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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 7, 2010 - 10:34pm PT
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Heidi and I took an invite from DudeMan and his friend Chalkjockey to hit City of Rocks------one last time, before the snow starts next week.
It was supposed to hit 60 degrees for a high on Thursday---and did!
Heidi & I drove down (two hours) early on Thursday, and for a warm-up climbed an easy two-pitch route on Bath Rock.
Then we drove up to The Breadloaves to meet Dudeman and Chalkjockey at Bloody Fingers.
It appeared the four of us had COR pretty much to ourselves, except for two climbers from New York: that couldn’t wait to start south to Indian Creek.
Dudeman & Chalkjockey warmed up on a great 5.8 slab route (Twist & Crawl) and left a rope so Heidi and I could entertain ourselves on it.
They walked a few steps south to Bloody Fingers, one of the COR classics. Bloody Fingers 10a, is mostly a thin crack climb, that starts hard and finishes hard.
Dudeman had Bloody Fingers wired from previous visits, but Chalkjockey had previously only top-roped it once.
Chalkjockey is a very-good climber, but had never led a “trad-route” harder than 5.8.
After watching Dudeman lead it, Chalkjockey led up Bloody Fingers -no problems. They each led it again, while Heidi and I watched in wonder.
Heidi finally tried the start. Dudeman counseled: “Don’t try to lieback it.”
Ah yes! It is a tricky little piece, and an “ankle-breaker” for those that don’t protect it. Heidi didn't get far and I didn’t even bother trying.
Dudeman and Chalkjockey didn't get very bloody after a total of five trips up Bloody Fingers, between them. Dudeman at the end of the day did have one "Bloody Finger."
Raining at the City today, and snow tomorrow!
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Fritz-
Color me "envious!" er...green.
Bloody Fingers is supposed to be the "Best" 5.10a at the CoR. Followed by Thin Slice.
Great pictures, Fritz.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 8, 2010 - 12:06am PT
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Brokedown: Good to hear from you. I watched Tom from Maine lead and Donini follow Thin Slice this summer. Bloody Fingers is more esthetic, but they are both totally cool routes.
For our warm-up: we climbed Tree Route on Bath Rock. It was not a great route. It wasn't until the second lead, that I realized I had led it back in the 80's. We should have done Cowboy Route instead.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Fritz;
The Tree Route even looked "do-able" back in August while we were there. Yeh, didn't look great, but at that time I was more interested in just "doing something" without hurting too bad.
Cheers!
BDC
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Beatrix Kiddo
Mountain climber
ColoRADo
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That is one of my favorite single pitches in the City.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Fritz-
I've attached some beta photos for the Tree Route.....
BDC
Here's another one:
And another...
Bingham's guidebook depicts the route on pp.122-123, and assigns a 5.5 rating, with one star. I bouldered the start our last trip, but didn't go very far up.
BDC
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Tahoe climber
climber
Davis these days
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Beautiful route!
Led that route on-sight on my birthday in September.
It capped off a week of perfect weather, hard sending with awesome friends, and was a hell of a way to start a birthday.
TC
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Neat stuff, Fritz, Brokedown. . .it's now on my list!!!!
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ddriver
Trad climber
SLC, UT
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I climbed the runout face right of Bloody Fingers one time and a climber on Bloody Fingers reached the shared belay about the same time I did.
He complained that one of his shoes felt tight, so he took it off at the belay. Found a fig newton in his climbing shoe! I watched him pull it out. Led Bloody Fingers with that fig newton and never realized it. How the hell do you do that?
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 8, 2010 - 02:32pm PT
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ddriver & Brokedown: Was the filling on the Fig Newton then converted to "toe jam"???
That route just to the right, "New Toy" 10bR, was mentioned by Dudeman as being lots of fun: if you didn't like "over-protecting."
But then again, he admitted to free-soling Bloody Fingers, "back in the day."
I believe he said two bolts in 100 Ft on New Toy.
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Captain...or Skully
Big Wall climber
Transporter Room 2
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There's a 2 pitch route on Bath Rock? Wow, it doesn't look big enough for 2 pitches.
Ah, well. I'd like to get out there again sometime.Excellent stone.
Nice pics, Fritz.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 8, 2010 - 03:11pm PT
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Skully: I think almost all the routes on the east-side of Bath are one & 1/2 leads: although you can cheat on Cowboy & Cowgirl route, if you solo up to where it gets steep.
Heidi usually won't climb on east-side of Bath Rock, because she hates "Tourons."
Many summer days you will have at least 30 people, who have almost no clues about climbing, in the parking lot right across the road. Twenty of them will be small children screaming at each other and their parents.
Distracting to say the least.
On Thursday Nov. 4th: we didn't even have a car drive by while we were climbing there.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Many summer days you will have at least 30 people, who have almost no clues about climbing, in the parking lot right across the road. Twenty of them will be small children screaming at each other and their parents.
You can do what I do in that situation: publicly crank a beer, then, go solo the Cowboy Route in your flip flops.
Nothing like settin' a good example for the chillins...
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 8, 2010 - 04:01pm PT
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Brian: Woohoo! Indeed you are a bad example for "the Brethern."
Since COR does have a regular deer hunting season: I did think about wearing Blaze Orange for climbs and approaches last week.
The worst case scenario did not play out.
"Bubba! Look at dem damn deer up on that rock! Git em!"
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chalkjockey
climber
twin falls, idaho
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Thanks fritz. nice pics and thanks for posting it.
dudeman led "new toys" after you left. since he pulled it through, i had to lead it too. I wasn't as confident, but i led it too.
then, since there was enough light to see our bags at the base of the crag, dudeman took me to that other route you were talking about... "thin slice"
He doesn't slow down, but i did. i didn't feel like i could do it on lead, so he left the gear and i "pinkpointed" as he called it.
we should find some excuse to meet up again before next season.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Fritz-
These pix really have me psyched up to make an early return to CoR. Thanks for posting! I should be completely healed up by Spring, and in Waaaaay better shape.
Cheers!
BDC
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 9, 2010 - 11:14am PT
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Chalkjockey! Welcome to the forum! I changed my first post on this thread to show your Super-Topo name.
You both led New Toys10bR!! Totally RAD!
I figured you both had another route in you, but didn't dream it would be one of that level of commitment.
and then------in the near dark hours Dudeman and you run up Thin Slice 10a!!!
I was cold in long pants and long-sleeved shirt, and Dudeman was in shorts and t-shirt all afternoon too.
Guess he needed to climb a lot to stay warm. By all means! Let's stay in touch.
Brokedown: glad you are inspired and looking forward to next year.
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Dudeman
Trad climber
Idaho/Beyond
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Just a few pics from Bloody Fingers. Had a blast looking forward to more fun soon.
Sinker hands
and sweet fingers
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