South Corner

Overview

First ascent of South Corner (V, 5.9, C1) on the South Face of Lone Pine Peak on May 26-27, 2007 by Joe LeMay and Miguel Carmona. The route climbs 12 pitches on the south face of Lone Pine Peak before joining the Beckey Route for its last 6 pitches to the summit plateau. It is the obvious huge left facing corner just left of the start of the gulley for the Direct South Face and to the right of the start of Pathways Through to Space. Our climb follows this feature to its top. It joins the Beckey Route at a prominent pine tree below the ‘eye of the needle.’

The route takes the most direct line to the intersection of all the routes on this part of the south face (Direct South Face, Winter Route, Land of Little Rain, Summer Ridge, Windhorse, Pathways Through To Space).

Getting There

From the Stone House, follow the same approach as for the Direct South Face, staying high on the south side of the canyon and traversing above the boulder field onto the north side. Don’t count on Tuttle Creek to be flowing and provide water near the route, it was dry by mid May in this low snow year.

Route Description

The start: move up 3rd class ledges into the corner.
1) Climb up the corner to a sloping platform (5.6) (80 ft.).
2) Move out left onto the face, then back into the corner. Continue up to where it is possible to traverse right. Belay in the corner. (5.7) (90 ft.)
3) Move right onto the arête (5.8), drop into the gulley, and up to a flat platform. 100 ft.)
4) Face climb up and left making a move (5.9) lower than you would expect. Continue up grooves. (110 ft.)
5) Climb wide cracks then over a bulge to a sloping platform at a pin. (5.8) (160 ft.)
6) Up wide cracks to a platform, then up the solid corner, then right onto the face above the corner. (5.9) (165 ft.).
7) Continue on face cracks. Move right into the corner and stem/lieback up to a 1 ft. wide ledge. (5.8) (150 ft.). There is a bivy cave to the right of the ledge that we spent a night in.
8) Climb up the dirty corner over grass steps and brush to a belay in a corner (5.8) (100 ft.)
9) Climb up the brushy corner (5.9) then aid (C1) the corner up to 9” wide past a bolt which continues on difficult terrain to a ledge. (160 ft.)
10) Continue up the brushy corner over sustained terrain to a platform and cave. (5.9) (165 ft.)
11) Climb in the chimney, then out to the edge of the corner past a bolt, and left out the roof to a big platform with a tree. (5.8) (160 ft.)
12) One fifth class move then up fourth class to the tree at the intersection with the Direct South Face.
13-18) Continue up the Direct South Face to the summit plateau.

We aided pitch 9, a past vertical offwidth using 2 X 3’s cut to length on lead with a folding saw. It would have been easy with the two recommended big cams. Next time.

Essential Gear

Climbing gear:
1 set stoppers
#0 to #3 TCUs
doubles #0.5 to #3 Camalots, #4, #5 Camalot and #6 C4
Double ropes (50m)

External Links

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Images

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