I always love TR's, and rarely post 'em, so here's for taking one step back toward karma-neutral:
Me and Scott blasted out of Oakland at 8:00 on Saturday night last week, and by blast I mean Toyota-f’ing-Prius blast.
At El Agave:
So Geek Tower right?
Hell yes.
Center Route?
Center Route, son.
Think conditions will be good?
They’ll be good.
Start the approach at 5:30?
5:30.
 |
 |
|
 Geek Tower, Center Route Credit: le_bruce |
||
 |
 |
Later, at the deserted 120 entrance:
|
|
|
 Chains required Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
Sign says CHAINS REQUIRED, do we have chains?
Don’t need chains, we have a Toyota f’ing Prius.
Here's a series of photos of the haunting and memorable drive over the pass and through Crane Flat. The good ones are credited to Nutjob, and his whiz bang camera.
Visit on ggpht.com
|
|
|
 Long exposure of wintry scene approaching Crane Flat, near midnight under a full moon Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
|
|
|
 Looking toward the Central Valley Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
|
|
|
 Under full moon Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
|
|
|
 Bridalveil at midnight (all night shots credit: Nutjob and the gremlins in his camera that make night look like day) Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
We arrived Camp 4 at 1am, the place: empty, iced up, stars blazing through the pines with the full moon finally getting ready to set, only dead of night winter sounds, looks like maybe someone has a fire roaring in a site down toward SAR, probably Euros!, asleep in minutes--
Morning, awake, 5:30, too cold.
6:30: ditto
7:30: ditto
8:30 in Camp 4:
Visit on ggpht.com
Visit on ggpht.com
Scoping the line from the road, looks icy, dicey:
Visit on ggpht.com
Plan B: Reed's, where we do the first 2 of Reed's Direct, Bongs Away Left and Center, and finally stare up at Chingando before accepting that two BD #5's weren't going to cut it for us. Scuffy B, who we bumped into with the Reed's morning crew, mentioned we might want a #6.
|
|
|
 Warming El Cap Meadow, credit: Nutjob Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
In the spirit of Offwidth Ed H's beautiful Half Dome video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXV3naTIOcM, definitely worth your time), here's a vid of clearing February mists in El Cap Meadow:
[Click to View YouTube Video]
For me pitch 1 always feels easy breezy:
|
|
|
 Reed's pitch 1 Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
|
|
|
 A boring shot of Reed's Direct p1 Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
Pitch 2 never does:
|
|
|
 Nutjob and Reed's Direct p2 Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
I wouldn't know about pitch 3, never done it, and didn't get to that day:
|
|
|
 Wet p3 of Reed's Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
So we did the two Bongs and rapped. Bong's Away, Left is easy and fun. Too much rack here, which we thought we'd need on Reed's third pitch.
|
|
|
 Easy and fun 5.8 Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
Bong's Away, Center, is 5.10a at 5" for the crux. The wide part lasts only about 30 ft or so, with the rest being fun hand and finger moves, with some juggy face at the top. The crux climbing is easy relative to most Valley wide pitches, though, because there's an offset to the right of the crack which you can scum against, and all kinds of features to the left to press off of with your feet. We TR'd it, it'd be harder to lead no doubt. In my opinion it's about half as hard as the 5.8 that defends the anchors on Midterm, and easier by a third than the brief wide section on Traveler's Butt at the Leap.
This is actually the top of Reed's 2, but I don't have a photo of Bongs Away Center:
|
|
|
 Top of Bong's Away, Center Credit: le_bruce |
||
|
|
After the shrinkage at the base of Chingando, to the car and Pat and Jack's.
Visit on ggpht.com
Visit on ggpht.com
Beautiful day in the Valley, kind of moody, kind of wintry and shrouded:
Visit on ggpht.com
Not a soul at P&J's. Scott linked 1 and 2 of Knob Job, .10b, and then we TR'd the wild and unique .10d face climb Book 'Em, Dano. What I'd like to know is: who here has sent Book 'Em, Dano on-site? I kept imagining what a freaky experience that would be as I TR'd it.
Some pics and video of Scott on Book 'Em. The video is shot by the belayer, so it's not very good.
Visit on ggpht.com
Visit on ggpht.com
Visit on ggpht.com
Visit on ggpht.com
Book 'Em, gaining the stance before the crux: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDMRKfmaBVw
The crux lunge: [Click to View YouTube Video]
This would be a ballsy and memorable on-site, and I want to know who's done it? Finding the guts to commit to an all-points-off jump for a crimp rail, with the bolt below you and a ankle-snapping protrusion below that and lots of air below that... phew!
(There are three ropes in the vid because we're climbing on doubles, and there was a fixed line up for the winter mini-traxioners.)
We finished the day with headlights at Generator Crack, which Scott got after a few tries but which spit me out just where it steepens and doglegs a little bit.
Great day, as always. Eight pitches isn't a ton of climbing but well worth the drive for us. Big feeling of gratitude on the drive back, and arriving home to family. Geek Tower next time.
Visit on ggpht.com
