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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 12, 2008 - 03:42pm PT
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The info on climb this is scattered across a couple of wide/offwidth threads, so I thought I would collect it here.
Location info:
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Author: Ben Wah - Jul 16, 2004, 10:09pm PT
Viva Gorditas is the obvious bombay flake on Lower Brother left of Maple Jam. It can be rapped with one rope.
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Author: Elcapinyoazz - Nov 12, 2008, 07:55am PT
Ed and Jay, you don't need a topo for Viva Gorditas. Walk up to the base of Maple Jam and look up, it's obvious. A 3rd class munge/hummock approach pitch then the goods. Bombayish flare trending left. I think there's even some pics of the FA in the random gallery at the Fetish.
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FA info:
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Author: Ben Wah - Jul 15, 2004, 03:14pm PT
"Viva Gorditas" is my to-date testpiece; Jason Smith (AKA Singer, who is now at geographical antipodes to us) followed it with a hang, and Magoo (Cedar, he'll tell you his name is) flashed it for the second ascent. That was the last ascent of it that I know of. It's pretty cool. I'd like to know whether anyone else has bothered with it.
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photos of Ben Wah on the first ascent:
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Author: gumbyclimber - Nov 1, 2007, 04:03pm PT
Viva Gorditas!
The ascentionist is BenWah. Magoo scored the 2nd, after that I believe it hasn't been done.
Lower Brother. Left of Hawkman's, a heinous, obvious feature and an instant classic; you can't miss it. It's truly a unique route complete with a pretty surly rack; maybe 3 #5 camalots. Approach pitch is a memorable munge fest; punch holes in the dirt and there are #3 Camalots back there, if I remember correctly.
Here's a few more images. You can see where some blocks clocked Ben in the face when he reached up and pulled them out.
Enjoy.
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original threads:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=37685&tn=40
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=472664&tn=40
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 12, 2008 - 03:42pm PT
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How about more location info?
Maybe the bombay flake is obvious from the base of Maple Jam, but since one person described it as being left of Hawkman's, I wonder if it's above or below Michael's Ledge?
If it's above Michael's Ledge, Eric Gabel has several routes there which are not in the guidebook.
I thought I'd provide a few photos of the crag, and maybe somebody can draw in the location?
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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Nov 12, 2008 - 03:46pm PT
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I am So in!
Does it have a rating, or is that not part of the deal?
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Redlands
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Nov 12, 2008 - 03:55pm PT
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Clint, the start of it is about a pitch or so off the deck, slightly left of and above Maple Jam. You really can't miss it from the base of MJ, it's the only wide looking thing up there. Kind of intimidating looking as it's dark, dirty, and it looks like the finish would not be totally obvious after the wide stuff runs out. No idea on the anchor situation or where they ended the pitch.
There is (or was a year ago anyway) even a cool little spectator's seat almost right under it, tucked into the shade of a low tree, where someone took a very thin flat plate of talus and turned it into a low bench.
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martygarrison
Trad climber
The Great North these days......
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Nov 12, 2008 - 03:59pm PT
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How hard is this thing?....Clint I sent you an email with a question on another route.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 12, 2008 - 04:15pm PT
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Will,
Thanks for the additional details.
So I think here is the location on the photo:
I don't know the rating.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Nov 12, 2008 - 04:22pm PT
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What does "Gorditas" mean?
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Albert
climber
The Valley
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Nov 12, 2008 - 04:23pm PT
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I'll probably see Ben today at work.
If so, I'll try to get some info out of him...
oh, and it's not off of Michael's Ledge.
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Redlands
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Nov 12, 2008 - 04:28pm PT
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I found this bit I wrote about it last year, mostly repetitive of what I already wrote above, but should be accurate since it was written a not long after I was up there:
"Nov 2, 2007: Went up and looked at Viva Gorditas a couple times this summer, once while climbing some lower bro base routes and once while cleaning the debris out of Maple Jam. If you're standing at the base of Maple Jam, just look up and a bit left, it's a very obvious feature starting about 250' up.
Those pics don't quite reveal how traversing/horizontal that rig is. Looks a little like a longer 1096 but slanting the opposite way. And the bit about "mungey approach pitch" is an understatement. Think about 200' of dirt/moss/heather/stacked loose blocks and gravel on ledgey and low angle terrain. Never could convince anyone to try it with me. The one guy I got over there looked at it and went "no way dude, that thing looks filthy".
One question: Where does it end? After the wide bombayish flare feature ends is there a fixed station or does it turn onto the vertical face and go up to the ledges? "
Edit for Anders: I'd bet the name came from the Taco Bell chihuahua commericals around that time, "yo quiero taco bell" and all that. Gordita was some greasy taco like concoction.
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Colby
Social climber
Ogdenville
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Nov 12, 2008 - 04:38pm PT
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Friggin Ben,
I love this guy, even if his fundamental Christian view doesn't allow for it.
Good to see pictures of the rumors. Talk about unassuming.
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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Nov 12, 2008 - 04:44pm PT
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It is a feminine derivative of the word gordo, that means fat
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cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
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Nov 12, 2008 - 05:21pm PT
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A litteral translation of Viva Gorditas would be "long live the little fatties"
Since it's Gorditas and not Gorditos, it is a reference to fatties of the female persuasion (or objects that take on a female persona like a boat or a car).
However, in this case, I believe the reference is to Taco Bell and the little dog that was dressed up like Che Guevara. In the commercials the dog would be standing in front of a large crowd and saying "Viva Gorditas" into a microphone:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/104982/viva_gorditas/
Take that Che! Nice legacy.
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Albert
climber
The Valley
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Nov 16, 2008 - 03:55pm PT
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OK, here's the info from Ben himself:
Viva Gorditas was, in fact, named after that retarded taco bell commercial.
It's 5.11c
The anchor is two 3/8" bolts
The rack: single cams to #7 (Yates big dude)
There you have it.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Nov 16, 2008 - 04:05pm PT
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I note that the poster says "Viva Gorditas - the Revolutionary Taco."
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Nov 16, 2008 - 04:12pm PT
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oh my acing back...
good news though! Gary can probably set up his crack in that flare-squeeze configuration and we can train for it...
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Atonement for my political posts, bumping for a route in my bucket list. I think it would take a few years of focus and surrendering other life distractions to get skilled enough to justify me trying it.
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