Sun Ribbon Arete 2019

On August 8, 2019, I climbed the Sun Ribbon Arete (5.10a, 20+ pitches, 11 hours) on Temple Crag in the Sierra with my friend Jacob. Here is our bivvy on Second Lake, with Temple Crag to the left.

This was a climb that I have been wanting to do for many years, but it is one of the longest in the Sierra and particularly committing. It is the prominent arete and serrated ridge to the summit in the center above the snow field. (Moon Goddess Arete, across the gap to the left, was actually my first big alpine route 20-some years ago, but that is a different story....)

We did some nice fly fishing at Second Lake on our acclimatization day.

After two nights of crummy sleep and poor appetite at altitude, we woke at 5 AM and got started by 6.

Top of the first technical pitch.

Lots of loose rock held to the mountain by colorful lichen.

Jacob gives the thumbs up. We're committed now.

Blue skies. Clouds were in and out, and we even got a few brief moments of snow pellets on the route, but mostly sunny and warm. We definitely didn't want any weather on a route this long!

This route has a Tyrolean traverse. First, lasso the block on the other side (after several failed attempts, we now know how best to do that), then loop the rope through an old ring angle piton and cinch it up as tight as possible. Clip your harness to the rope and haul yourself across the gap from one tower to another. Finally, pull the knot over, untie it, and recover the rope.

Jacob finishing the Tyrolean.

Jacob led the crux 5.9 crack and 10a traverse. (I'm getting too old for this stuff!)

Looking down on our camp.

There were many easy pitches that we did as quickly and safely as possible by simul-climbing. If we had not, then we would not have reached the summit before dark.

Just when you thought you were done, you come around the last tower and see another few pitches to the summit.

Jacob at the summit (13,000 ft).

We finished the route in 11 hours of continuous climbing. Then we made an exhausted, delirious, 5-mile hike down from camp, in the dark, with heavy packs, to the car, and we dashed up to Bishop for a glorious midnight breakfast at Denny's and a good night's sleep.