Dobbs by Other Means

[Hikin_Jim]

I've noticed about ten trip reports in one week from Ellen about how she's climbed Falling Rock Canyon yet another time. It's time to branch out.

Ah, yes, but where to go? Well, I ran into some gals who had done E Dobbs via High Creek last month. Intrigued, I took a look at a map.


Now the light green line at the far left represents the route I hear a lot of serious peak baggers doing (well, it's the one that Ellen always does, anyway).

The light blue line coming down from the vicinity of Jepson is another standard route.

The brown line at far right represents the approximate route that women took that I spoke to last month. Looks kind of interesting actually.

As I looked more, another route seemed to suggest itself, the lavendar colored line that goes through point 9782. I think someone here on the board even posted a TR (Kathy?) on that route. Looks pretty doable.

Then I said to myself, well, if High Creek "goes", then why not Vivian Creek? Looking Vivian Creek in the Halfway Camp area, you can see a steep but probably doable route that I've roughly sketched in with a navy blue colored line on the east side of Vivian Creek.

Then I got a little crazy and drew in a line on the west side of Vivian Creek going up the ridge west of Vivian Creek and then climbing steeply from there. Probably doable, but very steep.

Finally I went outright nuts and drew in a "direct assault" line in olive color. Only for those who really are desperate for new routes. Tough, steep, navigationally difficult.

Just trying to help,

HJ

[Sally]

Those are definitely some interesting options to ponder, HJ! I would probably want to bring my machete along for some of them, though, because I think there could be a lot of brush involved.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! I'm gonna go and bake a pie now!

[Jill G]

Patrick O'Neill posted a loop route from Viv to High Creek xctry to Dobbs then up ridge to Jepson. Looks inviting.
http://www.peakbagger.com/climber/ascen ... aid=206023

[eric1234]

The top part of the lavender line is pretty much a mix of this. I accessed the ridge by heading up High Creek from High Creek Camp and ascending to the saddle north of Point 9782.

It looks like there is some dense manzanita on the ridge below Point 9782.

class 1-2 terrain, a few sections of very light bushwhacking, very doable

[KathyW]

Then I said to myself, well, if High Creek "goes", then why not Vivian Creek? Looking Vivian Creek in the Halfway Camp area, you can see a steep but probably doable route that I've roughly sketched in with a navy blue colored line on the east side of Vivian Creek.

Then I got a little crazy and drew in a line on the west side of Vivian Creek going up the ridge west of Vivian Creek and then climbing steeply from there. Probably doable, but very steep.

Finally I went outright nuts and drew in a "direct assault" line in olive color. Only for those who really are desperate for new routes. Tough, steep, navigationally difficult.

Just trying to help, ;)

HJ

As Sally said, you might want to pack that machete for those proposed routes or you won't have any skin left on your legs. I tried a route similar to one of the ones you proposed many years ago because it showed as a trail on an old map and got to about 9,200' before being torn up too much to go on.

I suppose using a satellite map along with a topo map would help when mapping out proposed routes - that would give a better idea of what one might encounter as far as vegetation and other obstacles.

At the same time, it's always fun to find out the hard way.

Dobbs Ridge Route that Ellen and Sally take is a great route and well traveled - better going up than down because of how steep it is.

[Hikin_Jim]

Patrick O'Neill posted a loop route from Viv to High Creek xctry to Dobbs then up ridge to Jepson. Looks inviting.
http://www.peakbagger.com/climber/ascen ... aid=206023

Patrick's route is sort of a hybrid of the two routes I described over there. And sounds like it's about the same route as what eric1234 is describing. Looks like a good route.

The odd thing about Peakbagger is that they call East Dobbs by the name "Little" Dobbs. East Dobbs is bigger in terms of elevation than West Dobbs.

HJ

[arocknoid]

Dobbs by other miens: direct face approach.

Or Mean-der.

Nice route map, Jim, and topic.

In 2007 I followed the route in orange, below. After exploring the area bounded by the trapezoid, I roughly followed the orange track. Cutting up and over to the ridge is not that bad XC, and you can pick your way along without major scrambles. At least in '07. Who knows how the brush may have changed.

On most hikes I tend to meander and follow game trails, unless I have specific summit objectives or time constraints. Plenty to see in this area. :-)



kind regards,
Arocknoid

[arocknoid]

PS: When hikin' Dobbs Peak, rules of homage require wearing a Yellow/Gold hat.
And summit naps are forbidden, even if you are solo.




*Dat's for Ellen, verite. ;-)

[Hikin_Jim]

Dobbs by other miens: direct face approach.

Or Mean-der.

That's interesting that that route actually "goes". I was just scoping out routes based on topography. Oh, lots to do.

HJ