unplanned bivies

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Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 20, 2006 - 03:06pm PT

OK, this is a thread for your favorite unplanned bivy story.

to wit;

Summer 1982. Taking time out from his autobiographical tome; Small Walls, Big Falls (doubtless to acrue more material) my first Zion climbing partner Kevin Kelly and I saw fit to rope up, tying our fates in yet another adventure. This time it was to be a mere milk run, Northcutt /Carter on Hallet Peak.

Now already people are wondering, Northcutt/ Carter? Bivy?

That's right folks. Although Ken Weeks and Yvon Chouinard had debunked the fearsome reputation of this route with a casual 2 hour second ascent more than two decades earlier we were headed for dark water nonetheless. Mr. Kelly has a distinct talent for creative epic-making.

To make things even more embarassing I knew the mountain well. At 16 I had hiked up Flattop to view it and at 20 (already with a Diamond route under my belt) I had even made easy work of the very same route besides two others.
Now 28 I was a better and far more experienced climber.

Its easy to see where I went wrong NOW;
1) late start, classic mistake
2) blocked by another party, ditto
3) off route, ditto again

By now we're running way late. Kevin's having problems following. Then the storm hits, but we trek on. By the time we top out the storm is gone but so is just about all the light.

Time for another mistake. Kevin doesn't like the looks of the descent gully so we opt for the rap below the first buttress. A few more minutes and we wouldn't have had light to find it.
After the rap the rope sticks (thats gotta be #5). It takes an hour of herculean effort to pull it free in now total darkness. We begin to scramble by braille.

6) We scramble down a section that, even in the dark, appears to be both deadly exposed and wrong. Council yields a retreat upwards.

7) We find a long terrace with some trees. Bivy Ho! No food two sips of water but we build a small fire.

By now after most of the leading and the stuck rope I'm KNACKERED. The fire overheats my front while my ass freezes. Sometime after midnight my kidneys have functioned sufficiently to warrant a little hike. When I return Kevin is stretched out with his rain jacket covering his upper half.

Its freezing cold but soon to my amazement Kevin begins to snore.

How can this be?

Anybody figure it out yet?

You see Kevin had craftily waited until my brief sojourn to seize the rocks bordering the fire, lay them out around him, and pull over his jacket creating a mini-sauna!

It wasn't until the sun crested the horizon that, in my reduced state, I was able to discover his fait accompli.

Then the worst thing yet happened.
We started back down only to discover that the night before we had already scrambled by braille down the crux of the descent only to reclimb it and spend the night out!

WoodyS

Trad climber

Riverside

Feb 20, 2006 - 04:03pm PT

We were on Kumori in Peru. The west ridge--standard route-- turned out to be heavily crevassed so we traversed around to the north face. It turned out to be slow, technical going. We got stubborn and kept at it even though we knew we might not make it without a bivy. Finally, about a hundred feet below the summit, we had no choice but to hold up because we were running out of daylight. We dropped into a shallow crevass and chopped a hemisphere out of one side of it, threw the ropes down, sat on them and snuggled in--four of us. Spent twelve hours shifting positions so the guys on either end who had their shoulders against the ice could get some relief. I didn't get feeling in the forward portion of my feet for six weeks. We got the summit the next morning, and found out later that we were the third ascent and an FA on the north face.
The problem was, three of us had no bivy gear since the regular route was to be fast with a quick turn around. The bivy was at approximately 18K. If there had been wind, we wouldn't have made it. I learned a lesson on that one.

WoodyS

Trad climber

Riverside

Feb 20, 2006 - 04:19pm PT

Another. East Ridge of the Grand. We got off route on the Moose's Tooth or Molar Tooth or whatever that thing is named. I got sucked in by some pins that were going in our direction. We climbed it, got to the top and looked down at the notch where we were supposed to be and got really pissed because it was almost dark and we'd planned on melting ice at the notch for drinking water; we were out and rather dry. We rapped off the Tooth in the dark to a ledge system. The only liquid we had was a full bottle of Niquil. We drank it savoring its finer qualities. Retreated the next day to water.
Got the peak a couple of years later--same route-- and didn't climb the damned Tooth. I found out later that screwing up and climbing the Tooth was rather common--and humorous in some quarters.

todd-gordon

climber

Feb 20, 2006 - 04:40pm PT

Dark Shadows in Red Rocks..most parties only do 3 or 4 and rap...We went all the way to the top (8 or 9 pitches...)....... then you hike awhile on the summit of Mescalito, then you start a bunch of rappels.... half way down the raps, we were out of light........spent the night on a ledge, no food or water....(had a small fire..).....more of an "oops" than a story of survival. Next was on the Finger of Fate Route on the Titan........one pitch from the top....no more daylight......decided to tough it out.......November has cold evenings and a wind picked up.....again, not much for food, water, or bivy gear.........not a survival situation, but lots of teeth chattering and cussing. It must be nice to be talented enough to climb these big routes in lightning speed...but for mere mortals, ..shit happens...., like the saying says.... if you bring bivy gear, you'll end up using it....(My advice.... wear a jacket...)

