Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Radish
Trad climber
SeKi, California
|
|
|
Jan 25, 2010 - 11:52pm PT
|
Anybody up for an April trip up there?? I've got the approach pretty well figured.
|
|
Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
|
|
|
Jan 26, 2010 - 02:18am PT
|
Been there done that.
Unless you are already very familiar with the terrain, the ticket is to recon the approach from one of the nice scenic turnouts on the way up to Morro Rock. That way, when you are in the thick of it you will know where you are. We got the approach and the climb (all free) first try. The fellows who were trying to beat us by a day and skipped the recon. Ha! We caught up with them on the way in and they were thrashed.
|
|
Chicken Skinner
Trad climber
Yosemite
|
|
|
Jan 26, 2010 - 09:28am PT
|
Guido,
Very cool photos and trip report.
Salathe's son gave me that photo. Salathe attempted the first ascent with Jim Wilson around 1948. I would have to look through the interview footage to see if there were others. I can't identify the other person in the photo so am not sure if it was from that trip or from the 2nd ascent.
Ken
|
|
Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
|
|
|
Jan 26, 2010 - 11:49am PT
|
Great stuff!
'Love the Roper anecdotes.
Nice touch inserting the Bindner tell.
|
|
Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
|
|
|
Jan 26, 2010 - 12:55pm PT
|
Guido: More stories please! Keep em coming!
Thanks to Peter for the photo work!
|
|
Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
|
|
|
Jan 27, 2010 - 10:16pm PT
|
Ken, that third guy, heading to the right with a walking stick looks like Jules Eichorn to me.
|
|
micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
|
|
|
Jan 28, 2010 - 01:19am PT
|
Amazing thread. Thanks so much for bringing the magic. The topo of Castle Rock Spire in my copy of the SEKI guide has drool all over it from staring at it for all these years.
Radish. I really might be interested. I've had a woody for that spire since I was a kid. I just don't know if I'm man enough for it now that I'm a man.....if that makes sense. I live in Fresno. You serious about this thing?
|
|
Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
|
|
|
Jan 28, 2010 - 01:53am PT
|
take a number
;)
|
|
ec
climber
ca
|
|
|
Jan 28, 2010 - 03:08am PT
|
EC Joe wrote in the register...." .. came in from the top...it was hell.. never again" (sorry if I butchered it, eddy, my memory is fuzzed a bit)
I think CRS is the best summit in calif....
Yeah, misjudged the H2O factor...ended-up with 1.5qt of water each for 2 days...bivy near the summit
David Hickey, well done on the summit
|
|
guyman
Trad climber
Moorpark, CA.
|
|
|
Jan 28, 2010 - 11:10am PT
|
Eddy.... you guys are the only folks who have slept out on that thing....pretty nice sunrise, no.
You know there is no summit register on it any more. SHAME ..... I saw the "copy" of the register..... the one clint is holding, in the parking lot at the needles last summer. Somebody didn't put the top of the film can tight enuf and it had gotten wet and mostly unreadable. .... so these guys brought it down to see if it could be salvaged. I don't think it could be.
So micronut.... you have a mission.... make a new "List" and haul some paper and a pencil up there. Please.
|
|
ec
climber
ca
|
|
|
Jan 28, 2010 - 04:57pm PT
|
We were on top on July 4th with views of fireworks in the far, far distance...
|
|
micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
|
|
|
Jan 28, 2010 - 05:25pm PT
|
Guyman...That's a dare. Here you go. I re-made the summit register. Now All I gotta do is git it up there!
|
|
Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
|
|
|
Jan 28, 2010 - 05:55pm PT
|
Yer missin' two ascents, both free on the regular route on the same day in May 1991.
Kris Solem with Guy Keesee.
Bill Leventhal with Rachel McCollum.
Guy if you have pictures from then you'd better get over here and start scannin'!
