Otto

Trip: Voodoo Dome - White Punks on Dope Date: 9/8/2007 Trip Report: JMclimber and I were lucky to meet up with a couple dudes from Moab who'd spent a lot of time here. Jason and Andrew clued us in on the best way to get to White Punks on Dope from the Needles campground. Taking the lower road, while getting close to Voodoo Dome, would take hours just to drive. Why not just rap the route? Knowing we'd have to set up some rappel anchors with gear, we took some extra cams and nuts. Then we'd just pick them up on the way back up the route. Two hours to the top of the dome from camp, and another hour to rappel, and we dropped in at the start just as another party was racking up. They had just made the grinding hump up from the lower road in two or three hours. I was glad our plan worked out without breaking a sweat. The first two rappels were fixed with nice modern anchors. The first pitch is sweet hands to fists. I ran the first two pitches together, pulling an overhang on face holds at the end. This ended at the undistinguished chimney pitch, which John led. And next, I got the amazing 5.9 enduro corner, a full 200 feet of this. At the top of the pitch there's a wild layback with no possibility of protection, but the slab is less steep. This made up for Big John getting the two great pitches on Igor Unchained. Satisfaction. Happily, he got an excellent full lenght slab pitch with all of four bolts. Random interesting variations are everywhere. I took the flake undercling variation to finish it off. A timer shot session on the summit. Tried to bracket for brightness, but still a bit dark in the foreground. This place absolutely rocks for route quality and cleanliness. And so many more moderate routes to do here! The climbing exceeded my expectations, with the pristine, primitive camping an extra bonus. Thanks to Jason and Andrew for the tips, and for showing us the swimming hole! Gear Notes: Full range, plus some for the raps. Photos by John Medosch. Approach Notes: Hike past all the Needles to the top of the dome, rap the route. Pull the ropes patiently through the chimney. Two raps are fixed bolt anchors, one from a tree, one from a pinch point, and two on medium sized cams and nuts.

Trip: The Witch - Igor Unchained Date: 9/6/2007 Trip Report: After a rest day, JMclimber and I headed for the Witch/Sorcerer notch to look at the famous crack climbs there. Decided to get on Igor Unchained to see what Needles 5.9 was like. Vertical and sustained, we were intimidated. John got the first lead so he got two great steep and sustained hand crack pitches, first and third. The second was more laid back, and wider, and still super fun. A look at the wall from the notch above. The route is the continuous, straight-up line in the left-facing corner. Airy Interlude is up in the yellow wall, left of center. Second pitch restful wideness. The Charlatan and Sorcerer in foreground, The Magician behind. Two climbers can be seen on The Sorcerer. The Warlock. The Charlatan. When I came up to John at the top of the third pitch, the endorphines may have taken over his mind, but he said that was the best pitch he's ever led. He's been getting it done in the Cascades for 30 years, but I had to agree it's possible. Gear Notes: Full range up to #4 Camelot. Photos by John Medosch. Approach Notes: One hour walk from the campground, stay high as possible under The Magician.

Trip: The Magician - Magic Dragon Date: 9/4/2007 Trip Report: JMclimber and I decided it was high time to visit the Needles in the Southern Sierras. It took us two days to drive down there via 395. Slept with cows in a field that night. Not advisable to approach from the East, the roads across the Sierra are slow. Tried to stay in Peppermint Campground but it was full of firefighters. Hope we didn't miss you there, Jake. The first climb we did was on the nearest crag, The Magician. We figured Magic Dragon, 6p, 5.8 would be a good intro as it covers the entire length of the crag. The amazing West wall. At the start of the route. Hardish start, indeed it seemed like .10a, and had to scrape weeds out the the crack to get in some tiny cams. The rest of the group. A nice wide crack on the third pitch. The fire lookout on the top, which was manned and operating. It was a good choice, with a variety of wide crack to smearing slab at the start. Got the butterflies out of the way. Gear Notes: Full range. Approach Notes: We went up from Pearsonville on 395, and saw the sights, long way in. Shorter from the West side, Porterville.

Anything by Peter Boardman or Joe Tasker.

I always like to recommend the beautiful Rollercoaster Chimney at Midnight Rock. A Beckey classic.

