EISPIRATEN

What's the rock like on the north face of this peak? I see a big cliff... anyone been close or on it or what?

Along with San Gabriel Peak, where the road cuts across the face.

Forgive me, as I'm not a local of that area.

Ryan,

I think it's "or what." Many times I have biked or run around the north face of Strawberry between Strawberry Potrero and Josephine Saddle and looked up at that north face. One time, I started up a big cluster of boulders just above Potrero, seemingly 3d class stuff, and then these truck size boulders started to shift so I backed off. I figure I would have more courage with a partner. Above the huge pile of boulders is an unknown ridge type route although it looks doable. It's just like you to notice a line this one. I've never heard any accounts of someone doing the north face.

Same for the face of San Gabriel Peak. Assume you're talking about the vertical face to the right of the fire road from Eaton Saddle.

So many adventures, so little time.

I've always been curious about the north face myself because of the very good quality rock on the class 3 route. I've been up to it scouting for cracks that go all the way to the top before. Recently I found out about this:

http://www.summitpost.org/object_discus ... _id=151749

(the top log)

you might ask this person about the route.

Augie, thanks! Sounds like most of the stuff around here, unfortunately. I'm looking for something as steep as possible. (By that, I mean in referance to the amount of slab climbing I've done lately, bugging the crap outta me)

Holy crap Mike! I'll contact that person. THanks!

I screwed up a few years ago on the normal West Ridge route and wound up a bit on the N. Face. Don't know about climbing routes all the way from Straberry Potrero, but the rock looks pretty solid, which is really nice compared to the crappy DG that most of the stuff around here is made of.

I think every so often, an intrepid couple of climbers take a stab at the NF of Strawberry. Last TR I read was on Super Topo or Todd Gordon’s JT climbing forum (JMC- who has since moved to Tucson wrote about it,,

There is a lot of real rock up there- but the good stuff is all the crack-less face climbing. Some day it will get rap bolted and scrubbed. Too scruffy and loose for ground up, I’d guess…

Thanks guys. I think I'll take a drive out there in a while to see what it's like in person. Sounds like it's at least worth a drive out, right? 8)