Trip reports, current
very latest
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
by year 1988-2005
by area
early climbs
why have web trip reports?
2004
- P: Disco, Mono 3/17/04 Lin Murphy
- Y: Sons of Yesterday, Parkline Slab 3/20-21/04
Lin
- Y: Parkline Slab, Slab Happy Pinnacle 3/27-28/04
Lin
- Death Valley: Telescope Peak 11,049' 4/5/04
Renata, Skyler, Lance and Jack Kerrebrock
- P: FA of Condor 70 4/28/04 Bruce
- Lover's Leap: Leading class 5/1-2/04
photos
SAC
- Y: Royal Arches, Crest Jewel, Grack Marginal
5/22-23/04
Chris Harvey, SAC
- Y: East Buttress of Middle Cathedral,
South Crack, Low Profile Dome 5/29-30/04
Tim Tuomey, Jared Brown, Jesse Hanson
- Y: Coyote Rocks, Dixie Peach, Sweet Nothings,
On the Lamb 6/5-6/04 Tim
- Y: Quiet Desperation, Table of Contents,
Galactic Hitchhiker (to Oasis), The Cobra, Dixie Peach, Footnote,
Cryin' Time Again, Lunatic Fringe, Nutcracker 6/15-20/04
Lin, Carissa Aoki
  Cobra photos
- Y: Moratorium, New Scavenger, Lembert 6/26-28/04
Lin
- Y: White Flake, Eunuch, Slabstick,
Great White Book, El Condor 7/17-18/04 photo
Lance
- Y: Inverted Staircase, Lucky Streaks, Darth Vader's Revenge 8/21-22/04
Jason Liebgott
- Y: SAC Anchors II class 10/22-23/04
photos
SAC
- Goat Rock: SAC Intro class 10/30/04
photos
SAC
- P: West Side rebolting 11/17/04
Bruce
We completed the rebolting of Machete Direct by sprucing up its
first pitch and belay anchor. Then we did a little work on Lava Falls,
replacing bolt hangers at the anchors, and Bruce replaced the last
lead bolt on the second pitch.
- P: West Side rebolting 12/2/04
Bruce
We rebolted the second pitch of the Balconies Regular Route.
Bruce replaced 7 bolts, and I replaced 4 and added a second bolt
at the anchor. A rather horrifying pitch, with the rusty 1/4" bolts
and their tiny homemade aluminum hangers,
that I was not sure I even wanted to grab for aid. But I was so
pumped from trying to follow pitch one free that I had to grab a
lot of them anyway....
- Y: Cookie, Five and Dime 12/10-12/04
Paul Friberg
2005
- Y: Reed's, Cookie, Pat and Jack 3/5-6/05
Johan Hvenmark
Lunatic Fringe - Johan
- Y: Cookie, Serenity/Sons 3/11-12/05
Jared Brown
Wheat Thin - Jared
- Indian Creek 3/18-28/05 Jared, Johan
(outline with day 1 filled in; more hopefully later, before I forget what
happened...)
Mantle Illness - Polly
Scarface - Marshall, Jared
- Carson Pass - SAC Mountaineering Workshop 4/9-10/05
self arrest, deadman anchor testing, boot-axe belay, crevasse rescue
- P: Sinbad 4/13/05 Brad
- Y: Knob Hill, Church Bowl 4/16/05 SAC folks
photos
- Castle/Goat Rock 4/17/05 SAC intro trip
photos
- Stanford climbing wall - prusiking practice 4/18,20/05
- Shasta - SAC Mountaineering Workshop 4/22-23/05
- Handley Rock - SAC crevasse rescue training 4/24/05
- Tollhouse Rock - SAC Lead Climbing Workshop 5/7-8/05
photos
- P: Long's Folly, Condor Crags 5/14/05 Lance
Condor Crags - Lance
- Lover's Leap - SAC Lead Climbing Workshop 5/21-22/05
photos
- Lassen Peak - Summit + Snowboard 5/29/05 Skyler, John + Will Hicks
photos
- Y: Nose 6/2-6/05 Johan
pitch above King Swing - Johan
- Handley Rock 6/11/05 Karen, Paula, Aura
some fun toproping on a nice day
Handley - Karen
- Y: hiking 6/12/05 solo
One thing I checked out was the left side of Little Wing.
I found the climbs, but they have too many detached/loose blocks,
so it's not a good place for beginners.
- Needles 6/19-21/05 Erika Monahan, Alexander Cooper
6/19: Spooky p1, Stars and Stripes Forever, Pinhead (toprope - Alex),
The Raven (toprope; Clint didn't quite get it free)
6/20: Fancy Free, Igor Unchained
Fancy Free - Erika
6/21: Innersanctum
more details later
- Olympic Mountains: Mt. Washington 7/7/05 Nancy, Renata, Skyler
This was a fun climb - a little more interesting than hiking,
but not too scary, so we didn't have to uncoil the tiny rope I brought.
3rd class near summit - Renata
descent
- Needles 7/23-24/05 Jared, Alexander
7/23: combo linkup: Innersanctum/Brute Force/Wicked - Jared
Brute Force - Jared
Thin Ice - Jared
7/24: Airy Interlude - Jared
new 5.9 route left of North Chimney - Alexander, Jared
more details later
- Tuolumne Meadows 8/6-7/05 - Claire Tomkins
8/6: Crescent Arch; had to retreat in rain after first pitch
Nutcracker - started at 6:30pm, getting dark on the mantle!
8/7: West Crack - swapped leads
West Crack p2 - Clint (photo by Dan Urban)
  West Crack p2 knob arete - Claire
  West Crack p3 - Claire
  Blown Away - Dan Urban
South Crack - swapped leads, a bit of sleet/rain made the
runouts interesting
South Crack p1 - Claire
  ASCA rebolting - Greg Barnes
- White Mountains (New Hampshire): Mt. Washington 8/17/05 family
- Needles 8/27-28/05 Alexander
8/27: Witch Doctor,
  photos
Love Potion #9 (to top)
  Love Potion #9 p2 - Alexander
8/28: Broomsticks, Gobsmacked p2 (tr), Gemstone (tr)
- Tuolumne 9/10-11/05 Wayne Burleson
9/10: Hermaphrodite Flake L side + Eunuch, a quick run up
Stately Pleasure Dome before dark
9/11: Third Pillar, an enjoyable race against the shade,
up this classic.
Third Pillar - first pitch - Wayne
- Needles 9/17-20/05 SAC
9/17: Magician/Strange Brew - Clint/Andrea, Chris/Etienne
Strange Brew start - Andrea
  Strange Brew p6 - Andrea
  Strange Brew p11 - Andrea
  alpenglow on the Wizard
first aid/rescue of injured leader on Igor Unchained -
Alexander/Steph/Marshall/Polly
Innersanctum - Alexander/Steph
9/18: Thin Ice - Marshall/Polly
The Howling - Clint/Andrea, Chris/Etienne
5.9 flake route on NE side of Witch - Alexander/Steph
Gorilla Warfare - Alexander/Polly/Marshall/Steph
Witch North Ridge - Clint/Andrea, Chris/Etienne
9/19: White Punks on Dope - Clint/Etienne, Chris/Steph
9/20: rain :-(
- Y: Positively 4th Street, Church Bowl 10/1-2/05 SAC
15 people participated: Clint, Andrea, Charles-Henri, Björn,
Darko, Sam, Etienne, Steph Abegg, Justin, Lindsay, Barbara, Natalie,
Jennifer, Doug, and Alyssa.
Saturday: we did some crack climbing training on Positively 4th Street
and Nutty Buddy, as well as toproping attempts on Absolutely Sweet Marie,
and half a pitch of My Left Foot. Darko and Etienne climbed 1-2 pitches
above Positively 4th Street, but this is not recommended for the future
as there are a lot of loose rocks up there and some were knocked down
by mistake (fortunately to the side of us, but still scary).
Sunday: we climbed at the Church Bowl, with topropes on Black is Brown,
Uncle Fanny, Church Bowl Lieback, Pole Position, and Revival.
Sam and Justin led Bishop's Terrace, and Darko led Pole Position and
Tammy Fae.
photos
- Y: Middle Cathedral - East Buttress 10/9/05 SAC
finishing p2 - Anne
  top of p5 - Christopher
  finishing p7 - Anne
- Y: Central Pillar of Frenzy,
El Capitan - East Buttress 10/15-16/05 Chris Chan
photos
- Y: Braille Book, Harry Daley, Chouinard Crack
10/22-23/05 SAC
photos
- Y: Bishop's Terrace, Central Pillar of Frenzy, Absolutely Free Center
10/29-30/05 Claire
photos
- Y: Serenity Crack / Ahwahnee Buttress / Sons of Yesterday ,
El Capitan - East Buttress
11/5-6/05 Anne
photos
- Y: Swan Slab, Harry Daley, Bishop's Terrace
11/12-13/05 SAC
photos
- P: Proclamation Pinnacle, Citadel Stream Boulders
11/17-18/05 Brad
- P: Rock Around the Clock - day 1
12/7/05 Bruce
- Y: Serenity Crack / Ahwahnee Buttress /
Sons of Yesterday , Little John Right 12/10-11/05 Claire
photos
- P: Rock Around the Clock - day 2
12/14/05 Bruce
- Y: Serenity Crack / Ahwahnee Buttress /
Sons of Yesterday 12/17/05 Erika
photos
2006
- P: Discovery Wall + Monolith 1/16/06 Chris Chan
photos
- P: Discovery Wall + Monolith 1/28-29/06 SAC
photos
- Y: Manure Pile Buttress + Five Open Books 2/4-5/06 SAC
photos
- P: Rock Around the Clock - day 3
2/7/06 Bruce
- Y: Rixon's Pinnacle + El Cap base 2/11-12/06
Chris Chan
photos
- Y: Meat Grinder p1/Bev's Tower, Catchy, Lunatic Fringe 2/26/06
Debby Wallach
photos
- P: Rock Around the Clock - day 4
2/27/06 Bruce
- Indian Creek, Moses: 4/1-8/06
Debby, SAC
photos
- P: Rock Around the Clock - day 5
4/19/06 Bruce
- J: Slammer start, Whipping Boy 4/23/06
Debby, Marshall
We had planned to climb at the Cookie, but it started raining
before we had even reached Mariposa, so we changed plans and went to
Jailhouse instead. The warmup route was closed due to a very active
eagle's nest on top, so we played on the start of Slammer (short and steep),
and then I aided through the crux of Whipping Boy and we all worked it on
toprope.