Fat Dad

Trad climber

Los Angeles, CA

Feb 20, 2006 - 05:06pm PT

Two jump to mind:
1. Space Shot in a day in November. We heard (actually we read it in Climbing mag) that the rappels were tricky. We top out but it's getting dark, so we sit it out. First (and hopefully last) time I have to spoon a man. Turns out the raps were exposed but otherwise no problem. Still, knowing what we knew then, the right decision.
2. We top out on Clyde Minaret and, only 50 ft. from the top, start descending the wrong way. Right when we figure it out, my buddy pulls a loose block and lands on a ledge 10 ft. lower with the block in his lap. Busted hip, fractured pelvis, etc. Nothing to give him but the last swig of water and the last two Advil. A very long, cold night (especially for him) in nothing but a pullover. Thank god for the cell phone and SAR.

Lots more where that came from but enough about me.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 20, 2006 - 05:44pm PT

No! Not enough. Who'd you spoon?????

Heard about a couple of bickering partners who got caught out and eventually one said to the other,"Well I don't like it any better than you but...."

BoKu

Trad climber

Douglas Flat, CA

Feb 20, 2006 - 05:47pm PT

Royal Arches, 20 August 2005. Went too slow, forgot headlamp, got benighted rapping off. Bivied at rap 8 ledge. Had a fleece pullover, a cyalume stick, and plenty of food. Restarted the descent at first light. No problems.

paulj

climber

utah

Feb 20, 2006 - 05:57pm PT

Kor-Beck, Fall 1977. Three of us, in late October, end up benighted on a big ledge filled with pine needles/boughs, just a pitch or so below the Kat Walk. A warm, Indian summer evening, we had a great time watching the lights of the cars on the Valley floor. We thought about building a fire but were afraid we'd light the ledge on fire. The next day was a thirsty walk down and a food fest at the cafeteria.

BElliott

Trad climber

Feb 20, 2006 - 07:29pm PT

Unplanned bivy on Refried Brains in Red Rocks... did the route and instead of going to the top of the mountain, went for a rap down...had to leave gear..got dark three pitches before the bottom...could't find the anchors for the next station. Went up and down the rope a few times..holding a lighter on..nothing. My now ex-wife and I sat out the night on a ledge..me in a Hawaiian shirt and prescription sunglasses looking at the lights of Vegas...fortunately it was Memorial Day so it wasn't too cold. Long night. It was a marriage test..we lasted a few more years... and one more unplanned bivy in Red Rocks.

Melissa

Gym climber

berkeley, ca

Feb 20, 2006 - 07:31pm PT

I like this story of an unplanned bivy on Enigma at the Cookie Cliff.

http://home.flash.net/~cfoster2/climbing/stories/cookie.html

treeman

climber

Feb 20, 2006 - 10:41pm PT

Lowe Route, Zion, May 93. We figured we could do it in a day, and set out with a couple extra layers and a gallon of water. Got way up there but got shut down in the dark up where you traverse up and left to the exit gulleys. Proud spot to spend the night, 'cept we were planning on getting tanked at the Bit instead. Our bros from Flag, B. Ward and Cameron, pulled into the parking pullout (clearly visible from our perch) and due to their 'heightened' state decided the only way to commerate our misfortune was to decorate the truck with enormous spewing penises in the buildup of dust covering the rig(the beginning of the Flag-car dicking craze). Finished up at first light and spent the rest of the day in the lawn chair by the river.

BElliott

Trad climber

Feb 20, 2006 - 11:20pm PT

Some unplanned bivies are not on the rock.
Went to Gran Trono Blanco in Baja a lot in the early 90's. On one trip, Gus and I got a bit lost on the maze of dirt roads leading to the crags. About 10 miles or so from the crag we took a wrong turn and after a couple of hundred yards realized it. Attempted a 3 point turn in the road and next thing you know the truck was axle deep in sand. Excrementum!! Miles from nowhere in the dark in Mexico. Several hours of digging and a few beers got us nowhere and now it was midnight. We said F.. it for now and slept on the road next to the truck. No one came by and at first light we commenced digging again. By noon we finally got out and managed to get a few routes in for the weekend.

bulgingpuke

Trad climber

cayucos california

Feb 21, 2006 - 01:25am PT

Last weekend I slept in this girls front yard, Her mom comes out at five in the morning to find me asleep in a surfboard bag on my crashpad (sorry men, sadly I gave in...to the opposite sex that is, and let my friend's girl friend use my sierra design ultra warm bag.....damnit)

Wonder

climber

Feb 21, 2006 - 02:21am PT

all my unplanned bivies are my favorite bivies. 2 days sunk up to the axles at mono lake. top of lost arrow spire (bived on the ledges one pitch down). I was gonna start but unplanned bivies seem to be a recurring theme.one more, middle cathedral with a bottle of vino.

