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Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 4, 2012 - 08:07pm PT
The summer is here and with the thin snowpack in the mountains it's time to start cranking! While I'm not trying to claim to be a hardman (I'm known to go sport clipping and occasionally even drag a crash pad around), I'd like to come up with a list of dream routes to do in the High Sierra to keep the stoke high! Below is the list that I compiled over the last few years. My criteria are that the routes have to be at least 2 hours away from any road, hopefully at elevation, have at least 3 pitches, and feature good quality stone. Obviously, I'm interested in all-free 5.11 or harder routes, but would also love to hear about anything requiring just a bit of aid with some potential to go free (like Crimson Wall, I Fink therefore I am, and Innominata). I'll try to edit the list as we go, so, please, let me know if any corrections are needed. Stared routes are confirmed to be of classic or very good quality.

Free Routes:

5.13
Incredible Hulk "Airstream" 13b* Croft Nettle 2005
Incredible Hulk "Nalazak" 13- Rivera Whittaker 2011 - 1 pitch variation to Venturi Effect

5.12
Alfred's Tooth "Pleasure Garden" 12 Haden Pennings 2010
Bubbs Creek Wall "Samurai Warrior" 12a* Thau Nettle 1998, FFA Croft Nettle 2005
Bubbs Creek Wall "What's Up Bubb?" 12a* Rob Gene 2000, FFA Stefurak Zak 2014
Bubbs Creek Wall "Emperor" 12a*, Musiyenko et al. 2015
Chamberlin "Asleep at the Wheel" 12-* Pennings Haden 2010
Chamberlin "Reckless Driving" 12 Pennings Haden 2011
Cleaver "Butcher" 12 Reed Musiyenko 2016
Fourth Needle "East Face" 12- Zeugswetter Corliss Rickert 2010, FFA Zeugswetter Corliss Ross 2011
Gorge of Despair "Despairadoes" 12a Solem Griffie 1996
Incredible Hulk "Lenticular Gyrations" 12c Cassebeer Gicklhorn O'Donnell 2016
Incredible Hulk "Wind Shear" 12 Croft Nettle Puhvel 2014
Incredible Hulk "Solar Flare" 12d* Croft Anker 2007
Incredible Hulk "Venturi Effect" 12c* Croft Nettle Davis 2004-2005
Incredible Hulk "Blowhard" 12c* Croft Stevens Standteiner 2004
Incredible Hulk "Eye of the Storm" 12 Oblinger Davis Copp 2007
Incredible Hulk "Solar Burn" 12a* Croft Nettle 2008 - 5 pitch variation to the start of Solar Flare
Incredible Hulk "Lost in the Sun" 12a* Stefurak et al. 2011
Keeler Needle "Crimson Wall" 12- (if escape left to Harding route, otherwise 12d A3+) Brown Carville Steele 1991-1992
Keeler Needle "Blood of the Monkey" 12 Moser Ness 2012
Lone Pine Peak "Mountain Devil Dike" 12d Wilson Groff 2012
Peak 11,357 "Crystal Cowboy" 12c Bissell McKee, FFA Bissell 2014 - Cathedral area, Tuolumne

5.11
Angel Wings "South Arete Direct" 11+* Rowell Jones 1971, FFA Leversee McConachie 1984, Nettle Nowak 1991 (direct)
Angel Wings "Valkyrie" 11+* Croft Nettle Thau Epperson 2012
Angel Wings "Val Kilmer" 11+ Gibson Schaffer 2013 - shares first 4 with Valkyrie
Barnard "The Good, the Bad, the Awesome" 11 Tomczik 2014
Bath Mt. "Hairr of the Kahndor" 11 Bissell King 2018
Blacksmith Peak "Northwest Face" 11b Tejeda-Flores Jones 1973, FFA Franousch Swanson 1992
Blacksmith Peak "The Forge" 11 Nettle Davis 1996
Bubbs Creek Wall "Unknown" 11c, ? 2016
Chamberlin "Breaking Point" 11 Fiddler Harrington 1980, FFA Nettle Zanato 1995?
Chamberlin "Where's the Boys?" 11- Pennings Haden 2010
Chamberlin "The Sword and the Stone" 11- Finkelstein Brown 2010
Chamberlin "East Pillar" 11a Brugger DeKlerk 1992
Chamberlin "Great Northern Beans" 11+ Finkelstein Brown 2011
Chamberlin "Cracked Pepper" 11 or 12 Pennings Haden 2016?
Clarence King "Direct NW Face" 11 Musiyenko 2016
Cleaver "Chronic Harmonic" 11+ Ricklin Reed 2014
Cleaver "Dot the T’s" 11a Reed Musiyenko 2018
Cleaver "Dreamliner" 11c Reed Musiyenko 2018
Conness "Plan B" 11- Haden Teare 2002
Flatiron Butte "Triple Beam Dream" 11+ Fasoldt Schaffer 2016
Flatiron Butte "Straight Flush" 11+ Fasoldt Schaffer 2016
Flatiron Butte "Brutus of Wyde Memorial Route" 11a Bindner, FFA Musiyenko 2014
Flatiron Butte "Notorious RBG" 11+ Fasoldt Schaffer 2016
Flatiron Butte "Throat Yogurt" 11- Fasoldt Schaffer 2016
Gardiner "Vermillion pt. 1" 11- R Musiyenko 2016
Goode "North Buttress Variation" 11+ Croft Kennedy 2012 - escape left to the arete before the splitter for 11+, otherwise 12+? Chossy
Goode "Sky Pilot" 11 Croft Lella 2014
Gorge of Despair "From Afar" 11c Solem Keesee 1992
Hitchcock Mt. "Welcome to Krackizstan" 11a Musiyenko Ferro 2016
Hitchcock Mt. "Starlight Dihedral" 11 Musiyenko Ferro 2016
Incredible Hulk "Tradewinds" 11d* Nettle Davis 2006
Incredible Hulk "Astrohulk" 11b* Nettle Davis 1996
Incredible Hulk "Sunspot Dihedral" 11b* Nettle Haden 1999
Incredible Hulk "Positive Vibrations" 11a* Harrington Bartlett 1981, FFA Bard Lyde 1986
Incredible Hulk "Power Ranger" 11+* - pitch 1 variation to the start of PV
Incredulous Bulk "Causative Striations" 11- Finkelstein 2015
Juggernaut "Cittorak" 11 Potter Elliott 2018
Juggernaut "Hidden Agenda" 11- Barnes Greenberg 2013
Langley "Better Red Than Dead" 11- R Mahoney Roestel 2012
Langille Peak "Three Quarters of a Man" 11c Musiyenko Prince 2018
Lone Pine Peak "Windhorse" 11 Bindner Holland 1999 FFA Moser Ness 2012
Lone Pine Peak "Pathways Through to Space" 11a Musiyenko Ross 2018
Lone Pine Peak "Arrowhead" 11b/c Musiyenko Langlier 2018
Lost Pinnacle "A Fine and Pleasant Romp" 5.11+ Cavill Kalman 2015
Merriam Peak "The Flying Buttress" 11b* Croft Rands 2011
Merriam Peak "Gargoyle" 11b* Croft Rands 2011
Merriam Peak "The Last Resort" 11c R Allfrey et al. 2012
Obelisk "Far Out" 11c Wright Rivera 2002
Obelisk "Obelisk Pillar" 11cR/X Wright Rivera 2002
Peak 11,861 "The Wall above Big Five" 11 Fiddler Fiddler 1992 - 1.5 mi NE of Needham Mt.
Peak 11,357 "Boss Man" 11 Baker Bissell & Bissell 2009? - Cathedral area, Tuolumne
Pharaoh, The "Meadowblaster" 11b Swanson Franousch 1994
Red Square "Savory Chicken" 11 Fasoldt Pennings 2016 - 3 pitches
Regge Pole "East Face" 11 Bindner Brennan 1996
Ruby Wall "Chips, Fingers and a Freckled Peregrine" 11a Ardesch Bomholt 2006 - 3 pitches
Ruby Wall "Pteradon" 11a Parker Kerwin 1984, FFA Leversee 1987
Ruby Wall "Ruby Tuesday" 11 Nettle Zanato 2002
Ruby Wall "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" 11a Cornell Thomas 2016
Serpent's Tooth "Wild West Crack" 11+ Musiyenko Prince 2015
Tehipite Dome "Astro-Gil" 11 Nelson Reed Wilson 2012 - lower elevation
Tehipite Dome "Too Hip" 11 Felton Leversee 1996 - upper elevation
Tyndall "East-Facing Grave" 11bR Roed Bracy 2002
Unnamed "PDL" 5.11 Kalman (solo) 2015 - next to Mt. Lipincott
Whitney "Left Wing Extremist" 11a Rowell Wilson 1991 - choss
Whitney "Inyo Face" 11 Musiyenko Siadak 2016
Whitney "Cardiovascular Siezure" 11- Rowell Clevenger 19XX - on Iceberg Spire
Whitney "Unnamed" 11 R Musiyenko Ferro 2016
Whitney "Happy to be Here" 11- Musiyenko Prince 2016 - choss

