Valley:  Mideast Crisis, Blind Alley    10/6-7/90

Joel and I tried to do some new routes with mixed results.
Saturday (Clint's day):  tried to free Mideast Crisis (right of Astroman),
but spent most of the day in aiders, with updrafts blowing dirt in our eyes.
I led about 12' free via Crosstown Traffic start before aiding.  Got first
25' on TR to 2 pins, then aided.  Joel got 25' on first try (no dogging by
either of us to this point).  Then Joel got the rest with 1-2 hangs to clean
gear.  About 5.11b, with 5.11a seam on upper half.  Our second pitch (3rd on
true Mideast Crisis) would not go up aid line (KB corner), but will probably
go up lieback/pinch on right (aided on nuts; needs a bolt for free).  2 large
detached flakes and water streaks in main corner then discouraged me, so we
bailed, but not before freeing 2 ropes that had been stuck on a flake up there.

Sunday (Joel's day):  did the arete left of Braille Book:  Blind Alley 5.9  .
Leaves Blind Man's Bluff after traverse above roof and goes straight up arete
and face, 150', crack pro, 2 bolts, and an old fixed KB (Knifeblade piton).
Joel pulled the other old pin out with his fingers.  Joel led this without
hooks (we forgot them), and placed one bolt with the Drill from a stance,
the other on rap after he had led the pitch (he tried to place a 3rd also,
but ran out of energy after a partial hole).  Some shaky gear and a few
flexing holds, but nice golden rock when viewed from above.  After Joel
set the belay bolts from a marginal stem (he didn't trust his wired nuts),
he noticed that he had missed the good ledge only 8' higher, so we moved
the belay when I came up.
Second pitch had 5.9 face/pinch edge above belay, moss, and then easier steep
ground on large holds.  It joined BBB again and we rapped from a horn/flake.

Gorgeous October weather -- nippy air but sunny, reminded me of Fall in the
east.  Sunday entertainment was soloist on NW Face Higher Spire:  he bailed
after getting only 5 pitches in 2 days.  I don't blame him -- he got only about
45 minutes of sun the entire day.