A quick trip to Tuoumne Meadows - mini-TR

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Ed Hartouni

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 28, 2007 - 02:27am PT

A Tuolumne Meadows TR... June 23, 2007
Ed Hartouni, Aaron and Cidney

Cidney was talking at the gym (Valley Rock, formerly known as Sunrise Rock Gym) that she had spied Great White Book from afar and was smitten... Gary was on a family road trip and not available for the normal weekend thrashing. Aaron hadn't been out, so the three of us went up to Tuolumne to knock off some climbs they hadn't done before.

Of course we are going to train Cidney so that she can rope-gun all the routes we want to do in the not-so-distant future. In the meantime she gets to go up classics with us...

With a 65m or greater length rope, we usually do GWB in three pitches... the first goes up to the blocks just before the chimney... here is Cidney topping out on p1

We do the next pitch to the bolt anchors... the normal pitch... here is Cidney belaying Aaron, who you can see as an orange smudge high up the corner.

Aaron has a #5 and #4.5 BD Camelot (old) in for pro, and that's it... but two more pieces than the old dads used to put in... when they weren't soloing it, of course.

From this belay, we go up the corner, and surmount the tiny roof there and work left to the ending of West Country etc. This work fine and is quick.

Aaron hadn't done the Dike Route so we went there next. He was impressed at the runout on the first pitch! I got the second, he led the crux. Here he is cruxing:

I did the next pitch, which has no pro, up to the corner. Cidney led off to the top. Way to go Cidney!

We finished up the day with Cidney leading Golfer's Route in grand style. She is getting ready for bigger and better stuff.

rhyang

Ice climber

SJC

Jun 28, 2007 - 09:54am PT

Looks like fun !

Tarbuster

climber

right here, right now

Jun 28, 2007 - 10:16am PT

Good on ya Ed,
Did you get the van fixed?

Ed Hartouni

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 28, 2007 - 11:23am PT

Tar - 510OW is in the shop still, a low mileage TDI has been located and is being rebuilt... the transmission is also being rebuilt and the 4th gear replaced to allow highway speed cruising at lower rpm, the differential gearing will also be lowered to match the diesel low rpm characteristics.

My mechanic is checking out hydrolic engine and tranny mounts to tame some of the anticipated increase in vibrations... and he is thinking he may not have to raise the engine compartment. (Hey Roger, what other cool technologies are there?!).

All this is expected to be complete at the end of July, but my mechanic is optimistic in all his time projections... not a problem as we bought a new car for Debbie and I have her other one for the interim. But I can't wait to get my ride back!

If all goes according to plan, I'll drive it out to the Veedawoo Bugaloo for its maiden road trip.