Gripped Magazine
The Southeast Buttress of Cathedral Peak is a Must-Do Yosemite Route
The Southeast Buttress of Cathedral Peak, a five-pitch 5.6 in Tuolumne Meadows, is a must-do for any trad climber thanks to its knobby granite and alpine views. It was first climbed in 1948 by Charles Wilts and Spencer Austin, while the peak itself saw its first ascent in 1869 by John Muir, who scrambled the class 4 summit block in one of the earliest technical climbs in the Sierra Nevada.
Cathedral Peak, at 3,327 metres, anchors the Cathedral Range in Yosemite National Park’s Tuolumne Meadows. The route begins at the Cathedral Lakes trailhead, 3 miles west of Tuolumne Meadows on Tioga Road. From the trailhead, follow the John Muir Trail south for 0.5 miles, then take a right onto a use trail along Budd Creek. This trail ends after 2 to 3 miles and 1,500 feet of elevation gain, east of the buttress.
Once you summit Cathedral, you can either descend, or make your way to the stunning Eichhorn’s Pinnacle, a spire that offers a short, exposed climb vai the North Face route at 5.4. It was first climbed by Jules Eichhorn and Glen Dawson in 1931. It follows splitters and ledges to the summit, where your partner can take a photo of you standing on top. The descent involves rappelling from fixed anchors to the saddle.
The California Geological Survey named Cathedral in 1863, initially calling it Cathedral Spires. After World War II, Tuolumne’s climbing scene grew, and by the 1950s, the Southeast Buttress was a moderate classic, appearing in Hervey Voge’s 1954 A Climber’s Guide to the High Sierra guidebook as “Route 4” – see the full guidebook here. In the 1970s, climbers added variations, including chimney bypasses. Peregrine falcon closures from March to July often restrict access.
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