Absolutely Free to Hawkman's Escape

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Messages 41 - 58 of total 58 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
nutjob

climber
Berkeley, CA
Topic Author's Reply - May 22, 2009 - 02:20am PT
That whole 'we onsight soloed it' thing is mind-bending. Clear proof that badassedness has an exponential distribution (with well-known characters from this site pretty far on the right side of that curve).

John, how did you guys get off during that adventure? We had 8 raps and a couple hour walk-off after reaching the summit. I was looking over at the open slabs and imagining you and Walt cruisinig down that thing when it was wet. shiver

Edit: But I suppose that part would be casual after the actual business!
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
May 22, 2009 - 02:56am PT
make a big bowl of popcorn!

I like the line:

"Trophies of our Shame"

definitely route-name material!
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
May 22, 2009 - 05:07am PT
Some views of the wall from Sentinel:






nutjob

climber
Berkeley, CA
Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2009 - 05:37pm PT
And the route touches the right side of the shaking pillar on P2
Rhodo-Router

Gym climber
above the play park
May 26, 2009 - 02:08pm PT
Sounds like y'all need to check out this little canyon near Gunnison...
nutjob

climber
Berkeley, CA
Topic Author's Reply - May 28, 2009 - 03:27am PT
I admit it's a shameless self-bump, but I've gotta scratch my bro's back after he scratched mine.

Both times on Hawkman's, I wanted NO part of that backless chimney deal. First time through, I was upset when le_bruce came down partway up the pitch led by headlamp well after dark. Next morning after he went back up, I fell while trying to follow and I nearly poopled myself imagining him up there by headlamp the night before after what we had been through.

Next time in mellower circumstances, he charged it again, and I was greatly relieved. Still wanted no part of it. But I didn't fall this time!

Thanks homey for saving me from dealing with that. I guess that's a sign of a good partnership: you each follow stuff where you said "I'm glad I didn't lead that"
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
May 28, 2009 - 10:43am PT
Back in 1975 Ed Ward and I did a variation to the finish. See below the wider yellow line surmounting the roof up and to the right of the final walk-off. It was 5.11a and had several tough moves over the roof/bulge via a flaring nubbly fingertip crack with doubtful protection. The slab above was trivial.

M. Volland

Trad climber
Grand Canyon
Jun 6, 2011 - 10:03pm PT
Excellent thread guys.

Le_Bruce, Nut, and DMT;

What would you all recommend for a rack on this linkup? Biggest piece? Any doubles?

Peter, I won't ask you since you probobly went up with a #11 hex and some stoppers. Seeing as your ascents where back in the seventies and all.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Jun 7, 2011 - 12:41am PT
Rockfall, severed phalanges, people getting eaten by bears.. I'm never going near that thing again, except to climb positively 4th street.


Nutjob (you incense heathen) a couple more gotta do's just for you
The Good Book
Freestone
Powerpoint.
and
Mor/Butt,
if you haven't already
M. Volland

Trad climber
Grand Canyon
Jun 7, 2011 - 08:32am PT
Thanks Dingus.

Scott, Bryce - I just found the time to watch the feature. That was awesome, well done! So I got a look at your rack. I'm not familiar with the new camalots, but it looks like you took doubles to 4.5"? Did you feel this to be needed or was it overkill? Also, DMT said the raps were possible with a single rope. In the vid it looked like you two used a double line for the first rap, then some single raps, and then doubles again at the end. Do you feel the raps are doable with one rope?

Been on Absolutely Free Center many times, and this linkup has been on my list for a while. It is gaining momentum and moving up my list fast for my next visit.
nutjob

Gym climber
Berkeley, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 8, 2011 - 12:30am PT
Heh heh, nice revival!


Let's see.... on the big Camalots side we had new #5, new #4, old #4, old #3.5, and mixed brand doubles from #3 down (e.g. Camalots, WC Flex Friends, maybe a few aliens too). We also had a biner full of nuts and variety of slings. Basically your standard all-day adventure rack. We did use the #5 multiple times, but I think it is optional if you can run out a few wide spots.

All the raps off lower brother are beefy cut-up 9mm dynamic rope, spaced at logical intervals for climbing with 2x60m ropes. We recycled part of the ropes we sacrificed when bailing the previous year.

