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| Messages 1 - 20 of total 20 in this topic |
brotherbbock
Trad climber
Alta Loma, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 22, 2009 - 01:26pm PT
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We scored some awesome weather last weekend.......a lot of other people were thinking the same thing though!
There were 3 parties ahead of us!!!!! But the rock gods were on our side as 2 parties ahead of us bailed for unknown reasons!! So began our adventure.
I led off on the first pitch and Leo followed. Dave was the 3rd man in our group. Despite a group of 3 we were constantly sharing a belay with the party ahead of us. Nonetheless we enjoyed ourselves immensely.
Leo making the 10b move off the belay. A one move wonder for sure, but the rest of the pitch was an awkward flare with a small crack in the back, which kept the excitement flowing.
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brotherbbock
Trad climber
Alta Loma, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 22, 2009 - 01:55pm PT
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I got to lead the stellar 3rd pitch. Good exposure and fun moves.
Here is me again on the perfect hand jamming pitch, before the true crux of the route which Dave was next in the rotation to lead.
By this point a light intermittent series or droplets was hitting us from Horsetail falls. We were thankful for this as it was a hot day.
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brotherbbock
Trad climber
Alta Loma, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 22, 2009 - 03:00pm PT
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Here is a pic of the true crux pitch in my opinion. Opening awkward balancey moves made easy by Dave.
And here is the the move from the offwidth to the face.
The second to last pitch was perhaps one of the most stellar pitches of rock climbing I have ever done. Nice exposure, clean line, easy fun climbing.
Here is Dave on Lead.
And Leo on the follow.
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Inner City
Trad climber
East Bay
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Oct 22, 2009 - 03:10pm PT
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Awesome TR!! Love those photos, ah to be young and thin again....
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Oct 22, 2009 - 03:11pm PT
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These are sharp photos, brother!
I wish I had some from way back when to compare.
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Oct 22, 2009 - 03:23pm PT
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Killer TR guys!!!
Looks like great wheather too!!!
Good on'ya!
Cheers
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brotherbbock
Trad climber
Alta Loma, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 22, 2009 - 03:26pm PT
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So here is when the epic begins...........
Anyone who has done the East Ledges decent probably knows this is the wrong tree to rap off for the 1st rappel....
Well none of us have ever done the decent before.....so we had no clue we were going the wrong way. We did not top out till sunset, so for the entire decent it was headlamps and utter darkness with no moonlight whatsoever to speak of.
So here is the million dollar question. Where the f*#k is this?
We found a sketchy fixed line as seen above, held at the mid-point with rusty pins. The East ledges beta is a total of 3 rappels, but we had to do at least 6 to get off that biatch. Including ascending 200 feet of line to retrieve a stuck rope above an uncertain drop into the blackness. (Dave is my hero).
After 5 hrs of epic clambering, rappelling, and ascending we made it to the road just after midnight.
Moral of the story: Listen to people who tell you not to attempt the descent if you have never done it before and it is night time! We are stubborn and lucky I guess............what a trip.
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Footloose
Trad climber
Lake Tahoe
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Oct 22, 2009 - 03:32pm PT
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Nice photos and writeup.
Hmm... so the way I figure it, that's probably the msiddens
group just ahead of you?
Thanks for the inspiration!
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Oct 22, 2009 - 03:55pm PT
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Agreed on your assessment of the true crux.
Also, agreed on that second to last pitch being one of the most memorable I have ever done.
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Oct 22, 2009 - 04:11pm PT
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agree the 3rd & 2nd-to-last are definitely the money pitches...thanks for posting
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Oct 22, 2009 - 06:29pm PT
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Hah, found my 39-year-old TR.
A monument to bad climbing and bad writing, I don't think anyone but me ever read it.
(There was no such thing as a TR back then either.)
I'll scan and send you guys a copy, for entertainment.
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Dirka
Trad climber
SF
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Oct 23, 2009 - 12:03pm PT
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Sweet TR. Thanks for posting up!
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brotherbbock
Trad climber
Alta Loma, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 23, 2009 - 02:17pm PT
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Yeah those dudes were 2 parties ahead of us. They climbed just ahead of the group we were behind. It was a busy day, I usually never wait in a line when I climb, I tend to avoid the crowds as much as possible, but this classic was worth the wait.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Oct 23, 2009 - 02:24pm PT
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Excellent job fellas!
Glad to see you had a great outing.
Thanks for sharing the fine pix.
You were dead wrong about that crux though.....looks like it was the East Ledges, sans daylight!!
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Oct 23, 2009 - 02:25pm PT
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The tree you recommend not rapping from was the tree we used. It is three full-length and one half-length rappels to the ground from there. Clint has the full beta, I was just following his lead.
Bruce
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msiddens
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Oct 23, 2009 - 02:27pm PT
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brotherbbock...ha! Yes you were the party of three below us. We watched you follow up until we lost sight on pitch 8. Needless to say, great route and you guys are champs for pulling it off. You moved fast btw...
As to the descent.....we nailed it and perhaps read it correctly but more likely man hit the luck. Honestly, we found the ST desscription dialed for the descent but rolled with the Fish topo for the climb. Just a choice and not that one was better. I admit though that without previous knowledge and/or (most important) light....this would have been a biotch in the dark.
3 full raps made it to dirt.
Great report!
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brotherbbock
Trad climber
Alta Loma, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 23, 2009 - 02:31pm PT
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To survival: haha absolutely it was the crux :)
To msiddens: nice TR from you guys as well glad you made it down safe!
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Oct 23, 2009 - 03:09pm PT
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Bump for a great TR. Thanks.
John
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| Messages 1 - 20 of total 20 in this topic |
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