Routes requiring a little aid (Possible to eliminate?):
Angel Wings "Killing in the Name of" 11+ A2 Musiyenko Stefurak Ferro 2015 - 30 ft of A2
Chamberlin "I Fink therefore I am" 11- A1 Davis Copp 2006
Chamberlin "Innominata" 11 A0 Nettle Shelton 2009
Chamberlin "Until the Wheels Fall Off" 11 C1 Longley Pilkerton 2018
Chamberlin "Beanstalk" 11+ A0 Pennings Haden 2011
Crabtree Crag "Skinny Girls" 11 C1 Portzline 2014 - Chamberlin area, could be 5.12
Bear Creek Spire "Jamaica Say You Will" 10 A? (12?) Marty Dahlquist 2011
Day Needle "BCB on the Prow" 11 A1 Moser Ness 2011
Spring Lake Wall "The One That Got Away" 5.11b C1 Siadak Kalman 2015 - on the north side of Peak 11,440+, near Sawtooth Pk. in Sequoia. C1 will go at 5.10 after gardening on p2. ("Standard Deviation" 11+ C1 var. 2015 by Kalman Smith and Oakley)
Tehipite Dome "Wall of Ages" 11+ A0 Nettle Fehrman Sweeney Thau 2001
Tehipite Dome "Tehipite Sanction" 12+/13- A0? Brumbaugh Menitove Pizem 2010
Whitney "Hairline" 10d C2 Bindner Schmauss 1987

Vlad
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 4, 2012 - 11:50pm PT
You forgot Asleep at the Wheel (5.12) on Chamberlin:


ps - the Pleasure Garden looks insane(amazing).
tithaf

Trad climber
Sierra Madre, CA
Jun 5, 2012 - 12:40am PT
Holy sh#t that is beautiful!
bergbryce

Mountain climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Jun 5, 2012 - 12:44am PT
Holy sh#t that is beautiful!

X2
WOW!!
S.Leeper

Social climber
somewhere that doesnt have anything over 90'
Jun 5, 2012 - 01:58am PT
screensaver!!
limpingcrab

Trad climber
the middle of CA
Jun 5, 2012 - 02:57am PT
Despairadoes in Gorge of Despair. 8 pitch 5.12a that as far as I know has never had a second ascent. I'll never be able to do it, that's for sure!
snowhazed

Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
Jun 5, 2012 - 03:26am PT
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/New-Route-on-Day-Needle/t11144n.html

kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
Jun 5, 2012 - 03:33am PT
Whoa! ^^Was wondering about Chamberlin ....

http://highexposures.com/blog/2011/06/17/storming-castles-part-2-the-sequel/
Bob Harrington

climber
Bishop, California
Jun 5, 2012 - 09:24am PT
Crimson Wall on Keeler is a candidate for your list.
Sierra Ledge Rat

Social climber
Retired in Appalachia
Jun 5, 2012 - 10:54am PT
You're missing all the great traverses (Minaret traverse, Palisade traverse, Evolution traverse, Sawtooth traverse, etc.)
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
Jun 5, 2012 - 11:50am PT
To add to your list, not in the alpine, but it meets the requirements.

