MudNCrud Forums
Climbing and ... Climbing => Masters of Mud -- Pinnacles => Topic started by: Brad Young on May 01, 2019, 07:32:50 AM
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The 1966 Steve Roper Pinnacles guidebook uses a fairly casual approach. That was his style, but also seemed like the style of the times. Often, books from that era give just snippets of information and (presumably) the climber - one of very few around at that time - is left to piece together the rest.
One of my all-time favorite examples of this style is found in a very late printing of his Yosemite Valley guidebook. There, at the end of a description of a spanking new El Capitan route, Roper describes the gear needed as simply: “the usual bone-crushing load.” It’s also sometimes fun reading his Pinnacles book and finding, literally, three routes described in one sentence.
But sometimes the casual style results in errors, incorrect assumptions and misleading information. We finished our investigation into a glaring example of this yesterday.
In his 1966 book, Roper makes this description of Doodlin’ Dody:
“…a jumble of three pinnacles. Scramble up to the talus-filled notch in the center of the pinnacles. Doodlin’Dody is the one toward the High Peaks - the other two are class 4. The route on Dody is [he then describes the 5.7 route on the northwest pinnacle].”
All subsequent guidebooks, to the extent that they include climbs on Doodlin’ Dody, have included the 5.7 route and the class four, south pinnacle. None have included any route on the northeast spire.
There’s a good reason for this omission. I remember standing in the notch among these three while working on the 2007 guidebook. There’s one non-vertical, accessible-looking face on the northeast spire (the face toward the notch). Looking at it from below it’s clearly not “class 4,” but it looks like it might be easy, if very exposed class five. And then one moves up the face. Fifteen feet up is a bulge and one quickly realizes that it’s not going to be “easy” class five. And there’s a steeper bulge just above, a death fall to the left and a really bad fall to the right.
I backed off then.
Within the last month, while working on the new edition, I tried again. Twice a few weeks ago, with a rope tied off so I could make a Pinnacles rappel, I moved up that face. No way. Alone and in approach shoes, I backed off. Trying that route in those conditions seemed like a really good way to die. And it’s not time for that yet.
A few minutes later on the same day, with binoculars borrowed from a birder, I scoped the whole summit, hoping for a clue, some indication that anyone had ever been to the top of this third of Doodlin’ Dody. Nothing. Not a sign of any bolt, bolt stud, cairn, or even a rock out of place.
I went back with J.C. on Monday, this time armed with brushes and climbing shoes. Still no pro, but if Roper called it “class 4,” I should certainly be able to solo it, especially with the right gear.
John looked at it when we got there and said: “it looks like it might go.” I thought so too.
Uh, no.
Looks from below are deceiving. I backed off again.
John climbed up 15 feet. What he saw completely changed his mind too.
At that point, I made an executive decision that the formation had never been climbed. No way, no how had anyone ever been on top. Certainly not “class 4.”
Yesterday at my request, John accompanied me and we climbed the spire. I put in a bolt. He stanced the next one and then ran for the top (stealing my lead, since I’d assumed he’d come down after a strenuous stance - but that’s a different issue).
There was nothing on top.
A “found” friend, Mark, followed John, thereby joining in his first-ever first ascent. Then I led it. Kathy followed.
The consensus? The climbing is harder than anything on Bacon Bits, a fine new 5.8 route in the High Peaks that we’d done the day before. There’s a first, 5.7 crux above the first bolt, and a tricky, balancy, mossy crux above the second bolt. Class 4? Yeah, right. Like I’ve got four left arms.
Doodlin’ Dody - Northeast Pinnacle had never, ever been climbed until yesterday. It has now. At 5.8 (no stars). J.C. posted photos of our effort on the separate Quest for Mud thread.
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Nice write-up dude :thumbup: :biggrin: :yesnod: :devildevil:
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Doodlin’ Dody - Northeast Pinnacle had never, ever been climbed until yesterday. It has now. At 5.8 (no stars).
J.C. posted photos of our effort on the separate Quest for Mud thread.
Kat took the first two shots from the summit anchor of the Casino backside routes.