- Indian Creek: 4/28-5/4/06
Erika, Seth, Amy, Mark, Erik Neumann
Amy's trip report
  South Sixshooter photos
- Y: DNB/Ho Chi Minh Trail to p8,
Reed's Direct, Committment 5/13-14/06 Claire
photos
- Y: Cookie - Bev's, Wheat Thin, Butterfingers,
Hardd, Outer Limits 5/20 Chris
photos
- Y: Higher Spire - East Corner,
Surprise, Selaginella 6/3-4/06 Claire
Higher Spire photos
Surprise / Selaginella photos
- Y: Quarter Dome / Pegasus recon 6/10-11/06
photos
- Needles 6/17-18/06 Anne-Soisig, Alexander
Igor Unchained, Thin Ice, Fancy Free, The Entity p1-p2
photos by Alexander Cooper
- Needles 6/24-25/06 Brian Cox, also Alexander, Hristo
Airy Interlude, The Howling, Ghostbumps, Lethargy,
Yellow Brick Road / Emerald City var., bolted arete route to left
- Washington Cascades 7/8-16/06 Steph Abegg
Mt. Stuart - complete North Ridge
Steph's trip report
  photos
Prusik Peak - South Face - Burgner-Stanley
Steph's trip report
  photo
South Early Winter Spire - East Buttress
Steph's trip report
North Early Winter Spire - West Face
Steph's trip report  
photos summitpost.org
- Needles 7/22-23/06 Debby, also Alexander, Hristo
photos
Saturday: Airy Interlude, then sprinking and rain from thunderstorms
in the afternoon
Sunday: Innersanctum, Thin Ice
- Needles 7/29-31/06 SAC
29: Innersanctum - Sam, Mike, Nicolas
Witch Doctor p1 - Clint, Fortune
Phosphorescent Flow (tr) - Clint
Thin Ice - Mike, Nicolas
Igor Unchained - Sam, Clint
30: Airy Interlude - Mike, Nicolas, Clint
The Howling - Sam, Nicolas
Atlantis - Mike, Clint
31: Brute Force to Wicked - Mike, Clint  
a few photos
Fancy Free - Mike, Clint
partial trip report
- Tuolumne Meadows 8/19-20/06 Bruce Hildenbrand
Sat: we replaced all 8 bolts on Myopia, which Bruce had
established with
Tom Sisson in 1978. On the topo, it is mislabelled as U.F.R.
in the first 3 editions of the Tuolumne guidebook.
There is a bolted rap station on the top of the route which was
placed by Greg Barnes, where the 3rd edition topo says "fixed nuts".
We then replaced the 2 remaining 1/4" bolts p3 of
The Vision, and the only remining 1/4" bolt on Alchemist's Re-vision p3
(higher bolts on A.R. are 5/16" plus a 3/8" at the sling belay).
The other bolts on The Vision had previously been replaced by Greg.
Note for future rebolters: the bolts on p1 of Ooze and Ahs are still
1/4", as is the first bolt on p3.
Sun: we replaced all 8 bolts on Faux Pas. 7 are shown in the
topo in the 3rd edition guidebook. The 8th was a hangerless bolt
midway up the last pitch. We ran out of bolts and had to bum a few
from a nice climber we met in the parking lot at the store; we placed
2 of these on the route.
The bolts on Tourist Trap are 1/4". The upper bolt on Pippin looks
like it is 1/4".
- Needles 8/26-38/06 SAC
26:
Romantic Warrior (6.1 pitches) - Mike, Jared
photos by Alexander
Romantic Warrior (3 pitches) - Darko, Clint
Magic Dragon - Sam, Nicolas, Justin, Jennifer, Aaron
27:
Airy Interlude - Darko, Justin, Sam
Igor Unchained - Nicolas, Jennifer
Spook Book - Mike, Jared
Imaginary Voyage - Clint, Aaron
Ice Pirates - Mike, Jared
Atlantis - Darko, Nicolas
The Howling (1.5 pitches) - Sam, Jennifer, Justin
replaced bolt belay on Pegleg / Ankles Away - Clint
28:
Witch Doctor - Clint, Nicolas
  photos
Fancy Free - Jared, Darko, Jennifer
Spooky (toprope) - Nicolas (2x), Clint, Jared
Y: Cookie 9/9/06 Darko
Outer Limits p1 - C led
Outer Limits p2 - D led
Elevator Shaft - D, C toproped
Waverley Wafer - D led w/ some hangs, C followed desperately
with a somewhat tight rope, then did a clean TR lap with no gear
We had to cut the trip short after Saturday, as I had strained
some tendon/muscle that lifts my right thigh. Darko also had
a twisted ankle from the previous weekend.
Y: Cookie, Hot Line 9/23-24/06 Darko
Enigma p1 - D led
Enema p1 - D led, w/ some hangs
Catchy - C led
Catchy Corner - D led, with a couple of hangs
Hardd p1 - C led, aided final fingerlock section; it was dark when
I finished, so Darko didn't get a chance to follow
Hot Line p1 - C led, belay anchor has 1 3/8" SS ASCA Fixe ring hanger
Hot Line p2 - C led (aided). Fixed old purple Camalot, 2 wired nuts
and biner at pendulum point, fixed Leeper angle 2/3 way across traverse.
Belay anchor: 1 3/8" SS ASCA, 1 dark hex head (Rawlbolt?) w/ SMC hanger,
1 1/4" w/ chain to alminum rap ring. 2 screw links added
somewhat randomly
Hot Line p3 - D led; my favorite hand crack pitch in the Valley.
Belay anchor: 1 3/8" SS ASCA, 1 3/8" button head with Metolius hanger,
1 1/4". Cut piece of rope visible in crack below.
Hot Line p4 - D led.
Belay anchor: old fixed slings around block, plus cams
Hot Line p5 - C led.
Belay anchor: hand sized cams at base of bombay. Bolted belay /
rappel anchor (3/8" bolts with cold shut) 30' below, where 5.11d roof
variation splits off to left.
We then traversed out to the right and rapped off.
Rap anchors:
- (top of Nightmare): rusty hex head bolt (1/4" Taperbolt?)
plus good angle piton; fixed Light D biner. 120'.
- (top of Pink Dream): 3 rusty 1/4" buttonheads, #3 Rock, biner,
3 aluminum rings. 160'
- (in chimney with bay trees): slings around tunnel between blocks;
one good, several bad. 50'
Descent continued with 3rd class 500' descending traverse on ledges to
south. Then trail back north along base.
The stream crossing below the Cookie was dicey. On the way back,
we followed a trail down, which was below Crack of Doom and suggested
a lower stream crossing. Darko forded the Merced, while I scrambled a
little further downstream and found a dry crossing below his ford.
Y: Braille Book 9/30-10/1/06 Claire
On Saturday, we swung leads on Braille Book.
On Sunday, we started up the East Buttress of Middle Cathedral, but
it started sprinking when we were at the end of the first pitch,
so we rapped off.
Y: Astroman 10/6/06 Jason Price
p1+p2 5.10a: Jason led
p3 "boulder problem" 5.11c: J led, 1 fall, nice job. Fixed pin is loose.
  photo
p4 "Enduro" 5.11c: J led, clean to the rest, 3-4 hangs on the crux upper
section. 50m lead to Overnight Ledge. I hung twice following.
p5 5.9: C led, short hand crack to stance at bottom of flare
p6 5.10b: C led, wide hand crack in flare to lieback. I spent a fair
amount of time getting a rest and a little pro out left of the lieback
flake before finally doing the lieback (a bit scary for me).
p7 "Harding Slot" 5.11b: C led up into the slot, aiding on most of the
cams (trying to save a little strength). I got beaten up in the slot,
though. In sight of the anchors, I couldn't get past the final
constriction. After more than an hour of trying, I had to concede to
myself that I just wasn't making progress, so I lowered off. In the
process I had gained chin abrasions, nose abrasions, bruised sternum,
raw elbows, and even a bruise on the back of my head. :-) I need to
retrain for squeezes, even though I had led this before.
Jason was
shivering a bit at the belay. He went up and finished the slot, after
a few hangs on the difficult entrance moves. I followed by batmanning
the rope on the outside of the slot.
p8 5.10b: J led, with some occasional hangs, due to cramping arms.
With rope drag and few cams, he stopped below the final 5.9 lieback.
It was getting dark, and started to sprinkle when I reached his belay.
So it was time to bail. Jason left a large stopper here.
The rappel down the Harding Slot was tricky. I kept the rope in the
slot but didn't clip any gear and barely contacted the rock down below.
With a careful launch from some sloping footholds I managed to swing
left and gain a fist crack, then one more sideways move to the staircase
flake and belay bolts. We were back down to the car at midnight.
Saturday and Sunday were much needed rest days!
Castle/Goat Rock 10/14/06 SAC intro trip
photos
Y: Free Blast, Goodrich Pinnacle 11/4-5/06 Anne
Free Blast - p3 traverse - I hung on the pin midway and used it to
lean over and clip the fixed wired nut, then did the moves.
