Trip Report
Beyond Lunacy, Reeds (bail)

by le_bruce
Tuesday February 28, 2012 2:41pm
For those of you interested, a few weeks ago, we added 5 new pitches to "Lunatic Fringe", starting above "Beyond The Fringe". 7 pitches total. From the top of Beyond the fringe, step left 20' and climb the corner(mostly hands) for 160' to belay (2b). Step left and follow 4 bolts to 10c. crux, then gear 1/4" to 3/4", then 2 more bolts to belay(2b)165'. Climb knobs next to corner to roof(10b) past 2 pins and a bolt to another small roof (10 a/b), follow line to another bolt(5.9) and up to belay(2b)180'. Head up to flake and undercling/lieback up and left to alcove, crank up (10c/d) thin fingers to thin dihedral, 2 or 3 aid moves(pin) , traverse left 50' to belay(2b). Crank up jugs (11a), to steep slab(3 bolts) to top 60'. Rappel route(2-200' ropes). Good Luck ! 5.11a A1. pro-double cams 1/4" to 2" and one 3"- Eric Gabel
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=477948&tn=0&mr=0


I read the above when Eric posted it back in 2008, let the idea simmer for a few years, and gave it a go on Saturday. Didn’t make it, but loved the pitches we did climb and will be back.

Adam racking for Lunatic Fringe – not early, but not too late. It was cold enough that we wanted to wait for the sun. He’d fallen on his first two attempts on LF in the past, but waltzed up it this morning. Stiff warmup.

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No pics of the Cummins pitch, Beyond the Fringe. This was my lead and I didn’t get it clean. Small pro, tenuous climbing at the crux sequence, a loose’ish flake that is pretty key in the middle. Felt heads up but was safe and had fun climbing. Small gear required.

Pitch 3, (p1 Beyond Lunacy): long pitch of varied 5.8/5.9 to a good stance.

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Pitch 4, looking down from mid-pitch. Thin moves between honcho knobs, good climbing. 170 ft, .10c, good pro at crux sections. Cool .10a move up high: undercling a knob, step high, lunge for jug. Beware large, loose plate mid-pitch.

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Adam on last 20 ft of same pitch:

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Pitch 5, figure out the move past the roof, keep it together of a few body-lengths to clip a pin (no falls between roof and pin). Eric mentions two pins before the bolt in his description above, but there’s only one currently. Glorious knobs to anchors.

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View from p5 anchor:

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Adam at the p5 anchor, shot from the Magical Mystery Tour anchor:

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Big thanks to the FA’ists for the work, vision, hardware. With modern routes we get this, Beyond Lunacy anchor bolt:

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Instead of this, Magical Mystery Tour anchor bolt:

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We rapped from the top of p5. Looking up at six, which looks killer:


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Happy Hummock traverse as seen from MMT anchor:

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Bonus shots of jvSF on Lunatic Fringe:

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In summary I can’t say much about Beyond Lunacy because we didn’t climb it, but the portion we did climb was high quality. I really loved pitches 4 and 5 (2nd and 3rd pitches of BL), and it looked like the final two pitches were going to be even better.

Adam on p5.
top left corner top right corner
Credit: le_bruce
bottom left corner bottom right corner

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le_bruce 		About the Author
le_bruce is a climber from Oakland: what's not to love?.

Comments
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  Feb 28, 2012 - 02:54pm PT
Love the photos and really happy you guys decided to go for it. We all only live once, and if we want to do something we should just attempt it at least (as long as we are reasonably ready for it without being dangerous) and give it our best. After reading and thinking about own rant, I think I am set on my weekend plan : )
the Fet

climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
  Feb 28, 2012 - 03:18pm PT
Nice!
mucci

Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
  Feb 28, 2012 - 05:40pm PT
Very cool,

Nice big long route. There is a cool pic of Kev following the "Happy Hummock Traverse".

Didn't this route get a repeat last year? Free at .12 something?

Salamanizer?

Bueller?
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Feb 28, 2012 - 05:45pm PT
Nice...and just think, April is just around the corner.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
  Feb 28, 2012 - 07:24pm PT
Looks awesome. Nice effort.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Feb 28, 2012 - 07:39pm PT
Hell Yeah!!!
Salamanizer

Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
  Feb 28, 2012 - 08:02pm PT
Excellent TR for an excellent route. It's like the slightly burlier and more sustained cousin of the Magical Mystery Tour. Which is a must do for anyone's list of adventure routes. That Happy Hummock traverse is.... Unique!

