Hulk mini-DR (Donini Report)

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murcy

climber

sanfrancisco

Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 29, 2010 - 12:09am PT

My plan was to get plenty of pictures, waiting for the lulls in the action where the 67yo gasps for breath, takes naps, and so on. I ended up with almost no pictures, and so decided not to do a TR . . . until I saw that it might add just a little to the awe-inspiring flurry of Donini Reports.

But still I'll be brief. Jim posted a partner call here for a Hulk warm-up a couple of days before the Evolution Traverse attempt, and I replied. To my great fortune, the guy likes to mentor (much) less experienced climbers, and agreed to introduce me to alpine-style climbing. A few weeks later, having whipped myself into perfect shape with literally multiple runs and gym sessions, I acclimated for the night on Sonora Pass and met Jim in Bridgeport. Hiking in, I could not begin to keep up with him, and I knew enough not to try. Even with my dogging we made the low end of online time estimates, and a couple of youngsters who left 30min before us arrived at the bivvy spot 90min after we did.

What an awesome spot, and we had fine weather; clear, cool and windy, and so no mosquitos at all. We got a leisurely 9am-ish start on Red Dihedral, and Jim led every pitch. Sterling climbing, without a forgettable pitch. I particularly enjoyed the splitter crack on the 5th (?) pitch, which looked worryingly overhanging and thin from below but turned out to be much more manageable (at least with a top-rope; I didn't envy Jim the delicate leading buffeted by the wind).

I don't think we spent more than two minutes at any belay, and by the time we got back to the base, with loads of daylight left, I felt I'd learned quite a lot. (Yes, there were a couple of single-Camalot belay anchors, and they were bomber.) Jim was patient with this enthusiastic but much-to-learn climber and generous with his encouragement, and as most of you know, he is an endless source of interesting, thoughtful, and hilarious conversation.

Just a blip on his recent loop of incredibility, but for me it was super-inspiring, the best fun ever, and memorable in every way.

Zander

Trad climber

Berkeley

Aug 29, 2010 - 12:14am PT

Right on man! Thanks for the TR. There is no better way to learn than by watching an expert. I wish I'd been there.
Zander

seth kovar

climber

Bay Area

Aug 29, 2010 - 01:55am PT

Heck yeah, good stuff!!!!

Good Show...

james Colborn

Trad climber

Truckee, Ca

Aug 29, 2010 - 05:27pm PT

Saw you two signed the summit register.
Good Job.

Crimpergirl

Sport climber

Boulder, Colorado!

Aug 29, 2010 - 06:32pm PT

Most excellent!

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Aug 29, 2010 - 06:43pm PT

which day was this?

I saw a couple guys had to back track to gain the correct trail into the canyon when I was backpacking in on Wednesday up to Peeler.