[TR] Battle Mountain- Plumbline 10/9/2005

[layton]

Climb: Battle Mountain-Plumbline

 

Date of Climb: 10/9/2005

 

Trip Report:

Not cold enough in the hillz, and rainy everywhere, Marcus and I took advantage of Portland's relatively "close" proximity to Castle Crags SP in Northern California to enjoy a sunny warm day of fall mountain hikin' so we once again endured the 6+ hour drive down I-5, stopping at our now favorite gas, rest area, and fast food spots along the way. Ahh I-5, old friend...long and windy road to destinations unknown!

 

So we went "campin' that night (opened the door of the car, tossed out our bags and slept), and had a pleasant sleep until we woke at the lovely hour of 4:45 am.

 

We had the castle dome trail completely wired by now, but a new and exciting side jaunt down the PCT (very pretty via headlamp) until we came to a spot where the Manzanita tree seemed to call us to join them...

 

...so we did. Marcus got an immediate eye wound, while i only endured scraped knees and arms. About 2.5-3 hours to the south face of Battle Mountain, which doesn't actually sit in the State Park.

 

Battle Mtn

 

Battle Mtn and the surrounding peaks are a bit bigger than the crags in the SP, and about 99.9% of the faces and ridges are all unclimbed. There is seriously a lifetime of FA's (of 4-9 pitch routes) to be made with those willing to endure 5 hours of intense bushwacking with most likely no water at camp, or gear en route. No wonder this area is "off the map."

 

link to my photo of a lot of unclimbed rock (Battle Mtn on right)-things are way smaller than the appear

 

 

We chose the established route Plumbline on the "well guarded" Battle Mountain, the largest peak and longest route in the park. It's apparently 9 pitches and 5.10-, and it goes up one of the most amazing features i've ever climbed: a ribbon of perfectly white, solid quartz crystals tucked in the back of a 2-6' chimney!!!

 

Cool Crystals

 

There is, like all routes at castle crags, some serious climbing involved (run-out, sketchy gear, suspect rock, etc...) but when my rope ran out I was seriously bummed that my pitch was over. I laughed and sang my way up, i was having that much fun. It's really F%^$%cking sweet climbing, and it's fun being creative with gear placements between quartz crystals.

 

Lookin down from the Dike

 

We soloed the last "3 pitches" (a few sketch moves, but mostly ok) and then did 2 raps down the west notch. The descent is in the slot chimney that soon becomes horribly horribly choked with manzenita bushes. For those of y'all unfamiliar with this plant, it's a little fucker and has little to no give to its hard little branches.

 

 

Dropping down a chimney through a botany experiment was really unnerving, every so often I'd look down and there'd be a 50 foot drop right under my feet, but blocked by 4-5 layers of bush. I'd slowly punch through successive layers and grab on the lowest branch, and swing Jungle Hunt style down to the bottom of the canyon, UNDER the bushes! It then became manzanita caving. When the slope dropped off, we would lay on our backs and slide under the vegetation, like a Manzanita Luge, or the Fischer Price "Slip and Die"

 

 

We descended waaay to far and wound up looking at a 200+ foot rap down a slot canyon into valleys unknown. I forgot to mention that the bushes were in FULL POLLENATION mode! It was un-be-fucking-lievable!!! Our entire bodies, hands, and faces got covered in pollen. We were mostly out of water and were sneezing, coughing, getting totally stuffed up, and having lovely allergic reations.

 

More unclimbed rock on the descent

 

I got a full face shot of a major pollen burst and inhaled at the same time. I began sneezing and coughing so hard I started puking (luckily my stomach was totally empty) and snot and tears and drool were pouring down my face. After the attack I apparently (don't remember) was beating my helmet against the rock and mumbling total jibberish.

 

Unclimbed wall

 

Driving back to portland that night so i could be at school the next morning was an exercise in suckery. In fact, that brings up a good story from our rest stop break around 1 am in south oregon.

