Matthes Crest


The Matthes Crest is a rock formation in Yosemite National park that is made up of two summits with a deep notch in the middle. The formation was named for Francois Matthes, the man who wrote The Incomparable Valley which was a book about the anthology of Yosemite Park. It was Matthes who created the term cockscomb to describe formations such as this one. The first climbers to reach the top of this formation were Jules Eichorn, Walter Brem, and Glend Dawson. They made the climb in 1931 when they were just teenagers. They were part of the Sierra Club and this climb introduced them to roped climbing. The boys were not trained climbers, but they did their best with limited protection and athletic shoes. The Matthes Crest was a respite for climbers who normally headed to Tuolumne. The crest was considered an easier climb because it lacked the steepness and space between bolts that Tuolumne climbs featured. The Matthes climb is chunky granite and features chicken heads, feldspar crystals, cracks, and flakes, creating a ladder-style climb that is comfortable and fun. Today, Matthes Crest is considered a great climb for moderately advanced climbers. It is usually finished in one day. Camping is not allowed in the Budd Creek drainage area and there are often lightning storms in the area.

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