MudNCrud Forums
Climbing and ... Climbing => Masters of Mud -- Pinnacles => Topic started by: Runout on December 06, 2020, 11:56:19 AM
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Have Tues off work. Looks to be 75 degrees. No partner, but 100m static line and a mini-trax rig. Anyone know if it's possible to hike to the top of the Lava Falls/Shake & Bake area?
Thanks
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Not without doing some scary 4th class and going waaaaay around.
You can get to some stuff at The Game Show and Whitetail/Citadel (Mission Impossible, Peon's Delight) much easier and quicker.
4th class chutes up the back to the summit of Citadel aren't bad and you could get to Power Tools.
Big Nixon also now has a proper top anchor. There's a 5.11 on The Shepherd too. Split Boulders. Citadel Stream Boulders.
Even Coyotes Do It Doggie style is a walkoff.
Smiling Simian has a 5.0 route to the anchors for harder stuff.
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I just did that hike Friday. From near Nexus to near the top of Hook and Drill. Serious class four and I rope soloed it. Could not believe that in my 20s I went up and down it multiple times unroped (dude, what were you thinking!).
The Echoes corridor is utterly choked with two inch diameter poison oak and even dry/ dormant I wouldn’t go that way. So, yes, longer hike around to get to Nexus.
From there, light scramble to an obvious oak. Move through it and over on a ledge to two old bolts ( I roped up here). Obvious up and left ramp past another old bolt. Finish near a pine that can be used to rap back down to get your gear. You’re now a short non exposed section of class four away from being on top of that part of the Balconies, although much farther right/north than the routes you mentioned.
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I was not going to try and explain all that - especially since it takes about an hour and a half to get up there if you're familiar with it. That is why I suggested all the easier alternatives.
I just did that hike Friday. From near Nexus to near the top of Hook and Drill. Serious class four and I rope soloed it. Could not believe that in my 20s I went up and down it multiple times unroped (dude, what were you thinking!).
From there, light scramble to an obvious oak. Move through it and over on a ledge to two old bolts ( I roped up here). Obvious up and left ramp past another old bolt. Finish near a pine that can be used to rap back down to get your gear. You’re now a short non exposed section of class four away from being on top of that part of the Balconies, although much farther right/north than the routes you mentioned.
Hey Brad - when Noal and I went up there to rebolt Blade Runner there was a two bolt anchor at the start and another at the finish. Both had star dryvins and SMC death hangers. We left biners on the upper anchor so we could pull the rope on the way back. You said ramp past only one bolt? Here are the pics I took of those anchors and the traverse.
The 4th class traverse with start anchor
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cE6BoNIxQ5pXABYpCJzDGKRiDwnM-lUwtDbrlxctralcFwxBEnDKPblxGSppk9Ht6cG-aPVlB_X-ZTjILe3lcbXussjfL7cJeOXePuzOzLJ_WaRZWajqRsHwyizZ4N6j3_7Ilhb9gaay4J_x-jPt38=w469-h625-no?authuser=0)
start anchor
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cN8r_HYC7FfT73ZTXTkil7LQ0gTBJ0dLikzQrrK31X-2jF02FI8JAjfWWK0z5LYneLS5K1ANJT6ESoBvBAxaABV1WdimgMneG9Gd2fZmKQn0IdUtuOpbuQHZ2qGlkjC0vmTd9xO7S6MmHoUhkclVSX=w469-h625-no?authuser=0)
end anchor with leavers/rappel setup
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fC-wsK4xLSslVxtY_rgntDjIuBUjD_6Wclfepw1jEYMnHAfhblKixmELBBy0h6ksll-hZJXyLQHNeoY1LDWdjprIBlLQsvRDnvxzXupGCyXdbJW3jDLFlS5eslw7fWtUonECOITTMVcy_yr691VOAB=w834-h625-no?authuser=0)
Is the rappel/rope-pull setup still in place?
Did you happen to see the mtn proj post about the anchor on Knifeblade Direct being gone? Sam says the section of rock fell out.
I think it has been gone for a long time because Noal and I went up there in 2015 and could not see or find an anchor anywhere (we were in the notch where Knifeblade and Blade Runner start.
https://www.mountainproject.com/route/117984578/knifeblade-direct
I want to go up there and take care of that but no one wants to climb it. I can probably get Noal to help me eventually. Sam also said that Knifeblade has two bolts - not one as shown on the topo.
https://www.mountainproject.com/route/117984711/knifeblade
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I didn’t see the upper anchor Friday. And didn’t move over to the top of Knifeblade Direct (was more concerned to check out the Hook and Drill raps to get rappel lengths). Sounds like I’ll need to go back to check out more details.
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Sounds like I’ll need to go back to check out more details.