Brad drilled bolt 1 and "set me up" very nicely for the bolt 2 stance. clink will appreciate this :yesnod: :biggrin:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47749785391_6c791081cd_z.jpg)
Me drilling bolt 2
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46960476144_7e5a5939b8_z.jpg)
Me on the summit, Brad at the base. Fun day. Good adventure. Thanks for the setup Brad :thumbup: :biggrin: :yesnod: :arf:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40783345233_e75a265238_z.jpg)
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Nice write-up dude :thumbup: :biggrin: :yesnod: :devildevil:
Thanks. And glad you cross-posted the photos.
BTW, feel free to call me "Lefty."
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BTW, feel free to call me "Lefty."
Does that mean I am Pancho?
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Does that mean I am Pancho?
If I recall the song correctly, Pancho was a known thief (a type of bandit). So, yes, that fits well....
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If I recall the song correctly, Pancho was a known thief (a type of bandit). So, yes, that fits well....
^^^
We're gonna have to work on this stealing leads issue. Duct tape, maybe. Or we'll weigh you down with rocks at the base of a climb. Rules. We need rules to establish that priority in first leads on first ascents goes to the older, more senior climber (obviously me in this case, and don't confuse either of us with actual dates of birth, I'm obviously much, much older than you).
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We're gonna have to work on this stealing leads issue. Duct tape, maybe. Or we'll weigh you down with rocks at the base of a climb.
clink has some ideas about a tranquilizer gun.
Damn Demon Bolt Bag :lol:
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To add to the story that started this thread.
On 5-12-18, Kat and I climbed – Doodlin Dody - South Pinnacle Fourth Class and the Regular Route 5.7
After climbing the routes, I wrote in my log "We looked at the 3rd pinnacle there to see if it can be climbed Class Four (Roper’s book mentions it that way). Kat also said she thought it looked about like Kermit but really mossy/dirty. We could always brush our way up it. :yikes: :crazy: :yikes:
I remember us saying that it looked like it might make a fun climb with a bolt or two.
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With hot weather approaching, I think a Class Four a la Mode would be appropriate :smilewinkgrin:
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Wait, is this retro bolting?
Guide books never lie.
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Guide books never lie.
Not intentionally but they do occasionally contain incorrect information.
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Wait, is this retro bolting?
Guide books never lie.
F4: if you go climb it "class 4" (no rope, no pro), and can prove that you did it (video would be best), I'll make a $500.00 donation to A.S.C.A.
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The consensus? The climbing is harder than anything on Bacon Bits, a fine new 5.8 route in the High Peaks that we’d done the day before.
Thanks for the details, Brad... And I'm glad you finally climbed Bacon Bits and enjoyed it!
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What are burial expenses nowadays?
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About forty years ago I scrambled up to that notch - as Brad did - and, after poking around, decided that neither Richards nor Roper had my longevity as a top priority. I've stayed clear of Dody ever since.
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About forty years ago I scrambled up to that notch - as Brad did - and, after poking around, decided that neither Richards nor Roper had my longevity as a top priority. I've stayed clear of Dody ever since.
40 years ago you would have been able to scramble up there PO free. Now it is a PO jungle in that corridor and the scramble across the mossy ledges and then down the face of the pinnacle to the southeast (not one of the Doodlin' three) is pretty hairy.
It's a cool spot once you figure out how to get over there and the 5.7 Regular Route is pretty interesting (and rebolted).
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Hmm, can’t be that bad..
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Our new found friend Mark took this pic of me drilling bolt 2 from a slabby, calf-shredding stance.
I particularly like the aspect and how well it shows the other summits. :yesnod: :thumbup:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40799367943_17b7e95a16_z.jpg)
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I guess looks can be deceiving. From the angle of this pictures, it looks like it could not be harder than 4th class. Was it harder due to the lack of large features? I have never been over to this specific area of climbs.
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I guess looks can be deceiving. From the angle of this pictures, it looks like it could not be harder than 4th class. Was it harder due to the lack of large features? I have never been over to this specific area of climbs.
Spoiler alert; Moves past the first bolt are 5.7 and moves past the second bolt are 5.8