Shuteye Trip Report - photos Vets Day '09

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Slater

Trad climber

Central Coast

Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 13, 2009 - 12:21pm PT

With Veteran’s Day landing on Hump Day, three friends and I headed up to Shuteye Ridge for a 24 hour blitz. Rain and possible snow were forecasted (although not much materialized from it all) so we didn’t expect blue skies and sunshine.

This picture shows the Balls and the high Sierra above what we think is haze from a controlled burn. However, the skies were sort of icy all day, with high clouds being the norm.

On the hike in, you just can’t pass up hopping on a boulder or two (or three or four), even if you’re not into that sort of thing. It offers a nice break from the hike in.

Of course two of our group were late showing up (stuck at Starbucks) so I had to leave directions on the back of my truck. It worked. Notice the map on the bumper. They ended up buying us pizza and beer later that evening so I’m glad they caught up with us.

One route we put up climbed a fun arête. Nothing hard, but the rock was great. Void of knobs, we used cams and bolts. This is my nephew following the first ascent of The Rainbow Oyster 5.7.

Here is my nephew doing the short second pitch to Edge of Sleep 5.7. Another first ascent. It wanders all over the wall, threading through a sea of knobs.

This is my favorite picture of the bunch and shows the true beauty of Shuteye. He is following the first pitch of Edge of Sleep.

Matt Geyer cruising up Sleepwalker 5.8 (anyone know who did the FA?). This was the first route on the wall. It was marked with a bolt near the base. We did a variation with just a nut.

Here I am (next two pictures below) doing the FA of Edge of Sleep. The rock on the upper slab is highly featured and just blows your mind. Too bad it wasn’t steeper.
One route (Cosmic Rodeo 5.7) required one nut and slings only for a full 130’. All you had to do was lasso knobs. Glad I read Munge’s thread on slinging knobs AFTER we got back. You can turn this route into a sport route if you sling enough knobs. There are so many, I bet you could tie off at least 15 bomber ones. Any maybe only half would break?!? Safety in numbers.

This is my nephew following me on the FA of Sunset Shamen 5.8, which climbs a water groove. Great lieback moves.

And of course no Shuteye trip is complete without a radical sunset picture. Not bad for 7 hours of climbing on a short, California winter day mid-week. When I got back to work on Thursday I kept thinking it was a Monday. Shuteye wiped the slate clean. It has a way of doing that.

Hope you enjoyed the views.

bluering

Trad climber

Santa Clara, Ca.

Nov 13, 2009 - 12:31pm PT

Nice!!!!

The Shuteye is so bitchin'....

TKingsbury

Trad climber

Nov 13, 2009 - 12:32pm PT

Wow, the more pics I see of that place the more I want to go!

I wanna climb on those features!

KICK ASS!

Thanks for posting!

mojede

Trad climber

Butte, America

Nov 13, 2009 - 12:34pm PT

Great looking rock there, nice shots of your crew getting out in November and hitting it.

Nate D

climber

San Francisco

Nov 13, 2009 - 12:38pm PT

Beautiful rock. Have always wanted to get out to Dreamscape.

Don't know who did Sleepwalker. Looks like Vernon may not have noted the FA in his notes. And yet it has a name...

susu

Trad climber

East Bay, CA

Nov 13, 2009 - 12:38pm PT

Nice TR! Enjoying the photos!

Grahm Doe

Sport climber

Just South Of Heaven

Nov 13, 2009 - 12:40pm PT

Good work Tom! Glad you guys got in some Fa's and had fun.

Don't forget were taking the snowmobile up soon!!!

hossjulia

Trad climber

Eastside

Nov 13, 2009 - 12:44pm PT

Nice nice, thanks for that.

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Nov 13, 2009 - 01:08pm PT

snowmobiles = brilliant

Looked featured enough for stance, but I'm betting hanging off slings on the knobs was the call of the day. Those knobs look stellar!

Slater

Trad climber

Central Coast

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 13, 2009 - 01:18pm PT

Yeah, we had a drill, but seriously didn't need it much. Like I said, one route we started up but just used a nut and about 6 slings. We only bolted two routes that were knob-less. SS all with chain hooks for a rap. Gotta give GRAHM big props... the trail was doable thanks to him and his hard work. The brush can be just insane when you stray off the path. It was like swimming uphill and against the current. Comical. Thank you Grahm!

Nate D

climber

San Francisco

Nov 13, 2009 - 01:42pm PT

Tom,
Did the water groove on Sunset Shaman constrict enough to accept any big cams or Big Bros? That can sometimes be the case with those awesome shallow grooves. Care to share any more pics of that one?

Slater

Trad climber

Central Coast

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 13, 2009 - 02:03pm PT

Nate, it was like a mini Lava Falls, it was shallow (1" deep) and about 16" wide. Impossible to use protection. No knobs either. I placed the bolts outside on left to keep them out of the water slide. You can climb it various ways, gaston, frontal attack, but liebacking the left lip was most efficient. Steep and tricky for only 5.8. About 40', 5 bolts. Fun indeed. This whole wall would be a great first visit for beginners, guided by experienced climbers who can tie off knobs safely. Most of the other stuff is way hard... can you guess the grade?

edit- from the angle in the previous photo it looks like a 1" crack. It is deceptive at that angle. It's really a shallow 1" deep x 16" wide scoop that runs the length of the wall. I'm not a crack bolter. If I can save a bolt and use a sling,nut,cam than I will. Plus bolting cracks should be avoided.

rhyang

climber

SJC

Nov 13, 2009 - 02:47pm PT

Looks great !

msiddens

Trad climber

Mountain View, CA

Nov 13, 2009 - 03:51pm PT

Nice....love that you rolled it this late in the season!

mucci

Trad climber

The pitch of Bagalaar above you

Nov 13, 2009 - 10:08pm PT

Very nice TR!

That last pic of the water chute is badass!

I can't believe I just read a Shuteye TR on the big board! OH NO!

Way to get in and get er done!

Mucci

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Nov 13, 2009 - 11:19pm PT

Very cool. Love how featured the rock is.

I noticed your Young Life sticker on the truck. I have been involved with YL for going on 30 years now. First going to club as a HS kid and then as a leader and now as a board member.

Zander

Trad climber

Berkeley

Nov 14, 2009 - 12:15am PT

Oh Yeah! Nice.
Z

TripL7

Trad climber

'dago'

Nov 14, 2009 - 07:04am PT

Beautiful.

Thanks!

Trip~

Slater

Trad climber

Central Coast

Topic Author's Reply - Nov 14, 2009 - 12:21pm PT

I know that those of us who visit Shuteye regularly think it's a secret spot, but it isn't. With a thread in the main Forum going on 1,000 posts with photos I thought it was a safe time to post up a TR. I even tried to be vague but someone ID the spot anyway, ha ha. There goes the neighborhood.