John and I will go back to re-bolt Knifeblade and save you a trip. Will you include the two anchors in the photos as the new approach in the guide for the Knifeblade? If so, we will replace them too.
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Thanks all. Can you get to the upper anchors on Electric Blue or Powers that Be (only done 1st pitch)?
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No, that is the crux of those balconies routes....you can’t walk off and I assume walk down into those routes.
I can think of a safe way to access those route.
It would be fun.
Edit: looking a google earth I can see you can just keep traversing above the nexus. Interesting
Easier would be power tooll and mission impossible.
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Have Tues off work. Looks to be 75 degrees. No partner, but 100m static line and a mini-trax rig. Anyone know if it's possible to hike to the top of the Lava Falls/Shake & Bake area?
Thanks
Yes it used to be. I’ve walked off from from there several times in the 1980s without dropping into the Echos corridor (always way too much poison oak). Some exposed scrambling/ soloing necessary. And a long traverse along the east edge to reach a near point to the hillside above the gully that runs past the Echos corridor.
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John and I will go back to re-bolt Knifeblade and save you a trip. Will you include the two anchors in the photos as the new approach in the guide for the Knifeblade? If so, we will replace them too.
The whole passage to and from the Balconies/Nexus will be (is?) described. I think it’s worth rebolting five bolts on the class four passage, the top anchor on Hook and Drill, the apparently missing top anchor for Knifebade Direct and the two belay stations in between.
Depending on closures, availability and weather, I would join you for a day of rebolting at least. Will you let me know if/when you go?
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Sure. I don't think Knifeblade is in the closures so we might save that for the new year. Rebolting three or four anchors and a couple of lead bolts is a full day so it might be two trips.
We talked about the two traverse anchors about a month ago but not being able to climb much in the last year I would rather go climbing than replace bolts not in the guidebook. If the new approach description will mention these anchors I am a little more motivated.
Like Jim and you said I tried to approach Knifeblade from down in the gully by Echoes once and it was impossible. The moss was super slick (no sun) and tons of PO.
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I didn’t see the upper anchor Friday. And didn’t move over to the top of Knifeblade Direct (was more concerned to check out the Hook and Drill raps to get rappel lengths). Sounds like I’ll need to go back to check out more details.
I can't believe you didn't see those anchors - especially with the hardware I left on them. I can't imagine someone would have removed that stuff but you never know. The bolts are up kind of high on the wall over a bump-up if I recall correctly.
You must have discovered a bolt on the traverse that we missed? Is is partway across?
The whole passage to and from the Balconies/Nexus will be (is?) described. I think it’s worth rebolting five bolts on the class four passage, the top anchor on Hook and Drill, the apparently missing top anchor for Knifebade Direct and the two belay stations in between. Depending on closures, availability and weather, I would join you for a day of rebolting at least. Will you let me know if/when you go?
If that whole passage is described it's unclear to me. It talks about coming up from Echoes and some vague reference to some ledges but not in the way you wrote it on here (past Nexus and the tree, ramp, etc - and no mention of those anchors or a lead bolt on the ramp).
Hook and Drill anchor needs replaced as do the bolts on the ridge that leads to the Blade Runner anchor (on the ridge there is an anchor and a lead bolt - all split shafts - so that would be a fairly quick part of the "job"). The class 4 traverse will be a pain because those are all star dryvins and I think at least one of the Hook and Drill anchor bolts is too (I forgot to take a picture in 2015). It's a ton of work and bolts. That doesn't even count Knifeblade or Stiletto. Sam said Stiletto doesn't have rappel chains - I've messaged back and forth with him since seeing his post on mtn proj.
No closures on that end of Balconies.
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Both anchors on hook and drill are star dryvins.
When Mr Mud and I replaced a few bolts on the route, we just did not have enough bolts to fix the anchor.
Plus according to Mr Muds standards, the bolts were okay.
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Both anchors on hook and drill are star dryvins.
When Mr Mud and I replaced a few bolts on the route, we just did not have enough bolts to fix the anchor.
Plus according to Mr Muds standards, the bolts were okay.
Thanks for the info.
I looked at the lead bolts from below about a month ago and could see that the first bolt is a star dryvin on a homemade angle hanger. The 2nd bolt appears to have a Metolius hanger and a 5 piece bolt. I did manage to find the 3rd bolt (way up) and it is also on a homemade angle hanger – so I am assuming it is also a star dryvin. So I'm guessing you guys replaced the 2nd and 4th bolts?
I couldn't spot the 4th bolt from below. If you can confirm - I will add that info to the Rebolting Master List.
The rock on the climb looks good (at least at the start) but the run from bolt 2 to 3 looks like crater bait.
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Well, the remaining lead bolts are those short split shaft ones. From what I remember only the belay had the stars. The worse part of those split shafts is I remember seeing cratering under them.