Castle Rock Spire. 11b ish....
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Jun 5, 2012 - 11:51am PT
Great thread, great list
there may be reason to stick around in Ca, after all....
ec

climber
ca
Jun 5, 2012 - 01:10pm PT
You can't do anything that you cannot spell.

 ec
jfailing

Trad climber
Lone Pine
Jun 5, 2012 - 01:18pm PT
BCB on the Prow (Day Needle) is 5.11 A0 and 'could probably go free' at 5.12.
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 5, 2012 - 02:05pm PT
Thanks for awesome suggestions everyone! I added two routes in the Gorge of Despair and Castle Rock Spire to the list. Never heard of them, but that's exactly why I started this thread!

Chris, thanks for that AMAZING picture! I knew I could count on you for sweet images! I didn't forget "Asleep at the Wheel" - just got it out of alphabetical order!

Sierra Ledge Rat, while the traverses are awesome and I'd love to tick the ones I haven't done, they aren't technically hard enough for this list. Or are they? Definitely on my list of things to do...

EC Joe, sorry spelling isn't my specialty. I hope to learn how to spell the peak's names before getting out there. Do any of your routes (like the ones on Angel Wings) have any free climbing potential?
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 5, 2012 - 02:20pm PT
Does anyone have any info on the new routes on Merriam Peak?

They looks totally splitter!


RyanD

climber
Squamish
Jun 5, 2012 - 02:40pm PT
There was a topo for the new routes on merriam in the summit register when we climbed the NB last fall. I think they were 5.11 & put up by Peter Croft & Lisa Rands, can't remember the route names. The rightmost line in your topo appeared to be an endless hand crack on a beautiful golden shield. Splitter for sure. Get after it! Some amazing rock on that peak for sure. Excellent thread, thanks.

edit-oops, just read the link confirming everything i said, ha!
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 5, 2012 - 02:49pm PT
Peter Croft is a trickster like that - makes you climb the peak to get to the topo! It's good to know they are out there at all! Thanks!
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Jun 5, 2012 - 03:32pm PT
Merrimam Peak....now that lokks choice! Summer plans just made.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Jun 5, 2012 - 03:40pm PT
Donini, since you like alpine climbing, if you go to do Merriam, there is Feather peak not far from it. Has a nice alpine ice couloir (Feather Couloir). I will make a trip there this summer for sure. Two little peaks that you pass as you enter Royce lakes area are cool, with good views of Royce, Merriam and Feather. Pretty fun summit blocks as well.
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 5, 2012 - 04:42pm PT
Of course lets not forget FA potential.

From a recent thread - the one, the only, Cyclorama Wall:


http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1764023&msg=1840795#msg1840795
micronut

Trad climber
Jun 5, 2012 - 05:17pm PT
BUBBS CREEK WALL

"One pitch short of the top, a storm pinned us down, turning the final beautiful 5.11 corner into a gushing toilet. Seeking shelter, I girth hitched a prickly shrub and huddled beneath it to no avail. As I shivered, Dave came up and found an easier exit out left. Relieved at our escape, we turned to bragging about our route, Bubb's Creek Wall (V 5.12, 16 pitches), while we coiled our wet ropes. But that last missed pitch still sticks in my mind."
P. Croft

limpingcrab

Trad climber
the middle of CA
Jun 5, 2012 - 08:00pm PT
Bump for a good fun thread!
Thomas

Trad climber
The Tilted World
Jun 5, 2012 - 08:52pm PT
Awesome and inspirational. This is a worthy thread!

Cheers!
Reeotch

Trad climber
4 Corners Area
Jun 5, 2012 - 09:12pm PT
That Miriam area is sure beautiful, Royce Lakes are above 12,000'. Good choice!
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 5, 2012 - 09:17pm PT
Alright, who's got the info on Tyndall? Peeps keep saying its been freed. I would like to hear about that.

guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
Jun 5, 2012 - 09:22pm PT
for the record... on the climb, From Afar in the GOD they spelled my name wrong.... they spelled it "?" .... it's spelled Keesee... shoot I even drilled some bolts on the 11 section getting to the crack.... and I figured out pitch #2..... I even fixed tiny stoppers so we didn't put in bolts.

But no worries, it's the best route ever, if it was by a road folks would line up to send it.

and if you go there, you get to boulder and hang out at one of the coolest spots in the Sierra.... no lie, no hype... I won't spill the beans about just what your going to find, cause the gvmnt would shut the place down if they knew.

The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 5, 2012 - 09:24pm PT
Wow, nice hang.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Jun 6, 2012 - 02:17am PT
mirin the rock bra
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Jun 6, 2012 - 04:13am PT
Several free routes on Mt. Watkins, Yasoo Dome, Half Dome and Quarter Dome meet the criteria for this list - 2+ hours from the road,
unless you get more specific about a minimum altitude for High Sierra
(then Castle Rock Spire gets dropped also).

Mt. Watkins
2026. The Twisted Road 5.11c, 19p
2029. Mt. Watkins - South Face 5.13a or 5.11d A0 **, 19p
2034. Land of the New Rising Sun 5.11a, 14p
2035. Escape From Freedom 5.12c **, 18p

Yasoo Dome
2038. The Chief 5.12b ***, 15p
2039. Peacepipe 5.11d A0, 15p?, 60' A0 bolt ladder at 2/3

East Quarter Dome
2044. Pegasus 5.12 or 5.9 A2, 17p

West Quarter Dome
2047. Quarter Pounder 5.11b, 4p

Half Dome - N/NW Face
2055. Half Dome - Regular Northwest Face 5.12 or 5.9 C1 ***, 24p
2057. Arcturus 5.13c, 24p
2061. Half Dome - Direct Northwest Face 5.13c/d **, 24p

Half Dome - SW Face
2081. On the Edge 5.11b R *, 6p
2085. Two Hoofers 5.12 or 5.10b A0, 7p
2086. Blond Ike 5.11b R, 7p

Half Dome - South Face
2092. Road Rage 5.11?, 6p
2093. Dreamscape 5.11d **, 9p
2094. The Fast Lane 5.11d R **, 8p
2095. Autobahn 5.11d R **, 12p

Half Dome - Southeast Face
2101. Growing Up 5.13a A0, 20p
2103. Southern Belle 5.12d R ***, 14p
2104. Karma 5.11d A0, 13p

