|
|
|
|
rockitjeff
Apr 7, 2004, 1:53 AM
Post #1 of 8
(2928 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 13, 2002
Posts: 143
|
I was just reading cmll777’s post asking about those old mank aid ladders on San Gabriel Mountain waterfalls… got me to thinking about those old decrepit crags hidden around the San Gabriels. Anybody ever been to any of them?
Alder Creek first comes to mind; a mere 3 or 4 miles from Horse Flats but light years different. 80’ high in places. A scruffy granite crag. Some good looking crack lines, actually. The test piece was a blank face climb..5.10 moves with 1/4 inch death bolts fer sure (an Eric Erickson FA from the mid 70s). Alder Creek had some popularity amongst my friends until Freriks aided the obvious and classic 15’ hairline crack roof, ran it out on the free climbing, pulled a block and decked from 70’. Injured way bad too (25 years later he is climbing better than ever- the asshole).
Or how about Cascade Canyon on the SW side of Ontario Peak (south of Mt Baldy Village). Ed Coffer (one of Keith Cunning’s Upland boys from the late 70’s) developed this 200’ chossfest. Ed likened the climbing to the Apron on Middle Cathedral (yea right). Anybody ever been? My cousin Tom Smith went once with Bob Dominick (co-author of the old JT guide) and Tom truly thought he was going to die.
Honorable mention goes to Mt. Pacifico. A nebulous chunk of granite with few discernable lines? But at least the rock quality is ok. And big time historical value- this is where Royal Robbins first learned to rock climb with the Boy Scouts around 1950. Funny thing about Pacifico; just to the North East of the main crag are some 30’- 40’ spires that look a lot like the Needles of SD. Good bouldering tucked away here and there, too (additional Pacifico trivia- the roof moves that Mike Hoover pulls in his movie Solo are filmed on a classic boulder problem West of the main Pacifico crag).
It is pretty wild that we all stumbled around those mountains but never really gave Mt Williamson a second look (grey beard me remembers when the whole crag had perhaps 8 or 10 bolts on a total of 2 routes..
Well, I love obscure junk. I bet I’ll someday climb again at Alder Creek and Mt. Pacifico.
|
|
|
|
|
bishopclimber
Apr 7, 2004, 5:14 AM
Post #2 of 8
(2928 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 15, 2003
Posts: 193
|
I believe that both Tony Yaniro and Tobin Sorenson also fa'd some routes in Alder Creek.
|
|
|
|
|
cmll777
Apr 7, 2004, 7:57 AM
Post #3 of 8
(2928 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 5, 2004
Posts: 10
|
Is Alder Creek the same area that is obscurely mentioned in the first SoCal bouldering guide? I have tried to find the place several times, but the directions suck. Somewhere just outside the Chilao campground. If you could point me in the right direction, I would love to check it out.
I always found Pacifico to be a blast. I am sure there is a lot more bouldering up there to be discovered.
If you want truely obscure Choss boulders, there is a boulder at the beginnig of the Fish Creek trail with about five seperate and contrived lines on it. Not bad for a quick afternoon jaunt.
speaking of graybeards, we did one of the old Williamson routes years ago in hiking boots and backpacks. We thought we were training for the real mountains. The climb featured two bolts and then a heinous runout with deck fall potential from 80 feet up. I remember trying to wiggle in a tri-cam and a nut into some manky flake to calm my nerves. As soon as I got above the pieces, they immediately pulled, but luckily the belay was only ten feet away. I re-lead the climb years later, after it had been sport bolted. Despite being a much more accomplished climber and having rock shoes, I could not imagine doing the climb with only the two death bolts. Oh, to be young and stupid again.
|
|
|
|
|
rockitjeff
Apr 7, 2004, 1:16 PM
Post #4 of 8
(2928 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 13, 2002
Posts: 143
|
The obscure bouldering area you mentioned near Alder Creek is actually considered “Sandy Bottom Boulders”. It is located on a branch of Alder Creek (North Fork).
I am responsible for the bad directions. I used to frequent this area, and when Craig Fry was writing the guide, I gave him directions from memory. Oops. Not sure he ever forgave me (sorry Craig)..
Sandy Bottom Boulders actually used to see some traffic back in the day. I got turned onto it by Charles Cole (of 5.10 fame- he was living in Pasadena and mentioned it as hour-away fun… ). My mates Freriks and Brukman also somehow stumbled onto it early on and found a few routes there, too. The granite is good quality..
