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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 5, 2010 - 01:49am PT
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Trip Report - Forward into the Past
Roger Breedlove, Rik Rieder, Ed Hartouni
May 21-24, 2010
I had written an email reply to Roger's email in which he laid out his itinerary for the "Sacherer Remembrance" held in the Valley at the end of May. My reply included the statement "bring shoes and a harness," Roger replied that he would but that he was also looking for "strength, courage and technique," I had no doubt he'd find those.
Roger also mentioned that Rik Rieder was planning on attending too. I hadn't met Rik before, and I was looking forward to meeting him.
The fateful day arrived and I was off to Yosemite, getting out of Livermore later than I had wanted. But arriving at the center-of-the-universe scene on the bridge chatting with Tom Evans and getting the low down on the happenings that day who should wander by but Roger and Rik, actually, the sort of appeared out of the aether, one moment I was talking to Tom, the next thing I knew R & R were standing right there. Materialized, as it were, out of some wormhole connecting us to the past. The only evidence that they had passed through that particular portal was the greying hair.
I was the designated "rope gun" for this weekend. This would represent my first leading since I hurt my back in August 2009, everything seemed well enough to start playing on rock again. After talking through the possibilities we settled on Knob Hill.
Snagging a couple of parking spaces in the overflowing tourist churn seemed to be lucky, and a good portent. We grab the rope bag and a rack and make our way up to the base of Pot Belly with a short pitch 1 rated at 5.7 and places to setup a top rope close to the ground.
Not too difficult a lead... and a good place to get confident with new fangled belay devices, my partners having just purchased BD ATCs... definitely not something we used BITD.
While I talked up the 5.7 part, I had forgotten how delicate the moves up to the 5.7 start could be... here is Roger working out the sequence
Those aren't EBs he's wearing, but 5.10 Newtons (maybe he can get sponsored!) with "the best rubber in the world" (we had to keep reminding him of that). Note also that Roger picked the harder way to start eschewing the thin crack to the left.
Roger making the first moves in the crack, cruising to the top after that.
Rik and I took the left way, using the crack. Here is Rik floating up the start with little trouble as if he really only took a few weeks off from climbing in the Valley.
Note also the green swami belt, and his hand sewn leg loops.
Rik firing up the crack portion of the climb.
We top roped the 5.9 variation that splits off to the left, about where Rik is in the picture above, then decided to go back down to the East Auditorium to socialize with others arriving for a viewing of Pat Ament's Disciples of Gill movie.
On Sunday we were treated with some awesome weather, dramatic storms hammered the western part of the Valley, while we were at Church Bowl to do Bishop's Terrace, 5.8 an uber classic. I've done this climb a lot and knew that the crux would be a good place to get my head together for leading. Certainly no surprises, though it took a while to convince myself to make the moves, which I eventually did.
Rik was next up, here just at the start of the crux:
which he pulled through in fine form.
Roger was next, and made good progress up to the crux, which he contemplated for a while, and finally accepted an offer from me for some "collaboration." Here he is in the sweet handjam section:
Monday morning we had a great discussion in the cafeteria trying to delay our start as long as possible, we decided to go out to Manure Pile. I had thoughts of maybe doing something long, but we had waited the right amount of time so that both After Six and Nutcracker were fully subscribed. I lead the first pitch of C.S. Concerto at 5.6 I had an odd time negotiating the lead... more work required in my brain. Roger and Rik didn't have any problems with it at all.
We also top roped Fecophilia, first pitch at 5.8.... Here Roger belays Rik:
These guys were getting better and better with every climb. I had no doubt they'd surpass my "rope gun" ability if I stayed another day, so I made up some excuse about having to work and drove back to Livermore on Monday evening!
It was great to get out with both Roger and Rik, and I look forward to more time travel adventures in the future. Roger's already given me a list of climbs to get up on Middle Cathedral for training... looks like I will actually be able to do them in the not too distant future!
I also owe Mighty Hiker a few climbs too, as we got rained out of Church Bowl before he had a crack at Bishop's Terrace. Perhaps during the Facelift this year!
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Great TR, as usual Ed. It's good to see people from my generation still at it.
John
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Team intrepid, in the sun at Bishop's Terrace on Sunday:
Sadly, it started raining, or at least very convincingly threatened to do so, before I had my turn. I've never climbed it before - with a rope - so was looking forward to it.
Fun hanging out with you guys!
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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And some knock-kneed dork who seemed to think it was summer or something.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Trad climber
Will know soon
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fun stuff watching.....so maybe we can do something on the rope at Facelift. Where does Rik live ? Roger pro won't make it being in Central USA.
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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nice TR Ed -
thanks for posting up. Nice job guys (guys=valley legends).
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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kewl
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Inspirational for this "has been." Weather has sucked up here in the northern rockies too, but a "drying trend" is forecast next week.
Thanks for the report Ed!
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drljefe
climber
Old Pueblo, AZ
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Nice work from the
mold school.
Thanks Ed!
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Slakkey
Big Wall climber
From Back to Big Wall Baby
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Good stuff Ed, nice to run into you guys at the bridge during that week.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Great stuff, Ed--how's the back doing?
Getting better?
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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Yes, the routes were fully subscribed,
i got a new Scrabble word, "subscribed",
Thanks Ed!
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J. Werlin
Social climber
Cedaredge, CO
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Thank you Ed!
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Ed-
A really great and INSPIRING TR! Jan told all you guys about my recent "demise" at the start of my long planned trip (that I couldn't make) but don't ever count me out. Maybe the facelift is on my next "dance card?" Even sooner if I can get away from my Coumadin wielders!
Knob Hill looks perfect for a rehab site to me...
Bishop's Terrace photos bring back some good memories for me, too.
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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Boulder Creek CA
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Meanwhile Chelsea and I did several pitches along the base of GPA; limited by her doctor's orders to rest her torn tendon knee injury from a couple of weekends earlier. I don't think the doctor would be impressed by her means of 'resting' the knee. However yesterday's conclusion from the MRI is that it can heal without surgery, which is great news.
As we rappelled from one route, Chelsea was at the base with our pack. I was looking down from the rappel anchors and saw a bear stalking the pack. I yelled down to her and the bear tried to sneak away. When Chelsea looked around and spotted the bear, she let out a ferocious yowl and threw a big rock at it. This prompted the bear to run for about five feet, before resuming an ambling retreat.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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It would seem that many of the Valley routes are now "oversubscribed?!"
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Nice Ed!
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Nice report Ed!
Bishop's Terrace looks really good. I've never done it. I better get you to lead me up that thing.
Zander
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Ottawa Doug
Social climber
Ottawa, Canada
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Hi Ed,
Awesome TR as always. Thanks for sharing your weekend with us.
Cheers,
Doug
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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The old guys really do rule!
Especially good to see Roger and Rik back at it.
Rick
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