Cathedral Peak, Yosemite

On October 25, 2020, Jacob and I took the camper van up to Yosemite in hopes of climbing the North Ridge of Mount Conness. As a warm up, we drove into Tuolumne the day before and did the short approach to climb Cathedral Peak. I had avoided doing Cathedral in the past, as it is perhaps the most popular climb in Tuolumne and usually overcrowded. Since we were visiting late in the season, we figured there may never be a better time, and we were astonished to find that we were the only party at the base that morning. Only one other party showed up that day behind us.

We were able to climb the regular route, straight up the south face to the summit.

Jacob leading the first pitch

Looking out from the chimney

Looking down on Jacob after leading the chimney

Approaching the summit

Jacob on the summit

On the summit, with clouds rolling in behind.

Looking west from the summit to Cathedral Lakes. We were hoping also to climb Eichhorn Pinnacle, down to the right, but with dark clouds rolling in we instead hustled to rap down off our high point and get out of the coming weather. Unfortunately, the weather continued to worsen. Wind like a freight train battered the van continuously overnight, bringing freezing temperatures, and making it impossible to sleep much. The cold and strong wind gusts nixed our plans for Conness the next morning and we headed back home, with the consolation that we had climbed one of the prizes of Tuoloumne in relative solitude.

Summit panorama