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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Apr 25, 2015 - 11:08pm PT
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My son Max flew in from Ak friday night. I had promised him two days of climbing at the new desert crags, but we awoke to a snowstorm this am. This forced a very late "alpine" start, arriving at the crags base at 3 pm after trudging through 3 inches of wet snow. Undaunted we made the coveted (haha) 2nd ascent of Left Crack on The Obelisk via the faceclimbing pillar of Tad's Song variation. A few week bands of snow showers alternated with sunshine. The crags should be good and dry by late morning tomorrow and we'll be looking to do the second ascent of the northwest buttress of the Sphinx whose 2nd through 4th pitches are pictured below.
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Apr 26, 2015 - 08:46pm PT
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It was another beautiful day out in the high desert, warm even when the wind wasn"t gusting. My son Max and i did the 2nd ascent of the northwest buttress of The Sphinx, but forgot a vital component of the bolt kit and opted not to run out the direct finish.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Apr 26, 2015 - 08:59pm PT
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Rick! Thank you for sharing your adventure with your son. I am impressed that you two kept climbing on what many of us consider a "really-crappy weekend" in the high desert of the Great Basin.
Congrats on going for it! (glad you hit a bar to celebrate on the way out!)
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Apr 26, 2015 - 09:18pm PT
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Worse than that Ron.
Thanks Fritz. We had a good time and the conditions were at least 50% favorable.
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jonnyrig
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 26, 2015 - 10:21pm PT
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Nice! Looks like fun. We all have the crud here, so couldnt make it out.
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Apr 30, 2015 - 07:48pm PT
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Well the SNORT, Seniors Nevada Obscure Rockclimbing Team ( combined age 122 years), was a little busy again in the NV wilds on this beautiful high desert (6500') day. Established the Right Crack route, 3 pitches, 330', 5.9 on the Obelisk.
We also rapped down from the top of the Sphinx and established the stellar direct finish of Northwest Buttress route. This airy 125' pitch climbs out over a huge roof then up the very prow of the buttress, with a little 5.9 near the beginning. Being a little unnerved by the void underfoot i didn't get a clean lead. With stoppers and small cams in the initial crack as well as a few cams under overlaps, and a lead placed bolt midway up the pitch, it has adequate protection. Sorry no decent pic of this pitch.
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Apr 30, 2015 - 08:10pm PT
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Tad we are still eagerly awaiting a visit from you. All of these routes we are putting up are just moderates, high quality, and well protected. You'd love it.
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Apr 30, 2015 - 08:41pm PT
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Thanks Chim. When are you going to get out there? We could use all the help we can get. There's harder routes out there begging to be climbed. Next week its the Crack Wall ( previously pictured in this thread) which should yield plenty of crack climbs in the 5.8 to 5.11 or harder range.
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jonnyrig
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2015 - 11:11pm PT
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Sure would like to climb memorial weekend; but I'm busy tying the knot. Kinda important, that.
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Tying the knot Jonny?
So is this weekends bachelor party thing Is your bachelor party?
At any rate congratulations to you and Brenda.
I might be out of action this weekend. Yesterday on the hike out I felt a pop and considerable lasting pain in the ball of my left foot as I did a twisting motion when stepping down heavily. This morning I can barely walk on it.
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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The foot ? Oh no
Planta Fasacia(spelling )??
What shoes were you in ?
Like me were you in untied lite weight hikers?
I took my eleven year old up a trail that he finds stiff and down . At the end of the trail ,with maybe a thousand feet to the car I insisted we stop and sit and breath,Talk a bit let the hart rate slow, take a drink.
When we were rested he stood up took two steps to a rock the size of a 36 inch TV that popped like a molar from its socket and rolled over stopping on the boys legg
Suspension of daddy license and big time time out!
The kid was fine but the rolling talus has been set on edge by the heavy snows and ice till mid March.
Stay careful
Jonnyrig....But if your gonna go get hitched then I'm to late in warning you and kids already may your honeymoon night be your own, with no interruptions from peanuts or crew.
We call ours 'units' but that is just cause they occupy space in a way that reminds us of the futility in trying to bring order to chaos. . .
GOODLUCK!! See that you name a climb for her but make it a name that she likes or picked.
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jonnyrig
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 1, 2015 - 07:33am PT
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Yep. Bachelor campout. Just pulled the plug. Both kids are puking this morning. I wont be going anywhere.
Rick, heres hoping that foot is just a temporary discomfort that rights itself by morning.
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jonnyrig
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 1, 2015 - 07:35am PT
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Thank you!
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pinckbrown
Trad climber
Woodfords, CA
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Chim Chim
There was a 13 degree difference in
the temperature from the valley to the
climbing location. Remember, 6500 ft.
82 in the valley equals 69 up top.
Not hot at all.
....and that third pitch direct finish,
let's just say that while coming up
second, I thought, holy sh*t, I'm glad
I didn't lead this pitch!!
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pinckbrown
Trad climber
Woodfords, CA
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Wow
Congrats to jrig & Brenda!
Hope the kids feel better soon.
Rick - hope the foot is temporary.
Tad - I don't have plans for Memorial Day
and there won't be any crowds there!
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Yeah Bob, thats what I was thinking as I messed up the lead. The void below weighs heavily on the mind in that airy position, for a geezer like me anyway.
Although the first pitch is less than stellar, the direct finish with the high quality of pitch two and three (could be combined with a 70 meter rope) below make this newly aligned Northwest Buttress route into a four star route, at least.
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pinckbrown
Trad climber
Woodfords, CA
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Oh - almost forgot
Rick & Yvonne have taken the time and effort
to improve the location by establishing a
latrine!
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jonnyrig
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 3, 2015 - 12:36am PT
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There are easier routes out here.
This was a fun 80ish foot 5.6ish climb that could be top-roped with good anchors and several lines to choose from. Rick did something else to the right on his own, probably 120 feet or so, not sure what he'd grade it at. Point is, a little something for everyone. And this just a 5 min walk from the truck.
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