I would be hesitant to climb it with a single rope unless you know you are rock solid, because you may want material for back-up plans (bailing, cutting ropes if caught in the chimney while bailing, etc.)

First Hawkman's trip and another one in the Organ Mtns are why I now carry a knife in my chalk bag.

Get on up there and bring back some horror stories!
PellucidWombat

Mountain climber
Berkeley, CA
Jan 23, 2012 - 11:02pm PT
Great video! I was just pondering that linkup in the Reid guide tonight.
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
Jan 24, 2012 - 02:32am PT
Brings back the memories, thanks for the nostalgia, Mark.

M. Volland, did you get a chance to climb it last season?

Only two things I'd say:

1. I think it's not so burly as it comes off here. We're just not all that strong or talented.

2. Scott says to maybe leave the BD #5, but I was glad to have it on one of my leads.

Ed:

I knew I had written a TR of our first attempt, during which we got absolutely housed. Here's that link: Hawkman's round 1 Photo TR. Mostly pics. Read it as a "what not to do" manual, haa ha.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 24, 2012 - 09:38am PT
What no fly by from Hawkman himself?!?

Phil G enter and sign in please...
M. Volland

Trad climber
Grand Canyon
Jan 24, 2012 - 09:40pm PT
I regret to inform you LeBruce that I did not climb Hawkman’s during my last trip to the Valley in June 2011. On my first day I climbed Dream Easy at Reed’s. http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=563731&tn=40

The next day, I attempted the linkup with Sean Ghant and while very frustrating at the time, I am humored by the details in hindsight.

I have family and friends who live in the Valley and was told to dress for early spring temps as the kick off to summer last year was lagging. This was true, until the day I found myself racking up for this link-up at the Eagle Creek pull-out at about 7:00 AM. We each had two quarts of water, two 60m lines, a single set to 4.5” plus stoppers, and enough slings to rig a Metallica stage. Tucked neatly into our pockets were copies of the Hawkman’s topo as well as some of the written descriptions from this thread.

I have climbed Absolutely Free a handful of times between 2003 and 2006. So during the pre climb prep I didn’t even look at Absolutely Free, nor did I even bring along a topo for the first half of the link-up. This arrogance toward Absolutely Free would eventually be the determining factor behind the failure of the link-up. As we were turning the toe of Lower Brother, I realized that I had forgotten the details of the approach. I knew it was a simple 4th up a left angling gully/ledge to the start of the climb, but there were multiple gully systems. Turns out, I chose the wrong gully system and after being forced to rope up, we had to make a few raps to reach the base of the Lower Brother. By the time we actually reached the bottom of pitch one, two hours had past, we were dirty, soaked in sweat, and smelling of red ants. To make matters worse, I had already drank half of my water and it was quickly becoming apparent that it was going to be a scorching summer day. Not the 60*F in June weather that had been the norm.

So we ended up just climbing Absolutely Free and hiking down Michael’s Ledge to a cool and inviting Eagle Creek. And avoiding a sure epic.


The next day, I went out solo to Pygmy Pillar. http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1542106&msg=1543185#msg1543185

I will give Hawkman's another go on my next trip for sure as it looks really good.
Thanks for asking.
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
Jan 24, 2012 - 10:53pm PT
Cool, MV. Lower Brother isn't going anywhere and will be waiting. Definitely write something up when you go, if you feel like it.
looks easy from here

climber
Ben Lomond, CA
Mar 21, 2016 - 02:15pm PT
Bump for nutjob's fantastic narrative that got my palms sweating (page 2, second post from the bottom).
NutAgain!

Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
Mar 21, 2016 - 04:44pm PT
Hooo hooo hoo haa haa just had a good belly laugh remembering. It's definitely not that burly if you are accustomed to adventure climbing up to 5.10, but it's no gimme climb either. Less demanding of a day that Steck Salathe, but a few spots of more sketchy rock. It certainly kicked our asses the first time there (we were lucky to self-rescue near evening of day2 after a day of avoiding heat stroke), and the second time still bivied on top. But it's a beautiful spot to watch a sunrise.

I'll bet le_bruce would have made cleaner work of it with a stronger partner. I seem to be the common ingredient in his unplanned bivy experiences, and it certainly doesn't account for his hardest climbs.

In any case, the pain and fear fades away, but golden memories remain!
Messages 41 - 58 of total 58 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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