Planning a trip to Tuollmne Meadows to climb Cathedral Peak (Southeast Buttress), once on top were planning to ascend the Eichorn Pinnacle. The next day were heading to Mathes Crest to climb the traverse. Im looking for any beta on bivy spots in the backcountry, the Eichorn Pinnacle climb from the saddle, and Mathes Crest.

-- David Rebensdorf (drebensdorf@mnwd.com), August 19, 1999

Answers

This probably will not help the original poster, but will help others. Just below Cathedral Peak is a nice meadow. Also, there is a very nice meadow (both meadows have streams) on the approach to Matthes Crest after you descend from the Echo Peaks "pass". This second meadow is only 30-45 minutes from the start of the Matthes Crest.

A word of warning about the Matthes Crest. It is listed as a Grade III climb (meaning a climb lasting most of the day). What is not explained is that this grade only applies if you camp near the base of the climb or hike in from Tuolumne Meadows and simul-climb along the ridge. This climb is not Grade III for hiking in from the Meadows, doing the climb, and then hiking out the same day. The horizontal distance, not counting ups and downs (many of these) of this climb is 3/4 mile.

-- Mark A. Fletcher (mfletche@turnerdesigns.com), August 10, 2000.

I agree, my wife and I did Mathes Crest from the car in a day, but it took us 14 hrs. Keep in mind that we are fast hikers, but slow climbers, good climbers with good heads that can hustle (go light) will do fine. Tricky to rap from the summit to the base with one rope.

-- Darin Chadwick (darin.chadwick@excite.com), September 25, 2001.