Pearly Gates (sub dome on R side of Half Dome South Face)
2105. Laid to Rest 5.11c A0, 8p

Dome Baez
2171. Diamonds and Rust 5.11b R *, 4p
2174. Walkabout 5.11a *, 7p

Dome SE of Starr King
2189. Anonymous Heironymous 5.11b, 3p
2190. un DE a 5.11c, 3p
2191. Colonel and the Chickenheads 5.12a, 4p
2192. True West 5.11b, 4p
2193. un DE b 5.11a, 4p
2194. un DE c 5.12a, 3p

There are also some long hard routes on the Fuller Buttes and Balloon Dome.
They are similarly not very high altitude.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Jun 6, 2012 - 02:10pm PT
So to be a hard man one has to lead 5.11s+ these days? What is the criteria?
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 6, 2012 - 02:12pm PT
Hardman definitely requires a minimum of 5.11.
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 6, 2012 - 02:46pm PT
I figured that there's a boatload of 5.10s in the mountains here, but very few routes 5.11 or harder. So, the criteria is there to keep the list shorter and try to identify the most challenging routes. If we restrict it to 5.12 we'd have almost nothing to talk about...

Clint, somehow all that stuff you suggested doesn't fit in. Perhaps, castle rock spire is also too low in elevation. I think that Bubbs creek wall and Gorge of Despair barely make the cut being just short of 10,000 ft. But then there's the Tehipite Dome, that's also in the wilderness, but at fairly low elevation. Perhaps, I should take those out.

I also just added Blacksmith Peak to the list after looking through my guidebook. Never heard of anyone doing this route. Has anyone been on it?

By the way, what's the proper spelling of Chamberl(a)in? I see it spelled differently in different places.
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 6, 2012 - 03:03pm PT
No a in Chamberlin.

Here's an Imoninata Topo from Nettle:

franky

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jun 6, 2012 - 03:04pm PT
"The Wall Above Big Five" V 5.11

cruised up Sawtooth the other day to look at stuff in that area, still a bit to much snow to really get around easy in tennies.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Jun 6, 2012 - 03:10pm PT
1)Is there any ice lines that are hard-man worthy? (Ice nine? Clyde couloir?)
2)What if 'hard man' leads 11s but can TR 13s with comfort, is he still considered a hard man?


Personally I think doing stuff on those 'lower elevation domes' with 20 mile approaches is a lot more impressive/committing than those Hulk routes that have 2 hour approach and a crag feel to them. Don't have to be high in altitude to be in true wilderness.

The Alpine, hope you make it to Cyclorama wall, looks cool, and I think you have the skill required!
How would one know they are not climbing GR's route on it/or a variation of it? There is no indication of where their line is and description can match description of many lines...
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
Jun 6, 2012 - 03:20pm PT
Impaler Thank you for the edit....

The Oblesk has a real nice climb on it.

Hands of Fate. 5.10d.... done back in the 70s by big Al Bartlett and ??? (sorry to misspellyour name)

It's only 2.5 pitches long.

The High Sierra is tough to define....

Me- I look for the golden granite, California Gold I call it and it's the best stone for climbing.

Great topic
aldude

climber
Monument Manor
Jun 6, 2012 - 06:12pm PT
Urmas & I freed the Jones Flores route on Blacksmith Pk in 92' IV 5.11b. Four years later Nettle & Davis established another 5.11 route on this alpine beauty!!
Maysho

climber
Soda Springs, CA
Jun 6, 2012 - 06:40pm PT
Beautiful shot of Tyndall! I had a great corn snow adventure up there, skate skiing, towing my snowboard..Skated around on the plateau, then climbed Tyndall up that rib coming in from the right side of the photo (the North Face) and snowboarded down to lookers right of the rib in the sunset, then rode down Shepard Pass in the dark, back to camp...Good Times!

Peter
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 6, 2012 - 08:07pm PT
Sweet! So, there's actually two worthy routes on Blacksmith. Nettle's and Davis' route is called "The Forge" and there's an overdue, but very gripping TR of the first ascent.

There's also a TR on the FA of Astrohulk by Mike Davis. When I climbed astrohulk, the enduro corner felt like a solid 5.11 to me, not 11+ like he describes. Perhaps, the little "loose flakes" have cleaned up in 12 years. However, I remember it being more of a very flared finger-sized crack. I can't even imaging placing a 4 camalot there. That's just crazy. Still, was a pretty scary lead for me. I was high as a kite after that!

This is new I thought, camping in Little Slide Canyon instead of going for it car-to-car. But Dave Nettle and I need some extra time to work on the first pitch. Dave and Tahoe free climbing ace Mike Carville had been working on a variation to Positive Vibrations IV (5.11a) earlier this year and had added a new start. They dubbed this pitch “Power Rangers,” and it involves technical and tricky 5.11+ moves. Nettle and I worked on this pitch in the afternoon and added a bolt to the bouldery first moves.

The next morning was quite cold, so Dave and I opted for the original 5.9 start and quickly climbed over the familiar first four pitches of Positive Vibes to a large ledge. It was almost a year ago to the day that Nettle and I huddled here waiting for a howling west wind to drop. Later, as we rapped off at my request, Nettle told me that this would be a good day in Patagonia. As I struggled with frozen fingers and my rap device, I made a mental note not to mention any desire to climb in Patagonia in front of Nettle again. But while today is late-September-cold, there is no wind and we cruise across easy ledges to the start of the Bard-Harrington “Suicide Route.” Here is where the business starts-three steep and sustained 5.11 pitches that include the wild detached flake known as “The Sea Serpent.” At the base of a large right-facing corner where the original route pendulums left, Dave drills two 3/8-inch bolts (by hand of course) in record time.

Now we’re finally in the sun, but the warmth does nothing to ease the sight of the desperate looking corner above. It’s beyond steep, and protection in the strange, rounded grainy crack looks non-existent. My assessment of this pitch (later named the “Enduro-Corner” after the fourth pitch of Astroman) would not be complete without the overriding fact that the man himself Dale Bard and High Sierra pioneer Bob Harrington had elected to swing out left to easier ground. I assumed they didn’t even want to aid the thing! Neither did I, so I passed the lead to Nettle.

