Sierras

Cardinal Pinnacle!

Amanda and I were able to get away this summer to the Sierras in the end of July.  Before our trip Amanda wasn't sold on the fact that climbing high sierra granite would be any fun.  For me though she was willing to give it a go. We started out with a jaunt up Cardinal Pinnacle.  A 4 pitch 5.10a just outside of Bishop.  Halfway up the first pitch she was hooting and hollering about how good the climbing was.  Enough so that I thought she was being sarcastic.  Fortunately she was actually having a great time and that stoke continued to the top of the climb!

Amanda on the 3rd pitch of Cardinal Pinnacle.

After the Cardinal Pinnacle warm up we decided to head up to Temple Crag and check out the classic Sun Ribbon Arete.  We hiked up in the afternoon after getting a permit and food shopping.  After a little searching we found a great camping spot near Third Lake.  We had initially thought we'd do the route car to car in a day but were glad we decided to take two in the end.

Amanda heading up to Sun Ribbon Arête.

California had a big snow year so we brought aluminum crampons and an axe for the snow.  We could definitely have gotten by without the crampons but the security of the axe was nice for the descent. 

On top of the Arête about to head down.

We should have known that the route would have more of alpine feel but we expected solid rock which we didn't find.  Although the route is in a beautiful setting the loose blocks and shenanigans required on the route taint the route in my opinion.  On the hike out we saw 5 scorpions on the trail!  I was glad to be wearing close toed shoes.

Geoff and I on top of North Dome.

Next up was meeting up with a longtime friend Geoff Settles.  Amanda and I met Geoff at the New Campus climbing wall in Traverse City Michigan around 1997.  We used to take trips to the Red River Gorge when we were in high school.  Fortunately we've kept in touch with Geoff since moving to Colorado.  Geoff and I had a plan to climb 50 pitches to commemorate his 50th birthday.  We ended up climbing Royal Arches and Crest Jewel Direct into the South Face on North Dome.  Totaling 30ish pitches.  We decided not to continue with our initial plan after baking in the sun all day. Luckily for Geoff and I, Amanda and Jesse were nice enough to hike to the top of North Dome and bring us food and water.  

At the road after Royal Aches, North Dome.

After two rest days Amanda was wanting to get back on the rock and we decided to take it easy and go sport climbing at an area called Clark Canyon near Mammoth.  Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate and we had to bail after a few routes due to rain.

At the base of Cathedral Peak.

The last objective for our trip was Cathedral Peak.  Although the Peak was packed with people we had a great time.  There are so many route options that we were able to weave back and forth to pass parties.  All in all it was a great trip with an amazing partner in crime!

On top of Cathedral Peak.

Lavender Towers

While climbing in the creek last week, Luke and Tim pointed out a few towers.  So this week I drove back out to check them out.  I ended up climbing the Lavender Towers.  

Approach-

Hike up wash until you encounter a ridge line that heads straight to the base of the towers. 40 min to base with a heavy pack. The approach pitches start right of the towers and ascend the gulley behind the towers.  Cairn marks the start.

Pitch 1- 
Climb up and right on loose blocks and ledges then left into a chimney to its top. Walk down the slope to the gulley.  100ish feet, gear belay, 5.easy.  

Pitch 2- 
Climb up a crack system to under a giant chockstone. Traverse right on the face then up to on top of the chock stone.   Hike up slope to a shrub/tree belay. 60ish feet, 5.7. (The route on West Lavender starts in the notch and climbs the north face).

Pitch 3- 
Climb loose terrain up the gulley to the next lower angle terrain. Belay at tree/shrubs. 60' 5.7.

Pitch 4- 
Climb up the shallow rotten corner that starts out wide. Continue up to the two giant chock stones. Move right and mantel onto the right side of the first. Traverse up and left across the chockstone. Step left onto the small arête and climb up to the notch on friable rock. Climb North Lavender first so the rope pulls clean on the way down.  Scramble across the loose notch and climb the south face of North Lavender passing two protection bolts on the way.  Belay at 2 bolts.  The summit is a 15' scramble away.  5.9+ C1.  Enjoy the view and scope out South Lavender. 
Rappel 50' to notch and build a gear anchor.

Pitch 5- 
Once back at the notch aid up the thin north facing crack on South Lavender.  The crack gradually widens to #1 and is capped with blocks. Mantel up and right on to ledge avoiding the blocks. Move right across the ledge 10' and climb the short wide crack to a small ledge. Carefully traverse left around to the NE face. Place gear in a horizontal crack and face climb to the top of the tower. Belay at two bolts on the NW side.  5.9 C1

Rappel 200' to the top of pitch 2. 

