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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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Kirch Flat should be empty so you will have the whole place to yourselves,
maybe call to make sure the gate is open,
and somebody bring a welder to weld that noisy cattle guard down,
tons more camping upstream along the Kings,
be sure to gas up in Fresno,
back roads are a nicer way to get there,
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Had a phone message from him, expect an update soon, sharpen your trail building equipment. There is also a good site a little above the trail head no Latrine, though....
And keep your eye on the prize! Leversee sent me another one of these
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Trad is Rad
Trad climber
San Luis Obispo California
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coming up with Aaron, see you guys there. Also how much are the t shirts going to be?
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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I am 100% probably going. I'll email you soon.
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 4, 2013 - 11:33am PT
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Ok ladies and gents,
Alexey went up there and totally thrashed around and bushwhacked all day trying to get to the flake...unsuccessfully...which adds a bit of spice to the equation. I'm going in Saturday to suss out a feasible trail. I had knee surgery a week ago (Doc says nothing athletic for six weeks, but what does he know), and unless I'm having major swelling I hope to dial in the trail location and cut away major junk if possible. I'm also going to be printing out some topos for other stuff in the area. There's another area to the east along the main wall that has stuff in the 5.8-5.11 range on some cool formations. And I just found out that there's a 5.9 on the right side of the flake to gain access for me to rig a toprope/jug line for photography.
THE PLAN is to set up a big group campsite at KIRCH FLAT, a nice spot by the river, but at least a half hour or so from the trailhead, and do our Saturday evening BBQ there. Adam and I will bring the BBQ, the meat, and a bunch of side dishes prepped by our lovely wives once we have a firm number. T-shirts will cost yall 10.00, I'm sporting the cost on the remainder as a labour of love.
Call or text me with any questions, and I'll for sure keep you in the loop after my recon on Saturday. Anybody have a pair of crutches I can borrow?
Yours,
Scott
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Alexey
climber
San Jose, CA
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Complete fiasco for attempt to get second ascent of JCA's Wide World of Sports last weekend.
Went on Thursday night with my friend Chris. Chris is ultimate weapon for this climb , since she can squeeze at 7 inches, where #6 just tipped out. But we had no chance to try.
We stayed in Kirch Flat campground which is really good.
Friday morning we drove 12.1 ml from Kirch Flat camp and easily found trailhead to Flake with old cairns. Our packs was heavy. A triple #5, #6, #9 and one #12 plus two ropes
The beginning of the trail was ok, we reached big power line, than we transition up to smaller power line and follow the trail toward the flake.
I think the trail which was restored in 2010 has green ribbons. And power line trale has red ribbons. So at some point we did see trail forks from small power line up to the rock band toward the Flake - and started following it. We lost trail pretty soon and started terrible bushwhacking which never ended. We still were moving in direction of the Flake and sometimes was able to see it.
We started hiking at 10 am and 3.5 hours later we were relatively close to the Flake, but realize that we have no chance to climb and return before dark. We turned back and it took us 3.5 hours on the way down, TOTAL 7 hours of worst hiking in my life.
Our hazmat suites was trashed, we did not see poison oak in the first half of approach, but closer to the Flake it was many.
We left Balch Camp same day having no chance to find easy approach next day, and no desire to bushwhack more. We had recover at Arch rock next day.
It is very possible that we left power line too early because all f*#kup started after this. But it still hard to believe that you can make it in 45 min with heavy backpack.
I hope the climbers who participate in 2010 trail work will come to find and restore the trail before Bulch Fest.
Locals who may know approach may help too.
Added for Jaybro: did not meet snakes or Mountain Lions, but was thinking to cary Bear spray for them, but left in the car
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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You will! Sooner than you may think!paging Will, Linda, Munge, Sarah and whomever else I'm forgetting.. You all got in there in 2010, many without medical mishap!
Can you remember any key beta to make going in there any easier? I'm a remember-it-when-I-see-it-kinda guy not good at remote route beta all the way from Moab. I'll be up directly after Billyfest, though!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Alexey, you didn't mention it, but did you see any sign of mountain Lions?
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Your plan sounds great, Scott. Adele and I are going to hear Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe this Saturday night, but I may be available for sherpa/bushwhacking duty up until early afternoon. Keep me informed about that, or anywhere else where I can help.
