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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Paul Linaweaver,
Thanks for sharing the Bighorn topo!
Bruce (and Eric),
I think Cerro Knarle' and South Face are likely the same route, but waiting for Paul Teare to reply.
Paul Teare and Todd Worsfold did a second "crumblier" route a little to the right, where they wrote "Cerro Knarle'" on their page in the summit register.
But they may have been calling the formation Cerro Knarle' at that time.
Since Wayne Wallace wrote Cerro Knarle' in his journal earlier,
might as well call that first route Cerro Knarle' if the formation had previously been named The Sphinx?
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 4, 2016 - 02:17pm PT
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I think Cerro Knarle' and South Face are likely the same route, but waiting for Paul Teare to reply.
Just got to be patient. I'm sure it'll all clarify itself when other imputs come in. I've learned form tech writing that if you try to incorporate each change as they come in from marketing and/or engineering, you'll spend tons of energy going back and revising everything to match the new input. If you hold on to the inputs for a while, you'll be able to change everything at once and make the whole thing accurate. Better than Rev. 1A and Rev. 1B and Rev. 1C ad infinitum, ad nauseum.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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The advantages of procrastination! (Sometimes I take it way too far, though).
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Stewart Johnson
Mountain climber
lake forest
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After Wayne and I did the second ascent
of The climb Cerro Knarle' it became apparent
that Fletcher Wilson (Wayne's partner on the FA )
had named the entire peak Cerro Knarle'
That was in 1984.
We have been calling it that ever since.
The Sphinx is a nice name but not what the
first modern climbers referred to it as . Ask Wayne.
And in addition the south face route I
Climbed with Todd Worsfold is a
Completely different route which is right
of the Cerro Knarle climb.
As far as me locating that I've got
a pretty good idea where that is but I'm going to
go have a proper look up close and talk
to Todd as it has been awhile.
We didn't keep such a tight record of
climbs like Wayne did.
Cheers Paul
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 14, 2016 - 12:48pm PT
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Much to my surprise, when I hiked up to take some better pictures of the "Ellery Arete" (5.10d) on the Spillway Crag, I immediately noticed that the entire face of the arete had collapsed and, in the process, taken out all 4 protection lead bolts plus the double-bolt anchor on top:
Always seemed sort of creaky and fragile, but not so creaky and fragile it would collapse. A couple weeks ago, Rick Accomazzo said he climbed it, but he must have climbed the "Ellery Arete" (5.11a) because from the photos, it's obvious the "Spillway Arete" was obliterated at least two years ago, probably during the winter from the weight of snow on top. But who really knows for sure?
Suppose it could be bolted and re-established, except the angle is much lower now, resulting in a much easier route.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 14, 2016 - 01:06pm PT
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Think the Sphinx has gone by a good number of names, including "Mt Crumblepies", "The Pope's Hat", "Cerro K'narle'", and "Prong Horn" (?). There must be more?
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Stewart Johnson
Mountain climber
lake forest
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Sep 14, 2016 - 01:14pm PT
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The Sphinx is a nice and proper name,
There's a lot of people saying.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Sep 14, 2016 - 02:08pm PT
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Bruce,
You're right. Brassnuts and I climbed the Ellery Arete, to the right of the 5.9 crack. Funny thing, the whole talus slope above the crag seemed unusually unstable, and while descending we both slipped on what seemed to be a really fresh scree slope. I had a hard landing, and I am still bruised from it.
Also, at the base of the 5.9 crack, Gold Mind,there was a block with a bolt drilled into it sitting at the base, which seemingly must have fallen from the crag.
All this to say that it may be that the cliff or the entire slope is moving, so be careful over there.
Rick
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 14, 2016 - 03:01pm PT
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Think the area above and behind the Spillway Crag was dynamited by the early miners, Rick. In my first pic of the Spillway Arete, I think I can detect some of the features of the old route, laying on top of each other, that are actually down by the Mining Road now. Exciting!
Here's one I took from the Tioga Road of Eric Gabel's "Warren Towers", which suggests the long approach march up to the base:
However, I hear from locals that a much easier approach would be to go up Warren Canyon and turn east toward Lee Vining Peak and then descend to the base of the Warren Towers from above. Much gentler slope up a creek bottom that way.
But to each his own!
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Sep 14, 2016 - 03:33pm PT
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Paul Teare,
Thanks for explaining about the name of the formation and routes.
It seems like the name Cerro Knarle' should be used somewhere.
If not for the formation, then for Wayne's FA?
If so, then we'll need a name for the FA you did with Todd.
I just tried sending Todd an email via his profile, as he has posted here in the past. I sent him a message on facebook, too.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 15, 2016 - 01:28am PT
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Here's a telephoto of the upper stretch of Eric Gable's "The Backbone" (III, 5.7) taken a few days ago from the Green Bridge overlook on US 120:
Eric Gabel is correct: in just the right light the line stands out. I think you can even see the 5.7 crux lie-back move to surmount the big block.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Sep 15, 2016 - 01:34am PT
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Much improved angle and lighting!
Line is looking good, too - matches the larger photo.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 15, 2016 - 01:58am PT
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Think you can see the whole "Backbone" ridge in this larger pic taken in the same light as the first telephoto:
Makes you want to climb it when it's showcased in the right light. If Lonnie liked it so much, it must be way cool.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 17, 2016 - 12:09pm PT
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Just photographed and drew this new topo for the "Chicken Foot Cracks" in Ellery Bowl down and to the east of "Speed of Life":
Scott Cole and Grant Hiskes did the lower 2 cracks back in 1977 and Urmas Franosch and I did the 5.10a continuation in September 1990. The OW continuation could use some solid anchors. I seem to remember wrapping off some chock stones stuck in the crack at the top of the OW. Certainly not the best climbs in the area, but they definitely are there.
To find them, wander west across the talus from the Queen Jane Area passing heaps of unappealing choss.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 18, 2016 - 01:17pm PT
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Here's a recent shot of the unnamed trad 5.6 route to the left of the "Gold Mind" (5.9) in the center of the Spillway Crag on the Ellery Mining Road:
FA: Norman Boles and Brian Bennet, late 1980s. A few nuts and cams.
Just put it here because I've actually seen people leading it from time to time.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 7, 2016 - 11:07am PT
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Took a more intimate shot last week of the North Ellery Ridge (5.6) from the Warren Creek turnout on the Tioga Road (US 120):
Gives a pretty good idea of the epic scale of this low numbers but beautiful arête route. Easier than the "The Backbone", but with views that are no doubt just as spectacular.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 7, 2016 - 11:14am PT
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Spotted a off-width crack that is located about a 1/2 mile west of the junction of Poole Power Plant Road and the Tioga Road (US 120):
There's a granite bench just below that hides it from traffic on the Tioga Road and it seems to have a companion chimney climb to its right.
Anyone investigated these obscure beauties? They seem winter-friendly, even in snowy Lee Vining. Maybe some slab routes too?
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 7, 2016 - 12:02pm PT
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Took this telephoto of the second crack pitch of "Cerro Knarle" (III 5.9) on the Sphinx formation last week:
You can see where CK crosses the first pitch of the Orange Chimney (5.9). It looks like you can see the 3rd 5.9 crack pitch of Cerro Knarle too perhaps? The rock on the Sphinx actually looks pretty good, but the road-cut approach leaves something to be desired I thought.
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Belmont, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 10, 2016 - 12:44pm PT
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Bump for more info on Cerro Knarle. Think I see 3 of the pitches in my tele.
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