Pitch 6- 

Climb up to notch then onto a spaced out bolt ladder on the north face of West Lavender. Belay is two bolts. (One of which is the last bolt in the bolt ladder.  An additional bolt on the summit would be a nice addition.)  

Rappel 100' to the ground, landing 100' left of where you started.

Gear-
Double set of cams from .1-3 camalot, single 4 & 6, single set of stoppers, runners, two 60m ropes.

Plan G......and F

Jeff and I met Trevor and Emily while getting permits to climb the Incredible Hulk last summer.  Since we were both climbing the hulk twice we were able to hang out around camp for a few evenings and talk about our shared love of desert towers.
Then in January Emily joined Amanda and I for a few days of Limestone sport climbing at the Homestead.  Trevor unfortunately was unable to join us on that trip.
Finally after some failed attempts our schedules meshed and Amanda, Trevor, Emily and I were able to plan a trip to Moab.  We decided on Horsethief Tower which is on the wrong side of the Green River.  Luckily Trevor had a raft from his dad.

Happy times pumping up the raft with Horsethief in the background!

Sad times moments later when the raft exploded.

 The weather was cold enough that a swim across the river was out so we took some time to brainstorm our options.

Amanda and Emily.

After looking at many other options, both in person and in the guidebook we settled on Thracian Mare and The Ark.  Not surprisingly Eric's description for the 'North Face' route on Thracian Mare wasn't exactly spot on.  We kept moving and climbed the Ark, which went smoothly with Trevor and Emily leading.  We were going to call it a day and head back to the truck but last minute decided to check out the "North Face" route.  After 100' of climbing I yelled down to Trevor that the pitch 1 anchor was only 20' away.  He promptly responded that I had only used half the rope.  Damn.  That was logic I couldn't argue with.  So, wanting to be a good partner I pushed on past the anchor and linked both pitches.

Starting up Thracian Mare

We made it back to camp but only after the sun had set and the wind and rain had gotten nasty.  We decided to pack up camp and head to town for some well deserved food.  Can't wait for the next adventure with this crew!

L to R Aphrodite, Zeus, Ark, Moses, Thracian Mare.
Oh yeah and some people in the foreground.

El Protrero Chico

Protrero is a classic climbing area that I had been hearing about for years.  It had always been on the list of places to check out but things never worked out.  So last fall when our longtime friends told us they were going to make a trip Amanda and I promptly invited ourselves.  

Geoff and Janice drove down from Los Alamos with their two dogs and camper, while we flew.  Amanda had tweaked her finger before the trip but fortunately the angle of many of the routes in Potrero puts most of your weight on your feet.   Super fun to hang with good friends and check out a world class climbing destination!

Amanda following 'Pancho Villa Rides Again'.

Hiking up past the 'Outrage Wall' to the 'Surf Bowl'.

Geoff climbing up the cleared highway on 'Space Boyz'. 

Janice high on 'Space Boyz'.

Margaritas!

Amanda crushing on 'Don Quixote'.

Still can't figure out why Amanda insists on calling climbing trips "vacations".

Needles

Checking out the remains of the burned fire lookout on top of  the Magician.

After climbing the Chouinard-Herbert in the morning, Matt and I headed down to Visalia to meet up with Brad and food shop.  In the excitement of seeing Brad again and heading to a new climbing area we forgot to get directions to the Needles.  Google maps took us to the wrong spot, and by that time we were well out of cell service.  We drove around in the dark looking for signs to help us.  A dirt road appeared and not knowing where it lead, we took it. 4 miles later we were on another paved road and amazingly on the right track.  We made it to the TH parking lot late enough to wake everyone up as we were setting up our tent...sorry.

Matt climbing into the warmth.

There was a cold front coming though the area so we woke up to frost.  After a slow start we made it out of the parking lot and down the trail.  Without thinking Brad and I followed Matt up the stairs to the location of the old fire lookout.  Although it was a great view and cool to checkout, as we walked back down the stairs we wished we would have left all our ropes and gear at the bottom.

Brad resting after 'Thin Ice'.

With the cold temps we decided on 'Thin Ice' since it was in the sun.  Thanks to a 10 year old crusher we found the base and were assured it was a "fun route".  Matt dragged Brad and I up to the top of The Sorcerer and and then we rappelled to the base of The Charlatan.  We climbed 'Spooky' to exit, the top of which is one of the coolest sections of granite climbing I've gotten on.