Dave steps out of the belay into a full lie-back with his feet skating around on the thin loose flakes that line the crack. I try to adjust my belay so that if Dave falls he won’t end up in my lap. Dave manages to finagle in an unlikely number four Camalot that is tipped-out on the lip of the crack. Next, Nettle calls for tension. I pull in the slack and brace for impact. Nothing happens. The stem of the cam is completely horizontal and looks ready to snap. “I’m gonna drill,” Dave says, and gets busy. I’m more gripped than he is. I need to chalk up just to belay.

I look to the west and try to calculate the remaining daylight and the distance to the top. It’s going to be close. Dave finishes the bolt, clips in and lowers to the belay. “How’s it look above?” I ask. “More of the same,” he says as he checks out the rapidly sinking sun. “I may have to place the number four like that again.” After a quick drink of water Nettle is liebacking past the bolt. Another twenty feet go by before Dave places the four cam again in the same dicey manner. But instead of placing another bolt, Dave continues on and finally latches a loose flake way out from the shifting cam. I chalk up and brace myself to catch a huge fall. He’s too pumped to place gear to protect a mantel on to the flake. Dave says “watch me,” then manages to shake his way onto the flake.

The Sierra evening air is starting to cool as Dave continues up the corner to a big ledge. It takes every cubic centimeter of my forearms to follow the pitch without falling.“How hard do you think that was?” Dave asks. It takes me a minute to catch my breath, then I answer between gasp, “I don’t know, 5.11+ or 5.12a?” “You think?” Dave asks looking down the pitch. Then he says something that totally shocks me “I think I should rap back down and place a bolt to protect that section before the mantel” I look at Dave to make sure he’s serious, then shift my gaze to the setting sun. But my thoughts aren’t not only on the late hour. “Look Dave.” I begin. That was a real masterpiece of a lead; let the next guy do it.” While Nettle is thinking about this, I start eyeing the next pitch. “I just want people to repeat it,” he says as he’s hands me the small brass nuts. “You might need these.” I grab the nuts and say, “Listen Dave, this route’s been your gig from the beginning. If that’s what you wanna do, go for it.” As I rack the tiny nuts I look up and wonder where the hell am I going to place these? “Dave that lead was a moment in time, don’t discount it man” Dave smiles and I begin lacing up my shoes, then continue. “I’ve never seen doing first ascents as community service.” Dave gives up the argument with, “you’re on belay.”

I start leading out above the corner where I’m faced with a tricky maneuver that forces me back down to a good stance. If I fall here I will fly past Dave‘s belay and rattle down the corner. I think about placing a bolt, but after my speech on style, I decide to go for it. The move turns out to be much easier than expected. I finally plug in some pro and run out the rope to the North Ridge. Dave and I high tail it to the familiar summit via simul-climbing with an occasional belay. Dave signs the summit register:

“First ascent/link-up of Positive Vibes, Bard-Harrington, and Direct Finish, Astrohulk” IV (5.11+) F.A. Dave Nettle, Mike Davis 9/9”
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 9, 2012 - 05:28pm PT
Personally I think doing stuff on those 'lower elevation domes' with 20 mile approaches is a lot more impressive/committing than those Hulk routes that have 2 hour approach and a crag feel to them. Don't have to be high in altitude to be in true wilderness.

True indeed. The Hulk is practically cragging these days.
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 11, 2012 - 02:54pm PT
Yes, of course it's an easy hike to the Hulk. But the climbing is just SO FUN!

Blood of the Monkey could be another awesome addition to the list. It's about time for a hard all free route on that wall! Can't wait to see the trip report!
alpinist

Trad climber
tahoe city
Jun 12, 2012 - 01:02pm PT
I think you'd want to include Tehipite Dome, Wall of Ages 5.11, A0 24 pitches in the list for the climbing as well as the approach which adds a touch to the hardman classification...Ha! The aid might go free, it's about 30' of bolt ladder through a pretty steep blank section. The route goes all free via another variation, but then misses a lot of spectacular climbing.

we freed the short tension traverse aid at pitch 8 on a follow up ascent in a day.

The name comes from the ages of the 4 guys who were involved in the FA: one each from the teens, twenties, thirties and forties...plus it seemed like it took ages to finish the route!

dave[photoid=251797]
alpinist

Trad climber
tahoe city
Jun 12, 2012 - 01:03pm PT
FYI for anyone that might be interested in checking it out.
alpinist

Trad climber
tahoe city
Jun 12, 2012 - 01:11pm PT
here's an early rough draft of the Wall of Ages route after the FA that also shows the upper dome section with the final half dozen or so pitches...there's several good lines that finish up the dome section
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 12, 2012 - 01:52pm PT
Dave, thanks a lot for posting! It's great to have you on this thread! It would be awesome to hear more from you about other worthy routes in the high sierra - I am sure you know more than anyone about where they are hiding.
bootysatva

Trad climber
Idylwild Ca
Jun 12, 2012 - 02:50pm PT
The 10.b route that is in 100 classic climbs has some seriously loose and deadly sections. Even though the crux pitch is super good I would be afraid to recommend it to anyone. Only time I ever saw Rick Harlin loose his cool on lead and place gear on 5.9 ground. My belay ledge moved a bit while I stood on it.
marty(r)

climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
Jun 12, 2012 - 03:42pm PT
The Crimson Wall, as described by Kevin Steele. (Sorry, I couldn't manage a screenshot.) Anyone else done it?

Another contender on Mt. Russel would be to free Alex and Bruce' 'Hairline'.

Myles Moser

climber
Lone Pine, Ca
Jun 12, 2012 - 10:21pm PT
Hugo Perez and I got what I believe to be the 2nd ascent of Crimson Wall in 2009. A 2 1/4 days on the wall. An outstanding route and true epic ascent on our part. Recommend to all.
Amy Ness

climber
ND
Jun 14, 2012 - 04:52am PT
I heard there's a new V 5.12 12 pitch route in the portal...the never ending story.
Hehehe
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2012 - 12:28pm PT
Ended up going to see what the fuss is about on Merriam peak. Well, it's some of the best climbing in the range! The only thing that I could compare it to was the Hulk, just much higher in elevation and with a longer hike in. The quality of climbing is unbelievable! No topos on the summit, so we had to draw our own. We thought that the left Croft-Rands route was much better. Very sustained at 5.11 and with the most incredible overhanging hand crack that I've ever climbed.




