Author Topic: Holiday fun  (Read 5900 times)

JC w KC redux

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 6563
  • my density has brought me to you...
Holiday fun
« on: December 29, 2015, 02:07:45 PM »
Here are some pics from 12-27-15
Brad, Tricia, Kat and I spent the day hiking and reviewing maps + got to do a little climbing. We took turns leading climberdude's new route Maid in the Shade. Good rock, fun climbing if you're up that way. All the pics were butt shots (too many trees around to be a photogenic route).

Trica leads Maid in the Shade



Kat leads Maid in the Shade





It was a chilly morning as we worked our way up to Marmot.

There was an ice "chandelier" on Moses Springs Trail at The Fern Chamber





My first glimpse of the Yaks and the biggest mass of PO I have ever seen. Literally a waterfall of PO.

Massive PO “waterfall” at Yaks





There was some debate over the resemblance of this profile to various animal and human forms – regardless – it is one cool formation.

South Yak

One wheel shy of normal

looks easy from here

  • Mudders
  • **
  • Posts: 157
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2015, 02:38:28 PM »
That ice chandelier looks awesome, but brrr! What time were you guys on the trail? We didn't leave the parking lot yesterday 'til about 11:30, but it wasn't that cold then (still plenty chilly, though).

JC w KC redux

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 6563
  • my density has brought me to you...
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2015, 03:26:15 PM »
That ice chandelier looks awesome, but brrr! What time were you guys on the trail? We didn't leave the parking lot yesterday 'til about 11:30, but it wasn't that cold then (still plenty chilly, though).

Sorry - I put the wrong date on it - corrected now. It was a bit warmer yesterday but too wet for us to want to slime...er I mean climb anything. We hiked extensively around the Hanging Valley and back up near Yaks doing more map work. Need to get back up there and take advantage of Bruce and Clint's rebolt work.

We were hiking by around 9:30 on Sunday and the ground on the hillside up to Marmot was frozen hard. We did the slab approach and wound our way back down past that big 'ol varmint to the new climb.
One wheel shy of normal

Brad Young

  • Grand Master
  • ***
  • Posts: 6664
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2015, 03:33:05 PM »
Yesterday Gavin and I finished Full Circle, our new route on The Balconies. I posted the new route description on that sticky thread.

We started in late morning to make sure that the route had had a chance to dry. With eleven bolts in place, Gavin got in the first lead. Late in the day, after he placed the anchor, I followed the route. We decided that the last bit of climbing to the anchors presented too great a risk of a broken ankle if someone fell there, so I drilled one final lead bolt while leaning way out left on the rope, from the top anchor (it's not too terribly run out there at the end, but the run out that was there, combined with a big lodestone to fall onto, presented more risk to a leader than we wanted).

Tricia took these shots:













This is a fun climb. It's got lots of solid lodestones, but still a fair amount of loose rock too. It's well protected. It ends on a great stance on huge lodestones, right below a quite blank looking headwall 90 feet up.


Brad Young

  • Grand Master
  • ***
  • Posts: 6664
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2015, 04:02:09 PM »
More Tricia shots:

Long reaches low on the route:




An artful shot through the trees:




Near the top of the climb:




Discussing the possibility of another lead bolt:





Brad Young

  • Grand Master
  • ***
  • Posts: 6664
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2015, 04:07:42 PM »
And a final, fantastic shot that is certainly guidebook worthy. This photo was taken by Joseph Forrester from the next route to the left, The Powers That Be. What a little climber in an ocean of rock:




F4?

  • unworthy
  • Posts: 6172
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2015, 05:03:27 PM »
Wow, a new route on the Balconies is nice....Rating?
I'm not worthy.

looks easy from here

  • Mudders
  • **
  • Posts: 157
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2015, 05:05:37 PM »
Wow, that last shot is stunning!

mynameismud

  • unworthy
  • Posts: 5972
    • Mudncrud
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2015, 10:10:41 PM »
Nice,  congratulations!
Here's to sweat in your eye

mungeclimber

  • PermaBan
  • ***
  • Posts: 6665
    • http://www.sonorapassclimbing.com
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2015, 10:58:21 PM »
Good work gents!
On Aid at Pinns... It's all A1 til it crumbles. - Munge

clink

  • Meanderthal
  • ****
  • Posts: 4004
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #10 on: December 31, 2015, 05:47:48 AM »
 Nice guys. Where did all the big holds in Tricia's pics go in that last pic? Was there less seepage on this route from the recent storms compared to other routes such as Lava Falls?
Causing trouble when not climbing.

