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roughster
Apr 24, 2004, 9:35 PM
Post #1 of 11
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Registered: Apr 3, 2002
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Its 5:45 AM and I forcefully make myself get out of the shower. Dave is going to get here soon and I still want to slap one more battery on the charger. I bump and curse my way into the front room and turn on the light. Its prior to 6 still, but peering out the front window whos Dave's car is already here. Wow, Dave early? Thats a first! :lol:
I pop the door open just as Dave walks up. Perfect timing! We load up the gaer into the Green Machine and are soon barreling down the freeway, direction top secret ;) The plan is to meet Doniel at a predetermined location, join forces, and carpool (Wow aren't we the environmentally friendly type! :lol: ) to the crag. We talk NPR, politics, and bowel movements on the way there.
Finally, we arrive. It is earlier than ever before. The plan is for a full day of developing. Three motivated people can do a lot in 12 hours of daylight! We load up our gear and start the approach. Its an awesome morning and the approach adds to the areas mystique. Some will grumble. Some will look at it as a good aerobic warmup.
Before too long, we are at the base starring through wondering eyes at the cliff. Despite the number of visits, which in only increasing weekly, this place still strikes a chord of excitement in me. There was a time not so long ago where I told my wife that moving to Las Vegas was an eventuality not a possibility due to a single fact. I wanted to live near amazing climbing within reasonable driving time from my house with tons of potential. At that time that potential did not exist or was not found..yet. What was there, Auburn, was locked down in access issues and the other places which fit the bill climbingwise were several hours away (3+). Now if something could be found closer? Eh.... And Eh... is what happened.
All three of us geared up in our own different way. The plan was for me to belay Dave stickcliping up his new route he bolted last weekend since it has not yet been cleaned and is covered in choss. After he is at the anchor and fixed in, I was then going to run over to Doniel, who would be rapping in from the top of a 200+ foor section to establish an anchor over a line of weakness blitzing straight through sustained 20-30 degrees overhung, pockets, overlaps, roofs, etc.. for over 30 Ms. We measure out the rope to make this sucker an exact 30M pitch. Another 30+ still awaits above as a section pitch... Doniel uses 1/4"ers to hold himself into the wall its so steep just to get to the anchor placement (these 1/4"ers are then knocked out and are pretty much invisible after the anchors are set up). Both Doniel and I look at the tail end of his rope dangling from the anchor swinging a good 20-30 feet from the base. WOOT!
He's good to go and set up, I run back, have Dave zipline me the stick and I run over to my route I bolted a few weekends ago. This thing was dubbed "Double Agent" and was turning into quite the doozy. Not because of the difficulty, which I was thinking would go at the 11ish range or so. But because of the amount of cleaning required to "liberate" this route. I was dissuaded from bolting it in the 1st place by others because of the apparently teetering pile of 1,000,000 ton blocks at a notch near the top of the cliff.
Stick in hand I fixed the 1st two bolts and stuck up the rest. About 3/4 of the way up, I pass a huge orange scar. This was the spot where on the previous weekend I had been with a crowbar. With pace set by determination, not question, I had set about loosening the pile. Slowly but surely, working the crowbar back and forth, the fruits of my labors revealed stress fractures around the whole pile which had splintered into three huge chunks. I warned Dave to hide behind a tree as the top chunked looked frighteningly near its destined airborne path. With Dave hudled in the fetal position around the corner and behind a tree, I gave it the "one last push". The thing was so large it took a eerily reminiscent "slow rotation" of a comet as it sped towards the base of the cliff. Clipping the toe of a slab, the block explouded into what could only be described as baseball and softball size chunks of rock shrapnell. The aftermath? A crater about 3 feet deep and a fresh supply of chunks to help line the trail and base with :lol: I repeated the process two more times to relieve the rest of the blocks, and while the other two were impressive, they certainly did not contain the horror of watching the 1st one go.
Rigging myself up for a single line retrievable gri-gri rap (a must know if you are going to develop solo), I gave it another cleaning on the way down. The route was looking tops. Steep, juggy, features of all kinds. Another 5-star classic on the way, no doubt! And as fate would have it, Dave had finished cleaning his new route in about the same time. Plans were made: I FA up Double Agent, I jumar back up Daves route, free his fixed line, then he sends up his route. Back down, and the move up to the other wall to check on Doniels progress (which was marked by sound of constant crashing of rocks and debris from about 100 yards away. Maybe we (Dave and I) would go for bolting another new route on the steep wall as well if time permitted. Ready, Set, Go!
I was up 1st. One thing I do "normally" like to do on FA's is give me some tick marks (gasp/horror- though I do brush them off when done). This really helps on a freshly cleaned route since invariably there is still loose dirt/moss/lichen/etc.. around which makes seeing some of the holds really hard. This is especially true at the new cliff where the rock is already in stealth mode and hard to read. However, I hadn't ticked on the way down, and would be relying on the memory of the cleaning to help get me where I needed to go...the chains.
The start is a tricky little number with small traverse across an increasingly high angle pocketed slab, to a vertical section at the base of a pod where the angle kicks back dramatically as you slap your way up a pillar. This culminates with a "krab" roof move onto good holds with your ass dangling straight out into nothing, pulling the "lip" you are faced with easier vertical jugs, a good rest, and then a final steep headwall on "fins" (an amazing feature that is unique climbing for around these parts) to the final small slab to the anchors. At nine bolts, it takes a full 50M to get you down. Yeah baby, a little bit of space between the bolts in some spots keeps things exciting!