Thanks.
John
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 4, 2013 - 05:08pm PT
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For sure John. Adam and I are working out some details now. Paul Martzen also said he's interested in helping out. I'm kinda thinking about trying to head in from "pin high" with the flake.....at this hairpin up near the right. It looks more forested and less dense from a groundcover standpoint. Then we could drop down and along the wall. We'll see Alexey, you're an animal, and I'm sorry it was a big hassle. We'll do our best to get it all sussed out.
If we can't, this whole thing is off. But I'm confident we'll get an approach dialed in for The Fest. Stay tuned.
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 4, 2013 - 05:11pm PT
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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what about parking at the penstock and hiking up the PG&E service road?
might mean a rap in but easier hike,
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Thrash to, on and back from the climb....sounds fun! Should see a lot of traffic now that the secret is out.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Nah you don't want to go that way. We came out that way once and it took all night!
If need be I'll get the original trail in if no one else figures it out first. Trust me, there is a reason we went that way!
Anne Yeagle ( who has posted here) and David cotter have gone the easy way too.when we did passionate life, side of Wyde, A flicker in time, etc. One day Anne and I started up after noon ( the day after passionate life, so we got a slow start, but left gear at the base and just hiked in with water) did the hike, put up side of wide, hung out took photos and hiked out all before dark. Though that was in the late nineties. Maybe we'll hear from them
Another way I've done (as has Paul) is to go in from above. Once Upon a time it was an hour hike followed by a six hundred foot rappel.
Linda Jarit and I and __ come on, you know who you are, speak up! (He took photos at zanderland once works for Nikon in the South Bay and whose name slips my mind. Sorry, man.) hiked in that way and it took as long as alexey's epic just to get to the top of the rappells- talk about overgrown!
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 5, 2013 - 11:51am PT
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Paul Martzen and I are going up Saturday. I'm calling in shirt orders today. If you haven't given me your intentions to come, let me know here. I'll be doing an email head count this week, and another the week of.
Scott
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doughnutnational
Gym climber
its nice here in the spring
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I'll volunteer for Saturday if you want more help. I'm immune to PO but can't give a whole day, so let me know what time and what tools.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Thrash to, on and back from the climb....sounds fun! Should see a lot of traffic now that the secret is out.
Haha Jim! I made that joke in '95, then a year or so later when the poster came out! And again in 2010! Still, it is one of the coolest lines....
I predict a traffic jam on the approach... Any day now!
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Bascuela
climber
Fresno, CA
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Scott - sent you an email.
Aaron
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 5, 2013 - 02:27pm PT
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I sent out the following email to anybody who has expressed interest. I'm sending T-shirts (10.00...I'll pick up the rest of the cost) in for printing today or tomorrow, so I need an in or out. SOme of the Supertopo emails are defunct, so if you haven't received one, hit me here on my Taco email. Here's the list of those who have expressed interest. If you and I have not been in direct contact, use this thread to check in with me. Thanks!
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Balch Fest 2013. Its November 16-17th. With camping nearby in a big group campground and a big BBQ/throwdown on Saturday night at the Kirch Flat Campground. With all the supertopo names and real names thrown in, I’m having a hard time getting a correct head count. I’m paying for the shirts today. SO A HEADCOUNT IS IMPORTANT if you know you’re in for sure, or out for sure, or on the fence.
If you get this and have already RSVP’d a several times, please bear with me and do it again ASAP for me so I can put it all down on paper.
1. Give me your shirt size
2. Your real name and Supertopo name
3. Give me when you hope to arrive
4. If you want you can even send me your phone number
I’ll send a final group or individual email with where to park and where we’re camping and where to meet on Saturday (or Friday night if anybody plans on coming toward Fresno the night before.
Its gonna be a fun time, full of adventure, scenery, thrashin’, sufferin’, stylin’ and laughter in a cool locashe. Hope to here from you today and look forward to meeting all and any of you.
Scott (Micronut)
Alexey
Jaybro
Martzen
Macronut
Micronut
Christinafreschl
Munge
Aaron
Limpingcrab
Luckyneck
DaveyTree
John Elezarian
Gal
Cultureshock
Michelle
Crotch
Matty
Sierra Ledge Rat
(if you're bringing somebody or know of anybody else, let me know)
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