The 5.7 layback. NOTE: You CANNOT see this from the ground below. After about 45 minutes of trying various options, I found the easiest way to get to the layback was to just climb blocky terrain directly above the notch.

All Locations > California > High Sierra > 14 - Whitney &… > Lone Pine Peak > N Ridge (5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a)

The 5.7 layback. NOTE: You CANNOT see this from the ground below. After about 45 minutes of trying various options, I found the easiest way to get to the layback was to just climb blocky terrain directly above the notch.

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Keeler Needles & Whitney peeping over the right-hand skyline

the leaning boulders in early season

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Steph Abegg

Jul 1, 2018

“The 5.7 layback. NOTE: You CANNOT see this from the ground below. After about 45 minutes of trying various options, I found the easiest way to get to the layback was to just climb blocky terrain directly above the notch.”

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Nearby Photos

North Ridge, Lone Pine Peak

the notch

Features on North Ridge of Lone Pine Peak.

Finding the decent gully. Annotated photo.

looking back down toward the owens valley

start/end of approach ramp noted

OSX High Sierra wallpaper annotated

North Ridge, Lone Pine Peak

Caroline Schaumann after the short approach to Lone Pine Peak

the long ridgeline

Caroline Schaumann on the North Ridge, Lone Pine Peak

Lone Pine Peak's North Ridge

David on tower 2 approaching the hand jams corner on p3 of the sketchy far east chimney variation.

rest of the crux section

snow in the notch

The North Ridge follows the obvious right skyline of Lone Pine Peak. The ridge line dropping to the left and then towards the camera is the North East Ridge which is also supposedly quite good but requires a lot more hiking and thus a significantly longer day.

notch before the summit tower

easier ground before the summit

final push

A view of the towers from the notch marking beginning of technical climbing.

I had a satellite image loaded onto my GAIA app on my iPhone (very useful!), clearly showing the descent gully that goes all the way back down to the lakes. This is the only one that does not cliff out.

I turned off the trail at 10,000 feet, as suggested by the Croft guide description. The approach ramp is in the background.

Matt passing the leaning flake. The downclimb for the tower 1 bypass is slightly down and climber's left.

looking down the n ridge

first thought-provoking crack

the rare and very cool foxtail pines (Pinus balfouriana) found around Meysan Lakes

more easy climbing

Mike pulling a short grunty move

Ally approaching the cat walk

Gearing up for a winter ascent of the complete NRLPP

early season ice

Lisa Pritchett and Dave Burda getting an early start on the North Ridge of Lone Pine Peak.

Winter ascent of the complete NRLPP

Knife edge somewhere on the N Ridge

The North Ridge of Lone Pine Peak looming above a beautiful grove of Foxtail Pines.

ridge to the summit tower, many ways to go on the tower (we went right)

Mike heading for the ridgeline proper

Looking north up the eastern edge of the Sierras and the Owens River Valley from the North Ridge of Lone Pine Peak.

heading toward the leaning flake on tower 1

looking down to the Owens Valley

The correct descent gully. All others apparently cliff out.

chossy downclimb into the notch

slabs on the alternate approach to the ridge

crossing the slabs

many towers left to go

Keeler Needles & Whitney peeping over the right-hand skyline

The 5.7 layback. NOTE: You CANNOT see this from the ground below. After about 45 minutes of trying various options, I found the easiest way to get to the layback was to just climb blocky terrain directly above the notch.

the leaning boulders in early season

The 5.7 offwidth above the layback. Protects with a #3.

alternate, more technical approach to gain the ridge

Miguel just before the crux

Miguel reminiscing on the traverse

looking upcanyon toward LeConte and Mallory from the approach ramp

view to the west

on tower 2 before the crux

the first major obstacle

last blocks before the summit

meysan lakes

View of the left side traverse alternative to passing through the flake.

Top of Notch A, about go up the leaning flake (1st tower)