Climbing? Superbowl Sunday

[mynameismud]

There will be some folks climbing around Spikes Peak.  Show up and jump on  a rope.

[F4?]

I'm out. Gotta work and a family deal in the evening.

[mynameismud]

Was a good weekend with a good turn out in the High Peaks.

Much climbing was done on Piglet Pinnacle.  The new 5.8 and the newly discovered 5.10 got quite a few ascents.  Consensus is that both routes deserve at least 2 stars.  From the ground both looked good.  Was fun to watch people get on a relatively untraveled 5.10 and not see a single hold break.

Little Javelina also had numerous ascents.  This is a great looking line for 5.9.  It looks so steep.  

Later Brad and Jim M. went down and got what is probably the second ascent of Hunchback Pinnacle.  Climbing this route involves a rope toss and prussic/jug up to a shoulder then some sporty 5.6 or so to the summit.

Later the rest of the folks went down to Freedom dome and Egg Shell.  Not sure what else got climbed.

The weather was warm in the sun but just a bit chill in the shade.

On a side note Joe and Steve rode their bikes to the Pins from Hollister, then hiked up to the High Peaks and climbed a bunch.  Is the this new Pinnacles Triathalon?

[Brad Young]

I got back late last night after a much colder Tuesday (it was as cold yesterday in the direct sun as it was Sunday in the shade - jackets on all day). Mud, it was good to have you join us, and nice to share a rope (even if it was only to reverse batman down Bob's to get down from Kermit). You've got to get going on PT on that shoulder.

I like the Pinnacles triathlon thing. But maybe we should include swimming the length of the reservoir?

One correction, the routes we were on are on Spikes Peak (Piglet is a tiny little spire about 100 yards down from there on the Juniper Canyon trail).

[Brad Young]

BTW, did Adam get on Peeling away Sunday? I was told he got on it and led it clean?

[rhyang]

Was a good weekend with a good turn out in the High Peaks.

Much climbing was done on Piglet Pinnacle.  The new 5.8 and the newly discovered 5.10 got quite a few ascents.  Consensus is that both routes deserve at least 2 stars.  From the ground both looked good.  Was fun to watch people get on a relatively untraveled 5.10 and not see a single hold break.

Little Javelina also had numerous ascents.  This is a great looking line for 5.9.  It looks so steep.  

Added to ticklist 

[Uncle Stinky]

It looks like I able to get to Pinnacles on Friday, hopefully it will warm up a bit.  I got another couple of quick questions.  I thought Egg Shell and Freedom Dome were closed due to the rapture closures, It seems I am wrong?

I agree on the 5.8 being a ** route, a bit dirty but it should clean up nicely.  Where is the newly discovered .10?  And are Little Javalina and the .10 in the sun?

That bike ride seems like it would be a lot of fun, although the traffic might be a bit much on the weekends with farm trucks and weekend drivers.

Cheers Jeff

[F4?]

Cool that Little J had some traffic. It's a great route and needs more traffice to clean up.

Anyone try Preferred Freedom? I need to finish that one. The crux bolt needs replacing and some strategic holds cleaned.

[Brad Young]

Jeff, Eggshell and Freedom have never been closed for raptors (at least in my memory; certainly not in the last ten years).

Little Javalina is always shaded. It was perfect Sunday, but would have been freezing yesterday. The 5.10 TR is right next to the 5.8 (which is called Abuela Cochinita). We decided that Poached Pig would be a good name, to reflect the pig "theme" there on that part of spike's peak (this may be why Dennis commented above about Piglet Pinnacle?). As soon as I get caught up here in the office (by tommorrow) I'll add it to the sticky list of new and newly found routes. It is a found route. Basically, though it starts as for Abuela Cochinita and climbs straight up (Bob and I discovered this route's top, two bolt anchor while were were finishing the FA of Abuela.

[joe]

a few pictures of Sunday, but you have to skip through Friday and Saturday to get there:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2105215&id=1475177779&l=91b241e4fd

[squiddo]

a few pictures of Sunday, but you have to skip through Friday and Saturday to get there:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2105215&id=1475177779&l=91b241e4fd

GoGo- all you need here is a chute

[joe]

not sure if I should hit the 'like' or 'dislike' button...

[squiddo]

not sure if I should hit the 'like' or 'dislike' button...

If you need help, its the "like".

[joe]

Agree that Abuela was a good route, however I did break off a key foot hold on one of the variations I did on Poached Pig.

I would respectfully disagree about the star rating.  While I agree that Abuela for example is worthy of 2 stars, I don't think if a route is covered with lichen and dirt between the 'holds' it can be a multi-starred route.  Given that we can't 'clean' a route by creating a swath of clean rock in the middle of a north facing, lichen covered pinnacle due to environmental or ethical guidelines.  So therefore comparing a clean line like Jorgie's or Stupendous Man for example to one of the two routes being discussed means that the Spike's Peak routes are not multi-star worthy in my opinion.  When I climbed Abuela, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I knocked some of the lichen which covers the entire route, into my eye (and hair, etc) which I didn't get out until much later in the day.  That's never happened to me on Foreplay or Subterranean Tango for example.  It was the primary problem I had with 'If they bolt it...', that and the loose rock.

