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LongAgo
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 23, 2006 - 04:54pm PT
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Pinnacles Revere
Tom Higgins
I prefer the west side of Pinnacles because walls are bigger and more foreboding, and for the bats, falcons and foxes (4-legged) I've met. I also invested more of my climbing energy there than at the high peaks (with its long, long views on clear days across California, it seems) or east side (with its intricate caves, friendly, rough campground running with wild pigs at night). No matter where one climbs, the place fills you with a sense of another world: seeing big tarantulas on the road; thinking of bandits hiding away and early Spanish explorers stunned by the odd formations; feeling a warm, gently moving air sounding in wispy pines. Add twittering, big eared bats in a crack peering out at the stranger you are, the missile sounding dive of a falcon going for a bird hit (or is it to stop you hammering on your damn drill), a good Mexican meal and beer on the road home and joy is complete.
Machete Direct:
A tribute to the quiet, proficient Barry Bates and partner Glen Garland, the first pitch of this route humbled, fooled and nearly benighted me. An old aid line up a big, brown, rambling wall promising a few hours of up and down (to the top), the Direct first pitch has a sport route feel, but with a nagging rich history of a good style, first free ascent I wanted to emulate. Barry tried it free one weekend a few times, then came back the next and got it in 1987. No seiging, no rests on the rope. He rated it good 5.11 which I knew I could do at the time, but then why was I going up happily, hitting a befuddling, cockeyed crux, not figuring it and falling, lowering to the ground, pooped and starting over for the third time? Why was the sun going already? Was this another of Barry's specials, like Mechanic's Delight, his 5.10 overhanging 5.11? Last try I got it, finally figuring how to span hamstrings just so and use that handhold, not that one, and don't jerk, just creep and ... It's a fine mental machination crux worth fiddling - 5.12 in my book. We added an evening descent without flashlight (again), rappelling, sliding in some gully and drinking dinner in the old Porsche, snarfing the curvy road, windows down and screaming out some song.
Lava Falls and Shake and Bake:
Sometimes you don't want to go up a wall, yet you do. Both these routes follow black gullies on a high, near vertical wall. Outside the gullies, the rock is suspect, so why not the gullies too? We presumed the worst when venturing up the first of the gullies to go, Shake and Bake, finding the darker the rock, the better. The staining seep of water in the gullies hardens the rock with minerals making climbing scary but feasible (5.9). With Chris Vandiver in 1976, up and up we went, barely able to drill without tipping off, but having to go on because there was a pretty good size knob right up there, and another, and another, like a siren beckoning us toward one of those clipping, bruising tumblers only the rubble of Pinnacles can provide.
Of bolt placements, Chris said I would climb into a desperate situation far enough out to need protection, force myself to stop only because going any further was really dangerous, and frantically start drilling, clearly more to get it done than any pleasure of the moment. He was exactly right; yet, at the belays, I would look out utterly washed with pleasure as the falcons roared, pines swayed, the last pitch done after all, meaning the next just might, might go. Then, I'd turn my head up to scope the black squiggle above winding out so sweetly like a road at night. "Up rope, Higgins!" he'd yell, breaking my reverie. But besides, it was getting late. We had to get this thing. And so, we'd start the next pitch, fearful, hopeful, rushed, mashed.
I can't speak for the creators of the other multi-star Balconies route up another witchy, dark gully, Lava Falls where Holmgren, Matthews and Vandevere (not Vandiver) also placed all their bolts from stances, getting sucked in like us, I'd guess. I made the first attempt on Lava (one bolt), but left the route alone too long and they, rightly, grabbed it. My guess is they too got the twisted pleasure of stemming up a wide open Balcony's dent, legs splayed, hot and sweaty in the morning, cool as the sun goes off, emotions whipsawed, feeling like approaching a harlot, lust and angst drawing you along; or maybe like getting a sharp whipping, the sting just enough to keep you tense, pumped, on, but not so much to push you down into a weeping lump you know very well this wall could bring. S&M? I don't know, even now, 30 years smarter.
Resurrection Wall, Regular Route:
This one reminds me a little of the north face of Sentinel in Yosemite, not because of any resemblance in rock type of course, but because like many north walls, it broods darkly in the right light, with a sickly yellow cast here and there which one learns is trouble, akin to English cliffs I remember that sink you before you even can start. Hiking toward it, saying Juniper Canyon over and over because the mantra helps somehow, I still wind up on the first pitch asking, again, "Why?" First climbed with aid by Kammerlander (same partner as with Freson Dome first ascents), a sparkling eyed, energized, laughing man who loved climbing in soft Hushpuppy street loafers, but whose love of recklessly riding a motorcycle killed him.
Frank Sarnquist and I approached the wall in 1978 for our free attempt. Immediately we knew we were in a Pinnacles shoot out. Munge on the first pitch was so thick each step brought a little compression as the brain started its fevered calculus to distribute weight no not there, but there, no here, no there. Fortunately, the growth was dry and strangely beautiful, like corral (if wet, stay away), actually almost fun to go over, but Christ where is that protection (no question, R)? Then we hit the bolt ladder, a series of maybe thirteen or so starting with a little light 5.10 or 11, you judge, then going to 9, then pacing up to 10 or 11 again just when you think it's done. Unlike Machete with the warm wide ground awaiting your retry, here a fall means (if you torture yourself the old way) lowering a long way to an unfriendly stance, getting off tension, barely able to shake out, then going again up 9, 9, 9, 9, 9 back to the last 10 or 11. "Got it, Frank!" I call in squeaky, dry voice as I haul onto a fat knob.
