Quest for Mud (Special Edition)

[JC w KC redux]

Yes, the birds are always checking us out, in hope one of us is Mr Mud.

They can hope.

Not enough meat on him to attract a buzzard much less a Condor

[JC w KC redux]

A group of three buzzed me at the summit anchor on Spikes Peak, western summit. "Little Stinker" landed surprisingly close as I was belaying up my partner. (This was the day before I saw Brad and BAP from the same spot).

Were you by any chance climbing on Smokestack on 12-22?
We saw a party of two go up there on our way to the Squareblock cutoff - about 9:30 in the am.

[Chris Henry]

Hi JC - It was not me on December 22nd. I like the smokestack - but I think I was last there on 11-15.

[JC w KC redux]

Hi JC - It was not me on December 22nd. I like the smokestack - but I think I was last there on 11-15.

And so the mystery will go unsolved...for now...

BTW - Welcome to the forum and the Quest.

Did you check out any of the great new routes by Little Javelina?
Gavin and Brian did a fabulous job finding and bolting those lines.

[F4?]

What is the Quest?

[Chris Henry]

We noticed Dances with Warthogs & Brad/BAP bellowed out their endorsement of that route from across the canyon. It is on my list for next time!

[Brad Young]

^^^

I don't bellow, and neither does BAP. Hell, my voice barely carries.

First I'm some form of vulture and now I'm some form of barbarian? Sheesh. At this rate I see a fair amount of "penalty slack" in Chris's future.

[JC w KC redux]

^^^
BAP definitely doesn't bellow but the BPS can be heard for miles and miles...

P.S. Pot/kettle

[JC w KC redux]

We noticed Dances with Warthogs

Dances is top notch. Where's Waldo is too if you haven't gotten to that yet.

Definitely do yourself a favor and print out all the routes up there.

Don't miss Swine Flue - the stemming up and out of the chimney is super fun.

Great place to go in warmer weather.

My only gripe was when you're in the chimney - you can't see the bolts - but you just climb and find them.

[JC w KC redux]

Time for a circuit breaker.

Kat and I renewed the Quest yesterday near and at Squareblock Rock.

We started on the recently finished Half Pumpkin Dome.

Getting things started with Peter Peter 5.1R (got wood?)





One butt shot





and it's done


 


We headed around the backside and thoroughly enjoyed Jack O' 5.8*

Moving across the "try not to schwing" section (too bad that pillarish feature isn't threadable





Interesting (and well protected) moves get you up to here





and a super fun finish





Kat follows the final part of Jack O' - reaching for a nice knob





We polished off the day with a run up Squareblock Rock's 3rd class chimney (more of a gully actually).

Getting through the upper choke point





Kat emerges on to the exposed scramble that leads to the east summit

[BAP]

Hi John and Kathy,
Happy New Year!
Hopefully you enjoyed Jack O. 

[Brad Young]

Hi John and Kathy,
Happy New Year!
Hopefully you enjoyed Jack O.

They may have been two of the only Americans who enjoyed themselves yesterday. Peace and some fun routes.

[F4?]

Looking forward to this weekend. Dry weather is good for the routes, bad for the water situation and Mungie.

Hope no bolts are harmed this weekend.

[Chris Henry]

Made it out for a couple very pleasant day trips recently.

Brad - I was able to visit your handiwork on Mad Max:



Not a bad summit at all and for a low-5th route the climbing was enjoyable.

JC - Thanks for the recommendations - throughly enjoyable all around. Swine flue in particular was one I won't soon forget - and might not have found otherwise!

Also snapped a couple opportunistic pictures of forum member Zay and his friend W at Condor Crag:

[Zay]

Man, that bloke in grey just LOOKS like bad news.

Chris, try clicking this link: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1OLyxRbZq9m_9oo6xogqkFcR2Qce_usyq

...should have all my pics from yesterday. Some good ones of you guys!

[Zay]

On the way down, and as night fell, I started regailing to William about all the cool wildlife encounters Pinnacles has to offer. Foxes, pigs, condors... and just before I remembered to talk about the bats, this little guy starts flapping by our faces. Maybe he smelled our banana peels? Damn cute thing buzzed us for ten minutes. Five minutes later, we hear the group of girls up the trail from us start screaming periodically. Sounded like the bat made some new friends.

It's in the videos hehehe

[F4?]

Good day today, crushed at the upper crust.

Super warm, lots of hikers

[Jody]

Good day today, crushed at the upper crust.

Super warm, lots of hikers

It wasn't warm!

[F4?]

Now that’s more like it!!

Yeah today was just crazy....70 in Hollister in the ate afternoon. Monument wa s warm for sure.

Give me freezing temps anyday.


Where were the crushers today? We had the monolith to ourselves. I could have lead the indirect traverse....not.

[JC w KC redux]

Great pictures Jody - thanks for sharing.