Anne cruised it. On p4 I stayed free for a long ways, but had to aid
through the glassy stemming section by the bush. Anne styled it wearing
her pack which had the rappel rope in it. p5 (5.10d groove) I was free
until the move past the roof. I aided on a couple of small wires and
then did some mandatory friction to reach the bolt. Occasional yards
on other bolts on the pitch. Anne took a hang at around the roof
and used a couple of bolts as well. p6 Anne led - very glassy; a couple
of points of aid; I batmanned to the pin and beyond. p7 Anne led (5.9
corner). I aided the moves into the Half Dollar flaring chimney;
Anne followed in the dark with a headlamp. I led the last 2 pitches
with her headlamp and she followed in the indirect moonlight.
We got to visit Kelly Rich and Tom Davis on Saturday night
Goodrich Pinnacle - Right Side, we found the glassy friction
challenging.
P: High Peaks 11/12/06 SAC
Long's Folly, North and South Fingers, Condor Crags, Burgundy Dome,
Piglet and The Unmentionable
P: Machete Ridge rebolting 11/16/06 Bruce
We upgraded the 3 slab rappel stations on the Old Original route,
replacing the Fixe ring hangers with Fixe large hangers and
galvanized 3/8" chain. These rappels are each about 70', and it is
fairly easy to downclimb to the lowest station. I replaced two 1/4"
bolts in the Rappel Bypass route to the right/southwest. I also
placed one bolt and replaced one bolt on an unlisted rappel bypass
route to the left/NE of the slab rappels.
We continued to the saddle above Machete Direct. Here we removed
the two bolts with Fixe ring hangers atop the final pitch of Machete
Direct. We feel they probably contributed to people attempting to
rappel down that route (west face). The chain anchors for the standard
east face rappel are still in place. This should reduce confusion.
We replaced 2 protection bolts and (the) one anchor bolt on the
Barber's Backside route, which lies directly under the east face
rappel.
The east face gully looked a bit damp/slippery, so we opted to
climb back to the notch below the slab rappels, where we worked on
the left/NE rappel bypass route, and then rappelled down our
west face route (south of Bill's Bad Bolts).
Y: NE Buttress of Higher Cathedral Rock, Gripper 11/18-19/06 Darko
Saturday: NE Buttress of Higher Cathedral Rock 5.9+
photos
Sunday: Arch Rock - Gripper 5.10b
P: Balconies 11/25/06 SAC (Moritz, Justin B., Cory, Emily, Greg, Ada)
Lava Falls p1, Peregrine p1, Conduit to the Cosmos p1, Smiling Simian,
Little Big Dog
photos
P: Balconies 11/26/06 SAC (Ken, Jason K., Justin H., Ian, Maria, Martin,
Charles)
Lava Falls p1, Peregrine p1, Smiling Simian, Bad Ape
photos
P: Machete Ridge rebolting 11/30/06 Bruce
We climbed up to just left of the base of Bill's Bad Bolts, where there
is an old bolt ladder which is not in the guidebook. I led up it,
finding 7 aid bolts to 2 old and tattered slings. After a little
scrubbing, I made some free moves to a sloping boulder and a protection
bolt, which was a 1/4" Zmac rivet (like a 1/4" Star-Dryvin, with lead
sheath). I spied 2 belay bolts 15' above, so after removing some large
loose holds, I made a few scary moves up to the belay, situated at a
boulder which is not quite solidly attached. These belay bolts were
good Star-Dryvin. I spied one bolt on the second pitch, diagonally up
and right about 20'. I climbed carefully over to it - another 1/4"
Zmac. I couldn't see any more bolts, and the climbing looked a bit
harder, so I downclimbed back to the belay. Bruce sent up two nicely
painted quicklink/chainlink combos, which I set up on the belay bolts.
I then rapped down and replaced the highest 2 bolts on the pitch.
The rap was about 50' back to the terrace. In the meantime, Bruce had
cleaned up the belay anchor in the streak/grassy gully below Bill's
Bad Bolts, and had installed a new rap anchor with chains just
below the gully, where the pull for the rap ropes would be easier.
We then rapped down Gary and Phyllis' Headwall, and replaced the
upper 4 bolts. Bruce had previously replaced the hanger on the first
bolt, and F4Boy or someone had done a nice job replacing the
second bolt.
P: new routes 12/2/06 Lance
Lance and I climbed a couple of new routes. The first one was a
pinnacle below the Junipero Canyon Trail, below and west of the
Monument. We had noticed it a few years ago. It has two summits,
split by a wide gap. I climbed
a crack which starts in the gap and goes up the steep south formation.
It was mostly blocked with stones, but I placed a 3" cam and did
some 5.8 hand jamming to reach easier ground. After tagging the
4th class south summit, I stepped over to climb a very loose face
and diagonal crack on the north summit. This protected fairly well
with a #1.5 Friend and TCUs. I placed 2 bolts with lap links on top.
Lance followed, using an aid sling to get started, since he doesn't
know how to hand jam.
Next we hurried back to the car and dumped off all the cams. We
hiked in to the Smiles boulder near the base of the Balconies.
On the way, we saw Dennis Erik Strom rapping down from climbing
Where the Birds Hang (with Brad Young). I led up a line of good
solid holds left of No Smiles. I used the same start as No Smiles,
then went left and placed one bolt from a stem stance with a hook
on a good incut knob directly overhead. I used a 3/8" x 3" SS wedge
bolt that I had bought from Bruce's supply, which seemed appropriate
for the nice hard/solid rock. Then Lance belayed
me as I made a few 5.7 moves up the headwall to where it got less
steep. I went to the top, and Lance followed it free. He rapped
down on the Grigri, also belayed by me. I placed a second bolt on
the upper (easy) part of the route, so people would not be in
groundfall range up there.
Y: Church Bowl 12/3/06 SAC (Ken, Daniel Preda, Darko, Colin, Heather,
Clint, Moritz, Ian, Greg, Justin B, Chris M)
Several of these folks went up on Saturday and climbed, including
Ken and Daniel on After Seven/After Six.
On Sunday, we met at the Church Bowl, where Daniel led Uncle Fanny 5.7,
I led Church Bowl Lieback 5.8, Darko led Revival 5.10a, and
I led Black is Brown 5.8. We set up topropes on all these routes.
Bishop's Terrace was climbed by Justin + Chris, Ken + Daniel, and
Darko + Ian. I also placed two bolts with chains on top of Black is
Brown, to make a more direct toprope/rappel anchor and to prevent
further erosion of soil/rocks from the dirt slope on top of the cliff.
It was a bit chilly in the shade belaying at the base, but we all seemed
to have brought enough warm clothes to handle it.
  photos
Y: Royal Arches slab rebolting 12/13-14/06 Melissa
On Wednesday, we had an adventure climbing up Double Trouble 5.10b
to set up fixed ropes for rebolting the 3 slab climbs there.
The lower 30' was wet and slick due to recent rains, so I lowered in
to the second bolt using a pine tree in the corner to the right.
I was a little gripped at the 3rd bolt, so I grabbed the draw
briefly to clip in. The 4th bolt was 3/8", with a longer runout above
and no obvious good holds along the way. I climbed up above the bolt,
but still didn't see much, so I downclimbed and turned the lead over
to Melissa.
She had a little difficulty getting used to the rock (as
I also had), where one uses small and slightly loose flakes to progress
upwards, not to mention her brand new shoes. She was wise enough to
bring the cheater stick with her (while I had forgotten it at the base).
My long cheater stick (tent pole) was rather flimsy, but she did a
nice job of successively hooking and aiding up 3 bolts
on the middle route, and then 4 bolts on the right route. After
backcleaning to eliminate the zigzag rope drag, she tried the top
runout section, but it was too sketchy, so she lowered (barely enough
rope) to the pine tree on the right.
We swapped leads again, and for
expediency, I climbed above the pine tree to a live oak, then swung
over left to the arete on tension. After some fun toproping up the
arete to the high point, I managed to lead the final section to the
anchors. I fixed the middle of the rope to the top, so that both
ends reached the pine tree.
We got out our bolt kits and ascenders, and Melissa took the center
route, while I took the right route. Daylight was waning, but I managed
to replace 2 bolts and Melissa replaced one (it was especially hard
to remove). As darkness fell, I changed the anchor to a single line
and rapped to the base. I stashed some gear and we walked down and
had dinner; we drove out of the park on 140 to sleep.
Thursday. After breakfast at the Church Bowl (hazy sunshine, a bit
chilly), we returned to the base, where Melissa jugged up and fixed
her rope. We continued working on the center and right routes; Melissa
replaced 4 bolts, and I got 5, to make the right route all 3/8".
Melissa had a blister from her drill holder, and I was very close to
getting one from mine.
For future reference, Double Trouble has 8x, not 7x. And it is a
120' rappel to the base, or possibly 80+' to the corner above the pine
tree where 3rd class leads back to the base.
On Friday, Melissa completed the rebolting of the middle route,
in spite of light rain.
It now has 7 new SS bolts (plus the final bolt on the right route).
One of the anchor bolts on top had been previously replaced by J
and Ben. The second anchor bolt is a 5/16" buttonhead with a
Kong-Bonatti hanger, and the third is a 3/8" StarDryvin with SMC SS
hanger (looking fairly good).
P: Balconies Regular Route rebolting 12/20/06 Bruce
Bruce led p1 (on aid), in spite of his bandaged finger (pepper slicing
incident); I jumared in my hiking boots with my pack.
In a prior 3rd day of rebolting on this route, Bruce and Frost Saufly
had replaced 6 more bolts, so there are only 3 original bolts remaining
on it (11th - 1/4", 14th - 3/8" Star Dryvin, and 17th - 1/4" on easy ground).
I changed into my rock shoes and tossed my boots to the ground.
I led p2 with some occasional aid. It was nice to have the gear this
time - I used a #3 Friend, #2 TCU and #2.5 Friend, although I backcleaned
the #2.5 after noticing a bolt not too far above it. I rapped down
to the midway belay and replaced the first bolt above it, and the first
bolt below it. Bruce replaced 4 bolts below the belay and finished
my start on the 3rd bolt above the belay.
