Trip Report
Hawkman's Escape with Anthony 2014-10-11, EXIF style
Wednesday May 18, 2016 1:17pm
Inspired by NutJob and le_bruce's trip reports, here's another in timestamp style, hopefully with a few new views of some of the pitches.
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Lower Brother, from Sentinel Rock
Lower Brother, from Sentinel Rock
Credit: Clint Cummins
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Hawkman's Escape, Lower Brother
Hawkman's Escape, Lower Brother
Credit: Clint Cummins
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Clint on Michael's Ledge, trying to find the start of Hawkman's Escape...
Clint on Michael's Ledge, trying to find the start of Hawkman's Escape. It was hot/dry on the scrambling; the dirt tended to crumble when I stepped on it...
2014-10-11 10:25
Credit: Anthony Ho
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Anthony leading p1 of Hawkman's Escape <br/>
10:51
Anthony leading p1 of Hawkman's Escape
10:51
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p1 belay <br/>
11:29
p1 belay
11:29
Credit: Clint Cummins
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Clint starting p2 <br/>
11:37
Clint starting p2
11:37
Credit: Anthony Ho
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Looking down p2.  5.9 crux, I grabbed some gear on lead. <br/>
12:04
Looking down p2. 5.9 crux, I grabbed some gear on lead.
12:04
Credit: Clint Cummins
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Anthony follows p2 <br/>
12:47
Anthony follows p2
12:47
Credit: Clint Cummins
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Anthony starting p3 with its long runout face <br/>
12:57
Anthony starting p3 with its long runout face
12:57
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p3 first runout 13:00
p3 first runout 13:00
Credit: Clint Cummins
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view down from p3 13:04
view down from p3 13:04
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p3 got some pro 13:05
p3 got some pro 13:05
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p3 more runout 13:06
p3 more runout 13:06
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p4 first chimney 13:57
p4 first chimney 13:57
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p4 14:26
p4 14:26
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p5 Anthony starting 2nd chimney 14:31
p5 Anthony starting 2nd chimney 14:31
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p5 14:34
p5 14:34
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p5 14:40
p5 14:40
Credit: Clint Cummins
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Anthony at belay atop p5 2nd chimney 14:58
Anthony at belay atop p5 2nd chimney 14:58
Credit: Clint Cummins
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Clint atop p5 chimney 14:59
Clint atop p5 chimney 14:59
Credit: Anthony Ho
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starting p6 - stepping across to overhanging hand crack 15:07
starting p6 - stepping across to overhanging hand crack 15:07
Credit: Anthony Ho
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p6 &#40;5.9&#41; Clint getting established on lead 15:08
p6 (5.9) Clint getting established on lead 15:08
Credit: Anthony Ho
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p6 amazing overhanging jugs and flaring hand crack 15:10
p6 amazing overhanging jugs and flaring hand crack 15:10
Credit: Anthony Ho
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looking down p6 after the chimney section 15:27
looking down p6 after the chimney section 15:27
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p6 15:28
p6 15:28
Credit: Clint Cummins
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Anthony following p6 16:12
Anthony following p6 16:12
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p6 - It's finally getting easier! 16:18
p6 - It's finally getting easier! 16:18
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p7 ledge traverse start 16:25
p7 ledge traverse start 16:25
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p7 not that easy 16:52
p7 not that easy 16:52
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p7 16:59
p7 16:59
Credit: Anthony Ho
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look down from the start of p8 17:13
look down from the start of p8 17:13
Credit: Clint Cummins
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p8 some mandatory free climbing and on lead dirt cleaning 17:20
p8 some mandatory free climbing and on lead dirt cleaning 17:20
Credit: Anthony Ho
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At this point it was getting dark. We did several more moderate pitches in the dark to gain the crest of the ridge, then traversed it to the big corner.
Did many raps down the big corner. Rap stations were good slings (we tested each).
Then a lot of scrambling down steep dirt, concerned about dropoffs below, with a rappel at the end.
Then down the gully, which was long and tricky in places.
Finally reached the valley floor at 2:30am!
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Absolutely-Free-to-Hawkmans-Escape/t322n.html
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Timestamp-photo-TR-Ab-Free-to-Hawkmans-the-prequel/t12968n.html

  Trip Report Views: 3,912
Clint Cummins
About the Author
Clint Cummins is a trad climber and rap rebolter from SF Bay area, CA.

Comments
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  May 18, 2016 - 01:27pm PT
Awesome! Are the rap stations with cut rope still solid?

Remember now, be respectful and no comments like "oh we cruised that section"

Did you do the Peter Hahn variation near the top? I don't remember any overhanging stemming bits near the end, but then again I don't remember anything after that ledge a few pitches from the top.
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Author's Reply  May 18, 2016 - 01:36pm PT
Rap stations were good - glad you found a good use for the cut rope.
The overhanging stem to flaring hand crack is p6 (the second 5.9 pitch), which reaches that traverse ledge.
We did not do the Haan-Ward 5.11a finish - hey it was dark and we were plenty challenged. :-)
Coach37

Social climber
  May 18, 2016 - 01:49pm PT
The picture "starting p6" at 15:07, it looks like you are mid-whipper! Then the next pic gives away the true situation. Nice one.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  May 18, 2016 - 01:56pm PT
Ahhh... now I recognize that stemming bit. Moving the belay higher in the chimney makes for nicer pics!