Following 'Spooky'.

After the obligatory ascent of The Charlatan Spire we walked back to the notch to figure out what was next.  Brad was destroyed and said he was done.  Matt and I settled on 'Airy Interlude' and asked if Brad would help us carry some gear down.  Once at the base we talked him into climbing the first 5.8 pitch with the promise that he could just walk off from the top of the first.  There was no walk off and Brad continued to the top with the help of the occasional cam handhold.  

'Airy Interlude'

 The next morning after some breakfast Brad headed home and Matt and I headed for the VRG.  We made a quick stop to break up the drive and get a couple pitches in and then pushed on home.

Great Times!

Yosemite

Elise, Matt and I crammed into my little Mazda and headed west.  There wasn't going to me much leg room on this trip.  Matt and I were heading on a California climbing trip and we were shuttling Elise back to Yosemite where Bill had been spending the season guiding.  To add to the cramped courters I was sick.  Think coughing up phlegm and body aches.  I had basically not left my house for the 5 days before we left hoping that I would get better but it didn't happen.  We stopped to sleep in the Chuckwalla Wall parking lot just outside of St. George.  While Matt and I each had two sleeping pads, Elise didn't have any.  She thought we were just sleeping in the dirt and thus proceeded to not say anything and just sleep straight on the dirt and gravel parking lot.  Burly. 

Elise on the crux of West Crack on DAFF Dome

The first day on Yosemite Matt dragged me up the West Face of El Cap.  I wouldn't be surprised if the next team to climb the route found it harder than .11c.  I'm sure all that phlegm I was hacking up must have made the route slick.  

The next day we headed up to Tuolomne to climb West Crack on DAFF(Dome Across From Fairview) Dome and hangout with Bill and Elise.  It was a great route and was nice to get out of the heat of the Valley.  

Top of DAFF Dome

On our third day in Yosemite Matt and I did Lurking Fear.  Matt had done it once years before but I'd never been up it.  We topped out in 10hrs 45min, which felt good since we weren't rushing.  Out of the 20 pitches I only lead 5.  I was feeling better but still wasn't 100%.  After hiking over El Cap's summit and down the East Ledges twice in 3 days we decided that was enough of that for the trip.

Pitch 14 on Lurking Fear

Day 4 was a rest day.  Afterwards I always regret rest days.  We should have done some climbing but we did laundry and ate instead.
Day 5 we climbed the Chouinard-Herbert on the Sentinel.  I'm not sure how the C-H and the West Face are the same rating.  Maybe its all the fixed pins but the C-H felt much easier.  After a quick shower we headed out of the Valley to meet up with Brad and then to the Needles....

Powell Plateau, Steamboat Mtn., and Boot Mesa

After a quick run down to see Amanda in Phoenix I met John on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.   I hopped in John's FJ and navigated as he drove the twisty dirt roads through patches of rain to Swamp Point.  With the moonlight we could make out Steamboat Mountain.  As I fell asleep under the FJ I hoped that the darkness was making Steamboat look farther away than it actually was.

NW corner of the Powell Plateau 

We woke a few hours before dawn and started down the N. Bass trail to a saddle where we veered off the N. Bass and continued to the Powell Plateau.  Once on top of the plateau we headed for the NW corner to find a way down through the cliffs to access the Steamboat-Powell saddle.  Unfortunately, we didn't choose correctly the first time and got cliffed out.  After hiking back up and traversing a bunch we were able to find a break in the cliff that we could descend.

Descending to the Steamboat-Powell Saddle

Luckily with the great view from the saddle Steamboat went smoothly.  Now we just had to put our heads down and reverse our steps all the way back to the TH as the the heat of the day intensified.    

Steamboat Mountain

Day 2 was supposed to be an attempt on Mt. Hayden but the road out to Imperial Point was closed so we headed to the Navajo Reservation to check out Boot Mesa.

Moki Steps

 John had his eye on Boot Mesa, last year I had looked at it for him to see if I thought we could get up it.  A bowl on west side looked promising.  Zig zagging back and forth we were able to climb up through 5-6  cliff bands.  Although the rock was soft, loose and often wasn't easily protectable the climbing was moderate probably topping out around 5.8.

John near the summit with Agathla Peak in the distance.

The top offered amazing views of Monument Valley, Agathla and the rest of the Navajo Reservation. Since we didn't have any bolts or pins the descent required a little trickery but with a little patience we figured it out.

Summit! 

Great climbing with you John!