There are 3 original bolts remaining on p2 (5th - 1/4", 6th - 3/8" Star
Dryvin, 10th - 3/8" Star Dryvin/rusty).
I led p3, which was accurately rated as 5.9 in Brad's nice new topo.
I used a little aid at times, grabbing the upper 2 fixed pins which
protect the airy crux. After anchoring to the big pine tree
above the final corner, I rapped back down and replaced the first bolt,
while Bruce replaced bolts 2 and 4. Bolt 3 (3/8" Star Dryvin)
was not original and is close to bolt 2. Bruce also put a hanger on the
3/8" bolt (5) which is low in the final corner on the right.
We descended by walking over to the rap station atop Hook and Drill.
It's 155' to the ground. Bruce had brought chains for fixing up this
station, but there was already a nice set of chains in place
(stale beta from Clint).
P: midweek 12/28/06 Sharon Houck
On a nice clear blue sky day, we climbed: Ordeal, Wet Kiss,
Jorgie's Crack, and Terranean Tango. I led these and Sharon followed,
with some occasional hangs due to not climbing enough recently.
To end the day I toproped POD.
2007
- P: Machete N side 1/19/07 Brad
We climbed the first pitch of Cuidado, extended to the belay at
the end of Flies on a Pile. I added a bolt to this belay.
Brad led to the top of the short aid pitch above. Then he replaced 2
bolts and placed a pin on the old 7 bolt route directly below. He
had tried to lead it at the start of the day, but the mossy runout
above the old 3rd bolt was too dangerous.
- J: intro trip 1/20/07 SAC
Jared, Koichi and I drove out to Jailhouse. Dan Urban and Evan
arrived shortly, and Simon also arrived soon, after his alarms failed
and he had to drive separately. Jared finished my partial lead of
the 5.11d warmup route; then we all toproped on it. Dan and Evan
warmed up on the start of Iron Junky. The temp was fairly cool, so
it felt nice to move over to the sunny end of the crag, where most
of us worked on Whipping Boy, while Dan worked his project Supreme Being
with Evan and then Jared worked it to the top anchor. Evan got a
good workout, doing much of the Lineup bolt to bolt. At the end of
the day Jared tried Soap on a Rope, after threading his rope through
the first 6 bolts for a toprope start. He climbed it free to the
high point (past the long move to the letterbox hold), then ran out
of strength after a good day at the crag.
- P: midweek 2/2/07 Sharon
We warmed up at the Tourist Trap, doing Nipple Jam, Thrill Hammer,
and Rat Race. I had not done any of these routes before.
Next was Plague at Discovery Wall, but starting to the right on Trauma.
This eliminated the 5.10a start and yielded a fairly nice 5.8 (R) route.
On to the Monolith, where I led the Indirect Traverse to finish on
Terranean Tango. Sharon was a bit out of gas for the bouldery start,
so she called it a day. I toproped POD (barely), and then rapped to
clean the previous route.
- Goat Rock 2/3/07 SAC  
photos
- Y: Bishop's Terrace, After Seven, Reed's Pinnacle, La Cosita Right
3/10-11/07 Moritz
photos + report
- Y: Royal Arches, Nutcracker
3/17-18/07 Sharon, SAC
  photos
- Moab: Indian Creek, desert towers 3/24-4/1 Jared, Mike, Matt
3/24 Supercrack buttress
3/25 Battle of the Bulge buttress
photos through 3/25 and preview of
coming attractions
3/26 Cat Wall
3/27 Supercrack buttress
3/28,29 rest/weather days in Durango
3/30 North Sixshooter
3/31 Standing Rock
4/1 Washerwoman Arch
- Y: Lost Arrow tip, Swan Slab 4/7-8/07 SAC
- Y: Lead climbing workshop 4/21-22/07 SAC
- Y: Church Bowl, El Cap base 4/28-29/07 SAC
- Y: Lead climbing workshop 5/5-6/07 SAC
- Y: Church Bowl, Harry Daley 5/12-13/07 SAC
- Y: Fairview Regular, Middle Cathedral East Buttress 5/14-15/07 Chris Chan
  photos
- Y: Daff Dome - West Crack, Higher Cathedral Rock Northeast Buttress
5/21-22/07 Chris Chan
- Y: Royal Arches to North Dome South Face
6/2/07 Björn Flatt, SAC
- Y: Salathe' Wall 6/15-21/07 Chris Chan
  photos
- Y: Arches Terrace rebolting 7/12-14/07
Roger Brown
  photos
- Y: South Crack, West Crack 7/16/07 Eu-Jin
- Y: Arches Terrace rebolting 7/22-24/07
Roger Brown, Ryan Mattock
- Y: South Crack, Fairview Regular, Great White Book, Aqua Knobby
7/28-29/07 Rasmus Bokrantz
- Y: Pennyroyal Arches - Deja View 5.8 (new route)
8/1/07 Bruce Hildenbrand
- Bugaboos 8/5-10/07 Steph Abegg
South Howser Tower - Beckey-Chouinard
Snowpatch Spire - SE Corner
Steph's photo trip report
- Y: Glacier Point Apron rebolting 8/17/07
Roger
  photos
We climbed Monday Morning Slab Right Side, Point Beyond, and
Angel's Approach to Lucifer's Ledge and one pitch beyond. Fixed 7 ropes
for Roger to rebolt all the nearby routes.
Needles: 8/26-28/07 Claire, Koichi, Lin
Sunday: Airy Interlude, Spooky
Monday: lightning struck the Warlock when we were at the base of
The Howling, about to give up after the thunderheads had arrived.
We all got some ground shocks - a bit scary. We then spent most
of the day hiding from the rain in boulder caves. A little bouldering
late in the day, and also some watching the forest fires to the
north in Sequoia National Park.
Tuesday: Inner Sanctum, The Howling
Tuolumne: 9/6-8/07 Paul Friberg
Thursday: Shipoopi p1, a newer route, and a nap!
Friday: South Crack, Fairview Regular Route
Saturday: Blues Riff
Mt. Slesse - NE Buttress 9/14/07 Steph
Steph's photo trip report
Y: El Capitan - East Buttress 10/6/07 Ian, Lukasz, Daniel, Koichi, Colin
Lower Falls - Ten Years After, Lower Cathedral sport routes 10/7/07
Brian Cox
Lower Falls: warmup route, then Ten Years After - Brian led both.
Lower Cathedral: 76 Degrees in the Shade, End of the Line,
Unnamed but Beautiful, Mac Daddy.
Brian led the first 3 and we TRed the last due to fading light;
I had one fall on it.
P: Intro Class 10/13/07 SAC
  photos
Y: Schultz's Ridge Base, Royal Arches Base 10/14/07 Brian
Schultz's Ridge Base bolted routes: 4 of the 5 routes on the L side;
we skipped Second Thoughts
Royal Arches base: Arete Butler, Y Crack
Brian led all these
Indian Creek 10/20-28/07 Erika, SAC, friends
Y: El Capitan East Buttress, Serenity/Ahwanhee/Sons p1 11/3-4/07 Jennifer Tse
  photos
Y: SAC Anchors II class 11/10-11/07 SAC
Saturday - Little John Right 5.8, with Diana + Mico
Sunday - anchor practice in light drizzle + later sun
P: Disco + Mono 11/18/07 Clement Jonquet, Dan Truong
  photos
Ordeal (Clint led), Wet Kiss (Clement led), Big Pucker (tr),
Stupendous Man (Clement led), Power Point (Clint, Clement tr), POD (Clint led)
It was Clement's first visit to the Pinnacles, so we had to do POD;
fortunately I was able to lead up it, since I hadn't done anything all that
hard all day....
P: Disco + Mono 11/25/07 Clement
Swallow Crack (Clement led), Broken Arrow (Clint led),
Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Clint led)
Terranean Tango (Clement led), Foreplay (Clint led with a hang),
Hawaiian Noises (both tr, Clement twice), black streak right of POD (Clint tr),
attempted tr left of POD (Clint many hangs)
Y: Cookie, S: Gold Wall 12/1-2/07 Noriko Setikawa
I led Outer Limits p1; Noriko followed nicely.
I led p1 of Hardd; it felt nice to get it clean this time.
Noriko nearly got it as well, but had one hang near the top - not bad
for being out of shape.
Just before dark, I went up the lower part of Royal Arches and added
a rap station on the blank slab above the ledge atop the first pitch
chimney. It is 85' below the chained station which is next to the dead snag.
This makes it possible to rap this final wall with a single rope, which
may be preferable to downclimbing over right, when the stream is running
in the spring. It is a semi-hanging station. Probably the best way to
handle it is to send one person down on a single strand to the big ledge,
then the second person can rap to the new station and then one more rap
to the big ledge. That would avoid having 2 people at the hanging station.
It was cloudier than we had hoped, but we got a little bit of sun at times.
On Sunday it was quite cloudy and cold, so we drove out to Jamestown
and climbed at Gold Wall.
I led a 5.10d in the middle and a 5.10 on the right side; Noriko led a 5.9
to finish off the day. Nice to be in the sun!
P: Disco + Mono 12/8/07 Leo, Rene, Mano
The weather was mostly cloudy and fairly cold, but we did get a little sun
at times. Ran into Jared and Dan at the Monolith.
Wet Kiss (C led, L, R, M TRed)
Portent (C led, M followed; L led, R followed)
Monolith Direct (L led after C clipped first 2 bolts, M, R, C TRed)
Terranean Tango (C led, R, L, M TRed)
POD (C TRed 2x, R, L, M TRed to crux)
Hawaiian Noises (L, R, C TRed)
2008
- P: Monolith 1/13/08 SAC informal trip - Ben, Andrew, Anna
  photos
I forgot one of the ropes, so things were a little slow, but it
was nice and uncrowded as we did the Monolith Direct Route, Terranean Tango,
Hawaiian Noises, and variations.
