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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 14, 2006 - 04:08am PT
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The last Tuolumne Meadows trip of the year for me was late October, the 21st... the plan was to go up and work on a little project, "This Old Route" sort of affair, replacing bolts put in long ago, in the '70s on a route not accessible for quite some time.
Aaron had been working this with me, but he wrecked his knee playing basketball at lunch... got to watch those dangerous sports! Gary was in, he wanted to get out and play on anything. Simone asked at the gym if we were going out and if she could tag along. She was interested in doing some climbing "completely different" then her usual routine; bouldering, sport, gym...
...we can deliver!
Some days are just going to go at their own pace. At the Rt. 120 gate stopping for a potty break, we run into Linda and George... and have a long discussion, eventually the topic gets around to the new Dozier Dome routes George has had a hand in creating. They were going to the Valley, "too cold up high!"
We continue and meet Greg at Lembert Dome... and have another long discussion about bolting, wilderness, and various and sundry other climbing topics.
The sun is high enough and strong enough to get us interested in climbing. Gary and I decide that Simone needs to go up Hermaphrodite Flake on Stately Pleasure Dome... via the tunnel through.
Simone belays Gary on the pitch.
We have Gary's 70 m rope so we know he can get to the top of the flake in one pitch. With my 65 m rope I have to cheat up a bit, but it's easy and familiar ground... I emerge from the flake and snap a picture of Gary and Simone basking atop the flake at the chains.
OK, the day is late enough so that the sun is on the "rebolt" project... Gary wants to do the lead to see how the first pitch feels now that we have those bolts in... here he is low on the route; Simone is pressed into belay service again.
And with Gary at the traditional belay under the roof, Simone follows.
My lead is the second pitch. Aaron and I discussed the need to clean the rock up a bit, lots of lichen and moss on the rock under the roof. The route traverses under this roof then around the corner. Though Roger remembers the crux being the corner, I think it is definitely the traverse under the roof... but this is height dependent for sure, Aaron didn't have as much trouble as I did. I get up on top and then bring Simone up... here she is just turning the tricky corner on that great golden polish.
And Gary, who is discussing difficulties extracting pro from under the roof... you can't see it by I'm apologizing...
I took so much time cleaning and fussing with gear that it's too late to go up and replace bolts. The days are already short, and there is snow in the shadows as the nights are cold enough to let it stick... but sitting atop the roof on a perfect ledge a couple of hundred feet off the deck, in the warm glow of the autumn sun is glorious. Somehow it doesn't matter that we didn't get the whole job done. Everyone is happy.
We'll be back next spring and finish things up... and discuss it here.
Simone seemed to have a good time doing something she hadn't ever done before... I'm hoping she dug it enough to start coming out with us more... we've got to find a rope gun for all the projects we have in mind!
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Nov 14, 2006 - 07:39am PT
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Nice pictures and write-up, Ed. Brings back great memories--such a pretty place.
The tree on the nice ledge doesn't seem to have grown much.
Best, Roger
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goatboy smellz
climber
boulder county
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Nov 14, 2006 - 11:02am PT
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Right on Mr. Ed, the meadows are blissful this time of year, you kids probably had the place to yourselves.
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G_Gnome
Boulder climber
Sick Midget Land
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Nov 14, 2006 - 11:26am PT
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That was a great weekend. I was bouldering at The Knobs in shorts and t-shirt on that Sunday. And there was nobody there either. On a nice calm fall day there is no place I would rather be than The Meadows.
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