I freed the aid pitch in early 09 I believe. We rapped from the top of the Hummock traverse because it got dark. I didn't grade it because at the time it was slimy and running with water. I went back a few weeks later and finished the route to the top freeing all pitches in one go. The crux was still wet so I don't know. I called it 5.12Wet. But it's no harder than the Moratorium wet, so 5.11d???
Dirka

Trad climber
Hustle City
  Feb 28, 2012 - 08:03pm PT
BUMP!!!!!!!!!!!
Russ Walling

Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
  Feb 28, 2012 - 09:50pm PT
Very nice pics! Good report!
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
  Feb 28, 2012 - 10:15pm PT
Suuuuuweeeeeeeetness!

It looks really nice up there.
yosemite 5.9

climber
santa cruz
  Feb 28, 2012 - 10:55pm PT
Your photo up towards the sky at the MMT anchor shows a wall {facing left}angling off to the left and up. It brings back memories.

Dan McDevitt took me up the far left upper section of that wall, somewhat out of view of your photo, First we had ascended straight up a few pitches above Reed's Pinnacle, to the bottom edge of the upper apron way up there.

We stayed low on the upper apron, traversing fairly level to the right the first half of the way across, then up and to the right the second half of the way across, working towards the wall. Then we followed the crack underneath the wall upwards and to the left. We worked our way up and to the left, until the crack below the wall petered out. Then we mantled at the top by grabbing a perfect big knob behind the edge .

There were two good bolts with chains and rings just left of the mantle. I suspect Dan put them there as they were quality work. We rapped off with two ropes down to near the bottom of the upper apron. Then rapped down again twice to Reed's Pinnacle, if memory serves me correctly.

If you are interested in going to the top, ask McTwisted as it wouldn't be good to rely on my memory. This was 15 years ago, so things probably have changed. A good photo of this is on page 61 of Reid's Yosemite Free Climbs published in 1994. It gets very hot in the afternoon on that apron, but it is a fun route, up high, with no one around. Thanks for the pics!

I mention this because it looks like it might be possible to reach the wall in the photo from the MMT anchor. I thought you might want to know about the possibilities beyond that. We were not on the lower section of the wall, so I don't know about that.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
  Feb 28, 2012 - 10:59pm PT
Looks like a great climb.
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
  Feb 28, 2012 - 11:06pm PT
Linda following up to the belay ledge on the FA, November 2008


Eric leading on the next pitch:


a party following on those same pitches spring 2011
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
Author's Reply  Feb 28, 2012 - 11:32pm PT
Love those photos, Ed - especially the shot with the waterfall behind the climber. Frame-worthy.

In your first photo, the anchor is now on the left side of the fat, tombstone-like flake that Eric is standing next to. You can see a clump of hummocks on the bottom-left side of the tombstone. When I hit that section, I was about 30 ft out (easy ground, could have tied off a knob or two). As I stepped up onto the hummock to reach the belay stance, the hummock started to fall away. Luckily I latched onto something, but it would have been an ugly ride. It looked solid. Careful on the hummocks!
Ihateplastic

Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
  Feb 29, 2012 - 12:45am PT
Man I don't know if I would advertise that MMT hangar... likely to disappear!
PellucidWombat

Mountain climber
Draperderr, by Bangerter, Utah
  Feb 29, 2012 - 02:00am PT
Great photos! Interesting dolt bolts on MMT. I've been wondering about that route as I've looked it over in the Reid guide. Maybe a bit too much face climbing for me though :-)
msiddens

Trad climber
  Mar 12, 2013 - 05:55pm PT
Oh Great, another Gabel route I wanna do. Darn you Able!

Good stuff.
cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
  Mar 12, 2013 - 06:00pm PT
Rad. Didn't see your post the first time. I've been wanting to do this route. So one bit of aid on the 6th pitch or 5.11+/5.12?

Lots of great photos!
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
  Mar 12, 2013 - 06:05pm PT
Nice..

Makes me want to get back to The Valley.

Thank you
kev

climber
A pile of dirt.
  Mar 12, 2013 - 06:15pm PT
Culture,

Yup 3-5 feet of french - very thin steep short corner there
if my memory is correct.

The party that freed that spot said it was 12a wet I think.

GO DO IT!!
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
Author's Reply  Mar 12, 2013 - 06:30pm PT
This weekend I went up Lunatic Fringe and wished I could keep going for another effort on this stellar climb. It was about sunset, though, so not to be.

Staring at the start to that pitch off of the LF anchor stance (Beyond the Fringe I think it's called?) brought back the grippage I felt leading it. With the tiny pro and the flexing features in the crux first half, that pitch felt a bit hairy to me. Seems to me that the thank-god jug you gain after about 20 ft is going to rip on somebody at some point. Pull down, not out on that puppy!

On the other hand, that pitch would probably feel casual to an Eldo climber who is used to fishing for funky, tiny pro...
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