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Part of the Elk Range that includes the Maroon Bells and Pyramid Peak, Cathedral Peak is
composed of the same rotten maroon-colored rock as its brethren. The most common approach
is via scenic Cathedral Lake and the large talus basin behind it.
Routes: South Ridge (I, Class 3)
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Date: July 21, 2012
Party: DB solo
Route: S Ridge
Equipment: helmet
Time: Trailhead - Summit: 3 hrs 50 mins
Summit - Trailhead: 4 hrs
Roundtrip from Trailhead: 8 hrs 10 mins
Comments: Time down includes a lunch break and hiking around near the lake to get a good shot of the mountain.
Trip report:
I have no idea how I managed to pick the wrong gully in 2009, as the route is entirely obvious. This time I picked the right one. I got going from the trailhead at 5:20am, hit the lake at 6:40, and continued on the miners trail into the talus basin. The gully had no snow left, and the going was tedious. From the notch in the ridge at 13,400' a faint climbers trail alternates with third class pitches on a ledge system. The rock is unbelievably bad, so one has to be very careful. I reached the summit at 9:20am and enjoyed the spectacular view.
While downclimbing the summit ridge I used a large block that seemed completely solid, and that I remembered using on the way up. This time it went, and for a split second I was worried it would crush my left leg. However, the block's twisting motion and my evasive action combined managed to avoid a serious mishap, and I suffered only a few minor lacerations. The Elk Range makes the Oregon Cascades look like the world's most solid rock! Going down the gully while staying in control turned out to be even harder than going up. About two thirds down I met two guys I had seen in their sleeping bags at the trailhead in the morning. After we passed each other they kindly waited until I was out of their fall line, but I put my helmet on anyway. When I told them that I was safe they shouted back that they could see six goats. Unfortunately, I could not see them from my position, but the goats alone were a good reason for wearing a helmet, even with no other parties on the route.
In the basin I was unable to find the miners trail until I was close to the lake, and hence a lot of talus hopping was called for. After lunch, and taking some pictures, I ran down the trail. Nice trip, despite the tedious gully and the rotten rock. Earlier in the year this must make a phantastic snow climb!
Date: August 8, 2009
Party: DB solo
Route: S Ridge (attempted)
Equipment: none
Time: 6 hrs roundtrip to a high point of about 13,300'
Comments: I picked the wrong gully
Trip report:
Cathedral Peak is hard to see from anywhere but another high summit. As a result, one cannot see the approach gully until one is in the large boulder basin east of the mountain, and at that point one sees at least four approach gullies! Turns out the correct one is the one that leads to the lowest point in the South Ridge, but alas, that's not the one I picked. I chose the next one to the right, which turned out to be a nightmarish mix of steep dirt and rotten rock. I fought my way up to about 13,300', where steep icy snow stopped me dead in my tracks as I was wearing sneakers and carried neither ice axe nor crampons. I went up ten feet or so using two sharp rocks in lieu of ice tools, but soon decided that what I was doing was way too dangerous, and backed down. Going back down the gully while staying in control was even harder work than going up. I'll have to come back and try the correct gully!
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