- P: Discovery, Monolith 1/19/08 SAC folks - Eva, Rasmus, Justin, Wei,
Linnea, Jeff, Ian, Brian, Wong, Bjorn, Wendy, and Sam
- Y: Cookie, Arch 2/9-10/08 Eva, Justin B, Cory
  photos
Cookie: Eva led Bev's Tower, I led Wheat Thin. Eva led Outer Limits
and toproped Crack-a-go-go. Cory and Justin did Outer Limits, Catchy and
Catchy Corner. Saw many folks there - Ron Skelton, Werner Braun, Brad Young,
Dan Urban and Nico.
Arch Rock: I led New Dimensions p1, Eva led Gripper p1 and p3; I led p2.
Justin and Cory did Gripper and Midterm. Eva toproped Midterm with some
batmanning through the wide transition. I batmanned there and also in
most of the chimney. Justin and Cory worked on Short Circuit just before
dark.
- Y: base of El Cap, Pat+Jack, Serenity/Sons 2/16-18/08 Ben, Sam, Becca
- Saturday - base of El Cap:
  photos
  Sam's photos
I led Sacherer Crack (w/ chimney finish - was glad I had
kneepads this time); Ben followed. Sam led it and Becca followed, with some
takes along the way and a little rope ascension at the very end.
Sam led La Cosita Right; Becca followed. Ben led it and I followed.
The height of the snow cone at the base meant we only had to do about 2
moves in the finger crack before reaching the hand jam!
I led Moby Dick Center; Ben followed. Finally I finished this one,
after downclimbing from the wide part years ago. The lower crux was
almost eliminated by the 8' snowpack at the base. In the wide section,
I used handstacks and pushed a #4 C4 up ahead of me on a sling.
Sam led Pine Line and Becca followed.
- Sunday - Pat + Jack Pinnacle:
  photos
Knob Job - I led and Ben followed. Later Sam led it and Sharon followed.
Nurdle - Sam led; Becca followed.
Sherrie's Crack - I led; Ben followed with one fall. Sam toproped it
clean. It's tough.
Knuckleheads - Ben led; Becca followed.
Makayla's Climb on far right, L of crack - Ben led, Becca followed; Sam
led, I followed.
Suds (crack on far right) - Ben led, Becca followed; Clint led; Ben followed.
bolted climb further L of crack - Becca led up a ways; Sam finished.
Boneheads (slab to buttress above Babble On) - Ben led, Clint followed; Sam led;
Becca followed.
We saw many familiar folks there - Alex, Sharon, Justin B, Wendy, Jenn,
Phyllis, Marc Jensen and his wife!
- Monday - Serenity Crack area. The day started with light overcast
but the sun came out! Nice views down to snow on the valley floor.
Ben and I did Serenity Crack/Ahwahnee Buttress/Sons of Yesterday.
I led the odd pitches and Ben the evens. This included his first 2 leads
of Valley 5.10s! The first pitch was pretty wet at the start and I was
rather gripped. I don't recommend it when wet unless you know exactly
how to place the first cam (green camalot level with stain from old bolt).
Sam and Becca did Super Slide.
  Sam's photos
Peruvian Flake - Sam led this right to the crux, but hesitated at the
transition move (as many people have over the years) and ended up taking
a fall. He downaided to clean his gear. Ben and I came by, and I led it.
Ben followed, and Sam also toproped it. Becca climbed to the start of
the finger crack but her hands were too tired to crack through that section.
- Y: Reed's Pinnacle, Super Slide, Serenity/Sons 3/1-3/08 Noriko
Saturday: Reed's Direct, then tunneled through and summitted on
Reed's Regular. Lunatic Fringe.
Sunday: Super Slide. Ran into Hal and Elmar on it. Also saw Justin
and Cory doing Serenity/Sons.
Monday: Serenity/Sons.
- Y: El Cap base, Reed's Pinnacle - Dream Easy 3/8-9/08 Noriko
Saturday - El Cap base: Little John Right, Salathe' p1
Sunday - Reed's Pinnacle: Dream Easy (5th ascent!)
  photos
- Y: Free Blast, Magical Mystery Tour (attempt) 3/17-18/08 Jared
Monday - Free Blast. We delayed starting the route when some big
chunks of ice came down from the top of El Cap, but not much came down
for awhile, so we started up. Near sunset, some more big chunks came down,
hitting near us on the last 2 pitches to Mammoth.
Jared led all the hard pitches, including onsighting
the 5.11b traverse on p3, and he freed all the way to the 5.11 slab crux
on p5 (where we had very strong winds, which made it hard!). Plus the
Half Dollar was a bit wet, which made it quite tough. I did a fair amount
of yarding on gear, batmanning the rope, and aiding - my footwork is not
very good at the moment! There were fixed lines
from the left side of Mammoth to the ground, which we rappelled in the dark
and moonlight with a belay.
Tuesday - Reed's Pinnacle: we climbed the first 2 pitches of Reed's
Pinnacle Regular Route, and Jared managed to retrieve his chalk ball which
he had lost some months ago behind a flake. Jared led Bong's Away Left,
and I led 1.4 pitches of Magical Mystery Tour. The 5.10a traverse looks
like it is protected with an old fixed piton high up in the crack, and we
did not have a hammer to test it properly, or other gear to back it up.
So we traversed back left and finished the day by toproping p2 of Reed's
Direct - always a great workout.
- Y: Reed's Pinnacle - Flatus/RORP, Cookie 3/22-23/08 Noriko
Saturday - Reed's Pinnacle - first 2 pitches of Flatus, variation
finish to left, then 4 pitches of the RORP - we had fun exploring this,
finding several wide cracks along the way...
Sunday - Cookie - Outer Limits, Cookie Center p1 (5.9), variation to
right (5.9/5.10a), Meat Grinder p1 5.9, Bev's Tower, Aftershock (toprope)
- Y: Sunshine Cliff - right side routes 3/29/08 Noriko
We had sun in the morning and the approach from 120 took 40 minutes
at an easy pace, down a sandy/slabby slope with several fixed ropes under
the power lines. I led Sweet Miracle 5.7 sloping knobs with a long reach
right at the first bolt. Noriko led Slob Knob p1, which was a nice 5.4
finger crack with knobs to a diagonal 5.5 crack/lieback which had a lot of
dirt but was clean enough to place gear in. I removed some more of the dirt
while following. I led Hobknob p1 which had 3 bolts not shown on the
topo we had. It was mostly 5.6, but with a 5.8 long reach move right at the
top, or maybe a 5.10 move with optional small stopper pro directly above
the 3rd bolt. I led p2, which was 5.6 knobs with 5 bolts, not shown in our
topo. At this point we walked off right on the 3rd class ledge. We could
have descended the approach gully, but Noriko had tight shoes, so instead
we downclimbed 3rd and brief 4th class to the chains on top of Sweet Miracle
and rapped to the base. We had originally hoped to climb out on Sweet Sunshine
or one of Eric's other routes on the left side, but the sun had gone away
and the dark clouds were threatening a bit, so we hiked out instead, after
scoping the approach to the left side. It rained that night, and was
pretty cloudy/cool on Sunday, so we drove home, after briefly trying to
find the climbs at Two Mile Bar (no luck without the guidebook).
- Y: Reed's, Parkline - mostly obscure routes 4/5-6/08 Wei Wu
Sat - Reed's: Ejesta, RORP to The Gray Bullet
Sun - Parkline: Hayley Anna, Vanderbilt-Gledhill (FA of finger crack
left of Hayley Anna)
  photo trip report
- Y: Edge of Absurdity, Mr. Natural, Chouinard Crack 4/26-27/08 Jared
Sat - Edge of Absurdity.
  photos
We found Eric and Kevin on p1 and climbed alongside them.
On Saturday night we ran into Cory + Laura + friends at
the pizza deck, and then Polly, Marshall, Alexander, Jeff, and friends.
Some of them had just done Mr. Natural.
Sun - Apron. Jared led Mr. Natural nicely.
  photos
I followed (great to do this
climb again after about 15 years of not doing it due to rockfall fears)
and we replaced one of the anchor bolts, so it has two 3/8" bolts now.
We toproped Dr. Feel Good cleanly, which was also fun and an old favorite
of mine. Jared then led both pitches of Chouinard Crack, and we toproped the
upper pitch of Harry Daley.
- Y: Lead Climbing class 5/3-4/08 SAC
we climbed at Reed's, the Apron, and Braille Book
- Y: NE Buttress of Higher Cathedral Rock, Reed's 5/10-11/08 Tim Reddy
Saturday: we were the 2nd party of 4 parties on the NE Buttress of
Higher Cathedral Rock.
  Tim latches the bucket above the squeeze
Sunday: Tim warmed up by climbing the 5.8 first pitch of Reed's Regular.
Then we had a jumar session with Erika, practicing following a pendulum
(as Erika was going for the Nose in a day on Monday).
Tim led Stone Groove with one fall; I followed with difficulty
and he took a lap on toprope.
I led Lunatic Fringe and Tim had a couple of hangs at the lower crux,
where his hands do not fit well.
- Y: new routes 5/17-18/08 Bob Steed
at a remote cliff with nice rock
Sat: completed p3-5 of Bob's route
p2 had 4x. Bob led all of p3 - 5.10a with several 5.9 sections.
Bob on p3
He placed 2 pins and 4x for pro, 1 belay bolt
when rope drag stopped progress. I followed, then rapped down and
replaced the second pin with a bolt, added a bolt at the steepest part where
Bob had some sketchy nuts, and added a second belay bolt.
I led p4 which started with a 5.9 reachy overhang, then up mostly friendly
slab with 1x for pro at the left end of a bulge. Belay above dike on cams.
