12 days in the ditch

[markwebster]

This is my trip report on one and a half weeks in the Valley, with a short side trip to Lover's Leap. It was Chistine and Chris's (crillz) first trip to Yosemite, and I enjoyed showing them around. It was mostly too hot to climb in the sun in the afternoon, though we soldiered through a few sunny mid day climbs because they were to classic to pass by.

 

The only climb I don't have pictues of is Munginella because I forgot my camera that day. The drive back took 15 hours and we saw and heard from not a single bear. We had no epics, not even a headlamp rappel and I was surprised to find myself leading climbs I'd lot been on in 28 years. I guess there is hope for us old guys after all!

 

It's hard for me to pick a favorite climb, but the 5.9 variation start to nutcracker has got to be near the top of my list. Reeds direct was awesome as well, but so hot it was hard to enjoy. And I always love Bishops terrace, that climb rocks!

 

For some weird reason, I can only make about 10 pictures show up on this trip report. If you'd like to see them all, here is a link:

the full trip report

 

Christine on Bears Reach 5.7, Lover's Leap

 

 

Apron Jam 5.9 below Mr. Natural on Glacier Point Apron. This climb is a 70 foot layback up a 4 to 6 inch crack. Bring several 4 to 5 camalots and a #2 big bro.

 

 

 

 

 

Chris D. leading Son of Sam 5.9, Glacier Point Apron. We found this to be the hardest 5.9 in the valley. The climbing was slick friction for the feet supported by finger tips in a one quarter inch horizontal seem. Chris used small cams though small wired stoppers would work as well.

 

 

 

Gorgeous views are everywhere you look in the valley

 

 

 

 

 

Christine leading Church Bowl Lieback 5.8.

 

 

 

Chris D (Crillz), on belay

 

 

 

This next series of shots is from the incomparable Bishop's Terrace route at Church Bowl. This route is only rated 5.8, but be forewarned, it is an old school 5.8 and if you don't have your full skill set of stemming, hand and fist jamming ready, it will work you badly. Fortunately, I've been training all summer for the Valley and found it a ton of fun with very cool moves. This is Chris D. following in fine style.

 

 

 

Christine loved it as well, here she is styling up the 5.8 finish moves.

 

 

 

Though she is cruising, she may have made a few complaints about: "Stop taking pictures and take up the damn rope!". Sorry Christine...I knew you'd love the photos...and I really did have you on belay.

 

 

 

Christine leading the second pitch of Commitment 5.9 in the Five Open Books area. These routes are shady after lunch. Note the big 5.9 roof above. It is easily passed with a big hidden jug back above on your left as you layback the lip.

 

 

 

 

The Grack, three pitches of afternoon shade on mellow 5.6 finger jamming, superb rock.

 

 

 

Church Bowl Tree 5.10a climbs pin scars up very polished granite with a runout bouldery start and a desperate finger jam finish.

 

 

 

Chris D. leading the first pitch of Reed's Direct 5.9. This is a gorgeous hand jam fest up stellar rock. We ran out of time that night, but came back the next day so I could lead the second pitch. The second pitch is one of the prettiest hand cracks you well ever find. The crack tapers back and forth from small hands to fists. There are many v-notches that accept passive gear like wired stoppers or hexes though cams work fine as well. Because it leans slightly right, and is almost vertical, there are no footholds on the right. You have to keep both hands and feet in the crack all the time. I ran out of power halfway up and had to hang once to rest. The climbing was lovely though. Because it is such a spectacular line, tourist gather on the road 200 feet below. Christine had a crowd of 10 people taking her picture as she followed in the baking heat.

 

 

 

Christine following me up the first pitch of Serenity 5.10a. This crack climbs monster pin scars and is quite runnout at the start, if you don't count a cam with only two lobes sticking in a flared pocket.

 

 

 

 

Chrisine leading the second pitch of Serenity. It was a bit of a hang fest, but it was also only her second 10a lead on gear. I was very very happy she finished it because I was dreading having to rescue our gear. I'm not at all sure I could have led it myself. The friction traverse is desperately thin on one quarter inch stoppers. Because she is shorter, she had to make 2 intermediate steps on steep friction, whereas for me, I just reached across. Nice lead Christine!

 

 

 

Christine leading the sustained 5.9 fingers section of the second pitch on Pillar of Frenzy. What happened to the timid sport climbing gal I met this spring who had never led trad? In June I taught her how to place gear, and now I can barely follow her leads...yikes!.

