Trip Report
Elephant's perch EPIC PHOTO TR, ON TOPIC!

by Ezra Ellis
Friday August 6, 2010 6:29pm
I first dreamed of climbing the mountaineers route when I read about in a 2001 climbing magazine article and had built it up to be a huge route in my mind.
One of my regular partners scott v was available and our wives gave us permission so it was on!

I have a 4 year old and a 7 month old so getting permission wasn't easy!
I decided to drive my car a decision that likely save my life!

We left town at noon on thursday and made the boat shuttle across red fish at 4:30.

cheeter's approach-scott at the boat dock

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our first view of the route

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Lichen it

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Saddle back lakes at sun set- one of the most beautiful places ever!

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Moon rise

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Sun rise

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I didn't sleep well as I had a 20 degree sleeping bad and was much too warm, was on top of the bag most of the night

P1

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Looking down p1

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Looking up p2

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Looking down p2

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Looking up p3

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Looking down at our 3rd belay

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Looking up p4

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down p4

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up p6

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We made it to the top around 3:30 pm and had started at 7:30 not to bad, we got lost on the descent and took the east slabs, as the first descent gully did not look good, we should have gone up another 15 minutes and then down the main gully.

We ran very hard to make the boat and made it there at 6:50 pm a decision I would later regret!

We had a snack at the lodge and started home.

After 2 hours it got dark and we saw some deer and had slowed down to 60 miles and hour in a 65 zone.

Then it happened, scott was driving and I see this elk 40 feet in front of us, he managed to slow to 40 before we hit, both screaming obscenities.

The engine revved to 7000 rpms and scott was standing on the breaks, the engine was what I though smoking and I was worried about a fire. scott shifted in to neutral and the engine was still spinning 7k. we made it in to some one's drive way and slammed it in to park and shut it off.

We had cell reception and called the police, they came we filled out 1 hour of paper work.

My insurance company wouldn't pay the 75 mile tow home so we had to ask very firmly as there were no hotels open at midnight which it now was.

we got home at 2 am 3 hours later then we should have.

My totaled car more then 13k in damage!
Watch out for elk y'all!

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Had we been in scotts civic, we would have likely died, the elk was perfectly positioned to come throught the wind shield!


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  Trip Report Views: 9,091
Ezra Ellis 		About the Author
Ezra Ellis is a trad climber from WA, & NC & Idaho.

Comments
Dirka

Trad climber
Hustle City
  Aug 6, 2010 - 02:13pm PT
Great TR, sorry about the car!
msiddens

Trad climber
  Aug 6, 2010 - 02:24pm PT
glad you are ok. Assuming you guys made some great elk jerky right?
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Aug 6, 2010 - 02:40pm PT
Msiddens,
they won't let you keep road kill in this state.....unfortunately....:)
Probably so the police can have it...:)
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Aug 6, 2010 - 02:50pm PT
Beautiful TR!

Thanks for the ride....er...I mean....uh...sorry for the car reference.
Dudeman

Trad climber
Idaho/Beyond
  Aug 6, 2010 - 02:57pm PT
Nice story and pics. Sorry to hear about the road kill ending.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
  Aug 6, 2010 - 02:58pm PT
Looks like some great climbing in a awesome setting!

That sucks a$$ about the car though...at least you weren't injured.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Aug 6, 2010 - 06:11pm PT
Thanks y'all,
Yeah I can always replace the car, and no one was injured,
you can't replace those memories though!

Oh, one more thing, bring bug spray, the skeeters are MEAN!
We had the deet!

Ron, My partner doesn't like when I take pics while belaying....:)
Mighty Hiker

climber
Outside the Asylum
  Aug 7, 2010 - 12:10am PT
A nice report - thanks! Too bad about your van and the ELKEPHANT, but it clearly could have been much worse.
murcy

Gym climber
sanfrancisco
  Aug 6, 2010 - 07:09pm PT
Wow; that's an amazing place. Great TR!
Captain...or Skully

climber
Boise, ID
  Aug 6, 2010 - 07:11pm PT
Hey, Ezra. Topnotch TR.
That is 1 great rock, huh? I dunno, but the bugs didn't bother me so much last July. They bit, but whatever.
Sorry about your car, man. Glad no one was hurt.
Zander

climber
  Aug 6, 2010 - 08:35pm PT
Looks like a great climb!
Sorry about your car. Glad you are OK.
Zander
Thorgon

Big Wall climber
Sedro Woolley, WA
  Aug 6, 2010 - 11:44pm PT
Ezra, Great work, I was in Idaho Falls last week, then up to Sunbeam, ID for family reunion. Miss that area and wished I had more time, Skully & I were hoping to get up The Perch! The only climbing I got in was with my former 74 year old neighbor who managed a 5.9 at Paramount near Heise, ID!!! He amazes me every year!

