criscokid's Logbook (261 ascents)

We were working a new variation on the Black Rose slab itself and noticed the holds on the edge of the block. We ran back to the car and got the drill and had this guy ready to go within 30 minutes or so. We then had to leave for some reason (I cannot remember why) and come back. When we came back we were worried when we saw someone working on the route! Luckily, they quit after we got back to the base. We considered adding a bolt to the upper slab but the flake seemed too thin to take a bolt safely. Plus it was so easy, we decided that it wasn't worth it. But we are having second thoughts now and might go add one soon.
I have heard about a different sequence using the right side (as described above) but we couldn't make it work on the FA and the arete pinch made so much more sense.

So get this: I climbed this route for the 5th time last weekend. Some Euros were coming up Souvenir while we were about to make the SHORT traverse to the left at the crux. I have done this traverse every time I have done this route including the two times I did this with some Tahquitz old timers and THEY led the pitch. Well I am about 6 feet from the belay, when the Euros start yelling up..."you on wrong root!" "Uh...no...I know where I'm going" They persist and won't leave me alone. Granted the two route DO join up but it isn't until you reach the gully near the top. While I am belaying my bud on the next pitch the chick of the two Euros starts up the pitch beneath us. She again starts into the whole wrong route thing...I tell her that I know exactly where I am and to drop it. She then launches into a big lesson about not dropping any rocks down on them (earlier my bud had dropped a nut that did bounce within about 10 feet of them below us, but we did yell out a warning and then apologized several times). To top it all off, after I am already about 20 feet up the next pitch she yells up, "we want to pass you!" even though they were still well below us. After we reach the top (we got to the top and they never caught up to us for this passing attempt despite all the yelling on their part in fact they didn't show up at the summit until after we had cleaned up all our gear and eaten a good lunch...yeah, they were really pushing us there...). As we are leaving the guy Euro starts into a lecture about how climbing is supposed to be fun and not a big issue. He then proceeded to tell me how well he knew the area and I was obviously wrong, blah...blah...blah all the while we are headed for the trail. After I got home I checked both the earlier and the later Vogel and Gaines guides. Both topos showed that the stupid Euros were climbing the WRONG third pitch! All their annoying crap and all the while THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE WERE CLIMBING!!! AHHHH. If you are going to go after someone else make sure you actually have a clue yourself!!!

Fun climbing, but not classic. More of a gully than actual chimney. One pretty good chimney pitch. Did a really fun wide crack over a small roof on the last pitch. This is just left of the main chimney. Wanted to look for the fun crack on the main face but darkness was coming. Only brought a single rope and didn't see the 1/2 way raps on the first two pitches so we walked down the gully. The approach seemed to have been cut out with a weed whacker. Thanks, to whomever did this.

I wouldv'e enjoyed this route a lot more if I had not dislocated my left knee on the first pitch! it made all the left facing corners really fun!
The calcite all along the route is super slippery! it made some of the sections feel harder than they really are. There is a death block now in the top of the first pitch 5.4 chimney. Be careful of this rocker! Bring serveral #4 BD cam's (or equivelent) for the second pitch. I was told that you can easily stem the whole crux pitch. What a load of crap!!! There is a few calcite crimpers and two good jugs on the left wall right at the crux but seeing as how I was unable to put a lot of pressure on my left foot...it made it pretty tough.
We brought way too much gear. Would recommend several mid to large cams. We wished we had about 3 #4 BD cams. But the rest of the route takes mid sized gear. And the bolts at the crux moves were really nice.
The is one place that a small cam is really nice. Right after the crux you can hide deep in the chimney for a good rest. But then you have to get up about 20 more feet of chimney. The exit makes you exit the chimney and move out onto the face. We placed a small cam deep in the chimney behind a flake. It gives you a huge mental advantage. I heard about someone falling on the last moves and took a huge whipper on the crux bolt (about 25 feet below) and bent it all to hell. You can still see the bent shaft in the rock.
Getting down. With 2 70 meter ropes you can get down the north face in two raps! The first rap takes you down a dead vertical wall to a good ledge with nice bolts. The second goes down another vertical wall to another ledge about 10 feet above the ground. You can scramble down a very easy staircase to your left. You won't be able to see the ground when you leave the ledge for your second rap, but trust me...it WILL reach. 60 meters ropes might still make it in two raps.
Glad I did this tower. North Chimney route looks way better!

No comment

FA

No comment

No comment

No comment

No comment