Also, and this is an important point (Brad), if I respectfully disagree with your star rating, it isn't necessary to dis me as 'grumpy, etc', as a way to diminish my view.  Perhaps I'm wrong, but it's an alternative opinion.

[squiddo]

Also, and this is an important point (Brad), if I respectfully disagree with your star rating, it isn't necessary to dis me as 'grumpy, etc', as a way to diminish my view.  Perhaps I'm wrong, but it's an alternative opinion.

classic

[Brad Young]

Also, and this is an important point (Brad), if I respectfully disagree with your star rating, it isn't necessary to dis me as 'grumpy, etc', as a way to diminish my view.  Perhaps I'm wrong, but it's an alternative opinion.

Maybe classic, but also totally correct. Different viewpoints, nothing more. Like your taste and mine in camping food, Joe. Has anyone here ever tasted any of Joe's camp coooking? I have, and I've been lucky enough to eat some damn fine food. Me? Don't volunteer to eat my camp "cooking," or you'll end up with cold alpo out of the can. But I'm OK with that kind of eating when I am camping. Different tastes, that's all.

And, Joe, you've always been great and consistant about sharing thoughts on ratings and stars down there and up here. Thanks.

[mungeclimber]

comparing a clean line like

i feel a controversy coming on





....  new rating for older routes that have traffic vs. those that are new and have little traffic.


why is clean a qualifier or indicia of star quality at all? 

/so says "munge"

[mynameismud]

When I did Foreplay it had some loose holds.

Agree that Abuela was a good route, however I did break off a key foot hold on one of the variations I did on Poached Pig.

I would respectfully disagree about the star rating.  While I agree that Abuela for example is worthy of 2 stars, I don't think if a route is covered with lichen and dirt between the 'holds' it can be a multi-starred route.  Given that we can't 'clean' a route by creating a swath of clean rock in the middle of a north facing, lichen covered pinnacle due to environmental or ethical guidelines.  So therefore comparing a clean line like Jorgie's or Stupendous Man for example to one of the two routes being discussed means that the Spike's Peak routes are not multi-star worthy in my opinion.  When I climbed Abuela, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I knocked some of the lichen which covers the entire route, into my eye (and hair, etc) which I didn't get out until much later in the day.  That's never happened to me on Foreplay or Subterranean Tango for example.  It was the primary problem I had with 'If they bolt it...', that and the loose rock.

Also, and this is an important point (Brad), if I respectfully disagree with your star rating, it isn't necessary to dis me as 'grumpy, etc', as a way to diminish my view.  Perhaps I'm wrong, but it's an alternative opinion.

[Brad Young]

When I did Foreplay it had some loose holds.

Actually it's a little known fact: The word "pinnacles" derives from the once-local Chumash indian dialect. Carefully translated, the Chumash phrase means "loose rock."

All routes at Pinns have some loose rock. Joe's really been pretty consistent in his views of stars on routes (in Pinns as well as up here, where he's spent/wasted lots of time helping me with the guidebook).

[joe]

Thanks Brad, I appreciate that.

and Rob, if I'm reading you right, I believe your point is germane.

I think that, again in my opinion, since most of the low hanging fruit has been picked, when we discover a relatively good climb in an area that has been picked over, perhaps we elevate it in our rating system.  My point is one of consistency as well as cleanliness.

Perhaps Loveline is another good example.  On Saturday, I met a young couple from Vancouver that was planning on climbing in the Pinnacles for a week and they were asking for some recommendations and wanted to get a bit away from the crowds.  They had climbed the Monolith with us on Saturday.  Same couple Brad met Sunday morning.  So I suggested the Hand, Loveline in particular as well as Lifeline, Carpal Tunnel, etc.  When I ran into them on Sunday afternoon, they had been out there (after getting a bit lost and also hiking out to the Frog) and had in fact climbed Loveline.  They were a bit shaken up by the size of the rocks that they knocked off while climbing the first pitch.  I then thought back to the two times I climbed Loveline and both times my partner and I knocked off significant rock on the first pitch.  The young couple were planning on packing up and heading to the valley having changed their plans about staying a week in the Pinnacles.  Thinking about it later, I wished I had suggested Discovery Wall first.  perhaps they would have stayed.

I believe Loveline is described as a 3 star route.  I think it is a great route.  But maybe it isn't worthy enough given the looseness of the rock.  I don't know if we can rate a route based on the premise that it might clean up with significant traffic. 
and again, maybe it's just me, but I enjoy a route more if I'm not fighting lichen, dirt, moss, or loose holds.

long winded.