Serenity Crack 5.10d

Currently 5.0/5

Royal Arches Area

Yosemite Valley, California USA

Trip Report

Serenity/Sons, Is It Wrong? (Photo TR)

by le_bruce

Tuesday September 17, 2013 12:30am

Is it wrong to repeat.

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Does there come a time when you need to let go of a climb you love, and commit yourself to the idea of not repeating it anymore.

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If you only get 15 or so days in the Valley each year, is it wrong.

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Sixth time, seventh time up the route - wrong?

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You promised yourself you'd finally do the E Butt of LCR this time. You fell asleep thinking about the Fissure Beck. And then suddenly, it is dawn and you are leading up p1 of Serenity.

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How did this happen.

Whole formations you've never climbed on, and yet you go back. What about Lost Brother? What about Quarter Dome? Watkins Pinnacles? What about those multi-pitch lines over in Sentinel Creek? The Joker, The Thief, that stuff up by Bridalveil? That .10c on Fifi Buttress? That entire ziplock full of obscure topos that ablegabel sent you a few years ago? You told yourself you'd check out that Skywalk approach to Snake Dike, that sounded amazing. You went to Little Wing once and swore you'd go back. You wrote down notes on Fireside Bluff. And yet it's early morning and you're on the Serenity-Sons linkup again?

Wake up, man, wake up.

Remember that Obscurity Scale that Hartouni was talking about. You were into that idea once, you had vision once. You wanted to explore, bushwhack through endless layers of bay leaves, pull down on hummocks, repeat all Barry Bates 5.10s, all Chuck Pratt 5.9s, climb that Elliot Robinson route up right of the Porcelain Wall... You used to spend hours zooming in and out on X-Rez, and now? Motherf*#king Sunset Ledge again.

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When you get home and your wife asks, you avert your eyes, you kick at the floor, "No, I can't say whether the route finding on the upper pitches of the East Butt of LCR was cryptic..." She takes a deep breath. "You didn't..." Snaps fingers. "le_bruce, look at me god damn you... You didn't go back to her did you?"

Is it wrong?

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Thumbnail:


	"Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol, morphine or idealism.” Or Serenity-Sons. Credit: le_bruce

Trip Report Views: 7,827

le_bruce

About the Author
le_bruce is a climber from Oakland: what's not to love?.

Comments

clockclimb

Trad climber

Orem, Utah

Sep 17, 2013 - 12:40am PT

"Damn you, You didn't go back to her did you?" LOL
Great pictures, makes me want to try it out. Living in Utah I don't get to Yosemite too often. I also love to repeat routes, especially ones this great.

Daphne

Trad climber

Northern California

Sep 17, 2013 - 12:43am PT

Definitely up for one of the best of the year reports for creativity. Thanks for this.

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

Nothing creative to say

Sep 17, 2013 - 12:58am PT

If it's wrong, I don't want to be right.

murcy

Gym climber

sanfrancisco

Sep 17, 2013 - 01:06am PT

I thought this one was so crowded no one climbs it anymore.

RyanD

climber

Sep 17, 2013 - 01:12am PT

Love le_bruce TR's !

Always unique.

Cheers.

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Sep 17, 2013 - 01:58am PT

If it's wrong, why does it feel so right? :-)
I've done it many times, too. I only feel bad when there are people waiting behind me (which is often, unfortunately).

Be sure you get over and do Mr. Natural several times, too, though.

Gal

Trad climber

going big air to fakie

Sep 17, 2013 - 02:40am PT

No not wrong, def not wrong!

Ed Hartouni

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Sep 17, 2013 - 02:49am PT

my addictions are all fed by visiting friends... I'm ready to do any route they want, or I deem that they might enjoy if they ask for a recommendation...

...I get to be here all the time, they visit briefly and infrequently, so I'm ready to repeat for them... it's all I can do.

15 times a year, ever talk to someone from Germany on the Royal Arches that are on their second visit in their lifetime, probably their last visit?... why were we on that route? because a friend wanted to see how to do it in less than 3 hours... having never done it in less than 8 hours... on a quick one day trip in the middle of the week.

We're lucky, we get to do it all the time...

[Click to View YouTube Video]

...stop worrying about it and go get on some of those other projects!

