Trip Report
Micro-TR: Tuolumne/Valley
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Friday June 8, 2012 1:17am
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Quick early June trip to Tuolumne.
Warm and sunny in Tmds the first week in June! Run into Ed and friends by the lake.
Nobody on South Crack so John and I head up there. He hops on the finger crack lead and does it.
Endless slabs to the top, wandered around getting back to the road and made some lunch. Plenty of time to do another climb, but ended up goofing off then going up to find a spot at Junction Campground.
Next morning the wind was up and the forecast was snow by mid-day. We found our friend Adam who was catching a ride back to Santa Cruz with us and headed down to the Valley.
Jam Crack area. Couple of nice folks on Jam Crack (if you see this send me a note and I'll send some good photos of you two)
Adam grabbed some small gear and led Lazy Bum in great style.
Jam Crack cleared out and Johnny led both pitches.
The clouds were getting thick. We headed over to feel those glassy holds on Midnight Lightning and it started dumping. There was a flash of lightning as we stood there at the start of ML, but it was not a sign from any god about it being the right moment to send and we trudged back to the car in the rain and headed home.
Nice to see Lynne up at TPR and Rick at the Mountain shop, both looking good.
Mike Bolte
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About the Author
Mike Bolte is a trad climber from Planet Earth. |
Comments
Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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great to see you up in the Meadows Mike!
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Lazy Bum is great climb, havn't seen photos of it in years....
He's got it sewn up, etc?
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Author's Reply
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Jun 9, 2012 - 01:20am PT
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Sierra Ledge -
not quite as sewnup as it looks!
1) the last shot is foreshortened alot
2) those are all tiny cams so it is a really good idea to double up when you can to prevent a big zipper when one pulls
3) the plan was to put in that last microcam then run it out up the layaway and big move left. I was averting my eyes for that last move, but of course Adam just powered through with guns to spare.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Nice shots of two of my favorite climbs. I first did Lazy Bum as mostly an aid climb in January of 1973, so I'm partly responsible for some of the pin scars. It's amazing to me how short a time it took to transform it into a clean, reasonable, free climb.
John
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Relic
Social climber
Weenie
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Jamcrack was my first pitch ever in the Valley. So nice to see it again. Thanks for the TR.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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I used to put only one #3 wired up there, where he's got 4 pieces.
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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thanks y'all. good TR.
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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SLR.....go back and lead it with just one piece and let us know what you think ;^0
great photo's btw! Thanks for posting.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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I used to put only one #3 wired up there, where he's got 4 pieces.
Some people can free solo it, some cannot do it on TR. I think climbing is about pushing own limits, not comparing balls.
Doesn't matter how many pieces one places, it is a hard lead. I have not seen anyone lead that route while waiting in line for Jamcrack! Great job and TR!
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Lazy bum spit me off HARD. I'd slam as much gear as you feel like lol. That thing is stout.
edit - jamcrack is probably, all things being said, the most enjoyable sub-5.10 2 pitch route in the park. When I say most fun, I mean you can walk right up to it, its a short walk, do some relaxing jamming and rap right off. No drama, clean rock! Probably done it 5 times. Good route!
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Author's Reply
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Jun 10, 2012 - 01:17am PT
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Wow! who would have thunk that a micro-TR with a few photos of climbing could stir it up on ST? Sign of the times around this place I guess. Some folks age more gracefully than others.
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Captain...or Skully
climber
Boise, ID
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Jun 10, 2012 - 01:34am PT
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Lazy bum is a tight lead. Most folk TR it, that I've seen.
Diggin it all, maaan.
Yeah.
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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Jun 10, 2012 - 12:09pm PT
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Nice
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Adamame
climber
Santa Cruz
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Jun 10, 2012 - 12:30pm PT
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Yup I'm I Total wuss. I led Lazy Bum... And ive never seen anyone do that before. I put those cams in to save my life and to set a good example for John, who seems to runout to impress. Why criticize someone for putting in pro?
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Author's Reply
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Jun 10, 2012 - 01:09pm PT
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I completely forgot about the excellent example you were setting for that boy! He never listens to his dad. "John, schoolwork is important", "John, wear your helmet and stop for stop signs on your bike", (insider comment), "Hey dude, put in some gear!".
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Jun 10, 2012 - 12:40pm PT
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Great TR! That climb does look HARD - great lead. Thanks much for sharing.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jun 10, 2012 - 12:50pm PT
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Bummer and Lazy Bum are entirely different climbs when lead or top-roped. One has to have supreme confidence in their ability to place thin pro, often blind from strenuous positions to have any feeling that it isn't just a free solo with gear affectations.
the TR seems casual... one wonders why the grades.
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Author's Reply
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Jun 10, 2012 - 01:04pm PT
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Yup, didn't want to get all defensive, but Ed is right. Two problems with thin crack leads like this.
First is that all the spots where gear will go are where you want to put your fingers. Adam did a smart thing. He would make the moves, then put the gear down below his waist (instead of as high as he could reach like I always tend to do) where it did not get in the way. Kids these days are so smart.
Second, as Ed notes, it is tenuous and strenuous on steep, thin routes like this. Hanging around to place gear can end up being counter productive if you flame out hanging from one hand putting in stuff. Adam fixed that by being beastly strong (I mean, look at him). Kids these days are so strong.
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Adamame
climber
Santa Cruz
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Jun 10, 2012 - 01:27pm PT
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I planned that lead for years. I don't know why I finnally decided to go for it hungover and as my warmup. Maybe it was the presense of wonderful ladies. But more likely it was hanging with The Boltes, good people all around. Let's do it again soon Mike.
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Risk
Mountain climber
Marooned, 855 miles from Tuolumne Meadows
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Jun 10, 2012 - 03:07pm PT
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Corbett TR'd me on Lazy Bum twice as part of my "valley training" in the 80's, which I paid for with six packs after work. Good to see it again. Thanks, Mike!
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TomT
Trad climber
Aptos.
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Jun 10, 2012 - 03:24pm PT
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I was sitting at the base of Jamcrack around 40 years ago, and watching someone lead Lazy bum. he fell at the top, zipped out all but one of his stoppers, several from side pull, inverted, and stopped about 5 feet above the ground, 15 feet from where I was sitting. I was eating a pbj .. We stared at each other - he upside down (no helmut) , with a look I'll not forget. I've never mustered the desire to lead it (my sausage fingers don't really fit) Since then I am much better about putting adequate runners on shallow stoppers.
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