MudNCrud Forums

Climbing and ... Climbing => Masters of Mud -- Pinnacles => Topic started by: CruxLuv on January 30, 2012, 09:00:51 PM

Title: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: CruxLuv on January 30, 2012, 09:00:51 PM
Looks fun for a new leader!
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: squiddo on January 30, 2012, 09:17:47 PM
It's fun! Get on it- no regrets! Of course there are the birds....
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: mynameismud on January 30, 2012, 10:37:23 PM
do eet.
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: Brad Young on January 31, 2012, 05:57:56 AM
It's closed now for raptor breeding though. So you'll have to wait.
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: CruxLuv on January 31, 2012, 06:27:32 AM
It's closed now for raptor breeding though. So you'll have to wait.

Dang - yeah, I realized that after posting. 

No sweat - there's plenty of rock out there and that one goin' nowhere.

Good things come to those who wait.   ;)
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: joe on January 31, 2012, 08:38:14 AM
Sinbad and Corona are also excellent for new leaders and wide open this time of year...
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: CruxLuv on January 31, 2012, 09:34:57 AM
Sinbad and Corona are also excellent for new leaders and wide open this time of year...

Hi Joe!

Sinbad was my first (and only, so far) lead outside.  If you haven't already seen them, there are like a gazillion pics on my FB.  Prolly the most well-documented climb ever!  LOL

I'll check Corona - thanks!

I was also thinking about Big Bad West, Passion Play and Walk the Plank for Saturday.  Trying to keep it super easy to keep the stress down while I'm learning.

Lisa
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: mungeclimber on January 31, 2012, 10:08:04 AM
Big Bad West is well protected slab. Watch out for ropes in the creek, but with this dry weather probably not an issue.

Passion Play is steeper and could result in a bad fall, but that goes without saying for a lot of climbs. You can see the clips and moves from the ground to see if you want to do it, and can easily TR it aforehand too.

I seem to recall Chockstone dome having a steeper 5.6 that wasn't horribly protected.
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: CruxLuv on January 31, 2012, 11:12:44 AM
wasn't horribly protected.

In a good way or a bad way? 
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: mungeclimber on January 31, 2012, 11:36:44 AM
deliberately vague because I don't know where you are at with your lead head.  ;D

You can see all the bolts from the ground, so you should be able to make the call. It's not far from the trail either.
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: CruxLuv on January 31, 2012, 11:40:36 AM
deliberately vague

Are you running for office??   :P

Thanks for the info - truly appreciated!! 
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: mungeclimber on January 31, 2012, 03:30:01 PM
not yet. I understand the Mayor's job is already taken.  I'm more of climbing council member type.  :P
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: waldo on January 31, 2012, 05:30:40 PM
It's a long way between bolts #1 and #2.  Also, bolt #2 is farther left than you think.  I always girth-hitch at least one long sling around a good knob (there are several) on the way.  It's in the shade, so an early start on a summer morning after the bird closures are pulled works well. 
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: F4? on January 31, 2012, 06:40:15 PM
Quote
not yet. I understand the Mayor's job is already taken.  I'm more of climbing council member type. 

So then you'll be the vic-mayor for the MoM in April? I believe the offical mayor will be in JTree...

Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: rhyang on February 01, 2012, 09:42:44 PM
The 5.6 on Chockstone is called "Walk the Plank", it's got a fair amount of exposure and traverses left.  I've put a couple of new leaders on it.  Some pics -

(http://www.supertopo.com/photos/1/63/137813_22889_L.jpg)

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2711/4220756419_4082f915a5.jpg)

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4221518656_3816d8339a.jpg)

Here's another one (not mine) -

(http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/268997.JPG)

BBW and Corona are good ones, well-protected.  Passion Play is fun, but a little more heady.
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: CruxLuv on February 01, 2012, 10:32:33 PM
Fantastic - thanks!
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: Gavin on February 02, 2012, 04:56:29 PM
I'd recommend Corona as well - super mellow, and particularly nice at this time of year toward the end of the day when the west side of Machete is in the sun. Dos Equis is a really good one as well, right next to Corona... It's harder and thinner near the top, but the rock is great and it is well-bolted.
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: mynameismud on February 02, 2012, 05:31:56 PM
Dos Equis is a bit heady for the new 5.9 climber.  She may want to TR that.
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: mungeclimber on February 02, 2012, 07:40:13 PM
Yeah, I wouldn't call it "well bolted" either.

The bolts are good, but they are not close together. The rock is dang solid for pinns.

Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: cobbledik on February 02, 2012, 09:08:55 PM
I remember taking a new leader over there and saying, "you can probably do Dos Equis if you want! I'll just climb it first to see what it's about!" ... when I got to the anchors, "Yeah, you're going to have a lot of fun on Corona!"
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: Gavin on February 03, 2012, 06:24:13 AM
Yeah, good points Mud, Munge, and Cobble... Dos Equis would likely be a bit much for beginning leaders.

A co-worker of mine - relatively new to leading - found the route a bit more spicy at the top than he had expected. For kicks I followed the climb while wearing standard walking shoes with absolutely no grip or sticky tread... Definitely turned that 5.8 into something a bit more challenging when I couldn't reliably use half the footholds!
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: CruxLuv on November 05, 2012, 09:08:08 AM
Finally, finally, finally!!  Costanoan was every bit as fun as I expected!

Aaron, his wife, Bob, his son and I were up there yesterday.  Great company, amazing weather, gnarly approach, (mostly) solid rock and a condor sighting to boot!

Someone was nice enough to set up a register, but I suspect it won't weather the winter.

Swung leads w/ Bob with his son in the middle.  Got to lead pitches 2 and 4 which felt really good.  Looking forward to going back to lead the whole thing for my hubby.

Hopefully pics to follow.  For once, I wasn't the shutter bug.

Damn...Monday again, huh?? 
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: JC w KC redux on November 05, 2012, 11:38:03 AM
Swung leads w/ Bob with his son in the middle.  Got to lead pitches 2 and 4 which felt really good. 

Nice job Crux!
If you go back and lead the whole thing, you can link p2 and 3 to avoid the semi-hanging belay.
You'll get some rope drag but it's manageable.
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: CruxLuv on November 05, 2012, 11:48:55 AM
Ah ha.  Yeah - my calves are in knots today from belaying them up and past me from that station.  Yowie!

And we found that my 70 meter rope was enough to rap off the first pitch.
Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: JC w KC redux on November 05, 2012, 01:03:47 PM
Ah ha.  Yeah - my calves are in knots today from belaying them up and past me from that station.  Yowie!

And we found that my 70 meter rope was enough to rap off the first pitch.

That's what gave me the giant blister on the end of my big toe.
Definitely worth putting your shoes on your haul loop to change out at extended belays.
I figured a 70m would be perfect since the rappel is 15 feet too long for a 60m.

Is my quicklink still on the first bolt?

Title: Re: Anyone care to tell me about Costanoan?
Post by: CruxLuv on November 05, 2012, 01:14:32 PM
Funny - we were wondering about that!  Yup - still there and I'm betting it's been used more than once.