Bob led p5 which was easy. We walked off to the R, which did not work
so well.
Sun: Did a new 3 pitch route on upper right side of wall, many nice knobs.
It was about 5.7. Rapped down to left from trees (many ants at first tree).
Bob then led a left-diagonalling crack/flake (full 60m), and we rapped from
a nut and pin.
- Y: rebolting Space Babble 5/26-27/08 Kevin Willoh
  photo trip report
On Monday we climbed 3.5 pitches on the Kor-Beck, and fixed 3 ropes as
it started to rain. On Tuesday we jumared back up, and replaced 7 bolts
on Space Babble, getting soaked in the process.
- Y: rebolting Space Babble 5/30-6/1/08 solo
Completed the rebolting of Space Babble, replacing 10 more bolts.
I also checked and tested the fixed pitons - most of them were in place
and good except on p1 (where Aliens/TCUs work for the most part).
I placed one new fixed piton on p1, just before the move over the roof
which starts the 5.11. It appears that the former pointed flake there has
broken off, so the move seems fairly tough.
- SoYos - Chiquito Dome: rebolting Elegant Inclinations 6/7-8/08 Joel
  photo trip report
Joel and I replaced all the bolts on this route.
On Sunday after finishing the work, we toproped the route, except for
the final pitch.
- Y: rebolting Middle Cathedral North Face apron 6/14-15/08
Roger Brown, Kelly Rich, Bruce Bundy, Jesse McGahey, Megan McGahey, Roger Putnam,
Eric Bissell
  photo trip report
Jesse, Megan, and Roger P. climbed the first 4 pitches of Quicksilver,
placed a good belay bolt there, and fixed Roger B's 600' rope to the high point
Kelly and Bruce climbed the (hard) first pitch of Exodus. The belay needed
to be upgraded to attempt the opening runout on p2, so Roger Brown jugged up
and replaced the belay bolts.
Eric and I did the first 2 pitches of Mother Earth, with Eric leading
both pitches - the second one is 5.10 with rusty 1/4" bolts accessorized by
several ancient tat slings and a couple of bail biners.
When Eric arrived at the belay stance there were no usable bolts!
One bolt had half its hanger missing, and the other was just an empty hole!
So he placed some marginal gear above and belayed me up with a hip belay on
a very narrow stance. I batmanned briefly past a couple of sections, which
worked out OK, and we pulled the bolt fragment, then enlarged/deepened the
holes and placed 2 good belay bolts with Fixe/ASCA double ring hangers.
It was getting late, so we left 2 ropes fixed.
Sunday:
Kelly and Bruce tried the second pitch of Exodus which was quite tough -
5.10c moves 10' above an RP and 15' above the belay bolts. Bruce belayed
by hanging on the rope 15' below the belay bolts. The topo shows 5.9 for
the move but is a bit off! After a couple of tries, Kelly and Bruce headed
over to Mecca for some shady and better protected fun!
Roger and I jugged up to the high point on Quicksilver, and I led the
5.7 pitch to the top of the route. After several off-route attempts, one point
of protection and pulling an off-route bolt, I found an old 2-bolt anchor at
the pointed flake and replaced the 2 bolts there while Roger fixed up the
p4 anchor. We rapped off, and on the way down I tensioned left to fix a rope
to the top of Ticket to Nowhere.
- Y: Middle Cathedral North Face Traverse, rebolting 7/12-13/08 Bob Steed
Saturday: up the Gunsight with 6 ropes and gear, across the North Face
Traverse.  
Bob at the end of the approach, carrying 4 ropes  
Bob belays in the middle of the traverse, at a bush
The crux pitch took us 3 hours, mostly because I lead slow and
hauling everything through a couple of trees was epic. We originally wanted
to intersect the Smith-Crawford, but it required more climbing up and our
rack was minimal. So we rapped down Mother Earth instead. We replaced
the first bolt on p11, then rapped 190' from it to a ledge. We placed a new
rappel anchor there, fixed the highest rope to it, then went down and left
to a stance with the 3rd bolt on the p7 traverse. We replaced that bolt
and anchored to it. 3 more ropes tied together were anchored to most belay
stations and reached the top of p2 where 2 previously fixed ropes reached the
ground. We were at the base at around midnight and then went down to the
valley floor.
Sunday: Up Roger's fixed rope to the top of Quicksilver. Bob tensioned
out right to reach the top of Orange Peel. This was tricky, involving moving
the fixed lines below so a loose block could be sent down. I tensioned
down and left to reach the top anchor on Road to Ruin. I replaced one hanger
there. The other bolt sheared off when I was trying to remove the nut, so
I drilled a new belay bolt. Much of this was in a thundershower, which had
quit by the time I got back to the ground.
- Tuolumne: South Crack, West Crack, Fairview Regular Route 7/17-18/08 Linnea Williams
Linnea had not climbed in Tuolumne yet, and she had midweek days off, so
we had fun doing a few of the classics.
South Crack
West Crack
Fairview Regular Route
Linnea leading above Crescent Ledge
- Lover's Leap: Traveller's Buttress, Scimitar, The Line 7/21/08 John Imbrie
- Y: Lost Arrow Tip, Exodus/Orange Peel, Chouinard-Herbert 7/22-25/08 John Imbrie
Arrow Tip photo trip report  
Exodus  
Chouinard-Herbert
climbing in the dark (to shorten the bivvy?)
- Y: Fall Guy (new route) 8/2-3/08 Bob Steed
Bob and I did a new 3-pitch route - Fall Guy 5.10a.
It is on the Middle Cathedral North Face Apron, between Walk of Life and
Freewheelin'.
topo
p1 5.10a slab, 6x, 130'. Starts where the RFC starting Quicksilver
reaches down to the ground. Reach up right to a big stance, mantle up
and clip the first bolt.
Bob on p1
p2 5.9 corner to 2x belay at stance, 90'
p3 5.10a corner to face with 2 bolts, 100' (90' rappel).
Pitch starts with an undercling to the right, with a fixed pin for pro
where it turns into a lieback. Up the RFC on fun rock. Wild move at the first
bolt, where you "fall over" left to latch onto a ledge. The pitch ends at
the belay anchor of Walk of Life.
- Shuteye Ridge: High Eagle, Shangri La 8/8-9/08 Debby Wallach, et al
  photos
- Y: Coonyard Pinnacle + higher 8/11/08 Roger Brown
  photo trip report
- Y: Jamcrack, Fertile Attraction rappel, Snot Fun 8/10-13/08 Tom Rohrer
  Tom on El Cap
- Y: Fall Guy, Slipstream, Dark Side, Wump World 8/23/08 Sharon, Bob
We repeated Fall Guy on Middle Cathedral, leading all pitches free this
time and replacing the pitons at the top of p1 with bolts.
  Sharon on the p3 crux
Then we hiked down and hiked up to the Cookie Sheet, where Sharon and
I climbed Slipstream 5.8 and Dark Side 5.7 on the left side, while Bob replaced
bolts on p1 of Cookie Sheet. Late in the day, Bob and I did Wump World 5.7.
  Sharon leading Slipstream
- T: Aqua Knobby, Tideline 8/24/08 Sharon, Bob
While Bob hiked a load of gear into a project for next weekend, Sharon
and I climbed Aqua Knobby. I was a bit hesitant at the crux, but found a
friendly way to do it.
Aqua Knobby
Bob returned from his project and we went to Olmstead
Point. I led Ivory Tower Center, a flaring/leaning 5.10a mostly hand crack;
Sharon and Bob TRed. I set up a TR
on Tideline by walking up a chimney/gully to its left. Sharon reached
the hand jam but her elbows were not ready for the brutal pullup. Bob and I
TRed it cleanly. It's rather crank intensive.
Tideline
- Y: Nose anchor repair 9/11-12/08 Tom
Our original goal (back in August) was to hike to the top of El Cap,
rappel down the Nose, fix up some of the rappel anchors. There are a few
below Camp 4 which Tom wanted to restore to the vertical equalized mode
that they had been originally. Then below Dolt Tower, the lap links connecting
the hangers to the chains have become worn, due to people hauling on the
anchors (and soft steel lap links vs. harder steel hangers). But with hot
temps and us being a bit out of shape, this plan did not happen. We considered
a plan B, which was to climb to Camp 4 and then rappel. It didn't happen
either. We were now on plan C, which was to climb to Dolt, bivvy and then
do the anchor work on rappel.
9/11: I was very late meeting Tom the previous night, so we did not
get a very early start. It was fairly hot, so I lobbied to just jumar up
other people's fixed lines to Sickle to get started. We did this, with
me hauling to each station. Tom was holding up pretty well, but I felt a bit
lightheaded on the final section to Sickle, and my ankle was not enjoying
the jumaring in my climbing shoes.
I led the 4th class pitch and Tom helped
move the bag up the blocky ledge/corner. I originally wanted to combine
pitches but I hadn't checked the topo and wasn't sure the rope would reach.
Tom was feeling tired and unsure he could make it to Dolt. So was I.
So I led the 5.9 pitch and we went back to bivvy on Sickle.
Kane and Ollie hauled their bag up to Sickle just a little after dark.
They were sleeping back at Camp 4, fortunately.
9/12: Kane and Ollie arrived in reasonable time, so they went first;
Kane linked to our high point, and they had a 6mm lowerout line which
worked very nicely. I took their 3rd rope and Ollie's pack, which I left
with their friends in Camp 4 later.
We did our first repair work on the anchor at Sickle, removing the
lap links at the hangers, which had some deep cuts. They were replaced with
stainless steel quicklinks.
Tom and I jumared back to our high point, and I did the tension traverse
into the Dolt Hole corner. I climbed up the corner with occasional loose
flakes to a big bolt with a loweroff cord. I threaded our haul line through
the sling, then rappelled down the corner, cleaning my gear. Finally I
rapped the single line to the rappel anchor down and right. I fixed the
lead line and jugged back to Tom. He went down to the rappel anchor and
swapped the lap links for quick links. I rapped down with the bags.