Thanks for sharing, and sorry you got an elk out of season!
Thor
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Aug 6, 2010 - 11:47pm PT
Pate, we braked and let off on the brakes at the last minute.... I have thought about the whole angle thing, I don't know if it was better to hit it at 40 vs 6o mph with a different angle. That passenger was dead if there was one, scarry.


Thorgon, who is your 76 year old neighbor, sounds like some one I'd love to meet, send me an e-mail if you could. The perch is amazing, hopefully you'll make it next time. best y'all!
-e
valygrl

climber
Boulder, CO
  Aug 7, 2010 - 12:45am PT
Gnarly!

When were you up there? Did you meet Z from Boulder and J from SLC?
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Aug 7, 2010 - 10:29pm PT
Vallygirl,
we were there july 22nd -23rd. We saw some people coming in on friday but did not get their names, I hope your friends had a good time!
valygrl

climber
Boulder, CO
  Aug 8, 2010 - 08:01am PT
Thanks Ezra - they just hiked out last night, so you didn't cross paths. They had a great time, & your photos were cool for me to look at and see sort of what they were up to. Gorgeous place!
Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
  Aug 8, 2010 - 10:07am PT
Ezra: Thanks for sharing the EP adventure. Sorry you had the elk adventure.

Was that by Craters of the Moon? Since there is no hunting in the National Monument, the deer hang there. I've only seen elk there once in many trips through------so you had the "special" experience.

At least when the "did you get a elk?" conversations come up this fall, you can tell stories.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Aug 8, 2010 - 10:09am PT
Nice Ezra. Sorry about the car but you're lucky it wasn't a Moose.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Aug 8, 2010 - 10:43pm PT
Fritz- I was 4 miles north of arco (heading south) on us 93. The fields near craters often have a massive amount of antelope when I visit.

Jim- I have nightmares of hitting a moose- it would not be pretty no matter what you were driving...:)

Thanks for the comments y'all!
Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
  Aug 8, 2010 - 11:31pm PT
Ezra: It is amazing that there was an elk out in the middle of sagebrush and alfalfa fields.

One bad-chance in a million!



A few years back: I did see a moose running through the sagebrush, towards the head of Birch Creek, on the road from Idaho Falls to Salmon.

The closest water was 10 miles away.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Aug 15, 2010 - 05:04pm PT
Yeah Fritz, a once in a million chance, although the tow truck driver said a herd of Elk had been in the area for a week!

Here is a great pic of the perch at sunset!


Funny story, I got a new car, it had less than 1,000 miles on it and while passing a car going 20 miles slower then the limit I blew the serpentine belt on it (likely from a kicked up rock). I just need to stop driving and start biking more....:)
Ezra

Social climber
WA, NC, Idaho Falls
  Sep 3, 2010 - 12:23pm PT
Thanks Tammi!

Yeah Glad it wasn't a Moose!
I loved your Pigeon spire write up in the last Aplinist Mag!

Best
-e
Phil_B

Social climber
CHC, en zed
  Sep 3, 2010 - 01:00pm PT
Shee-it!! That was a pretty close call. We were in Jellystone last week and I see why they have the speed limit lower at night.

Looks like really fun climbing though. Thanks for the TR
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Dec 11, 2010 - 01:41pm PT
Phil, I definitely am more careful at night any where in the region.

Missing the Warm sawtooth weather,
oh well, it's skiing time!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Dec 11, 2010 - 03:21pm PT
No Rox, they totaled the car and gave me $13K for it. So I Bought another similar car.

-e
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Dec 11, 2010 - 05:10pm PT
Thanks Rox,
I think the MR is currently rated 5.8+ in most guide books, which seems about right, we did the 5.9 variation on the 5 or 6th pitch.

I didn't notice the death block, but we belayed higher then the traditional first belay, think we belayed at a small tree on a ledge.
Best
Love that sawtooth granite!
-e
Prod

Trad climber
  Jan 15, 2011 - 11:13am PT
Great TR. I love the boat approach.