The real draw were the bouldering problems directly above a soft, sandy creek bed landing. Sparkling granite, a pool for summertime dipping.. .. high ball enough back then (15’- 20’?) but safe. However, sometime in the mid 90’s a flash flood must have scoured away all the sand because the problems all grew about 5’ taller . Harder starts, ankle braking landings. Not the same anymore, but maybe worth a visit on a cool summer day when the silver rock sparkles? Above the sandy bottom is a sustained 5.10 face (30’ high). Used to have one bolt; better off as a TR… downstream are a couple of routes. . .. on the north side is a very thin crack. I met Brett Mauer back there once (famed as Yaniro’s old belayer).. I think he was working it (5.12 looking). Little further down are two routes Brukman had me solo and almost die on… north side is a 5.7ish crack to 5.6 face exit.. .south side has a left facing dihedral with a 40’ 5.7 crack.
The karma spot is on the south side just downstream from the Sandy Bottom Boulders from upstream from the routes. You can hike easily to a 50’ boulder w/ a perfect ledge seat about 5’ from it’s top. Feet dangling over edge while you can eyeball the San Gabriels and Big Tujunga Canyon snake off into sunset. I took any number of girls there in my youth trying to get laid. Smoked many a fatty, there, too..
Directions are drive into main Chilao entrance (this the 2nd entrance- where you pass the Visitor Center on your right). Road hits a T after a mile or so; take the right T. 50 yards on your left is the entrance to another portion of Chilao Campground (often closed in off season?). Park if closed and hike- or drive maybe 100 yards to a dead end that is the first right fork in the road (memory getting hazy though I did go back a year ago…. ). Basically, you’ll find where the paved road ends (or is blocked) but an old once-paved road continues 100 yards down canyon (heading west). This road quickly turns to dirt, then trail… . it sort of follows the faint start of Alder Creek’s North Fork on it’s north side. After ¼ mile, the trail crosses Alder Creek and you stay in the south side until you hit the crags. 2 options exist; once you near the rock you can stay in the creek bed and scramble directly into Sandy Bottom Boulders (might be impossible in high water). Other option is faint trail leads uphill, traverses the hilltop before a couple obscure paths drop you into the crag area.
|
|
|
|
|
cmll777
Apr 7, 2004, 8:42 PM
Post #5 of 8
(2928 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 5, 2004
Posts: 10
|
thanks for the info. I will have to check it out.
|
|
|
|
|
kellymoe
Apr 30, 2004, 4:56 AM
Post #6 of 8
(2928 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 27, 2004
Posts: 45
|
Ah Mt. Pacifico. My dad took me climbing there for the first time back in 1980. I since have done a handful of existing routes and a few FA's. It is a great area to explore. I now have kids of my own and am taking my son up there next week for some camping.
Williamson holds even fonder memories. Back in the early 80's we called it Eagles Roost. My dad used to climb there back in the 60's and there are still some of his pitons in the main chimmney toward the top. I starte going up there in 1981 before I could drive with a buddy who drove. We climbed all the routes we could that you can use nuts in. We even used gold line rope. Then in 1989 or90 I discovered bolts. I hand drilled a few routes and realized why early bolted routes are so damn run out. Then I discovered the Bosch. that led to a few routes on what is now called the Generation wall. Then one day at a climbing comp at Sport Chalet I met Troy Mayr and mentioned Williamson to him and the rest is history. By the way I climbed at willimson for 10 years and never saw a single climber in that time. Oh well, times change. I still love the place.
Kevin
|
|
|
|
|
itakealot
Apr 30, 2004, 5:48 AM
Post #7 of 8
(2928 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 8, 2003
Posts: 382
|
Sunset Stones!
This place is the mank and sits in obscurity. I thought I FA's a V0 traverse, but found out someone did the skull rock traverse after the last brush fire. There are some TR bolts on the biggest formation, but don't waste your time, although it is fun to free climb skull rock in hiking boots.
|
|
|
|
|
kellymoe
Apr 30, 2004, 3:07 PM
Post #8 of 8
(2928 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 27, 2004
Posts: 45
|
There is a top rope and boulder rock at the top of Wildwood Canyon in Burbank. Two bolts on top for top ropeing. Only worth it if you live 5 minutes away. Big Tujunga Narrows has some short aid lines but the hike in scares most people away and too much water in the winter makes it dangerous unless you like steep creeking kayaking then you would be in heaven.
|
|
|
|
|
|