But we have to talk about the volley ball pads. Totally 5.9 C0 now.
Ed H

Trad climber
Santa Rosa, CA
  May 18, 2016 - 02:04pm PT
Yo Gang! Lower Brother week on ST! Woot!
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  May 18, 2016 - 02:05pm PT
Nice! I remember when the topo of Hawkman's Escape first showed up in the community version of Pratt's notebook, with the notation "Do this route!" I also remember it being rated 5.8, which I suspected to be a sandbag.

My memories of going down Michael's Ledge after a hot, dusty trip up the Lower Brother SW Arete years before were so unpleasant, however, that the thought of heading that way again suppressed further interest. Well, that and watching a refrigerator-sized block skip between my partner and me on the A4 traverse on Koko Continuation. Now that I'm looking at the plethora of rather attractive trip reports, I have to reconsider.

Thanks for great report and pictures.

John
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Author's Reply  May 18, 2016 - 02:22pm PT
But we have to talk about the volley ball pads. Totally 5.9 C0 now.
Haha. I'm a firm believer in kneepads. You use climbing shoes, right? :-)
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
  May 18, 2016 - 02:53pm PT
Great stuff, as we get older we get wiser,
and no amount of style points matter.
Save the Knees from knocking and grinding.
getting used to climbing in kneepads takes some time, but there is no going back.
Russ Walling

Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
  May 18, 2016 - 02:57pm PT
w00t!!!!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  May 18, 2016 - 04:09pm PT
Stoke the GNAR
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
  May 19, 2016 - 06:11pm PT

Clint both times I lead this pitch I kept right, simply because it was less steep. It was hard and awkward on the right! Would you say staying left kept it at 5.9? I thought climbing the wide part on the right was mighty stiff for 5.9, but I wasn't climbing much 5.10 back then so couldn't be sure...

Did you find the rock as iffy on p2 as we did? I would have been nervous there to pull on gear because it seemed so poor!

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Must have felt good to open that car door at 2 a.m.

Edit: Would have been hard to see in the dark at 2 a.m., but Scott and I noticed this splitter on Lower Bro's west face during our walk down after the raps the next morning. Looked really good - never gone back to it. Looked too clean and splitter to have never been climbed. Not sure how long it was.

Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Author's Reply  May 19, 2016 - 10:35pm PT
le_bruce,
Clint both times I lead this pitch I kept right, simply because it was less steep. It was hard and awkward on the right! Would you say staying left kept it at 5.9? I thought climbing the wide part on the right was mighty stiff for 5.9, but I wasn't climbing much 5.10 back then so couldn't be sure...
Yeah, I thought it was 5.9 on the left.
I'm very weak on ow, so the crack on the right looked not climbable for me.

Did you find the rock as iffy on p2 as we did? I would have been nervous there to pull on gear because it seemed so poor!
Starting the pitch, sure the holds and gear looked breakable.
Higher up at the finger crack was where I couldn't commit to doing one move and pulled. The gear was good there, and slightly in the way.

I'm glad you liked the pics!
The splitter in your photo looks nice, but maybe a bit short for the long approach involved? 20'? Perhaps that explains why you haven't been back to it.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  May 19, 2016 - 07:44pm PT
Link up that thing with Split Pillar :)

Per my recollection, that traverse left from the top of the wide crack into the backless chimney was the technically hardest part of the climbing on the route (a face move or two?). First time I fell following, second time I was happy to get it clean. Both times I was happy Bryce led it.
Marshall

climber
bay area
  May 19, 2016 - 09:04pm PT

Nice Clint!
Powder

Trad climber
the Box
  May 20, 2016 - 08:52am PT
What a fun adventure!! Thanks for sharing!!

Love all the pictures...( especially ones with the kneepads. Haha Those are awesome!) They make a great story. : D That's something I need to learn to do better - taking more photos on a climb!
anthony.

Social climber
  May 20, 2016 - 02:37pm PT
Ha Clint, thanks for bringing back some good memories! That was indeed a LONG day.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  May 20, 2016 - 02:57pm PT
More TRs about this climb this year than the Nose! haha Thanks for sharing!
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  Nov 25, 2016 - 07:28pm PT
The legacy lives on. More glorious remembrances.

Nick Danger

Ice climber
Arvada, CO
  Dec 13, 2016 - 07:38am PT
I'm a little late coming to this comment party, but what wonderful photos and comments. Looks like a great climb. I might have to try the kneepad thing, as mine are getting crabby. Very much thanks for this TR!
PhilG

Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
  Dec 13, 2016 - 08:39am PT
Thanks for the trip report.
Love the excellent photos!
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  Dec 13, 2016 - 10:41am PT
Is that THE hawkman himself?
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Author's Reply  Dec 13, 2016 - 01:10pm PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]
Who wants to live forever? :-)
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