Monday, March 4, 2013

Valley of the Gods

Saturday Night:


Bill pulls up at 5:30 am on Sunday morning to pick me up.  The sun is coming up as we walk out of the grocery store in Cortez.  We should have left at 5.  By the time we start hiking to Mcyetta's Loaf and Hidden tower it's already 9:30.  We should have left at 5.  

You have to love Cam Burns routes, Mcyetta's Loaf is clean and safe all the way to the top.  I climb pitch one and Bill gets pitch two.  Check and check.  It was great hearing stories about the FA from Jeff Widen.  Apparently the batteries on the drill died and they had to come back the next day to finish.  Although it's not that surprising that the battery died with the number of bolts.

Bill on pitch 2

Summit
Summit anchor on Mcyetta's Loaf

'Hidden Tower' with 'Lady in a Bathtub' in the distance.
 Hidden tower is another story.  It is pretty damn loose and has some heads up climbing.  The two nut anchor on top of pitch one left something to be desired.

Starting up pitch one.

The two nut belay anchor. 
Bill on a cool section on pitch 2.
Opting out of the run out chimney.
Sunday night Jeff Widen informs us that the tower we were going to do a First Ascent of just got climbed by Jeremy.  Bummer.  
Monday morning we head towards what Jeremy called Tighten Up Tower with no intention of climbing his new route since we don't have 23 peckers with us.  We are able to climb the analog crack on the back side of the tower for our own FA.

Tighten Up Tower

Bill at the crux







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