Vlad
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 27, 2012 - 12:38pm PT
Way to get after it Vlad!

Dave - Whats the word on your route "Center Stage" out there by Observation Peak?
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Jun 27, 2012 - 02:36pm PT
Vlad, was nice to meet you (again). Great topo you made, I also looked for Croft's topo in the register but did not find it. I guess it did not last long lol.

Alpinist, wow Wall of Ages moved up to the top of my to do list as soon as I am able to lead 5.11.

From my experience the only route on the Hulk that has a crag feel to it is the easiest line on that thing. Been up P-Vibes? Not too craggy feeling to me, but maybe you're referring to Airstream or Venturri?

That's bogus. Difficulty of the climb is not what determines if the climb is alpine. If you use that logic than 3rd class route up Middle Palisade is cragging (since it is easy) and some R X route in Toulumne is an alpine climb? : ) IMO length/difficulty of the approach, elevation, and lack of crowds is what makes something alpine. Alpine feel is lost when approach is 2 hours, there is a party on 2-4 routes at the same time (with people in line), and elevation of 11K although not small, but not really that big of a factor...But I still really want to get out to the Hulk this year, it's a beauty!

The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 27, 2012 - 02:50pm PT


Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Jun 27, 2012 - 03:36pm PT
Alpine, you got out to Chamberlin (however that is spelled) again? Always fantastic photos!
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 27, 2012 - 06:48pm PT
Those shots are from last season. Spent 9 days back there. Saw 11 clouds. 6 mules. 4 dudes. 3 new routes. 2 no-bake cheesecakes. 1 free standing pillar summit.

The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 28, 2012 - 01:10pm PT
le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
Jun 28, 2012 - 02:11pm PT
The Alpine: always bringing the goods.

Every time you have a season in the Sierra it's like Christmas for Sierra climbers around the globe.

Has (hard) climbing in the High Sierra ever been photographed as incredibly?

Great thread indeed!
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jun 28, 2012 - 07:50pm PT
Thanks le_bruce! But I can't take all the credit. As this register entry states, "its good to pack a gun!"

Thanks rope guns.

cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
Jul 9, 2012 - 05:08pm PT
Bump for Merriam Peak.


The Croft-Rands Left is totally awesome. Spectacular position, good rock and sustained climbing. Destined to become a classic! Maybe it just needs a better name. Perhaps the Super Direct North Buttress...

We cleaned off some loose rock and the route is really solid after the first pitch. Vlad's topo is easy to use and the 5.11 pitches all felt pretty similar in grade.

Red arrow points to the killer hand crack on the Croft-Rands Left route.


Further research, as mentioned in another thread, supports that Croft & Rands were not the first ones to climb the roof shown above. See: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/107679186

Either way its a great pitch and the croft route, which had a different start and finish then Brandon's Route, is spectacular.

Do it!

 Luke
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 9, 2012 - 05:24pm PT
RADness, Luke! Great job! That pic looks like the belay on top of the "recliner ledge" just before the orange headwall. Did you get to try the "right" route or anything new?
cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
Jul 9, 2012 - 05:52pm PT
Yup that's the ledge before some serious crimping... We took the middle seam which had the hardest moves on the route (for me). Did you guys go up the middle or the right seam? We didn't get to the right Croft-Rands route.


We did a new route on the right side but we didn't free it. It was pretty dirty so the leader mostly aided and cleaned and then the follower tried to free it. The crux section might go at 5.12+/13. The crux pitch is overhanging tips and a 6 foot section of crack seemed very hard. I couldn't even do the individual moves. The final pitch on our new route, however, was the cherry on top. 50+ meters of bomber handcrack with a few cruxier sections. Sent onsight on lead and followed clean.




We also also did some other recon on the right wall. I posted up about it more on Mountain Project.

 Luke
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 9, 2012 - 06:20pm PT
Wow! That's some awesome stuff! I placed gear in the same seam that you guys climbed, but I used the left one at the start as well, using the two seams for sidepulls. That was the only section I didn't onsight, so maybe it was the hardest!? It took me a while to go up and down and clean out the lichen out of the seam to place 00 C3 and I finally got pumped. I lowered and sent next try, though.

I did think that it was the accumulated fatigue that got me on that pitch and that the 3rd pitch was harder overall. The moves to get into the thin hand crack at the end of the pitch had me very pumped. Up to then the rock was very clean, but that crack on the left side of the huge roof had so much lichen in it that my jams just wouldn't stick. I climbed up and down into it 3 times completely pumped out of my mind only to have my hands slip out when I tried to pull around the corner. Apparently, when I was on the verge of falling I used a knee bar under something sharp there that saved me and I now have a huge scar on my knee even though I had 2 pairs of pants on.

That's me after the 3rd pitch:

ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
bouldering
Jul 9, 2012 - 09:33pm PT
Not sure if this qualifies, but Claude Fiddler's West Arete of Mt. Ritter
"The west escarpment of Mt. Ritter (13,157′) stretches over the headwaters of the San Joaquin River. This impressive wall is steep and the rock suspect, but an arête leading from Ritter Lakes basin to the summit was too hard to resist, especially since there weren’t any climbing routes on this side of the peak. From the inlet of the middle Ritter Lake we gained a couple of hundred feet to the toe of the arête. We stayed either on the arête or on the north side to the summit. Two thousand vertical feet of class five (up to 5.7, with some care-be-taken easier scrambling, brought us to the summit register." ~ Claude Fiddler http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/north-america/contiguous-united-states-lower-48/california/2009-ritter-by-c-fiddler/
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Jul 11, 2012 - 07:01pm PT
WOW, Luke awesome photos and great job. I was looking at that side of the peak wondering why are there not many more lines being put up by the stronger crowd. Thanks for posting.
The Alpine

Big Wall climber
Jul 12, 2012 - 01:50pm PT
Soooooo nice! That's some classic HCG right there.
msiddens

Trad climber
Jul 12, 2012 - 04:16pm PT
great thread- keep it coming.
cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
Jul 23, 2012 - 07:44pm PT
I think this needs a bump.

Anyone been on Samurai Warrior out at the Bubbs Creek Wall?