Tom led down the rappel route, while I followed with the bags and
helped him a little by holding the lap links while he applied the chisel
to spread them. Eventually we finished and hiked out with our stuff.
On Saturday I took some photos at Wawona Tunnel of "Eat at Degnan's",
where a youtube video had shown a long leader fall. Next I tried to
finish rebolting Ramer, but the bolts were 5/16" and I did not have the
tools to remove them. Finally, I hiked up to Glacier Point Apron and
retrieved Roger's gear from the base. Then I hiked over to his campsite
and left the gear there.
- T: new route 9/18-19/08 Bruce
Bruce and I climbed a new route in Tuolumne, which had 3 easy pitches
to reach a ledge, then a nice pitch up a knobby face which was mostly 5.7
but steepened to a short 5.10a or b headwall near the end, 8 bolts, 185'.
- Y: Cookie Sheet - Air Play 10/11/08 Bob
We climbed Air Play, and Bob led an extension which required some aid
- Y: Cookie Sheet - Electric Avenue 10/12/08 Bob
First ascent of Electric Avenue - a short but sweet finger crack in a boulder.
  photos
We also climbed a short corner called Five Second Rule
- Y: lead climbing class 10/18-19/08 SAC
  photos (Reed's Pinnacle)
- Y: Bridalveil East - Aqua var. 10/25/08 Ken Duncan
An old obscure, but good adventure route.
  photos
- Y: lead climbing class 11/8-9/08 SAC
Sat: Harry Daley w/ Shau, then rain
Sun: Church Bowl - Shau, Marcos, Tae Jeong - some sun, then cloudy
- Y: aid climbing class 11/15-16/08 SAC
Sat: Mojo Tooth (half of group; other half at Pat & Jack Pinnacle)
Sun: first 2 pitches of the Nose, with Ken; Jim and Sam were climbing
just ahead of us
- Y: Higher Cathedral Spire, Serenity/Ahwahnee B/Sons 11/22-23/08 Bjorn
- Y: This and That, Finger Lickin' 12/6-7/08 Noriko
Sat: This and That:
Said and Done 5.10a C led,
Cramming 5.10d N led;
neither of us got this clean, partly because I didn't figure out how
to keep the rope out of the crack when Noriko did a TR lap
Sun: Finger Lickin':
Jawbone 5.10a: N led,
Snatch Power 5.10c C led - almost knocked off loose block
at top but managed to catch it,
Pinky Paralysis p1 5.10b C led,
Finger Lickin' 5.10d both TRed. Noriko floated this!
2009
- P: Balconies rebolting 1/10-11/09 Brian Biega, Dennis Erik Strom, F4Boy
Sat: Lava Falls, both pitches
- all remaining Star Dryvin protection bolts removed
- most holes deepened and 3/8" x 3.5" Stainless Powerbolts placed
- p1 crux - 1/2" x 6" hole drilled for Fixe glue-in bolt;
    3/8" wedge bolt at crux stripped but not removed yet
    (all glue-in bolts placed late on Sunday)
Sun: Shake and Bake, pitches 2 and 3
- all but first bolt replaced on p2
- 2 of 3 bolts replaced on p3
- most holes enlarged and deepened to 1/2" x 6"
- 2 or 3 old bolts stripped and new 3/8" x 3.5" bolt placed next to old bolt
- 1/4" bolt at p1 belay replaced with 3/8" x 3.5"
- 3/8" bolt at p2 belay replaced with 1/2" x 6", SS chains and hangers added
- SS chains and hangers added to top rappel anchor of Electric Blue
- Y: Cookie, Little Wing 1/17-18/09 Noriko
Sat: Cookie:
- Anathema 5.10b - C led w/ hang at crux (outta shape!)
- Cleft p1 5.9 ow - we attempted to toprope this - N made a few moves
and I couldn't figure out how to move up in 6" crack.
We ended up going left on the 5.10c to get back to the belay.
- Catchy 5.10d - we toproped; fun as usual
Sun: Little Wing:
- He Can't Shout, Don't Hear You 5.8 R - N led
    N placed gear in corner then traversed L onto face
- Leisure Time 5.10b - C tr
- Honor Thy Father 5.10c - N tr, C tr with 2 falls; scored 2 nuts & biners
- Little Wing 5.10d - we both toproped this - nice.
On the hike out, we missed the old road in the dark at first and
went too far down!
Back up and found it, fortunately.
- Y: Above the Cookie 1/31-2/1 Bob Steed, Kevin Willoh
Left of Adventures with Linda is an arete with a Sean Jones route.
The slab left of the arete has a left-diagonalling crack system with
some bushes which has a 2 pitch 5.10a route. We did 2 new routes
on this slab.
Sat: 3 on the Tree 5.10c, 3 pitches. This is right of the 5.10a
route, and reaches a tree (actually 3 trees) left of the arete.
Sun: Flight of the Possum 5.10d or 5.10a A0, 2 pitches.
Left of the 5.10a route, this climbs up the left end of a diagonalling
arch, then up the slab to a big flake/flaring chimney. It ends at or
near the end of the 5.10a route.
- P: Discovery Wall 2/21 SAC informal trip
we climbed stuff like Wet Kiss, Plague, Jorgie's Crack, Stupendous Man,
and had a toprope on Buffalo Soldier / Broken Arrow.
- Y: Church Bowl, El Cap base 3/7-8 SAC informal trip (Ezra, Alex)
5.6 crack right of Bishop's Terrace, laps on Bishop's Terrace,
Church Bowl Lieback
Pine Line, La Cosita Right, La Cosita Left, Sparkling Giveaway, La Arista
- Y: Church Bowl, Pat+Jack 3/9-10 Alina G, Eric Gabel
Bishop's Terrace, Church Bowl Lieback, joined up with Eric
Reed's Pinnacle - Regular Route p1
Nurdle, Knob Job, long knob face, Trough of Justice, Knuckleheads
strained my shoulder slightly on a long reach
- Y: Above the Cookie, Reed's 3/27-29 Bob Steed
Above the Cookie - new and old routes, extended Flight of the Possum
Exit Strategy - corner to arete on far left side of cliff
started a new route at Reed's
- P: Fly-Bye, Plague rebolting 4/4 Bruce H
part of the Pinnacles Rockpile Rendezvous
we replaced all the old bolts on Fly-Bye (2), Bye Bye Fly-By (1), and Plague (3)
removing the Star-Dryvin bolts was very tough
- Y: Reed's Pinnacle, Pat + Jack 4/11-12 Bjorn
we carpooled with Vince and Eu-Jin; also saw Sid and Stephanie,
Alex and Tanya, Christine and Olivier at Reed's.
Reed's Regular Route - Bjorn led most of p1, but was baffled by the
last few moves to the top of the flake, so he lowered off and I led
through to the rap chains on the big ledge. I led the squeeze traverse,
but Bjorn didn't fit, so he climbed back and so did I. I thought it was
a tighter squeeze on the way back.
Ejesta - Bjorn led p1, I led p2
Sunday - Pat + Jack
5.8 right of Makayla's - Bjorn led
5.9 right of Suds - Bjorn led the bolted lower half, then he lowered
and I led the corner above. This climb has anchor chains to the right
of the final corner, which I didn't see until a person belaying at the top
of Suds pointed them out to me.
Makalya's Climb 5.8 - Bjorn led
Showtime p1 5.9 - Clint led, starting with the 10' hand crack on the
right side of the buttress. A woman from Mariposa was leading the lieback
start to Boneheads, so we shared the first bolt.
Babble On 5.10a - Clint toproped the undercling, which had mostly dried out
during the day
- Y: Reed's 4/17-19 Bob
new route - High Five, 5 pitches, 5.10b C1, and a 5.11a variation
pitch which we led on aid and later toproped free.
- Y: Apron 5/9-10 Robert Summers
Saturday: Regular Mouth 5.9 R - I aided the runout crux move on p2,
by throwing a hook until it caught on an incut flake 3' above me.
The p3 corner was slighty wet in spots and fairly hard - solid 5.9 (vs. 5.8).
You stay in the corner until it ends at a fixed pin and then traverse straight
right. The old bolt at the end of the traverse had an aluminum hanger which
was smashed flat, so I had to tie it off with a bogus stopper cable.
Fortunately the move there was fairly easy. The anchor is a single fixed
angle and cams. The p5 corner ends with a runout lieback and then runout
finger traverse left. p6 had a single original 1/4" star dryvin protecting
a section of 5.8 scoops, and the fixed pin higher was in an area of smooth
rock that was hard to reach, so the old bolt was my only pro for the pitch,
which ended with some 5.7 friction about 80' out. The belay bolts at
The Mouth were original 1/4", although Robert informed me that when he did
it in the 60s there was only one belay bolt with no hanger and they placed
the second belay bolt. I replaced one of the belay bolts, and also the
protection bolt on p3 (since we had only brought 2 bolts with us).
Robert hadn't climbed anything above 5.6 in many years, but did great with
his Asolo Chouinard shoes that he found in the closet (although one sole
had 80% delaminated on the climb).
Sunday: Point Beyond Direct 5.8 . Fairly sustained p1 - I arrived
at the belay with only one cam, having placed the other 8. The rest of
it was as I remembered it with Roger 2 years ago.
Robert dusted off his EBs for this climb and didn't have any trouble.
- Y: new routes 5/15-18 Bob
Friday-Saturday: new 4 pitch route on right side of crag -
mixed gear and bolts.
Sunday: new route, 3 pitches so far, with one more pitch to add.
It turns out the first pitch coincides with an existing route which
we were not sure about.
- Y: Memorial Day trifecta 5/23-25 Nicolas Gast
Saturday: Serenity Crack + Sons of Yesterday -
swapping leads. I even led the crux of Serenity, which I normally skip.
