Mummy Traverse Hints

Harlan W.S. and others
created August 14, 2018

A work in progress. This is not a travel log or trip report. You will need a real computer and monitor to see the fine points; the dark and light areas will wash out on a smrtphone display.


This summary emphasizes the 5 places I think deserve note on this trip; Mummy Toe is not even described, because if you follow the mummytrav gps track,  the trip after the last gully is straight-forward.   Read the picture captions in order.

gps file is at http://hwstock.org/mumtravsum/MumtravSUMMARY.gpx

On a PC, you may have to right-click on the link and  "save as" -- otherwise the browser may try to open the file (which is in a version of html).

The file has many tracks; some very basic gps apps will not recognize there are many 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. The most important track is named mummytrav; most of the other tracks are escape routes (for bad weather) or alternate starts.


USE THIS GPX FILE AND THE REST OF THE GUIDANCE AT YOUR OWN RISK.  A gps used near steep cliffs may show substantial errors. This traverse involves tricky route-finding, chances for fatal falls, potential lightning strikes, difficult scrambling, and will require at least 3 L of water.

00map

Overview map IDs the

summits as N (Nose),

F (Forehead), C (Chin),

Tu (Tummy) and Toe,

also identifies the 2 typical

starting places, and numbers

the 5 problem areas. Lee

Canyon start requires a car shuttle

00nose-chin-map

closeup of the first 3

roblems areas, with one

shunt for bad weather

(light-blue track).

00slabsmap

closeup of the 4th problem area

00tummygullymap

The 5th problem area.

My gpx file may show the

fast (scary) descent to gully;

dotted line symbolizes

easier traverse along base

of east wall of Tummy.

01nose-n-start-subaru

Start from Deer Cr. Road

(rte 158). We are looking

SW at the route up Nose.

The route to top can be

all class 2.

02nose-n-before-move-e

The top is of Nose is at left.

To this point you've been

traveling on the east

side of the ridge; you are

about to cross to the

west side. The track in

the gpx may show a route

that meets the ridge farther

up on the left (east) side),

and then traverse to the

right (west side.

03nose2-09

Looking back ~NNE from

the previous picture

04nose-n-route-paula
Here is Paula , vie NE, now
on west side
05znose1-15

Again, view NNE, about

how we got up here

 

06anose3-09

Next one traverses on the west

side, below cliffs. View N.

06nose-north-4th

There is one totally optional

hard class 4 shortcut,

less scree and class 3

above this section.

Tough for short folks.

08map-from-nose-DSCN0484_stitch

Now we are at top of Nose,

looking SSE, with the

rest of the route outlined.

We will now descend

Nose following cairns,

to a slight obstacle, #1.

09nose-gully-18

Obstacle #1 is a mild 3rd

class chute, if you find the

right path. As you head

S from Nose, suddenly

you will come to a cairn at

the top of a cliff. At this point

look right (west) for more cairns

that lead to a ledge on the

east wall of the chute. The

ledge has exposure, but is

actually easy. Then you enter

the chute, turn S, and watch

for loose rock. If you miss

the ledge and just go down

the top of the chute, it is easy

class 4 that requires some stretching.

10nose6-09

View S down to bottom of

chute, from within chute.

11anose5-09

Joel in chute, view back N

11bnose7-09

View NE up chute

13nose-w-start

This and the next photo relate to a start at the western TH on Lee Canyon Road. We are looking SE at the true Forehead. Shortly the use trail will drop left into the gully. Long ago folks continued up on the left (N) side of the gully through steep talusy woods. Now most stay in the gully till...

13z-cut-L-from_stream_below-notchIMG_0624

... they reach an area with low bushes, then look for cairns to climb left (N) out of gully. Again, this and the preceding photo are the only photos relating to the Lee Canyon start.

14fore1st_class4_IMG_0631

Obstacle #2, a class 3+/4 wall. Note we are looking NW toward Mack's Peak. Note-- you can avoid this entirely, by heading up then down at the east end of the Nose-Forehead saddle, and following the light blue track in the 2nd map of this album.

15fore1st_class4-IMG_0636

At least as of last week, the correct wall was ID'd by a small pine growing out from the cliff. It's very frictional rock. In the "old days" I would simply body anchor behind the left side of the cliff; now there is a bolt anchor. NOTE: the pine was broken off by a hiker in 2024.

16fore-1st-class4-kevin

View back down (to SE )

17foreheadacross1st-class4-15

Another view back down to SE, again showing the 2' pine

18forehead-corner-erica18

Once at top of the small cliff, look right, immediately NW; note Mack's in the back again. Go hard LEFT around the corner (as if you have a choice).

19corner_from-W

Here's a view back looking SE at the corner. The climber is about to turn hard left.