 

On the urinal handle was a note that said, "Sun 10-9-05; 9PM to 2 AM. I want to suck your big hard cock until you cum down my throat. If you want this walk behind the restroom and I will flash a light."

 

No wonder there were no doors on any of the stalls at this rest stop. I came back outside and told Marcus I've give him $100 no questions asked if he'd go in the bushes flashing his headlamp. No go. So we got in the car and I turned the lights on and off a couple times. From the bushes behind the restrooms a little keychain light flashed a few times. I repeated the headlight. More flashes from the bushes.

 

I'll leave the rest up to your imagination.

 

Gear Notes:

surgeons mask

long pants and closed toe shoes

 

Parting Shot

Edited October 11, 2005 by michael_layton

[layton]

oh, and of course we did not see another person as usual.

[cstemley]

Since your new to visiting the Crags, you should become aware of the tradition of exploration that the crags has had for the last 30yrs. And only spray about routes on bar coasters, or paper bags that hold road beers, Thanks

[layton]

so that's where all the reticent hardmen live!

you guys are really fucking cool!!!!!

 

Maybe you could have a softball tourney with the "locals" near leavenworth, cuz they're pretty f'ing cool too.

 

anyway, i'm glad you guys have your little club and little peaks to keep secrets with.

 

also, stuff like that wall i posted could have been climbed. maybe, maybe not. i don't know.

 

it's always funny when someone tries to keep an area secret, but when someone mentions "unclimbed", the person trying to downplay an area all of a sudden has all the beta of the routes and first ascentionists. If there's no published info i'll just assume it's unclimbed until i see evidence that it's not. otherwise nothing new would get done.

 

i'm not going to play by the "locals" rules. scew you guys and your little forts you've made. i'd love for some folks to get back there and put up some stuff. but if it's been done, i'd love to know about it.

 

usually the local "secret" climbs suck anyways

[cstemley]

Now Thats Funny. Congrats on your rad adventure Don't get me wrong. Its better with Binoc's than a book, anyday. And if it wasen't for all that oatmeal and manzanita.....

[layton]

glad you got a chuckle instead of pissed. please please, continue to chide away. i'll be making poster sized super topos for the upcoming guidebook.

[Jim_T]

Nice TR and awesome pics. Someone mentioned this climb earlier this summer so it's cool to get more info about it - thanks for posting!

 

Last fall I was also in that area during "manzanita pollination season". We made some stupid decision to go cross country rather than follow a trail. Damn, my scars are just now healing up!

[sweatinoutliquor]

Dudes! What an adventure! I think I'm in love with that place (and I have only been there once)! Great story about the pollen! Everything looks so amazing, and just seems so inaccessable. Great job getting out there (as usual)!

[AFIVE]

Mike- It's been a while since I was that far back into the crags. If I am not mistaking the picture of your descent route....I think the little dome in the far distance is hit or miss rock which has the most established routes on it. Hard to believe due to it being the farthest away. There are several unfinished aid lines on Battle Mtn. The top gives way to a little less optimal rock quality. I also have some notes and topos from when we visited regularly from Ashland college days. I'd be more than happy to share my unpublished info with you. Let me know if you are going to make one more fall trip before the snows hit. I also know of a smooth approach for Root Creek and The Great Book.

[sean_beanntan]

Nice TR, how was the approch down the castle dome trail. I did it back in 93 and hiked in from the West side of the park on a real good trail before the last mile of 50 degree sloping manzenita. No water so gotta bring everything. Too bad you dropped too low on the decent, its a common mistake. It pays to try and figure out the traverse point out of the gully on the approach. But a very sweet climb.

[layton]

Once off the PCT it's intermittent manzanita schwackin, not too bad of an approach really. The decent (even the best line) is still an 8/10 on the vegetation penetration scale. Yeah, no water and a super sweet climb. can't wait for the E face of castle dome this spring.