Route Overlay or Higher Cathedral Regular Route.

All Locations > California > Yosemite NP > Yosemite Valley > Valley S Side > P. Cathedral Area > 3. Higher Cathe… > Regular Route (Higher… (5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a)

Route Overlay or Higher Cathedral Regular Route.

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buttshot on P2, awesome dihedral up the 5.9 variation, riddled with old pins!

The P2 decision. Purple = 5.9 bulge to 5.7, Green = 5.9++ "original route" Fingers to Roof. Light Blue is not in the topo (Sloan or Super) and felt like 5.10D. All of them get you to the ledge for the next pitch.

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4.8 from 15 votes

Steph Abegg

Jun 21, 2017

“Route Overlay or Higher Cathedral Regular Route.”

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Route Overlay or Higher Cathedral Regular Route.

The P2 decision. Purple = 5.9 bulge to 5.7, Green = 5.9++ "original route" Fingers to Roof. Light Blue is not in the topo (Sloan or Super) and felt like 5.10D. All of them get you to the ledge for the next pitch.

Ran a conga line to the top and got hitched. What a day :)

Reward view after climbing Higher Cathedral Spire

Party topping out on Higher Cathedral Spire.

Scott, Tony, Chris, Yosemite.

Some dude named Pat on the last pitch. Taken while on rappel.

Josh from Ireland styling the final pitch

Penultimate pitch.

Annie about to pull the rounded mantle, last pitch

There are plenty of photos here, but none taken during a very brief weather window between hailstorms. Higher Cathedral Rock seen from the route when the gully steamed up before the sky closed up and dumped more hail again.

Climbers topping out on the Regular Route (via the steep handcrack variation).

P2 traverse just before '5.9 powerful bulge' and 'horrendous rope drag'

The regular route follows the bushes to the top.

Sierra taking in the view after the p4 traverse, the highlight of the route!

Top of the Higher Spire. RIP Andrew Berge.

5.9 handcrack variation on Pitch 5. Good climbing!

Summit Uno! Cannot suggest bringing a game up to the top enough.

All three were from Berkeley.

There is a summit register waiting for you to sign.

Some dude named Pat climbing the last pitch. Taken while on rappel.

Cool traverse at end of Pitch 4.

Headed up the P2 5.9++ "original" route. Only thing that felt + was pulling the roof after the fingers.

Dangerously loose block next to P2 belay/rap.

A couple of veterans bringing their game to the the valley (pitch 5: 5.9 hand crack).

Looking up pitch 3, I think?

This the 'third' variation for P2 that isn't in the guide and is way harder than 5.9.

P4 spacewalk traverse.

Jeff leads the final (5th) pitch to the summit.

Rap anchor at top of Pitch 3. This is the second (of 4) rappel.

The start of the route is marked by a cross etched into the rock.

I think this was pitch 3.

Pitch 3

Pitch 2

Pitch 2

Pulling the last move on to the summit.

Pitch 1

Pitch 4

Pitch 2

Pitch 5

Pitch 3

James making the crux (5.9ish) move on Pitch 3.

Pitch 4

Rap chains on the top of the spire. To descend, rap the route with a single 50m rope (4 raps).

Pitch 4

Tennessee on P2 direct variation<br>
(c) Scott Nomi.

Pitch 5

buttshot on P2, awesome dihedral up the 5.9 variation, riddled with old pins!

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