19zS-from_corner

After the last hard left, you go straight and reach this wall. Climb on this wall, and take another hard left.

20Forehead-gully-NWside-erica-18

Climb up this gully, and at the top, take a hard right across soft talus and pine needle, and then a hard left again onto the gently sloping NNE slope of Forehead.

20zforeheadMG_4271

View NE to Nose as Joel comes up last stretch to Forehead.

21-top-foregeadDSC00026

Now we are on Forehead, looking south. The blue arrows show the start of the knife edge route; the red arrow shows a way that avoids the knife edge, at the expense of dropping down a bit and travelling on talus. You still must watch out, as one obvious route on the left ends on top of a cliff. The dark blue track in the second map shows this bypass.

22knife-edge-start-18

Partway off the S side of Mummy's Forehead, showing the first lump to climb via an easy crack

23Up-onto-knife-edge

Now we're just below the lump.

23zforehead-knife-me-15

One traverses S and comes to the next difficult section; I'm (in yellow-green) right above a thin rock ridge with drops both R and L

24knife-2-18-kevin

Another view S of same difficult spot

24zfore-knife1-09

Now I'm past that difficulty, looking back N as Valentina (in purple) works her way down

25forehead-knife-2-15

A bit farther down, as folks walk over another knifey lump, view back N. TRY NOT to
go straight down the ridge from here; as shown in the next photos, you should soon cut WSW to avoid very crumbly rock.

26Drop-R-off-knife-edge

Now the main difficulty in the traverse. One cuts right (WSW) down to the tree from the ridge. Be careful to pick the correct gully. Aim LEFT of the tree. Near the tree, one takes another hard left on what appears to be a scary traverse, but has many footholds on small ledges-- just watch the loose pebbles!

Before the correct gully is a dangerous chute that will seem to get to the tree, but goes too far to right and is far too steep.


(In the past I stayed left and just followed the knife edge all the way down. The rock on that route is extremely crumbly.)

27fore-knife4-09

Looking back ENE UP the correct gully as people descend to the tree. I find it easier to crab-walk down the L side

28fore-knife5-09

I'm looking back NW as people come around the corner and traverse to...

29fore-knife6-09

...this ridge, which ends in a walk-off. Mummy's chin in back.

30Edge-route

Another view back NNW at the descent off Forehead to saddle with Chin. The 2006 green route is very crumbly and loose; DON'T GO on the green route if possible. Take the blue route!

31off-chin

Now we're coming S of Chin. There are two choices here; the blue arrows follow cairns to the slabs, obstacle #4. The red arrow points down to a gully, maybe losing 100-200', which can be followed uphill with a few boulder obstacles, but avoiding the slabs entirely. There have been avalanches since I last used the red arrow route, so the gully may have debris.

32slabs-0-

View of the slabs

33optional-slabs

View back the opposite direction, as people climb off an awkward ridge to cross the somewhat slick limestone

34slabs-2-15

View back N at more folks coming across the slabs.

 

35down-to-pre-tummy-gully

After the slabs, one crosses an awkward steep talus field, down to the same gully used in the bypass

36cross2tummyacsent

View SW as we cross the gully and head up class 3, with some loose rock, then turn left at the skyline and head for the tummy. In snowy times, one can cut left (where the snowfield is) and work around back. The GPX file may have that left route.

37Head-down-from-tummy

View east from near top of tummy, as group cuts hard left (N), to bottom of cliff, then cuts hard right (SE) to begin obstacle #5

37xP7020102
Before starting the traverse, there is a short downclimb. It is clearer but harder to come off the left wall, or it is almost a class 2 butt scoot.

At this point you have a choice of turning right and taking the "traditional" route shown in the next picture, or dropping left. The left route is initially hairier and looser, but after a short crumbly drop, has much less talus.
37yMummgullytop

Obstacle #5, view S. This traverse to a gully, can be handled in two ways. The gpx file probably has my route to left (out of frame), which is hairier; it's class 3+, but with loose rocks, and one can't afford a slip. The way shown is easier, with more talus The next image is left of this one, a bit farther S and shows...

37zmumgulltop2

...descent down to top of gully. The Gully cuts off hard left (NE). In next 2 images, I'll be in the gully, looking up (SW). If you had taken the initially hairy L route, you would have avoided the messy talus.

38tummy-gully top

Here I'm in gully, looking back SW as people negotiate the end of the traverse and descend into gully

39tummy3rd-gully-off-mummy

Still looking SW, a bit farther down gully. The rock on the east side (left side of this photo) is usually easier than the talus-filled gully; the rock can be kept class 3 down to almost the bottom of the gully.

40Down-tummy-gully-snow-15

View NNE down gully in snowier times. After descending the gully, hang hard right.