dirtbagaaron
Trad climber
i get around
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 16, 2005 - 03:19pm PT
|
what would be a good route to do this spring on watkins? anything in between 5.11b/c and A3 would be good. thanks.
|
|
dirtbagaaron
Trad climber
i get around
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 17, 2005 - 05:56pm PT
|
gees is it bc i posted something climbing related i get no responses?
|
|
'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Oakville, Ontario, Canada, eh?
|
|
|
Jan 17, 2005 - 06:00pm PT
|
For years I have fancied the Harding route on the South Face of Mt. Watkins, but have been discouraged from what I understand is a somewhat nasty approach. I've heard that it's hard to cross the creek in the springtime, too.
Has anyone here done the route? Is it the Ultra-Classic I've heard it is?
Cheers,
Pete
|
|
weekender
climber
Oaklanc CA
|
|
|
Jan 18, 2005 - 09:23am PT
|
I've done it twice; once in a day and a half, and once in about 10 hours or so. It's great climb, a beautiful scenic wall with that remote feel you get up in Tenaya Canyon. Lots of great moderate free climbing with the occasional aid section if done in standard mode. Highly recommended, the approach is tedious but no big deal. I would also recommend Escape From Freedom on Mt. Watkins, exceptional clibming up outrageous slabs and dikes in a stunning position.
|
|
dirtbagaaron
Trad climber
i get around
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 18, 2005 - 02:31pm PT
|
i was looking at escape from freedom. pretty cool looking.
|
|
weekender
climber
Oaklanc CA
|
|
|
Jan 18, 2005 - 03:32pm PT
|
Escape From Freedom is phenomenal.
|
|
Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
|
|
|
Jan 18, 2005 - 03:34pm PT
|
funny name...
|
|
Larry
Trad climber
Reno NV
|
|
|
Jan 18, 2005 - 07:01pm PT
|
Pete,
If the Half Dome approach is too much for you, forget Watkins. Not as much elevation gain as Half Dome (edit after reading Largo below: 1400 feet gain. But no shuttle bus to trailhead anymore, just 1 mile of pavement.), but quite a bit tougher than El Cap.
The crossing of Snow Creek is NTB though. This is from last May.
With the snowpack as it is now, this bridge could get knocked out, I suppose.
(further edit: What do I know, I haven't climbed the wall. I even got lost trying to approach the Watkins Pinnacles.)
|
|
museman
Big Wall climber
Poway, Ca
|
|
|
Jan 18, 2005 - 08:28pm PT
|
This is what you look like when you reach the base!
|
|
T2
climber
Cardiff by the sea
|
|
|
Jan 18, 2005 - 08:31pm PT
|
And this is supposed to be fun. I suppose you got to pay to play.
|
|
museman
Big Wall climber
Poway, Ca
|
|
|
Jan 18, 2005 - 08:32pm PT
|
Sheraton Watkins....greatest bivy ever!
And a damn good place to pee.
|
|
museman
Big Wall climber
Poway, Ca
|
|
|
Jan 18, 2005 - 08:37pm PT
|
South Face route after a summer storm.
|
|
Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
|
|
|
Jan 18, 2005 - 11:22pm PT
|
I met this guy at a party who had me all convinced that Mt. Watkins wasn't too bad at all to crank in a day car to car. Made it sound all reasonable.
I hadn't met Timmy Oneil until then and hadn't heard how fast he was on other stuff.
Went it all became clear, the plans went out the window.
Weekender has a few speed records himself so I'm still not encouraged.
Still, seems like a great way to get in shape and enjoy peaceful beauty. Maybe I'll hump a pig up there.
Peace
karl
|
|
Rhodo-Router
Trad climber
Otto, NC
|
|
|
Jan 19, 2005 - 09:56am PT
|
...or just carry a bag :)
|
|
Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
|
|
|
Jan 19, 2005 - 09:57am PT
|
The approach to Watkins--actually getting to the base of the wall, not just beneath the formation--is not so bad providing you know where to go. Otherwise you can get really lost on the slabs and rubbish leading up to the wall. Folks used to slog in there with the pig, geting the approach wired and stashing gear a the base, then returning to camp--a one day excursion. Then, wth knowledge of where the thing goes, return and blast for it. The shutle bus used to take you to the trail head, then a few hours later--on a mostly dead flat trail--and you were roping up. The old Harding route goes quickly, but findin the descent ain't all that easy.
Watkins is an adventure climb, for sure. And if you want to step it up a bit, go the the Bob Locke route. A skilled party could hike in, fix, and dust the route with one bivy.
JL
|
|
David
Trad climber
San Rafael, CA
|
|
|
Jan 19, 2005 - 11:54am PT
|
fyi. South Face of Watkins will be one of the new routes in the next edition of the ST BigWalls book.
|
|
Mike.
climber
|
|
|
Jan 19, 2005 - 04:50pm PT
|
Thanks for all the photos and info, guys. I would like to know more about that descent, though...or chock it up to adventure(?!)
|
|
Larry
Trad climber
Reno NV
|
|
|
Jan 19, 2005 - 07:28pm PT
|
Just theorizing here...
I would arrange to hike out to highway 120 rather than descend back to the valley. If you've scoped out that part beforehand as well, it's not bad at all. Park the car at a large loop turnout on the north side of the road, near a high point on the road. The Reid/Falkenstein book talks about an old quarry being nearby.
|
|
weekender
climber
Oaklanc CA
|
|
|
Jan 20, 2005 - 09:13am PT
|
For the descent, skirt the slabs at the top of Mt. Watkins and head cross country west through mostly open forest to the drainage that leads to Snow Creek. Pick up the Snow Creek Trail at the that point and head down. Painless and fast.
|
|
|
Join SuperTopo
|
Check
'em out!
Let us know!