:-)
|
|
micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
|
|
|
Jan 28, 2010 - 06:39pm PT
|
Kris, I had to shorten the list to get it in focus! Left out a few others too. Sorry to dis you guys. Great send by the way. I envy you.
|
|
Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
|
|
|
Jan 28, 2010 - 07:33pm PT
|
Hey I didn't feel dissed in any way. Sh*t I'm too old for that!
I thought your short list was funny, especially your "send scotch..."
I just couldn't resist the opportunity to get in a little internet spray for my friends and me.
And somehow I don't think you'll epic though. Oh, we did a more direct start to the Regular Route rather than the long traverse in. It was fine. And that "150' Rap 2 Ground" on the SEKI guide topo??? Only someone who has never been there could come up with that whopper!
|
|
guyman
Trad climber
Moorpark, CA.
|
|
Ok, just learning about all this stuff. I hope I dont wreck any computers. It was a fun filled few days.
This was something I first saw at a slide show given by Mark Powell.... I needed to climb it. I was able to find some folks who were possessed with the same dream.
more...
The "most of the day" hike was a challenge, we made poison oak suits to get through that. This is taken after we located the "old trail" and had left the PO behind.
Taking a break, Levi keeping us well motivated.
After some hours, of following a very faint trail, the SPIRE comes into view.
After I took this one, I turned around to see Kris. This was turing into a hard slog with heavy packs.
Going up a gulley, we hit the snow. Pretty tired.
Up ahead, Kris and Levi. Levi broke through and stopped when his butt/pack hit the snow.... after helping him out... he was 10 inches from the ground, could have been twenty feet!
Camping. I was very surprised to find zero level spots to camp. Others stay way down in the gulley and sleep at the trail crossing. We looked around some and found a really nice Bivi on some ledges on the Fin, complete with running water and the 5.5 climbing would keep the Bears away.
The next day, it was Mine and Krisis'day to nab the summit. We figured we could stay on the fin and follow some ledges up some and rap into the gulley. NOT! When we came to the spot it was like 500 feet down so no dice. We climbed some cracks to the top of the Fin (if you find the Dimes and nickles we left at the last belay you found our new root) The rap from the Fin is something like 10 raps, you will get your rope stuck if ya dont pay attention.
Photo of the Spire from the top of the Fin.
Looking down with two more to go. You can see our Bivi below, and the ice/snow chute we climbed the next am.
The next day, we got going pretty early, kicked steps into the snow, we did what is now called the "Smerz"start,(see topo upthread) you start up some 5.5 and avoid the 4th class "traverse start". A few pitches with a move or two of 5.10 put us "in the cave" it's right behind the end of the dark spike. You downclimb about 30 feet to get to the belay for the crux. This is where GV's guide tells you to rap 150 feet to the ground. Ha Ha.... more like 1,500. I am looking a little concerned, Kris is really psyched to get on that crack, out over all that air, I will be next.
Kris, freeclimbing upward. 5.11b ....cool tights, no?
Art Photo.. once you get out from under the roof, you find a most remarkable little ledge. It's about the size of a shoe box and you get a no-hands. See shadow of Kris just standing there.
You continue up the rest of the pitch, really really fine 5.9 steming/jaming to a little alcove with a "bolt" placed by "Ax Nelson" maybe....it's old. Levi and Rachael caught up with us so we extended the anchor down to them.
Another pitch of 5.11 with some thin pro, and a easy one with a bush in the way and we were on top. I was to gripped to stand up on the dam thing or to have a victory smoke with Levi.
Levi was walking around.... we trundled some :>) it took forever for the rocks to hit bottom.
Kris and I on the Summit. Kris sure is a short little feller.
The Raps were pretty wild, I gladly added stoppers, new webbing, and biners at all the stations. We slid down the snow chute and got back to the Bivi in no time. Then it was time to celebrate.
I hope you enjoyed this, it's one of the best climbs I have ever done.
|
|
Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
|
|
thx guyman!! awesome!
|
|
survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
|
|
Bitchin' addition to this thread Guy!!
Waaaay to go!
|
|
Nate D
climber
San Francisco
|
|
Very nice share. Did you name the route on the Fin? Rating?
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!