Jump to content

[TR] Cathedral Peak - Southeast buttress 5/21/2007


skitchmo

Recommended Posts

Trip: Cathedral Peak - Southeast buttress

 

Date: 5/21/2007

 

Trip Report:

Trip: Southeast Buttress of Cathedral Peak

 

Date: May 21, 2007

 

Approach: Amazingly dry for end of May. Tuolumne Mdws climbing is great right now.

 

Trip Report: I am sad to report the end of my 76 year old father's climbing career. Dick Stark started climbing in the early fifties and is a product of the Stanford Alpine Club, manila rope and the dulfersitz rapel. He started me out on Goldline rope tied in with a bowline. We then advanced to using a swami belt to tie in. It was exciting when we started leaving pitons behind for passive nuts. He still looks at cams as newfangled gizmos.

 

He dislocated his shoulder several years ago at the top of the Cockscomb in Tuolumne Mdws, but we had wanted to climb Cathedral Peak one more time before all of his "parts fell off". Unfortunately 200 feet up he dislocated his shoulder again. He then climbed 25 feet of 5.6 with a dislocated shoulder. My wife, Ann, pushed from below, tolerating his spontaneous expressions of frustration (every daughter-in-law's worst nightmare). Once on the ledge where I was waiting, it took about 15 minutes to get his shoulder back in. Like a fool he turned down the Percocet and just cursed and gritted his teeth. He claims the unmistakable clunk of successful reduction was better than sex. We then lowered him off and had a quiet walk out.

 

I pointed out that retiring from rock climbing at 76 is quite respectable and that he is probably the only person to have dislocated a shoulder on two of the peaks in his beloved Cathedral Range. He is now relegated to backpacking and peak bagging but I think he still has a lot of miles in those knobby knees and skinny old legs.

 

Approach1.JPG

Approaching on a low snow year.

 

Eric.JPG

We at least got in two pitches of fun climbing.

 

Reduction.jpg

Cathedral Peak geriatric orthopedic clinic.

 

Leaving.JPG

Still smiling on the way out.

Congradulations on a long and enjoyable climbing career dad. :rawk:

Skitchmo

 

Gear Notes: Small rack inluding shoulder immobilizer.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 9
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...