November 3rd, 2011
When asked what she wants for her birthday, I’m sure most 25-year-old women would have some elaborate plan or gift in mind…I, on the other hand, chose a cold, windy summit up what we hoped would be a first-ascent. Although it turned out to have had previous visitors (none of whom we had heard of), the Serrated Ridge of Lone Pine Peak was an adventure in the purest sense.
Myles and I had climbed our first route on the south side with our dear friend Phil Bircheff the day before. Autumn Ledges, was the perfect introduction to this peak; we were able to gauge the approach and dial the descent while having a blast in beautiful weather with our 62-yr-old hero! The next day, my birthday, we had plans to do a grade V called the Summer Ridge Route. However, after arriving at the base, we were both captivated by the Serrated Ridge which lies directly behind the Summer Ridge, forming the gully of the Winter Route. We had looked at it from afar previously, and when we noted that Secor mentioned no routes going up it, we planned to undertake it at some point. As we got closer, we saw an amazing crack system leading up the first portion of the ridgeline. Myles hinted that we could change our plans and get me a 1st ascent on my birthday! Even though we had only brought a single #3 camalot and an 8.2 rope, the temptation was too great, so I agreed. Myles started up a ramp with a seam to an off-width…as we expected, this thing was going to be wide. He encountered a fixed hex at the belay (the first of many fixed pieces we would find) indicating that someone had been there before us. It didn’t matter. To us it was all new terrain and we would take the most obvious line…maybe even getting some booty! I took the next pitch, which, retrospectively, I would suggest having more than one #3 to do. Myles went up a beautiful, but brushy crack next, leading to a delicate slab move on the left to a wide belay. I, again, got the pleasure of going up a very wide pitch with limited gear to a flake and a large block with slings for the 4th pitch. Finding two bolts, Myles went up slab and right around the first tower to 4th class. I had a choice between 3 cracks after that. Being really sick of o/w’s, I chose the far left which looked roofy in the beginning to wide. As it turned out, I found a nut with a beiner right before the gear ran out and I was forced to make a few VERY committing moves up unprotected face to move left to protection. I would advise trying the middle line, instead. Telling Myles afterward that it was his turn to lead for awhile, he took us up some 4th class to a block, knob, and jug to a huge ledge. Moving the belay to the far left, he went up a dihedral to a catwalk. I sat for a long while without the rope moving. The wind had become quiet intense, and I was very glad to have my rain jacket! We had felt the wind from the base before we started up, but Myles and I tend to have some sick version of fun when the weather is a little less than optimal. After yelling down that he was again in an o/w, I waited impatiently for my turn to force my frozen body to chimney up yet another body-wrentcher…luckily, my frog motion was already well-practiced. I came across one of his #2’s and his only #3 before getting to the off-width- no wonder it had taken so long…he had no protection. I couldn’t help but laugh on my way up past his 2 slung chalkstones- he had just repeatedly called me a “sick woman” after 2nding my run-out pitch. Oh, the irony! I got up to him and he was shaking, telling me he couldn’t feel his fingers. We knew we weren’t going to be able to hear one another, so the agreement was that when the rope was out, the 2nd climbs. As I climbed that last 300 ft to the summit blocks, I had to hunker down at times and wait for the wind’s ferocity to mellow in order to avoid being blown off the mountain. The snot was flying out of my nose hitting me in the face and my gloved fingers were having a bit of difficulty on the 5.5-5.7 terrain. Just as the sun was just setting, the descent began. It was fairly simple since we had done it the day before, just long. We got to camp and the wind was still howling. We decided to take off and get to the promises of beer and a warm place to sleep. Even though I didn’t get my birthday 1st ascent, the promise of exciting and adventurous days to come in the next year made my day! As we woke up the next day in our “tiny house” which looks out onto Lone Pine Peak and the routes we had just climbed, we were grateful of our decision to hike-out…the mountains were covered in snow!