Hints for Mummy South Ridge Route

Hints for Mummy South Ridge Route (YDS class 4), Spring Mts. near Las Vegas

Harlan W S & others
August 2019

A gpx file is here. On a PC, you may need to right-click and "save as" to keep your browser from trying to open the file. THIS is NOT the normal class 2 talus slog, but a version of that slog is used for descent, and is the end of each track.
USE THIS FILE AND ALL INFORMATION HERE AT YOUR OWN RISK.
The file has two tracks; some very basic gps apps will not recognize there are two tracks and will do unpredictable things. You may want to use caltopo.com to import the tracks, view them on a map, and save them as separate files.

I was first shown this route in 2007, by Nick Nelson; he learned it from Ed Forkos. Since then it has become my favorite route to Mummy Tummy, and I have probably been up variations at least 20x. I went with Branch Whitney (BW) once in 2008, with a slightly different route as indicated in the 2nd image below.

My best time from the car parked at the Trail Canyon Trailhead, is ~2h 15m, about 3800' of gain. But this is not a route to rush when there are lots of folks, and with a group, a more reasonable time is 5 hours. It is best to have the leader carry at least 60' of 15 mm webbing for a handline, and perhaps another 15' of webbing for a hasty harness.

YDS class 4 rating is something of a pissing contest. At the top of one notable wall, I was asked, "We aren't going DOWN this way, are we?" by an alarmed fellow; yet he later described it as "class 3." If you are not willing to downclimb without a rope, the route is class 4 (to you). Branch Whitney calls this "class 4+," based on that one wall.

Overview map	The route in more detail. The L side shows the standard route up the scree slope, the typical descent. Note the numbered points, referred to in text. Blue BW is branch Whitney variation	The route as seen from NLT (North Loop Trail), as one heads NW from the junction of Trail Canyon with NLT
This is point 1, just before the trail turns around the ridge to the horse trough at Cave Springs. The BW variation starts farther on, just at the ridge before the trough.	At point 2; view NW.
just before point 3, there is slight ledge and bush	View NW from above point 3	At point 4, the first easy class 3 chute
after first chute, head this way	left here by tree	...and up to the ridge
...at point 5 is a class 4 wall; view NE. I find it better on L, but most go a bit R. Warning: loose rock debris at top of R side.	Here am I for scale, as a meat anchor for handline. There is an iffy rock anchor about 20' back from edge	view SW from base of wall.
previous trips: view down wall as Chris M comes up L side	View down wall as Laszlo comes up middle.	near 6, looking N. The red arrow points the easier way.
same spot	Between 6 and 7, is an optional obstacle Take the red arrow and cut back R to avoid obstacle	Here's where the blue arrow pointed (behind the tree).
I'm at the top of that chute, looking down on next climber. WARNING: new loose rock forms here each year.	The rest of the ridge has obstacles that can normally be avoided cutting L. Summit plateau in distance.	From the last low-slope talus shelf, head to 7 at S end of summit plateau. (Head L of rock pinnacles, to notch L of center)
near 7, there are two gullies that lead to the final summit plateau. The blue arrow points to a gully with better rock, but one 5-7' wall. The red arrow leads to a crumblier but wall-less gully.	here's the smoothish wall; actually has lots of features.	same wall, person for scale.
MJ comes up alternate (red arrow) gully.	At top of gullies, one turns a bit L (N). View back across top of gullies.	Mummy "Deer" benchmark.
I prefer to use "class 3" gully for descent; this is gully with fallen dead tree at bottom.