But the full adventure was yet to come. A meandering pitch up one or another way (7 or 10 or something) brings one to a dome summit where, if you have our luck, a fox meets you and stares you in the eye: "No, this is my place, not yours." "OK, we'll go over here, then." "No, that's mine too," and she moves over there also, completely ignorant to our superior firepower (rocks would it come to?). "OK, we'll head this way." And on goes our little dance until we slink away off a far edge wondering what den she was protecting, what gorgeous cubs perhaps, as golden late light floods the summit and surprise, fatigue, quandary, love, wonder and kicked up dust swirl around us.
Power Tools and Power Corrupts:
Created by rappel bolting and hooks in the late 80's, early 90's, these two star routes ascend a majestic, 400 foot formation called the Citadel. Tools is light 11; Corrupts is the direct start to Tools (if I remember right) and is light 12. My mind roamed toward sour on the approach, noting the scrubbed Citadel Boulder, carved trail and sawed limbs (still visible?) making a climber's path, helping to ignite ranger rage. As Dave Rubine's complete and instructive guidebook history tells (Climber's Guide, Chockstone Press, 1991), "Because of these actions, the Park Service considered closing the monument to climbing altogether." Power Corrupts indeed.
Then to the climbs. The direct seemed not so much calculus as hard grip, then excellent, clean 10 and 11, but somehow the initial holds didn't look right. Chipped? Higher, the brain goes off: let's see, I think I could have got this bolt in no aid, well maybe not that one, but maybe a run to this area ... hard to say. Quandary clouds rise, a little sadness. Why not leave a big beauty like this for a younger, bolder powerhouse who wouldn't need as many bolts and could place them where us yesteryears couldn't? Neurons hum. The beauty of the wall and place soothes. Still, skating down, next time I want back to a Bates route where the historical choreography is ever more fulfilling.
Pinnacles: when you long for the strange and the wonder of all the when and how.
Tom Higgins
LongAgo
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Mar 23, 2006 - 08:16pm PT
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Very nice, Tom. Thanks for sharing.
I'd love to hear memoirs of your jaunts in Southern Yosemite/The Hinterlands - Fresno Dome, Chiquito, and especially at the Balls w/Kamps.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
one pass away from the big ditch
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Mar 23, 2006 - 08:19pm PT
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Thx Tom, good food for the soul.
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capndick4
Boulder climber
reachingfortherandomorwhateverwillbewilderme
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Mar 23, 2006 - 08:59pm PT
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intricate caves? where? I've been in Balconies and Bear Gulch. Are there others in the area?
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426
Sport climber
Framed. TN.
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Mar 24, 2006 - 08:04am PT
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Thx Mr. Higgins.
not so much calculus as hard grip
Nice phraseology; mind if I steal it?
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LongAgo
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 27, 2006 - 04:54pm PT
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In response to posts:
Referring to caves on east (not west) side, I meant the cave system below the Monolith where once famous bandito Tubercio Vasquez hid out and, some say, buried his undiscovered booty. Keep an eye out.
As for future reminiscences on other climbing areas, including Southern Sierra, I may post same as mood strikes me. Indeed, my days with climbing friends there, and especially all my days with Bob Kamps, remain firmly with me. Look for my second obituary to Bob in upcoming AAC Journal, a bit different from my other tribute to him in Climbing some time back,
About quoting any of my phrases as one poster asks, use whatever you like. Credit would be nice, but isn't necessary. And for those who like to read my meandering, I'm working on a web site which will have articles of yore from Summit, Ascent, AAJ, etc., all just for love of the game, no commercials.
Tom Higgins
LongAgo
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Apr 24, 2010 - 08:24pm PT
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Pinns Bump
Gotta show the love
Higgins you are my hero!
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Gearhead
Trad climber
Novato Ca
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Apr 24, 2010 - 10:50pm PT
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I love the Pinns! Scary bolts and shitty rock, I climb there more than anywhere else!!!!!
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kc
Trad climber
lg, ca
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Apr 25, 2010 - 01:27am PT
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I've always felt that it wouldn't be surprising to see dinosaurs on the west side. It just has that rugged, other-wordly feel.
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karodrinker
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Apr 25, 2010 - 02:03am PT
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What a great read. Thanks Tom.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Apr 25, 2010 - 06:53am PT
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Thanks, Tom. I climbed at Pinnacles before I climbed in the Valley, so the place has always been special to me.
It was good to see your picture in the Bob D'Antonio thread. I hadn't seen you since I left Berkeley in 1973, but the picture I saw looked great.
I look forward to your next post.
John
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David Knopp
Trad climber
CA
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Apr 25, 2010 - 04:58pm PT
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pinnacles is the best-right now, green, wet, flowering still. killer routes, no poseurs, no crowds at all.
Tom H.-what about the Salathe on the Hand? Any stories?
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billygoat
climber
Pees on beard to seek mates.
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Apr 25, 2010 - 07:43pm PT
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"I've always felt that it wouldn't be surprising to see dinosaurs on the west side. It just has that rugged, other-wordly feel."
Well put.
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Apr 25, 2010 - 10:58pm PT
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Nice tom,
Z
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ec
climber
ca
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Apr 25, 2010 - 11:12pm PT
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"The horror... the horror..."
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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Boulder Creek CA
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Apr 25, 2010 - 11:34pm PT
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Just got back from a beautiful day climbing at the Pinnacles West side.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
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Jan 18, 2017 - 07:21pm PT
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bump
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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Jan 18, 2017 - 07:43pm PT
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Jan 18, 2017 - 07:51pm PT
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Pinns!
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| Messages 1 - 19 of total 19 in this topic |
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