Sunday: DNB - 10 pitches of 18, then rapped off.
I even led p7, which I was scared of.
Monday: Higher Cathedral Rock - NE Buttress - I was tired on the
walk up, but Nicolas had the rope and rack, so that helped me make it.
- Y: rebolting at Glacier Point Apron East 6/20-21 Roger
We tried to climb Perhaps, and replaced the bolt on its second pitch,
but didn't get any higher than that.
The next day, we fixed ropes on Hoppy's Favorite, and partway up Ochre
Fields and Deep Throat.
- Y: rebolting at Glacier Point Apron East, new route 6/26-28 Bob, Roger
Friday: using the fixed ropes to the 5.10a pitch on Deep Throat, Bob led
that pitch, the next short 5.9 pitch, and the runout/smooth 5.9 pitch with
one bolt above. Then he led to the bolt where the route traverses R to
The Mouth. Here, he established a variation going left to Ochre Fields,
by placing one bolt in between. He led up the 5.10c pitch on Ochre Fields,
but the final runout to the anchors in the center corner was too sketchy, so
he made a new variation which reaches the right side of the arch instead.
He placed two bolts - one for pro and one as an anchor bolt, when the
arch did not have a protectable crack as we had hoped. He then was able
to tension far left to reach the Ochre Fields anchor. I led the 5.8
corner pitch above, with much aid - it was more like 5.9 and had a few
dirty parts. I replaced one of the anchor bolts. Bob looked at the 5.11a
left traverse pitch - he could tension left to reach the RFC on the left
side of the arch, but the crux higher up looked like hard mandatory free
climbing, and we were also running short of daylight. So we rapped off,
leaving Roger's ropes fixed to the high point.
Saturday and Sunday, Bob and I worked on a new route, elsewhere on the
Apron. We did 5 1/2 new pitches, on long hot days.
-
Y: Perhaps, rebolting at Glacier Point Apron East 7/9-12 Roger
- Liberty Bell - Liberty Crack 8/2-3/09 Steph
 
Steph's photo trip report
- Valhalla Provincial Park - Mt. Gimli - South Ridge 8/5/09 Steph
 
Steph's photo trip report
- T: new route 8/19/09 Bruce
Bruce and I climbed a new route in Tuolumne, left of the one we did
last year. p1: 5.6 crack 60m, 3-3.5" cams at belay ledge. p2: LFC to
5.7 step over roof, nice belay ramp above roof with cam anchor, 20m.
p3: 5.7 face with nice knobs, 5x to 2x belay on tree ledge, 55m.
To descend, traverse right on narrow ledge 5.6 to '08 climb. Rappel 55m from
slings on big tree, then 2x/chain anchor in slab below, 50m.
- Y: rebolting help, new route 8/28-30/09 Bob
Friday: Bob and I helped fix ropes for Roger's rebolting on the Apron.
First Bob led Shuttle Madness and extended it 170' to a ledge with a
bay tree. Then he cleaned and led a short diagonal seam to an old bolt
ladder (route not listed in guidebook). He placed a new bolt here and
we fixed Roger's static line to it, so he could replace the Shuttle Madness
anchor and the bolts on routes to the right.
Then we went over to Mr. Natural, where I jumared up Roger's fixed rope,
and Bob toproped this great climb. Bob then led all of Bad Acid, and we
fixed Roger's rope to a tree at the top. This will enable Roger to finish
replacing the bolts on Afterglow, and the two on Bad Acid. Bad Acid itself
is unfortunately mossy/dirty.
Saturday: Bob and I looked carefully at a wall we saw last year and
tried to climb it. The 5.7 first pitch had been done before (fixed pin found),
but above that we managed to do 3 new pitches. The second pitch was a nice
lead by Bob - 5.10 with 2 bolts and 2 fixed pins.
p3 had a 5.8 hand crack in a corner, then traversing in an orange recess
to a gear belay. p4 was a nice 5.9 crack in gray rock.
It looked tough but potentially climbable above, so we left our 2 ropes
fixed and placed a couple of bolted belay stations with chains on the way
down.
Sunday: I jumared the fixed lines and Bob toproped the pitches from
Saturday. Great holds appeared on the 5th pitch, where I placed two bolts
in occasional fear, as Bob counted 3 Green Dragon cycles below. Bob led
a longer 6th pitch to reach through the steep rock to more moderate
terrain. He placed a chain anchor and we rapped off well before dark,
making for a more reasonable return time to home.
- Y: finishing new routes 9/18-20/09 Bob
Friday: finished our new route, Angels to Oasis 5.10a, a 6 pitch extension
from p2 of Angel's Approach to Glacier Point Terrace. From the anchor at
the end of p2 of Angel's Approach, clip the first 2x of the pitch to Lucifer's
Ledge, and then go left, past 3 more bolts and occasional small cams.
Belays are bolted with chains, so you can rappel the route with 2 60m ropes.
This should be a better protected route than the extension from Lucifer's
Ledge to Glacier Point Terrace. We should have a topo here shortly.
Saturday: took a rest day, but worked on another new route, leading
a new variation p1, and fixed ropes on the route.
Sunday: jugged and climbed to our old high point and added one more pitch,
up small corners with small flaring cracks - offset Aliens were handy.
Nice lead by Bob.
- Y: Nose 9/27-10/1/09 Ben Emery
Saturday: climbed to Sickle Ledge, tied 3 ropes together, Ben rapped down,
got the haulbag, and I space-hauled it to Sickle. Pizza with the raccoons.
On p4, I placed a #2 head so that the first pendulum point can be reached
without the cheat sling. I replaced the sling on the next fixed pin,
removed a hammered nut with no cable and replaced it by fixing a long thin
lost arrow piton. Now it is possible to nearly reach the next fixed pin,
so I shortened its cheat sling.
Monday: Andy, Adam and Rob from the UK had also hauled their 2 bags to
Sickle in the high temps of Sunday afternoon. Their plan was to start before
Dawn, but they said we should go ahead of them if we were faster. So Ben and I
woke up at 4:15am and headed up to Sickle. We managed to stay a bit ahead
of them, so I don't think we slowed them down. Ben and I swapped leads,
and made El Cap Tower just before dark. We found a team of 2 Brits there,
who had climbed up from Dolt and fixed 2 pitches (to top of Boot Flake).
Andy, Adam and Rob made Dolt just before dark, and arrived at El Cap Tower
at about 3am and bivvied on the ledges 60' below the main bivvy.
Tuesday: Ben and I climbed to Camp 4 and fixed 1 pitch to the base of
the Great Roof. A cooler day, overcast and breezy with some sprinkles.
The 2 Brits ahead of us climbed Pancake Flake and one more pitch to Camp 5
in the dark.
Wednesday: Ben and I climbed to Camp 6.
Thursday: Ben and I topped out at sunset. Did the descent in the
moonlight with headlamps, and started driving home at 1am. Arrived home
at about 5am.
- Y: finishing new routes 10/9-11/09 Bob
Friday: we uncovered the opening of the culvert, so the stream no longer
flows over the old road. Worked on the direct knob arete, where Bob cleaned
the initial cracks, then I led with some knob tieoffs and placed the first
bolt before dark.
Saturday: Bob led higher, placing 3 bolts and pulling a tough 5.11b
crux - mantle/high step on sloping knobs. I led the runout 5.6 above to
the bolted Skyline anchor. Bob led p2, using the knobs right of the first
bolt. He placed a new belay bolt at the end of the pitch, since the gear
was not that great. I tried leading p3 briefly, but didn't make it to
the first bolt on the right traverse. So Bob led it and placed 2 belay bolts.
Following without the pack, it didn't seem so bad. I led the short corner
and traversed left on big knobs, placing 2 bolts. It was dark when I finished
the second bolt, so we rapped over the huge roof like last time.
Sunday: Bob led a left start to Skyline, a short 5.10c thin/tips crack,
Little Debbie. I led directly above into Skyline p2, but the first crux (5.8)
was too runout for me, so I traversed right on the dike to the bolted p1 belay.
Bob then led Skyline p2 the normal way, finding one offset nut and some
dubious horns to protect the first crux. There was some gear in the crack,
but not much. The crack ended and Bob led up a very runout 5.8 slab section
and made a gear belay below the small corner/roof. I led p3 - I got some
decent gear in the corner (nut and offset blue/green Alien), but the corner
seemed quite thin. I managed to find a way to reach up to a solution pocket
to step over the roof instead. There was some pro in the slab above and
crack. Bob followed up the small corner, but said it would have been much
easier to descend below the roof and climb a crack on the right.
Bob led a little higher on the ramp and made a gear anchor, which we used
to rappel back to the belay on Saturday's route. I led the small corner
and knob traverse, with a 5.8 section past the last bolt, and the pitch
rejoined Skyline. We then topped out by following the ramp and upper slab,
made an anchor, and Bob rapped down to Hot Wheels by tying both ropes
together. He used a dremel tool to remove a bolted belay which was too close
to Bit of OK. He climbed back up, and we traversed off and down to the
rappel route on the right side which starts with the ant pine tree.
We hiked out, with Bob flying down in 45 minutes, and me taking 1:45.
- P: Monolith 10/18/09 Paul Friberg
Paul led all these:
Terranean Tango 5.10a, POD 5.10d (I hung 3x), Foreplay 5.11a,
attempted Cataract Corner 5.12a (led to crux), Feed the Beast 5.11c (had it
onsight until the last bolt, when unluckily he tried to clip it with my
quickdraw which has a locking biner, which was locked - Yikes! - I had 2
hangs on this), Cantaloupe Death 5.10c.
- Y: East Buttress of El Cap 10/22/09 Bruce H
- Y: SAC lead climbing class 10/24-25/09
Sat: Swan Slab
Sun: After Six
- Y: East Ledges cleanup 11/3/09 Bruce H