overlay NE Buttress Higher Cathedral Rock

Jeff starts the short fifth pitch traverse.

Looking up the route from the base. In order to link Pitches 1 and 2, we soloed up the first 70' to a pair of bolts just past the tree in the phtoo. This was mostly 4th with a short 5.6 section. If you start this pitch from the base, you cannot link it with Pitch 2.

Pitch 3. Ryan on the 5.7 layback at the top of Pitch 3.

Finish options on the Northeast Buttress - modified from Don Reid guidebook

One of many killer pitches on the NEB.

Pitch 7. The narrowing 5.9 squeeze. The crux was exiting the squeeze. Both Ryan and I managed to get out helmet stuck while reaching in for gear at the top (we both had the more bulky foam type) and experienced a couple slightly panicked seconds trying to free our head from the slot (I don't even want to think of the consequences of slipping while your head is wedged in there!). So if you have a foam helmet, it might be a good idea to take it off for this pitch.

Dominic following the P5 traverse. <br>
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Photo: Corey Gargano

Lower half of NEB.

Hoval (sp?) on the top of P4
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10/12/17

Jared on the pitch 5 traverse

Sadowsky going for the link-up.

final OW/chimney flare along the supertopo line. note the dead tree somehow still clinging to the cliff below.

Pitch 9 traverse. Easy (5.5ish) yet exposed traverse across a steep face.

Pitch 7. The acute handcrack corner. I found I could reach my hands back in and get good jams the whole way up by just climbing it straight in. Protection is good the whole way up.

Traverse from a high belay

Wildly scenic summit/decent. You pass some BIG doug firs and some even bigger fallen ones.

This might be the notorious 5.8 squeeze section on the last pitch that you can only protect if you lug a #5 cam up the route. We didn't find it nearly as terrifying as the comments made it out to be. It is indeed unprotectable if you don't have a #5, but it is also 5.8. The #5 was not needed anywhere else on the route. After this section, the actual route as per the SuperTopo goes left at the tree and up a 5.8 chimney that is out of view, but Ryan forgot this and continued up the direct line into the chimney above. This is labeled as the "dirty chimney" on Clint's drawing on this SuperTopo post. The chimney was actually pretty decent 5.8ish climbing underneath the dirt and it made for a nice direct line to the top.

Approaching the crappy belay after the squeeze chimney. This pitch was the most sustained 5.9 pitch I've ever led

Pitch 10. Looking down from midway up the pitch. The rock on this pitch is different than the rest of the route—more white and rounded and granular, with soft cracks and rounded jugs and good friction.

Belay at the top of pitch 6. There is a small ledge on the left signaling that it is time to let your partner start groveling.

Exiting the squeeze chimney.

Pitch 5. Ryan at the beginning of the traverse. This is really fun juggy exposed climbing.

Hoval (sp?) on the top of P4
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10/12/17

The super fun 7th pitch.

5.8 crux on pitch 9. "only" 2 pitches to go after this one.

Hillary nearing the top of the marathon 7th pitch

Upper half of NEB.

Pitches 6-8. A climber nearing the top of the first pitch in the corner (this would be midway through Pitch 7 on the SuperTopo). He also belayed where we did, although he had to take a hanging stance until we vacated.

Pitch 6-8. Ryan starting up our second pitch up the corner (we did Pitches 6-8 as two pitches with a belay halfway up Pitch 7).

Pitch 3. Midway up Pitch 3, looking upwards.

Looking up a little before the pitch 9 traverse.

The pitch before the squeeze chimney. 5.9

The Northeast Buttress climbs the crack system that angles left on this photo.

Looking down the big 5.9 corner.

The 5.9 crux of the first wide pitch at the start of the main corner. The moves are slightly harder than they look.

The supposed crux of the route right above the squeeze. Going straight up is not 5.10 as most guide books suggest.

I stopped short on the pitch 5 traverse. Don't do this. Keep going climbers left to the ledge that is the start of the big 5.9 corner.

steve sanford on the ne buttress

I think this was pitch 3.

The belay after the traverse pitch

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