Broke down our camp in Porcupine Flat campground and went over to look at Crescent Arch on Daff Dome. Thought it would be the perfect finale to our week in the Meadows, done by Fred and Kor in the Sixties. Someone was on it, though, and my partner wasn't stoked. So we moved up to Lembert Dome and did Water Crack Right, 5.8, a wierd channel like stacked soapy dishes. Then moved over to Northwest Books, 5.9 layback variation, very fun. No pictures, sorry. Drove down to Lee Vining to gas up and stumbled into an outrageous free party with music by Blue Turtle Seduction. Crazy wild hippy dancing ensued. Bought the CD. Crashed in the RV Park. Next day drove down to Mammoth Lakes to catch a slide show, but were a year late. Bought some cool duds on sale at Mammoth Mountain gear shop. Drove home to Seattle all night.

Jumars are the Standard! Not saying HB or Petzl aren't better, though, just not the Standard!

chucK and I had a goat visit us and our piss at the base of the West Face of NEWS last month. Then another, different one on the way back down.

Maybe the FFA will want to rename the route! That'll give us plenty to spray about...

Hi, I climbed your namesake peak once. It had a fantastic knife edge layback at the top, with no pro for a good ways. It was a direct variation of an old, classic route which moves left out onto the face instead of doing the layback. Do you know the route I'm describing?

Well, yes, I have some goals for replacement at Three O'Clock Rock also. I have been learning the techniques from a master craftsman, but I'm not ready to run the power drill yet. I was thinking of trying re-drilling some holes with my hand drill first.

Sounds good, Bug, thanks. Watch for a PM.

Yes, and they are indeed in the new guide. Starting at the big gully in the middle, which Kramar calls Chicken Gully, and going rightward, there are: 3 bolted face routes: Good Gravy, 10a, 1p Eye-Ons, 11b, 1p Tourons, 10b, 1p Then the old crack climb: Leaner, 5.7 Bolted face: Thanks a Lot, 5.8, 1p Another old crack: Wiener, 5.8 A great one starting in a sidepull crack: Be My Guest, 5.9+, 1p Starting way down at the road: Another Roadside Attraction, 5.9, 3p Finally, farthest right: Love Donut, 10a, 1p

You're most welcome, it was a lot of fun. You'll also find upgraded bolts on the Green Crab traverse, and on the lower pitches of Shock Treatment. Agreed, it's a great place. Let's hope the yahoos with guns don't shoot up the dam buildings too many times, losing access for us all.

Trip: Static Point - The Pillar Date: 6/27/2007 Trip Report: David W. and I went up The Pillar with an eye to update the fixed hardware. We rappeled the route and removed all the old, quarter-inch bolts and replaced them with 3/8-inch stainless bolts and Fixe hangers. The belay anchors were replaced with stainless chains and rings. The old holes were drilled out with David's new power drill and so were reused. New belay anchors were added at the tops of pitches 2, 3, and 5. The photos were taken the next week, when we were joined by Dan and his camera. Otto and David, with Red Bull, at Lost Charms tree. We didn't get photos of the first two pitches, but the first pitch is stellar - smooth pure friction slab. The base of the Pillar ledge, at the first new anchor. Getting up the right side of the Pillar. One can either layback the flake edge, or climb the crack in the middle. Dan at the top of the Pillar, at the second new anchor. David studying prospects... He's clipped to a pre-existing fat bolt at the right side of the Pillar top. We didn't take any more photos, but the fifth pitch involves pulling the overlap on natural gear, really fun climbing. It's good to have the new anchor at its top so one can skip the rappel over to the On Line anchors. Now one can rappel straight down the Pillar on good anchors, which applies to all the climbs in the area of The Pillar. Some of the steel and tat removed.

Mary Jane Dihedral is a very good route. I've done it a couple of times. The crux is right at the top of the dihedral, moving out left onto face holds.

Perhaps he was in the Lardeau area. I heard from a friend who works for the Province, in Nelson, that approaching is possible from there now that newish logging roads have been put up there.

Victor spells his name with two a's, Kramar.

Really fun TR, way to go!

Funny, but you got the names wrong. Should be "Edition", not "Volume". Like: First Edition - Old testament Second Edition - New testament Third Edition - Book of whatever...

As it turns out, it was perfect climbing weather all weekend in Leavenworth. Heavy overcast keeping it cool, a nice cool breeze, and it never rained during either day. We climbed all the moderate pitches at Bathtub Dome on Saturday, then the three good pitches on Keen Acres and Heart of Gold on Duty Dome on Sunday. Tee shirts and shorts, even got a bit of sunburn.

What a ramble, way to go! Big fun on a couple of 9000 footers. Thanks for the amusing trip report.

Nice, Matt. I used to climb with a guy who said he had a "cheater sausage" for those big placements...

OK, it's a Big Slab.

I was talking about the crux pitch with the 10b on it, not "such easy ground". If that's not pitch 18, sorry, don't have the topo handy. The bolts as you climb through that section are good.