Ezra Ellis

Trad climber

North wet, and Da souf

Sep 17, 2013 - 06:09am PT

Brilliant,
It is VERY WRONG. ;)
That is what makes it so fun!!!

Charlie D.

Trad climber

Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra

Sep 17, 2013 - 07:57am PT

Too funny, I always wondered about golfers sanity heading out to the same course weekend after weekend hitting that little white ball into the same 18 holes. Well, there you go it appears the "course" has claimed more than just golfers. Love those routes and hope to repeat them for as long as I can.

Cheers,

Charlie D.

David Wilson

climber

Sep 17, 2013 - 09:19am PT

Great TR Bryce !

For every repeat you get to run it out more

micronut

Trad climber

Fresno/Clovis, ca

Sep 17, 2013 - 10:34am PT

"Hi....My name is Le_Bruce....."

Crowd in unison: "Hi Le_Bruce..."

"My name is Le_Bruce....and I am in love with a trade route and its affecting my ability to seek new terrain, to get poison oak and to have unexpected bivvies....and I really want it to end"

Hugs all around.

JohnnyG

climber

Sep 17, 2013 - 11:10am PT

hahahahah

all too true!

Moquah

Trad climber

Carson City Nevada

Sep 17, 2013 - 11:20am PT

Great! loved it.

NutAgain!

Trad climber

https://nutagain.org

Sep 17, 2013 - 12:40pm PT

Absolutely lovely.

But like I always say... why choose when you can have both?

I don't see pictures from the rim yet... Awahnee Buttress still beckons you upward, and you are in denial about it, and that's why you can't stop yourself from going back!

;)

Dirka

Trad climber

Hustle City

Sep 17, 2013 - 12:48pm PT

Great report. Fantasmic climb!

Seamstress

Trad climber

Yacolt, WA

Sep 17, 2013 - 01:26pm PT

You MUST be the man that can tell me precisely and in order what pro I need. Let me rack up efficiently under your guidance.

Nice - I have my addictions, too.

JEleazarian

Trad climber

Fresno CA

Sep 17, 2013 - 01:31pm PT

"The sign of a true mountaineer is the willingness to repeat routes." What's wrong with repeating one of the best? The only thing that would have been wrong would be not posting this excellent trip report.

Thanks much.

John

msiddens

Trad climber

Sep 17, 2013 - 01:50pm PT

So wrong it's right

pvalchev

Social climber

Truckee, CA

Sep 17, 2013 - 01:51pm PT

Hilarious! I can relate too :)

Dolomite

climber

Anchorage

Sep 17, 2013 - 02:02pm PT

The heart wants what the heart wants.

Great TR. Thanks!

Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber

San Francisco

Sep 17, 2013 - 02:07pm PT

LOL I think it is a little wrong : ) You listed a lot of places that beg to be checked out and climbed!

StahlBro

Trad climber

San Diego, CA

Sep 17, 2013 - 02:55pm PT

Great Stuff!

But you know you are going up to see her again

[Click to View YouTube Video]

mucci

Trad climber

The pitch of Bagalaar above you

Sep 17, 2013 - 02:59pm PT

Repeat Glory!

micronut

Trad climber

Fresno/Clovis, ca

Sep 17, 2013 - 03:39pm PT

The harlot from Proverbs Chapter 7

"For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man without sense, passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness. And lo, a woman meets him, dressed as a harlot, wily of heart. She is loud and wayward, her feet do not stay at home; now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait. She seizes him and kisses him, and with impudent face she says to him: 'I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows; so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you. I have decked my couch with coverings, colored spreads of Egyptian linen; I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love. For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey; he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.'

"With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its entrails; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life."

le_bruce

climber

Oakland, CA

Author's Reply

Sep 17, 2013 - 06:15pm PT

That captures it, Micro, it really does. My partner caught this moment of mine after we pulled the rope on the last rap:

Gorgeous George

Trad climber

Los Angeles, California

Oct 11, 2016 - 01:12pm PT

Does this mean there is consensus, I can go back and do it again?

It's been at least ten years, so it should feel like new this time.

jg

couchmaster

climber

Oct 11, 2016 - 01:29pm PT

I think it's a good thing to return to a loved route. This route gives me sweet dreams. Such a good line. Californians have it so good.