The FA is going as planned, the pockets on the slabs, awesome. The vert groove, tricky and "stem"y. The overhanging pilar? Slapper and wild. I'm cruising and find a cool hand jam (don't even think about the pro issue as once/if you're ever here you'll know why). I step my right foot over the lip of the roof and go to step up, BOOM. I almost brain Dave belaying me below with the unexpected rock missle hurdling at him. Meanwhile I am doing a single armed dead hang into space off a single hand jam! Thank God it was a hand jam as anything else would have been off for a ride! The sudden adrenaline rush allows time for a single arm pull-up borne of fear and desperation to get back on the rock as to not blow the FA. The rest of the route goes in spades as planned, albeit with a little bit more selective footwork. Just another 5-star classic on a list of growing 5-star classics :)
After I get down, I run up Daves route admiring his handiwork. He has taken the vacuum cleaner approach and his efforts are evident. The rock is amazingly clean (great job Dave!) and the features are amazing. Huecos, pockets, crimps, jugs, slopers, God damn this thing has it all. On top of that, it sits on the inside of arete with amazing position, has a steep section near the top. The moderate level is guarenteed by the huge jugs found everywhere and as Dave sends it up in style, it is confirmed. 10a'ish maybe? Another 5-star? Was there ever any doubt :) This thing will be insanely popular. Two new routes. Lets see what we can do to keep it going!
After eating a quick snack, its up to check on Doniels progress. He has already gone down to the base, and is working his way back up knocking out the 1/4'ers and finalizing bolt placements. His new line looks absolutely amazing! I meet him up top and do a rb-leapfrongfest across a huge traverse on steep ground to get to the anchor placement of Dave and I's new route. It is an epic/suffer-fest that I won't go into because it would turn this already long post into the realm of the absurd.
I back clean my aid traverse and lower down Doniels route, refixing the static. I get a sneak peak preview. Oh My God is all I can say. I have hit up most sport climbing destinations West of the Mississippi and I have to say, this route looks like it will compete with some of the best. So Steep. So Featured. Amazing! At least 5.13 is guarenteed, 5 stars? Was there any doubt ;) I was blown away by it, which only made me more psyched to have a go at the new line Dave and I were bolting.
After talking with Dave, he was enjoying just chilling, so I run back up a weakness off to the right of our route in order to more easily and quickly reach the anchors. Our prospective new route takes a slightly diagonaling line up a faint dihedral. Due to the slight traverse and steep ground, bolting down is really the best option. I start cleaning and working moves to figure out the placements and zap the bolts in. Amazing feature after amazing feature! The faint dihedral borders a "seep zone" and thus has some of the most bullet rock as well as holds and features of the absurd variety. I show Doniel (who is back to cleaning on the neighboring route) the "magic dissappearing hands" holds as some of the features are literally bottomless!
Unfortunately the rock is a bit chossy for the 1st 3 bolts, but we have special 1/2" x 5" monster bolts for this exact occassion. Dave slams in the last three on the way up to clean because I didn't have the 1/2 inch socket on me to tighten them down. His comment on the bolts? Bomber!. On the way up, I hear repeated, "Dude this is SO AWESOME!" He cleans it all up and comes back down to the base. Another day will be need for cleaning, but the route's awesomeness is already shining through. By the time Dave is down, Doniel was also done and we quickly geared up for the hike out.
"5-stars?", I asked.
"Was there any doubt?", was both of their replies.
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andy_reagan
Apr 24, 2004, 10:42 PM
Post #2 of 11
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Registered: Jan 12, 2004
Posts: 1075
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nice, I could see how developing a totally new area would be very self-rewarding. Sounds fun.
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roughster
Apr 25, 2004, 4:14 AM
Post #3 of 11
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Registered: Apr 3, 2002
Posts: 4003
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bump
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caughtinside
Apr 25, 2004, 4:37 AM
Post #4 of 11
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Registered: Jan 8, 2003
Posts: 30603
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Hmm, so we've opted to use the five star system? :lol: The 3 star also has its merits!
Duuuuude! It's SO awesome! 8^)
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roughster
Apr 25, 2004, 4:40 AM
Post #5 of 11
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Registered: Apr 3, 2002
Posts: 4003
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In reply to: Hmm, so we've opted to use the five star system? :lol: The 3 star also has its merits! Duuuuude! It's SO awesome! 8^)
Nah still going 3 star in the guide :) Its all about the 3-star system!
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roughster
Apr 25, 2004, 1:54 PM
Post #6 of 11
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Registered: Apr 3, 2002
Posts: 4003
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bump
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reedcrr
Apr 25, 2004, 2:18 PM
Post #7 of 11
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Registered: Mar 26, 2004
Posts: 99
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Sounds fun...I love new areas and meeting the people who put up the routes...it just seems to put it all together.
Location? You listed "these parts" but that is somewhat vauge...Let me know when you want a "southie" to come up and take a look see.
Good job on the post, kept my attention even though it was long! :D
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murf
Apr 27, 2004, 3:54 PM
Post #8 of 11
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Registered: Mar 15, 2002
Posts: 1150
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Jesus - you really didn't have a lot of affection as a child did you?
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roughster
Apr 27, 2004, 9:24 PM
Post #9 of 11
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Registered: Apr 3, 2002
Posts: 4003
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In reply to: Jesus - you really didn't have a lot of affection as a child did you?
Hehehe :lol:
Its actually a bad habbit (bumping) I picked up from an unrelated website. Believe it or not, bumping posts is very common on most other websites.
Oh..and thanks for the bump!
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vincent
Apr 27, 2004, 9:27 PM
Post #10 of 11
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Registered: Oct 1, 2003
Posts: 178
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Bump, take a break roughster, i'll make sure ur post stays near the top.
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vincent
Apr 27, 2004, 9:42 PM
Post #11 of 11
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Registered: Oct 1, 2003
Posts: 178
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Hump, err,a, I mean Bump
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