We just replaced the key ones, 2nd and last on the arete after one does a step over.
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So, I'm convinced that I'll get more bang from by buck hauling 100m of static to the Citadel. Question - if I totally get through several laps up Citadel (ha), would it be feasible to walk around to top of Resurrection (last time I was up there I was 17, I'm 44 now)?
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Also, will 100m get you from top to bottom on Power Tools?
I seem to recall it do-able w/ 2 double 70m raps.
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Well, the remaining lead bolts are those short split shaft ones. From what I remember only the belay had the stars. The worse part of those split shafts is I remember seeing cratering under them.
We just replaced the key ones, 2nd and last on the arete after one does a step over.
Thanks! - I'll add it to the list.
Looking at the topo - bolt 4 is after the stepover - so I'll put bolts 2 and 4 in December 2004? (from your pic/post of shirtless Mud)
I had a clear look at bolt 1 with binocs and it is definitely not a stud with a nut (split shaft). I need to start using Kat's super zoom camera for such endeavors so I can zoom in and get high res pics. Holding the binocs steady enough to be sure at any significant distance is tough. Regardless - those bolts need replaced and I appreciate the help.
How was the climb?
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Also, will 100m get you from top to bottom on Power Tools?
I seem to recall it do-able w/ 2 double 70m raps.
People on mtn proj have some rap info.
Sounds like the upper pitches on PT are the most fun anyway.
I've heard Mission Impossible is really good and everybody on the PT mtn proj post says it's a must do if you're out there.
Here is the first posters rap info on PT.
RAP BETA:
The first, second, third, and fifth belay stations have rap rings or chains. Adding quick-links or chains to the fourth belay would allow you to get to the ground doing single rope raps on a 60. It would probably take 3 raps, but the important thing is that you can rap to the ground from the second anchor. We rapped from the top anchor, all the way to the second anchor, to the ground, using two 60s. (On the last rap half of both ropes was on the ground.) Definitely not worth the work hiking an extra rope to The Citadel, when all that's needed is some quicklinks on the 4th anchor.
I also see a bit of griping about anchors on PT so if you could take some pics - I'd greatly appreciate it.
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The beauty of Hook and Drill bolts....if old they need to be replaced. No sense mulling what they are.
It's a good route. Worthy prize.
Only caution: you transition from the 1 chute onto another. #1st place a #2 Camalot up high on long sling. Then transition onto the new chute. Make a few moves to the bolt, the one that was replaced.
This section.....if you blew it, you'd blow your ankles out.
Small price to pay for the glory.
I'd lead it.
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The beauty of Hook and Drill bolts....if old they need to be replaced. No sense mulling what they are.
It's a good route. Worthy prize.
I'd lead it.
My thoughts exactly as far as the bolts go. I replaced some Beyer bolts on the Frog that made me shiver.
Just thought I would share my recent observations since I know memories can be fleeting.
I thought the first bolt on Papa Bear - April Fools was the same as the second (with binocs) - I could tell it was a stud with a nut but the size? You're never totally sure until you get to it. I remember spotting the first bolt on the Tunnel Traverse and thinking it didn't look that bad. Then I got up there and had an oh shit moment. Classic Pinns garbage. Same thing happened at Tuff Dome Traverse. All that stuff has been replaced :thumbup: :arf:
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The guide shows the top anchor on Resurrection as "manzanita". That seems a little sketchy for mini-trax. Anyone know if there is a solid belay up there (not sure that I'll even have time to hit Resurrection)?
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When I did it in 2009, not there were no top anchors that I remember.
HoMan, to mini trax the entire route, that would build some endurance.
Issue with Resurrection route is it traverses at the top.
If you had time.....and serious balls, rap into the route and work pitches 2-3.
Cool route and worth the 1st pitch for admission. Bruce and Clint and Adam?? Finished replacing the bolts.
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This is from Bruce in the rebolting thread:
We added two bolts with SS quick links and rappel rings on top of the rock for a rappel descent. The bolts are located about 50 feet northwest of the two bolts added by Brad and Adam when they were up there a few years ago. The bolts are right at the lip of the top of the wall and it is a bit sketchy getting down to them. It is probably best to belay from a 5" oak about 80 feet above the bolts. You can rap about 190' directly down to the top of Pitch 2 and then rap about 185' to the ground from there with double 60m ropes
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Thanks Noal, I had suspected something was added.
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Adam and I put those two bolts in after the top anchor manzanita died. We then used them to get down to the top anchor for the first pitch and rebolted that pitch.
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Posting on my phone while Vicki drives and I can’t seem to work with the quote function.
John, I’m pretty sure I know where those upper bolts are - above the last, eight foot high, class four hump. My focus once I got up that was moving out toward Hook and Drill. So although I looked for upper bolts below that hump, I didn’t look for any above.
