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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 18, 2009 - 02:51pm PT
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Cooke Booke Trip Report 7/12/09
Davidji and I headed up on Saturday night. Amazingly we found a legal campsite at Porcupine Flat. We did our part to stimulate the economy by paying the ten bucks. We got up at the rather leisurely hour of 6:30 and made our way over to the climb by 8:00. The standard start goes up the book on the right. If you go this way supertopo has two starts to P2, either a tricky 10c which is bad for the follower or a 40 foot rappel. Neither of these appealed to me. There is a climbing traverse between these options, which I believe is the original route.
The original route and the alternate start we took are marked on the pic below.
The first pitch has a reputation for tricky pro but I thought it was there if you go up towards the pin on the topo. If you go right directly to the corner it looks like fun but maybe the pro is scarce. However you go, the climbing backs off pretty quickly as you move up the corner
Here is a pic looking down the pitch from the belay.
Here’s a pic looking up P2.
You climb the cool flakes in the pic and then move from face into the main book. A fun pitch. The topo says you can combine pitches 2, 3 and 4 into two pitches but we used the standard belays, which are generally comfortable.
Here’s a pic looking up P3.
Looking up it seems there are a lot of features on this pitch but it proves to be surprisingly tenuous climbing. Pro is good though.
Here’s a pic looking down at the top of the pitch.
I had started the route in my t-shirt, still warm from the walk in. I was shivering in the wind by the time I finished belaying P2 and put on my fleece shirt. Several times I considered putting on my shell. This is a cold climb. Just more adventure to be savored!
Here’s a pic looking up P4, the crux pitch.
We were using double ropes, which was not really needed the way we went. This is the second time I’ve used this technique and you can see in the pic I had trouble feeding it out right and the ropes got twisted. The crux is right above the block. Tons of pro. It is a little daunting for the leader because you will hit the block if you pop. The moves are more balance than power. I was pretty happy to get it clean while following. The pitch is sustained in difficulty after that but with occasional good rests and pro. Pitches 3 and 4 are both excellent and we were completely stoked to have climbed them. We were also now in the sun, oh yeah.
P5 is kinda scrappy.
We finished up at about 12:30.
Summit Views- Fairview Dome
Mt. Conness
On the way out we still had a little gas in the tank so, since no one was on it, we did the first pitch of West Crack, which is a lot of fun.
See ya out on the rocks,
Zander
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jul 18, 2009 - 02:54pm PT
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Nice! Z-bro.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jul 18, 2009 - 03:09pm PT
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hey there say, zander... this is really neat... nice rock pics, too... not all have downloaded yet, so i am stepping in a tad early....
but very nice report, too....
say, did you take a "cook book" along to make some spectacular o l' trail-meal, to celebrate after-the-fact...
;)
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jul 18, 2009 - 03:09pm PT
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I really liked that route...
nice TR Zander... you're an inspiration! keep that mojo rising!
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msiddens
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Jul 18, 2009 - 03:15pm PT
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A great route indeed. Did it over a decade and found it great. A nice one to do if you like Crescent Arch!
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Russ Walling
Gym climber
Poofter's Froth, Wyoming
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Jul 18, 2009 - 03:18pm PT
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Hey Hey!!!! Say there hey.....!
Good job!
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
way, WAY out there....(OMG)
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Jul 18, 2009 - 03:24pm PT
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That thing looks like GREAT fun.
Great TR, man.
It's like Mike. was sayin', someplace else, just when you think
the tick list is getting shorter, it grows again.
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John Vawter
Social climber
San Diego
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Jul 18, 2009 - 03:38pm PT
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Nice TR! Thanks! I did this in, I'm guessing, '94, so my memory is a little fuzzy. We started in the small group of trees at the base of the main dihedral. The SuperTopo description doesn't sound right. I don't remember any .10c on the second pitch, but I marked my book (the '92 edition) "scary step down" where it shows 5.8 about 2/3 up the pitch. I followed that pitch and there was no rapping involved. The crux was definitely the lieback on P 4. Great "blue collar" climbing, as Byrnes would say.
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Jul 18, 2009 - 04:27pm PT
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i did the standard start and i thought it was weird and wide, oh yeah, and hard.
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Arid-zona
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Jul 18, 2009 - 04:57pm PT
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That was always such a weird weird climb. I always liked doing it but it was weird.
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Jul 18, 2009 - 05:12pm PT
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Thanks Zander...
Great TR, great photos
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Jul 18, 2009 - 05:13pm PT
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Nicely done fellows.
Good pix too.
Thanks for taking me up!
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Jul 19, 2009 - 01:42am PT
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Yeah, we froze our a$$es off too! in a fully hot spell, no less. The sun kept creeping, creeping around, but if you do this climb in the morning, you remain in the shadow of the corner the whole time, with the nice warm sun just a few tantalizing feet away, and it is damn cold. At the end of the 4th I put a directional and traversed a good 20 or so feet directly sideways to belay just sitting somewhere with crap or no anchors, just to be in the sun. Wished it had been a good bit harder though, lots of huge stemming scoops and large blobs to stand on all the way up the corner pitch.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Jul 19, 2009 - 10:19am PT
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Geez, another one I've never done....
looks pretty sweet!
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jul 19, 2009 - 10:45am PT
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Nice photos and story. Did yas drive down to the Mobil Station afterwards for mango margaritas?
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the Fet
Supercaliyosemistic climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Jul 19, 2009 - 11:10am PT
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TRs Rule!
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Jul 19, 2009 - 11:21am PT
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Hard core ! :)
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Sheets
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jul 20, 2009 - 01:24am PT
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Funny, I just did this route today for the first time.
We started the route at the left side of the bushes between the standard start and alternative start in your photograph. I don't recommend this start. I guess we took a harder variation on p3, the upper book above the big ledge.
Anyway, I thought the crux pitch was the only real fun pitch on this climb. The rest was alright.
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Dirka
Trad climber
SF
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Jul 20, 2009 - 01:34am PT
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Nice work! I never see a TR for this climb (it has been on the back burner simmering for quite some time. This may be the season). Was in the meadows this weekend, maybe I will see you the next. Thanks again.
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