Sharktooth and Mormon Peak, NV: 12th Stroke Anniversary

Sharktooth and Mormon Peak, NV: 12th Stroke Anniversary
I first saw "Sharktooth" or (Shark's Tooth) from Mormon Peak in 2003. We tried to reach Sharktooth in 2003 by climbing down to the intervening col from Mormon, without success-- good thing we didn't try harder. This time -- 11 years later-- 5 of us went up Sharktooth first, then we split into two groups. CP, AA and I climbed Mormon through a gnarly weakness in the cliffs on the NE side.

Harlan W S
March 08, 2014

We all went to Sharktooth, then CP, AA and I went over Mormon, while Tracy and Steve went to another summit.	Tracy heads up the "road." In the distance at L-center is Sharktooth; it looks deceptively mild at this angle, but it is a very thin ridge.	This may be Wagonwheel, a technical- looking peak to the S.
The cliffs of Mormon.	Mormon (L) and Sharktooth (R).	View S from ridge to Sharktooth.
Near the Sharktooth notch.	View E along the ridge, as CP and AA start up from the notch.	Summit block. The peak in distance, just R of the summit block, is where Tracy and Steve went later.
Me on lesser summit block --phoro courtesy Andy A	View down the NW side, 400' drop.	View W to Mormon Peak.
A more complete pano shows the cliffs all around the E side. After two tries, CP, AA and I finally broke through near the arrow-- A gnarly and loose route.	Tracy comes up the last ridge to Sharktooth.	Steve summits.
	Tracy.	Now we're back down below what is probably the toughest stretch; S of the notch, at the top of talus. If one picks the route carefully, it is class 3. The rock is very steep but extremely frictional.
View back to Sharktooth from col between it and Mormon.	Now the fun begins. CP leads off on the NE side of the cliffy promontory between Sharktooth and Mormon. First we tried to connect to a gully at L, but were stopped by big dryfalls. Then we went up a gully just to right of the deep dark slash.	For our 2nd try, we walked N on this ledge.
	Next it was my turn to try; I was amazed that I always found a way, and kept shouting back. Finally I said "it goes!" and in a few minutes saw CP pop around a corner. Only I couldn't remember how I'd gotten from his position, to where I was!	We figured it out, and CP and AA climbed tjhis incredibly steep crease full of broken rocks and scrub.
View E to Sharktooth, after we were safely on the Mormon N ledge at about 4250'.	Another viw E with Sharktooth, and the cliff we miraculously circumvented! In 2003, Nick N tried to downclimb the cliff at R.	View ~ENE from MOrmon. The mountains at R are just about 40' lower than the official Mormon Peak.

		View S to Wagonwheel (?).
On the way down I had a massive spate of illogic, and decided to reproduce my ascent route from 2003. I even found a cairn I made 11 years ago. As we started cloimbing down the cliffs, I remembered why we had decided not to descend this way in 2003! Use the western route form my 2003 TR.	Almost out, view to Wagonwheel.