Prod.
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Jan 18, 2011 - 01:01am PT
Thanks again Ezra. Great pictures!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Jan 18, 2011 - 01:25am PT
GREAT PIX ANTI LEB BUMP
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
  Oct 30, 2011 - 11:57pm PT
Nice report Ezra.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Jul 15, 2015 - 04:51pm PT
In memory of Anna Dvorak

A personal friend of my brothers, a great human being and an all-round stand up gal.
One of the good ones was lost.

A professor of geology, at only 28 years old.

Condolences to her family and friends.

God Speed.
 Ezra
TWP

Trad climber
Mancos, CO & Bend, OR
  Oct 24, 2016 - 09:01am PT
Good pictures, good read, good story. And the subtle near miss. Driving home (supposedly safe) nearly kills you; climbing the rock (supposedly deadly) - no problems. Nearly killed myself on the drive home (due to physical exhaustion/failling asleep at the wheel) after a hard day climbing at Granite Mountain in 1980 (or so). The thread holding us to life is tenuous and can break at any moment. Live for now. Starting now.
Captain...or Skully

climber
Boise, ID
  Oct 24, 2016 - 11:41am PT
Bump to be stoked!
Happy Cowboy

Social climber
Boz MT
  Oct 27, 2016 - 05:53am PT
Enjoyed your trip report Ezra. The Sawtooth's are an awesome range. Great pics and story. Very sorry for your meeting with the Elk. Pleased the two of you weren't hurt. Long ago I worked for an outfit that ranged cattle in the Centenials, north of Blue Dome on Birch creek. Remember some huge Elk herds!
Now, I'll open myself to pot shots. Remember folks, there was serious injury to more than the car, possibly a life taken, the ELK. This is not personal Ezra, nor blame, just, hope, at thoughtful discussion.
I'm in my 60's and lived it all Utah to Wyoming then Montana. Practiced in the art of driving thru wildlife's home. 37 years ago I had the experience of dragging a spotted baby fawn out from under my Dasher in the middle of the night to make certain it was dead. I banged away at my dash as I drove off, very angry at myself. I can still hear the mom's baying in the blackness as I left her with crumpled offspring.
It frustrate's me when I read more of "how to hit" rather than "avoid"!

I believe there's a common theme we climbers appreciate, wildness. Show respect. The "my grill to your grill" jokes get old when living near abundant wildlife.

Thanks Ezra for the TR
drF

Trad climber
usa
  May 15, 2017 - 01:23am PT
End of June....should be good to go. The creek crossing log bridge(or lack of) would be the only potential issue. I would imagine the guides up there will have that all sorted out.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  May 15, 2017 - 06:06am PT
Nice Ezra....the best single alpine rock buttress in the country!
Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
  May 15, 2017 - 07:22am PT
Moosedrool: Re conditions end of June. Currently, the snowpack is record-setting & is at 200% of normal. The creek crossing will be possible, but might be "interesting." Per the late summer photo, above the big waterfall, you will be right under Elephant's Perch & almost certainly on snow. Bring an ice axe, since there are some fairly steep passages.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Apr 16, 2019 - 03:22am PT
I own all the images in this report, and yet all the links were deactivated.
Disappointing.
Reeotch

climber
4 Corners Area
  Apr 16, 2019 - 04:36am PT
That's what you get for trusting "the cloud" with your stuff. I'd be pissed. Photobucket, yeah right, all you get is a bunch of pop-ups and click bait.

It is a great TR and a great climb though . . .
Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
  Apr 16, 2019 - 08:11am PT
Ezra! Sorry to see that you now have to link to your photos in this fine TR.

The photo of mine that remains in the comments, was posted through Supertopo, for what it's worth.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
Author's Reply  Apr 16, 2019 - 08:32am PT
Thanks Fritz, not sure if I have quality pictures left of this one.
The auto load links worked fine a couple of months ago. All third party Hosted TRs now won’t load due to supertopos current policy.

I have loved this site as a climbing resource.
Sad that this has happened.
I took all of the above photos.
Best
Ezra
Off White

climber
Tenino, WA
  Apr 16, 2019 - 01:06pm PT
Ezra, I just looked at your pics from this report, link took me to photobucket. Kind of ruins the TR though.
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