Peaks For Freaks: Convoluted Bliss

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August 3-10, 2017
Surrounding the massive Merced River Drainage in southern Yosemite are three subranges of the Sierra Nevada: the Cathedral Range, Isberg Divide, and Clark Range. When combined, these three ranges form a gigantic arc around the drainage. Several years ago, some climbers got the idea to combine these ranges into a grand traverse along their main ridges. This traverse had been attempted several times, but was never completed for various reasons including terrain and accumulated fatigue. In 2015, Mason and I attempted the first ascent of this traverse, making it less than one third of the way through due to poor snow conditions and physical inability to continue traversing. In 2017 after much more preparation, Toshi, Sean, and I headed back out, completing the traverse, which I then named Convoluted Bliss, over 8 days. Requiring over 40 miles of alpine ridges and 51 peaks, Convoluted Bliss is (at the time of writing) the longest completed alpine ridge traverse in the Sierra Nevada as well as the entire United States. At the time of writing, Convoluted Bliss remains the most physically demanding route I have completed in my lifetime.

The route design was simple. The approach began in Tuolumne Meadows and followed well maintained trails for 9 miles over Tuolumne Pass and up to Vogelsang Pass. From there, we would begin traversing, gaining the crest of the Cathedral Range, following it to the Isberg Divide beginning at Rodgers Peak, and then the Clark Range beginning at Triple Divide Peak. At the end of the Clark Range, we would finish the traverse portion with a 3,500 ft descent into Little Yosemite Valley. From there began the deproach, a 19 mile 3,790 ft gain march back up and over Tuolumne Pass and into Tuolumne Meadows on maintained trails.

Convoluted Bliss seen from an EOSDIS satellite on August 8, 2017 (photo credit: NASA)

The table below includes every peak (traversing clockwise from north) on Convoluted Bliss. For unnamed peaks, I have dubbed names for them which are derived from names of nearby lakes and other geographical features. These dubbed names are in quotes. Peaks without quotes are either officially named by the USGS or were found named by previous parties who had written them in summit registers.

Order	Peak	Elevation	Topographic Prominence	Summit Coordinates (lat/lon)
1	"Emeric Peak"	11,152 ft	135 ft	37.7728, -119.3575
2	Vogelsang Peak	11,493 ft	833 ft	37.7773, -119.3496
3	Fletcher South	11,481 ft	180 ft	37.7865, -119.3352
4	Fletcher Peak	11,410 ft	150 ft	37.7919, -119.3355
5	"Townsley Peak"	11,850 ft	190 ft	37.7830, -119.3261
6	Parsons Peak	12,147 ft	624 ft	37.7770, -119.3077
7	"Simmons Sidewalk"	12,156 ft	235 ft	37.7662, -119.2942
8	Simmons Peak	12,497 ft	397 ft	37.7607, -119.2943
9	"Staircase Peak"	12,540 ft	360 ft	37.7552, -119.2896
10	Andevetom Mountain	12,499 ft	220 ft	37.7492, -119.2908
11	Estel Tower III	12,461 ft	100 ft	37.7452, -119.2876
12	Mt. Maclure	12,900 ft	480 ft	37.7436, -119.2805
13	Mt. Lyell	13,114 ft	1,927 ft	37.7393, -119.2716
14	"Lyell Spire"	12,868 ft	100 ft	37.7394, -119.2685
15	Ragged Ridge	12,561 ft	140 ft	37.7327, -119.2608
16	"Marie Peak"	12,345 ft	100 ft	37.7288, -119.2597
17	Rodgers Peak	12,978 ft	758 ft	37.7250, -119.2576
18	"Hailstorm Peak"	12,573 ft	353 ft	37.7147, -119.2584
19	Electra Peak	12,442 ft	342 ft	37.7051, -119.2602
20	"Loose Ridge Peak"	11,797 ft	150 ft	37.7003, -119.2714
21	"Frozen Night Peak"	11,838 ft	235 ft	37.6999, -119.2772
22	Mt. Ansel Adams	11,780 ft	200 ft	37.6979, -119.2816
23	Carpe Diem Peak	11,994 ft	334 ft	37.6922, -119.2801
24	"Little Foerster Peak"	11,861 ft	210 ft	37.6905, -119.2849
25	Foerster Peak	12,057 ft	477 ft	37.6900, -119.2908
26	"Harriet Peak"	11,505 ft	150 ft	37.6816, -119.2942
27	"Bench Peak"	11,535 ft	280 ft	37.6776, -119.2911
28	Long Mountain	11,502 ft	402 ft	37.6672, -119.2951
29	Blush Peak	11,420 ft	360 ft	37.6654, -119.3050
30	Isberg Peak	10,996 ft	256 ft	37.6509, -119.3240
31	"Turner Peak"	10,790 ft	170 ft	37.6408, -119.3250
32	Post Peak	11,009 ft	508 ft	37.6280, -119.3280
33	"Porphyry Peak"	10,880 ft	140 ft	37.6319, -119.3300
34	"Walton Peak"	11,107 ft	245 ft	37.6268, -119.3541
35	"Little Divide Peak"	11,536 ft	130 ft	37.6327, -119.3665
36	Triple Divide Peak	11,611 ft	671 ft	37.6317, -119.3702
37	"Giant Fist Peak"	11,588 ft	225 ft	37.6354, -119.3864
38	Merced Peak	11,726 ft	1,226 ft	37.6349, -119.3946
39	Ottoway Peak	11,500 ft	280 ft	37.6422, -119.3933
40	"Red Devil Peak"	11,354 ft	120 ft	37.6483, -119.4008
41	Red Peak	11,699 ft	559 ft	37.6538, -119.4093
42	"Snowpatch Peak"	11,337 ft	262 ft	37.6624, -119.4087
43	"Red Devil Spur"	11,371 ft	351 ft	37.6669, -119.4050
44	"Grayling Peak"	11,325 ft	200 ft	37.6663, -119.4142
45	Gray Peak	11,573 ft	593 ft	37.6736, -119.4186
46	"Adair Peak"	11,278 ft	170 ft	37.6798, -119.4164
47	"Blocky Ridge Peak"	11,241 ft	200 ft	37.6861, -119.4164
48	"Northcliff Peak"	11,173 ft	175 ft	37.6912, -119.4192
49	Mt. Clark	11,522 ft	542 ft	37.6963, -119.4285
50	"Tunnel Rock Peak"	10,987 ft	155 ft	37.7034, -119.4257
51	Quartzite Peak	10,440 ft	140 ft	37.7158, -119.4254

Stats
Approach (Tuolumne Meadows to Vogelsang Pass): 9 miles 2,200 ft gain
Traverse (bare minimum, not including leaving ridge to camp, get water, etc): 40.1 miles 20,380 ft/ 24,060 ft gain/loss
Traverse (our stats, including leaving ridge to camp, get water, etc): 41.5 miles 21,230 ft/ 24,910 ft gain/loss
Deproach (Little Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows): 19 miles 3,790 ft gain
Total (bare minimum, not including leaving ridge to camp, get water, etc): 68.1 miles 26,380 ft gain/loss
Total (our stats, including leaving ridge to camp, get water, etc): 69.5 miles 27,220 ft gain/loss

Trip Report