 

 

 

My friends cruising through the 5.8 offwidth. With two 4 camalots, and one 5, this pitch was a cakewalk. We learned to move our party of three almost as fast as two climbers by simul-belaying both followers at once.

 

 

 

Christine mastering her offwidth techniques.

 

 

 

Christine putting her shoes back on at the belay. Ahh, the pain!

 

 

 

I had a very close call here. While swinging leads with three people, you frequently have to swap rope ends and manage the ropes. I got interupted while tieing my knot and forgot about it. When it was my turn to follow, Chris put me on belay and began pulling up rope. I unhooked both daisies and was about to start climbing when I looked down at my untied knot and saw it pulling out of my harness leaving me completely unattached to the rock, 4 pitches up.

 

 

 

A British friend leading the 5.7 roof below us.

 

 

 

Christine following the fourth pitch of Nutcracker 5.8

 

 

Baking our brains out at the belay for the crux 6th pitch of Nutcracker. She made me lead the last two pitches as punishement because she had wanted to drive home that day, instead of baking again...smart woman. The crux was a desperately hard old school 5.8 mantle. Actually, there are two mantles. The first mantle is the hardest, and I backed off twice, grabbing gear to prevent falling. On my third try, I led it cleanly, finding a small side pull on left wall of the polished open book that helped me balance my way up the first mantle, from where I could easily grab the jug on the second mantle, which was a straight forward heel hook. For all the trouble I had, I thought Christine would struggle being shorter...but she didn't even slow down. She commented later that her toes were hurting so bad all she could think about was getting the hell off the rock.

 

 

 

 

Last belay on the last day on the last climb of our trip.

 

[billcoe]

Nice write up Mark! Love the valley. I was just getting my sweet granite fix and then the pics stopped, but there are image links which are not working- only see about half the pics! ?

 

Never mind, I just need to click your link to get the pics, I'm slow...thanks!

 

 

Edited September 22, 2008 by billcoe

[billcoe]

trying something...some select pics to add to the graniticity of it.

 

 

 

the grack below

Best 5.6 in the world

 

 

 

 

 

Reeds

 

 

 

Scary!

 

"I had a very close call here. While swinging leads with three people, you frequently have to swap rope ends and manage the ropes. I got interrupted while tieing my knot and forgot about it. When it was my turn to follow, Chris put me on belay and began pulling up rope. I unhooked both daisies and was about to start climbing when I looked down at my untied knot and saw it pulling out of my harness leaving me completely unattached to the rock, 4 pitches up."

 

Glad you're still with us! You folks did the classics! Lots more pics click on Marks link.

 

[Crillz]

Thanx for the TR Mark, and thx for showing me around the valley.

[ScottP]

When I did Son of Sam a few years back, I was swarmed with red ants about two placements off the ground. I can still remember the smell of them as I wiped them off my forearms while alternately hanging off one arm and then the other. Other than that, I thought it was a cool line.

 

Did you do Mr. Natural?

 

Thanks for the pics.

[Crillz]

We didn't do Mr. Natural on this trip. From the looks of it though, it is on the to-do list next time around.

 

It seems like from rockfall scare, climbing traffic on the apron has declined. It looked like some gardening was needed on several climbs.

[billcoe]

I haven't done Apron Jam or Mr. Natural since the rockfall, which I understand killed a guy on Apron Jam.

[ScottP]

It was weird to climb a crack in the Valley that didn't have pin scars on it. (My stubby fingers could have used them at the top.)

[billcoe]

It was weird to climb a crack in the Valley that didn't have pin scars on it. (My stubby fingers could have used them at the top.)

 

Serenity to Sons of Yesterday may be the best example there. You go from extreme beat out pin scar- to sharp crystal never seen a pin splitter as you get into the Sons continuation.

[pink]

nice mark

[markwebster]

I'm suffering from climbing withdrawal symptoms. Cold sweats, shivering...need a rock fix badly.

 

Regarding rockfall on the apron, we asked around and folks said that the rock falls in the spring usually if it's going to fall. We didn't even hear a pebble fall on the apron in two days of climbing there. Others said that rock has fallen off from many locations around the ditch. Hell, we heard a horror story from lovers leap about a flake that fell off on a guy and amputated his arm 5 years ago. Lovers has some scary flakes...bears reach is all detached flake climbing. I was glad to get out of there to the valley.

 

Pink, are you going back to jtree for xmas? I'll be there.

[pink]

mark, i though about doing cochise this year but jtree was a blast last year. don't know yet.

[Jens]

Sweet pics!

 

Makes me wish I was was hanging at Yos like the younger days.