I wouldn't normally do a trip report about an unfinished route. Too many of you out there are vultures; cads who would jump the route just to get a laugh. But yesterday was too much fun not to post; so I'll risk it (the project is in an area that closes tomorrow though, so, if you can figure out where it is, you've only got a few hours to run down and grab it).
Most of you who post here know Steve and Laura Dawson and their son Alex. Any of you who don't know them, go look at your 2007 guidebook's cover and, then, it's title page. We've been friends forever, and what's more, our kids are good friends (when we linked up for this trip seven year old Alex didn't even say hi to me before he asked why I hadn't brought my daughter Tricia). We do a lot of climbing and backpacking together.
During the process of assembling the Pinnacles guidebook, both Steve and Laura gradually changed from occasional Pinnacles climbers to real fans of the place. Both have become very good on, uh, less than perfect rock. It is my modest opinion that Laura in particular has become the reigning "Mistress of Mud." Her list of obscure Pinnacles leads includes the first pitch of The Balconies Regular Route (can you spell guano?). She led Hook and Drill when the two male members of her party (me included) bagged out for having led it before - and not wanting to again. She saw and casually onsighted Photographer's Delight - Northeast Corner, even though it is loose and barely protected.
But, up to yesterday, neither Dawson had ever participated in a Pinnacles first ascent. Neither had ever drilled a bolt in mud (both have done lots of FAs on Sonora Pass though, but those are done on rock).
Our climb yesterday had seemed to me a perfect "starter" Pinnacles FA. A clean looking water streak that extends 120 feet or so off the ground. The first thirty feet would be the business, and then easier climbing would lead to an anchor. My estimate was "5.6."
When we arrived at the base, we scoped out the route. Standing away from the base we thought maybe we could climb in tennies:
There was a lot of foreshortening from that perspective, however. And this was amplified by the grassy slope leading up to the base; it wasn't tennis shoe terrain.
Laura got nominated to place the first bolt. She jumped right on it. Here she is testing the rock:
She started one hole which failed (welcome to drilling at Pinns). Then she got herself into an awkward drill stance and started trying to drill left handed (trying to imitate Jim McConachie?):
That didn't work so well, so she adjusted her stance. After some talking through about what to look for during the process, she got into the "ping-ping-ping-twist" rhythm of a Pinnacles veteran:
Before long (measured in geologic time) she had her hole done and was placing her first bolt:
She lowered off and the route was started.
Next up was Steve. Steve is very mechanically minded. On went the gear, up went the climber, and before long Steve had a slung knob for temporary protection and was established at an awkward stance placing the second bolt (his first-ever at Pinns):
Next I placed a bolt from a strenuous stance backed up by a slung knob (half of which had just broken off). It was obvious that this bolt would protect the route crux above.
After I came down we looked at the time. We'd made some progress and it was nearly 3:00. Maybe it was time to wrap it up for the day? No. Laura casually decided to take another crack at it. Thinking she could see a roomy drilling stance six or eight feet above the third bolt she climbed up, pulled the crux (5.8 or so), and continued on. Finding the stance, she stopped, pulled up the bolting gear and went to work on her second bolt:
Notice the difference in apparent angle in those last two photos - although the angle is kicking back by this point, it's not nearly as low-angle as the straight-on photo makes it look.
Meanwhile, I played human anchor while she drilled:
And that ended a fantastic day. The climbing above looks like it gets easier and easier. About 25 feet above the last bolt there appears to be a natural stance and a good place to put an anchor (60 or 65 feet up). We'll go back to finish the route once the closures are lifted.
Both Dawsons have now taken just about every step in the long road toward "mastering" mud.
Oh, and the route name (once it's finished)? It's obvious isn't it?
Cover Girl.