Patrick Sawyer

climber

Originally California now Ireland

Feb 21, 2006 - 12:28pm PT

Not really an unplanned bivvy, but early November 1976, a long dry spell in California (drought year), living in Cedar Ridge with other climbers. One of my housemates, Claude Fiddler, and I decide on doing the Mendel Couloir, so we (I, on minimal sleep after an EMT I mid-term exam at CJC, and doing all the driving) drive over Sonora Pass and crash at the roadhead for Mendel. We had a third person with us, one of my best mates Brian. We decided to forego a tent (I mean, there was a drought on) and just took minimal food and small stove so we could travel fast. Slept a couple of hours and then head up over the Lamarck Col, made real good time on the trail.

Found a sandy platform among the boulders down from the Col, right across the valley from the North Face, with those two beautiful couloirs staring at us. Settled in for the night, but after a while in the dusk we could see a big fog bank approaching. I mentioned to Claude that I hope it doesn’t start snowing, he replies, somewhat confidently, that it doesn’t snow when there is fog around.

Yeah right. The skies start heaping snow on us – big time. First big storm in months. No bivvy gear. After awhile I make the first move, dove down some boulders to this ‘cave’ (two big boulders leaning against each other), the other two followed suit, forcing me out the other end of the ‘cave’ into the elements. It was well dark with white out conditions, so we weren’t foolish enough to try to hike out. We just waited it out, and my down bag was soaked. The other two were decently protected, so to speak, but not me. Early hours in the morning, no sleep, and I am in the early stages of hypothermia. Finally, at first light I told them I was going to leg it. They reluctantly agreed (they were relatively dry).

Boots frozen, candybars rock hard frozen, still pretty much white out conditions. Up over Lamarck Col (it was dicey), and along the cliff band. Finally made it to my truck. Found our way out to the Buttermilks. We were invited to a big party (kegs, band, bong loads) out in the rocks. Driving up 395, with Brian crashed out in the back under the camper shell, Claude had to save us after I fell asleep (only time ever) at the wheel going about 65 and he (having not really partied that night) was still wide awake and grabbed the wheel.

Eventually ended up at Hot Creek. Man, those hot springs felt great in the morning.

Taught me a big lesson, that did, and I never found myself in that position again. And damn it, I have yet to do Mendel.

Sorry for a long story about a so-so epic.

Grug

Trad climber

Golden, Colorado

Feb 21, 2006 - 01:01pm PT

Spring 1977. Rick Piggot and I set out to do the Crack of Doom, but couldn't get across the river. We hoof it back to Camp 4 and decide, instead to do the DNB on Middle. By the time we get to the base, it 1:00 pm. We go for it anyhow - neither one of us brought more than a long sleeve shirt.

We get benighted on a small ledge, I forget how far up. A fromt moves in that evening and it's colder than shi#! Now I'm pretty stoic, but Rick takes the cake for stoicism. I remember after sitting there for seemingly hours, awake, I figure it must be close to morning. I whisper "Rick, Rick... are you awake? What time is it?" Rick says to me "I'm awake now! It's 10:30!"

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Topic Author's Reply - Feb 21, 2006 - 01:11pm PT

Somehow, when I started this thread I had hoped for more humor. It hasn't been entirely absent but the word 'anemic' comes to mind. In all comedy there is a victim and by combining the element of an unplanned bivy I had hoped to provide a venue for self-depracation as say with doing the crux of a descent only to climb back up it and bivy with a sly partner.

C'mon people. Hasn't anyone bivied in a haul bag or a urine soaked hammock (Jack Dorn and Randy Cerf, respectively, on the Salathe headwall in '76) or SOMEPLACE that's just slightly absurd?

Apocalypsenow

Trad climber

Cali

Feb 21, 2006 - 01:39pm PT

I think I have a better one Piton. About a month ago, some guy wanted to know what it was like to sleep in a snow cave.

On the side of a parking lot, he dug a cave, crawled in with his bivy and sleeping bag...and went to sleep.

Unfortunately for this guy...he chose to do this in the snow bank of a ski area. When the giant snow blower came along (late in the night)...well I will stop there.

Lets just say there wasn't an open casket.