Gavin

  • Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 484
    • Gavin Emmons Photography
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #11 on: December 31, 2015, 07:35:08 AM »
I thought the line definitely deserved a star. We debated on whether to rate the line 5.10b or 5.10c, but went for 5.10b until more folks weigh in with their thoughts. It has a lot of 5.10 moves, and I wouldn't call it any easier than 5.10b.

As Brad said, there is some quite good rock, mixed in of course with some loose stuff. Further up the line there are some larger lodestones and pockets that make for some interesting moves.

To clink: the water streak along Full Circle is definitely more shallow than some of the other Balconies streaks, and it wasn't wet at all when we finished it up on the 29th. Some good sized holds are there, but they fade into the wall from a distance!

NOAL

  • Pin Heads
  • *
  • Posts: 1326
  • Hit Lichen Scrub
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #12 on: December 31, 2015, 10:24:59 AM »
Awesome! Good job.  Tricia took some nice pics!

F4?

  • unworthy
  • Posts: 6172
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #13 on: December 31, 2015, 07:30:29 PM »
Belay station lengths?
Can it be done with a 50m?
I'm not worthy.

Brad Young

  • Grand Master
  • ***
  • Posts: 6664
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #14 on: December 31, 2015, 08:02:47 PM »

Belay station lengths?
Can it be done with a 50m?


Erik, here's the full description from the new routes sticky thread:

722.5 Full Circle  5.10b*  This route is located in a water streak on The Balconies southeast face, to the right of The Powers That Be and to the left of Electric Blue.  This water streak is shown on page 291 of the 2007 guidebook. The topo on that page shows two bolts low in the streak (those two bolts were placed in the early 1980s and the line was abandoned after that). Twelve bolts lead straight up before trending left, out of the streak, and then moving sharply right back into it. Finish 90 feet up at a two-bolt belay on top of huge lodestones. NOTE: the difficulty and star ratings on this route may change as it gets climbed and other climbers provide consensus or not; the first ascent party went back and forth between a 5.10b or 5.10c rating and one star or no star. FA Party: Gavin Emmons and Brad Young. FA Date: December 29, 2015. Source(s): Self, part of the first ascent party.


F4?

  • unworthy
  • Posts: 6172
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #15 on: December 31, 2015, 10:07:01 PM »
Nice job!

You know that that means comes next.....farther to the Right.....that project near Shake-N-Bake.
I'm not worthy.

clink

  • Meanderthal
  • ****
  • Posts: 4004
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #16 on: December 31, 2015, 10:26:57 PM »
Quote
You know that that means comes next.....

I will belay you F4. Does anyone slot a stopper at the beginning of the water chute, p2 of Shake and bake?
Causing trouble when not climbing.

F4?

  • unworthy
  • Posts: 6172
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #17 on: January 01, 2016, 07:42:27 AM »
You can.

How I think I would release pitch 1 would be to clip the pitch 2 1st bolt and then down climb to the belay...I missed that trick when I did the 1st pitch.
I'm not worthy.

squiddo

  • Pin Heads
  • *
  • Posts: 2383
  • If it itches, scratch it.
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #18 on: January 03, 2016, 06:40:34 PM »
More Tricia shots:

Long reaches low on the route:




An artful shot through the trees:




Near the top of the climb:




Discussing the possibility of another lead bolt:






Love it
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Every climb gets 3 stars from me until I climb it.
-Anonymous spirited climber

Brad Young

  • Grand Master
  • ***
  • Posts: 6664
Re: Holiday fun
« Reply #19 on: January 03, 2016, 10:18:40 PM »
John Cook's arm climbing over the second bulge on Class Clown 5.7*




And here's more of him:




Brian on Shades of Jade:







John and Kathy at the top of the first pitch of Humping Lizards:




Fun holidays with lots of friends. Back to work tomorrow  :-\