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Oct 11, 2016 - 02:18pm PT

Shower, dinner, real bed, breakfast, Nutcracker, Serenity/sons
Almost once a week for three months, for years - alternating.
Thanks it was fun. Paid well, made me a hero to some,
not so much to others.

micronut

Trad climber

Fresno/Clovis, ca

Oct 11, 2016 - 02:20pm PT

.........just like I keep coming back to this harlot of a Trip Report......

NutAgain!

Trad climber

https://nutagain.org

Oct 11, 2016 - 02:28pm PT

forgot about how hilarious you can be man :)

A sparse comic tribute on par with the genius of this:

i-b-goB

Big Wall climber

Nutty

Oct 11, 2016 - 02:51pm PT

5*'s Tried and true sticks like glue!

MassiveD

Trad climber

Oct 14, 2016 - 10:22am PT

I kept thinking his bigger problem is he is seconding everything (because of the pictures).

Must say you haven't not-lived until all your repeats are somewhere a whole lot crappier than the Valley.

thebravecowboy

climber

The Good Places

Oct 14, 2016 - 10:25am PT

try to think of it like onanism. practice makes perfect when the real event comes. if one ever graduates.

le_bruce

climber

Oakland, CA

Author's Reply

Oct 18, 2016 - 10:07am PT

Revisiting this god damn TR after a few years makes me want to do the route again. Hopeless case. Though I've tried, I can't get my heart to follow my head, always the other way around when it comes to this one.

Pretty pumped to read the list of stuff I hadn't done yet back in '13 - been up a handful of those now. Took four years. In a perfect world, would have been a week. Wonder how long to get the rest, plus the ever growing list of longed-for obscurities... I need time damnit time. You may delay, but time will not.

I kept thinking his bigger problem is he is seconding everything (because of the pictures).

If that's me in the pics, I sure have gotten a whole lot better looking than I remember.

Branscomb

Trad climber

Lander, WY

Oct 18, 2016 - 11:35am PT

Addiction is only bad if you don't like it anymore...

NutAgain!

Trad climber

https://nutagain.org

Oct 18, 2016 - 11:41am PT

Ok le_bruce, I've got the weekend before Halloween. Time to go investigate your present degree of addiction? We didn't do the walk-off last time.... Or maybe Fifi? Did you ever get on E Butt of LCR? Paradise Lost?

whoops

climber

paradise, ca

Oct 18, 2016 - 03:36pm PT

Great TR. The good thing about getting old and losing your memory is getting to onsite these great climbs over and over.

i-b-goB

Big Wall climber

Nutty

Oct 18, 2016 - 03:58pm PT

Hans Florine got you beat! Obsessive-climbing disorder (OCD)

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Apr 20, 2018 - 04:48am PT

good to have had a ball bump

Barbarian

Trad climber

Being held captive behind the Orange Curtain

Apr 20, 2018 - 06:23am PT

Guilty!
on my last trip to the Valley I scrambled up to the base of Serenity/Sons. I had given up climbing, but I had to take one last list. I've only climbed it twice, but still, she is a worthy mistress.

Bad Climber

Trad climber

The Lawless Border Regions

Apr 20, 2018 - 06:37am PT

Great, great stuff. Did Serenity twice but never Sons. My loss. I had a similar relationship with Crest Jewel. Ended up doing it seven times. Just so fun and satisfying, Half Dome there over your right shoulder. Usually did the nice hike in from Tioga Rd., stashed gear at the top, and descended for the route. Gawd. Makes me wanna do it again.

BAd

PellucidWombat

Mountain climber

Draperderr, by Bangerter, Utah

Apr 20, 2018 - 07:21am PT

Great to see this bumped up! I had missed it. ROFL, le_bruce....

NutAgain!

Trad climber

https://nutagain.org

Apr 20, 2018 - 07:42am PT

+100

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Apr 20, 2018 - 07:51am PT

An addiction to the Valley presupposes an addiction to climbs like Serenity/Sons. Unless you free climb at a very high level there simply aren't enough high quality multi pitch climbs to allow you to jump on a new climb every time you go there. I suspect most Valley regulars repeat climbs very often.