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Is it possible to get to the top of the Balconies routes by approaching from the left up past If We Bolt It? I thought I had done that before.
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Yes. Walk past The Inn Crowd to the north. Uphill to a point above a bunch of low angle ribs. Two of these can be descended class four (both are pretty high and exposed). Move over to the top of the short second tier. Find the top of the short 5.6 there and rap from a small oak about 30 feet. Now on top of the first tier.
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John, I’m pretty sure I know where those upper bolts are - above the last, eight foot high, class four hump. My focus once I got up that was moving out toward Hook and Drill. So although I looked for upper bolts below that hump, I didn’t look for any above.
That sounds right.
Was there a lead bolt between those anchors on the ramp that Noal and I missed?
I asked once already but maybe you forgot to answer with all the other info in the post.
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I think it’s gotta be a memory issue. The one lead bolt is 20 or
25 feet up and left from the two bolt lower anchor that you posted photos of. It’s on light colored rock and is rusty and so hard to miss. I suspect you saw it and don’t now remember?
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I think it’s gotta be a memory issue. The one lead bolt is 20 or
25 feet up and left from the two bolt lower anchor that you posted photos of. It’s on light colored rock and is rusty and so hard to miss. I suspect you saw it and don’t now remember?
Thanks for confirming.
Not a memory issue (this time).
Nothing in my notes and we went across that thing more than once (two trips up there).
I posted one pic of the rope strung across there and I don't see anything.
We were just glad to have the anchors so we had some kind of protection and probably weren't expecting or looking for a lead bolt on something that easy. If I had clipped something in there I would have mentioned it in my log :yesnod:
Good to know there is something to break up that stretch.
Can't wait to drag a crowbar and tuning forks up there to remove all those star dryvins - NOT!
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I think that doing that would be (yet another) massive public service.
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Yes. Walk past The Inn Crowd to the north. Uphill to a point above a bunch of low angle ribs. Two of these can be descended class four (both are pretty high and exposed). Move over to the top of the short second tier. Find the top of the short 5.6 there and rap from a small oak about 30 feet. Now on top of the first tier.
Would it be worth placing a rappel anchor for this instead of using the small tree? Every time I have used that small tree I feel a bit sketched out, wondering if the tree will give this time.
If there is any support for this idea I would be willing to go up there and place an equalized anchor at the top of the 5.6 to allow safe rappelling to the top of the first tier.
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Would it be worth placing a rappel anchor for this instead of using the small tree? Every time I have used that small tree I feel a bit sketched out, wondering if the tree will give this time.
If there is any support for this idea I would be willing to go up there and place an equalized anchor at the top of the 5.6 to allow safe rappelling to the top of the first tier.
I think any climb that uses a tree for an anchor (and in some instances for pro) needs bolts added.
Installing an anchor is not changing the climb and for the long term it's the right thing to do.
I have already done it on several routes where trees have died or need to be protected from potential damage.
The other issue is rebolting a climb that uses a tree for an anchor or has no anchor. I simply will not do it - or I will install an anchor at my expense. It's a small price to pay and does nothing to alter the actual climbing.
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Gavin, I totally support the idea and would be open to help.
In this day and age.....anchoring off of scrub trees???
Make the rappel anchor start from the path, so you get to that spot on a rope.
Just my .02
My hidden agenda, start making videos of folks climbing some of these cool routes.
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As time goes by we realize more and more that trees aren't usually good pro and aren't good or appropriate for anchors ("usually," exceptions exist to most rules, and a huge and healthy tree might be an adequate anchor for a very rarely done route).
But it's important to balance this realization against the ethic of not adding bolts to routes established by other people (an ethic that has very likely saved the element of adventure in climbing as a sport - a different and longer discussion, not for this thread).
Here, the balancing isn't even close. No-one knows who did the FA of this 30 foot high route. No-one actually knows for sure that anyone did any more than place a bolt in that short streak. And no-one knows what "they" did or didn't do for any necessary top anchor (the damn bolt looks like it could be older than the three-inch diameter tree!). I've rapped off that tree several times and also wondered if it would hold. And even "once-in-a-while" raps can't be good for its health.
I know of no person who would object to adding a quality anchor there. I am, however, going to be making some phone calls on another Pinnacles subject, this week, to known and concerned Pinns climbers who are not on this site. I'll ask their thoughts (mostly as a courtesy?) on this issue too and report back any negative comments (don't expect any report back, but give it a week or two just in case?).
And thanks Gavin for being willing to do the work.
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Thanks for the feedback JC, F4, and Brad.
Brad: I'm fine with waiting a week or two if that makes sense. Just let me know if / when you hear back any comments and I'll be happy to add a solid anchor there afterwards.