Sounds like a mega route! Great Epperson photo, I'd love to see more of the route.

I've read the news blurb in Alpinist. Was there more written in the AAJ? There is a short blurb in the 1998 journal of the FA but nothing about the FFA.

I also found that there is a short description in the Secor guide. I guess there is only one pitch of 5.12 which is face climbing.


A)Crystal Bonzai (B)Samurai Warrior (C)Whats up Bubb (D)Beckey Rt.
bernd

climber
Jul 27, 2012 - 12:24am PT
Great routes to be climbed! Chamberlin and Merrimam Peak!!!

I wanted to share the topo for our climb on 4th Needle. Greg, Wross and I went back up last August to straighten some pitches and free the aided section from the FA. I moved two pins and the are now as shown in the topo.


Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 30, 2012 - 08:27pm PT
Bernd, thanks for posting a topo. That looks like a sweet route! I'll have to definitely get on that next time!
Chinchen

climber
Way out there....
Jul 30, 2012 - 08:44pm PT
Great thread Vlad. I am salivating. I should get stronger and then we should do some more climbing..
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jul 31, 2012 - 11:29am PT
This thread gets the double thumbs up!
Keep 'em coming.
Rhodo-Router

Gym climber
the secret topout on the Chockstone Chimney
Aug 13, 2012 - 04:45pm PT
Bump for splitter porn. Inspire me, people!
micronut

Trad climber
Aug 13, 2012 - 05:09pm PT

I have nothing to really add to this thread. Just diggin' the good pictures and stories. Keep 'em comin.
snowhazed

Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
Aug 13, 2012 - 07:15pm PT
Is Airstream really the only 5.13 in the high sierra??
cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
Aug 13, 2012 - 07:53pm PT
I guess there is another one at the hulk:

"Nalazak 5.13- ?! its a variation to the Venturi Effect, starts at the belay of the second pitch of Venturi and goes for 70 meters to the rap anchor just below the main ledge. My friend Jake and I made the first ascent of this massive pitch last year and would love for someone to repeat it!

Its the crack/corner above the second pitch of Venturi, goes up to a small roof and into an overhang section into the corner/crack just right of the chimney pitch on Positive. Then it pulls onto the arete for the final 11+ section of the pitch. Mostly thin gear and many draws and slings , like 23 of them. 80 meter rope is better than a 70 unless the belayer wants to simul the first part."

See the last page of: http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=896599&tn=0&mr=0

 Luke
snowhazed

Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
Aug 13, 2012 - 09:48pm PT
Both on the Hulk- appropriate!
hoipolloi

climber
A friends backyard with the neighbors wifi
Aug 24, 2012 - 02:03pm PT
Anyone done Silver Cloud out on Merriam?

My friend and I went up exploring for new routes, we climbed an incredible 3 pitches to the top of the lower east buttress, from here we rapped into a notch, and climbed behind the giant leaning finger/pillar. We climbed out the left side and gained the east face headwall where we climbed a long (200ft) pitch of hands and fingers in a bullet leftfacing corner. At the large 'throne room' ledge high on the east buttress, we walked right and climbed the final pitch of the NE Buttress to the summit ridge.


The description of Silver Cloud does mention a rap, but the topo and the description both sound like it starts out of the large gully on the east side of the peak. I am positive that the first 3 incredible pitches were new, but anyone been up there on Silver Cloud for those east face pitches??

cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
Sep 25, 2012 - 08:08pm PT
Bump for another hardman route.

http://www.neverstopexploring.com/blog/2012/09/peter-croft-angel-wings.html

Dream team of Croft, Nettle, Thau and Epperson.

Psyched to hear some more info later on.


Killer Location!
Stewart Johnson

climber
lake forest
Sep 25, 2012 - 09:47pm PT
cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
May 13, 2013 - 06:54pm PT
Bump for Sierra season and Tioga pass opening up!
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
May 13, 2013 - 07:35pm PT
Stewart J, let's see some more pics on that Conness route!
RyanD

climber
Squamish
May 13, 2013 - 08:16pm PT
Yeah I'm with nutjob, what's plan b?? Looks awesome!
Michelle

Social climber
1187 Hunterwasser
May 13, 2013 - 08:27pm PT
This is appropriate porn!
Roxy

Trad climber
CA Central Coast
May 13, 2013 - 11:53pm PT
bump for 'plan b'
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 9, 2013 - 12:38pm PT
I finally got to check out Ruby Wall on Saturday. Awesome climbing and great splitters, but the rock is very flaky. Still looking for a "Ruby Tuesday" topo. I was told that it's the best route there.





Splitterday

climber
Jul 23, 2013 - 03:13pm PT
Astro-Gil (IV 5.11, 1,700', 11 pitches), SE Buttress, Tehipite Dome




First Ascent TR found here:

http://pullharder.org/2012/11/01/the-first-ascent-of-astro-gil-tehipite-dome/

Route beta found here:

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/astro-gil/107880770
The Alpine

climber
May 14, 2014 - 10:59am PT
Tis the season - whats on the list?
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
May 14, 2014 - 11:16am PT
Great googly moogly, this threads' GOT THE GOODS! Hmmmm, must work harder and get into shape...
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
May 14, 2014 - 11:22am PT
New hardman routes! Hopefully!

But Sun Spot on the Hulk with Airstream start would be cool. Escape From Poland too.

Still want to do Harding route on Keeler, a few routes on Picture Peak. Maybe Angel Wings (Vlad's TR from last year sure makes me want to!) maybe something else. It all depends on free time, what partners want to do, weather and timing...Western Front on Russell been on the list for quite some time. Bastille Buttress on LPP. Maybe do one of the new Croft routes on Merriam? Tehipite Dome "Wall of Ages" looks cool, but would be a lot of work. Maybe full Palisade traverse.


WHAT IS ON VLAD'S TICK LIST?!?! SOME AWESOME PHOTOS FROM RUBY!
Flip Flop

Trad climber
Truckee, CA
May 14, 2014 - 01:34pm PT
Shooting for FA of Fat Dad Slab on Cherubim.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
May 14, 2014 - 02:14pm PT
#prespraysuccess
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2014 - 03:14pm PT
My mind is on a single track lately. I feel like I've snooped around the range enough and know what the rock is like everywhere. So, this summer it's HULK, HULK, HULK! I one hung both Solar Flare and Tradewinds on consecutive days last year, so I definitely want to get back on those and check out other routes on the Hulk. I also got the topo for Ruby Tuesday from Dave Nettle. Would like to get on that. It looks great! Probably has been done less than 4-5 times in 12 years. My partner from Angel Wings said that Samurai Warrior is the best route in the sierra. It seems very doable as well.

By the way if any of you have the time to get out to the Hulk or other peaks from the list during the first week of June, let me know. I've got May 31-June 6 free and I'm STOKED! Vitaliy? Let's go climbing, comrade!


msiddens

Trad climber
May 14, 2014 - 03:33pm PT
hand sweatin good thread bump
The Alpine

climber
May 23, 2014 - 12:28pm PT
Whats the skinny on Mt Tyndall? I've heard rumors of free attempts...


More photos of BC walls:
http://highexposures.com/blog/2011/03/04/backcountry-motivation/
Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
May 23, 2014 - 01:03pm PT
Fat Dad Slab? Do tell...
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2014 - 02:00pm PT
Hey Alpine! I came across this AAC report regarding Tyndall. It sounds like they got a bit off route and ended up climbing something hard, scary, and not worth repeating.

Chief, that route of yours is really good! I was happy I printed out the topos from summitproject a few years ago, because last summer they suddenly disappeared. I felt like you got the ratings totally reversed. The 11a bit was at the end of pitch 1, where it shows 10c on your topo, while the second pitch was closer to 5.10- handcrack.

Vlad
ruppell

climber
May 23, 2014 - 07:50pm PT
Never mind. lol Just realized I replied to the first page. derp.
The Alpine

climber
May 24, 2014 - 01:14pm PT
Thanks Vlad - thats a hell of a story.
" so I reached out with my right hand too—and my feet cut loose. The lip crumbled, and I fell, lip in hand. So I yelled down, “On belay! Climb when ready!” Becka didn’t feel the fall, and as she climbed I lowered until I could clip my webalette to pieces I’d placed on the way up, then landed perfectly on a small stance."

I'd heard about free attempts on Rowells Direct East Face as well. Super steep lower section.
cultureshock

Trad climber
Mountain View
May 26, 2014 - 03:57pm PT
Speaking of Bubbs Creek Wall and Samauri Warrior, does anyone have a topo?


The secor has a nice long verbal description.

THANKS!

Luke
The Alpine

climber
May 26, 2014 - 04:13pm PT
I had a samurai warrior topo, but can't seem to find it. Ill keep digging. Or just email nettle.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
May 27, 2014 - 02:06am PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]

Have a new climb for Hardman tick list. With hardman music to go along with it. :)

Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Topic Author's Reply - May 27, 2014 - 12:30pm PT
Luke or anyone who's interested, I can e-mail the Bubbs creek topo to ya! A better question is when are we climbing it? Townsend said it's the best route in the high sierra. And that was 1 or 2 month after angel wings.

Vitaliy, this roof crack looks pretty sick! Did I miss a trip report from you or something? The music totally makes the video!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
May 27, 2014 - 03:25pm PT
No, hard men don't spray bro. Just kidding. Some of my friends and I made several trips to tokopah domes and put up several routes. Some new for sure, few might of been climbed. But research that we did with the locals seem to show all these are new. Anyway, I didn't want to post about the area before getting this "king line." It sure turned out wild. We did it last weekend. One of those harding slot type pitches (there are 5 pitches total but the one in the vid is the most epic one). And other pitches were amazing too. Last pitch is the best cherry on top imaginable. 5.7 or 8 jug haul on giant knobs that you sling for 60m. No cracks for cams no bolts, till the anchor. Just a perfect line of steep chicken heads. Fantastic climb. Friend that was on a FA did separate reality prior and even though he said its harder, our line is in a much better setting and his favorite pitch of his life. We were happy like kids that robbed a candy store on the hike out.

Ps: will post something about it soon. I think there will be a lot of people psyched to climb it. This thing is hard to beat. Short drive from Socal too.
Gobie

Trad climber
Northern, Ca.
May 28, 2014 - 01:14am PT
One of my routes made the list. I feel redeemed. "Too Hip" Should be the upper elevation.
Yafer

Trad climber
Chatsworth, California
Jun 1, 2014 - 10:20am PT
Lone Pine Peak, south face, Mountain Devil Dike
California, Sierra Nevada

Climbs And Expeditions

In August, Brad Wilson and Dulcinea Groff established a six-pitch route on the south face of Lone Pine Peak: Mountain Devil Dike (900’, III 5.12d). The route begins on the first two pitches of the Michael Strassman Memorial Route and then climbs four new pitches (5.10–5.12) up a prominent dike on the face. More info at MountainProject.com.
Yafer

Trad climber
Chatsworth, California
Jun 1, 2014 - 10:24am PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]
Spider Savage

Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
Dec 2, 2014 - 06:54pm PT
bumpage
Urmas

Social climber
Sierra Eastside
Dec 2, 2014 - 08:43pm PT
That picture of Tyndall upthread shows the route Andy Selters and I did, called the First Pillar of Tyndall 5.10b - a clean, sharp arete with a striking sun/shadow line in the left third of the picture. I don't know of a second ascent. It's in Secors' book. The route goes right up the prow.
Stewart Johnson

climber
lake forest
Dec 3, 2014 - 11:19pm PT
Bumpage for real climbing content
duffer

Trad climber
Sonora, CA
Dec 14, 2014 - 11:23am PT
Hoi Polloi asked if anyone had done Silver Cloud on Merriam. I did the FA of that with my friend Bart in July of '94. We started to the left of his line on the photo and it looks like they did the same short rappel to the left a few pitches up. Did you find any evidence of our sling? After that you were on Silver Cloud until the big ledge up high where you went right. We went left to a horizontal crack that took us around the edge of the prow to a beautiful, right facing corner. A long pitch in this ended with a face traverse right to another crack that brought us to the top of the regular North Buttress route. Nine pitches all together (10+) on great rock.

On another note, The Chief posted photos of Granite Park Spire and the route done a few years ago with Bindner, et al. That sure brings back memories. I hiked in there with Charles (Footie) Field in 1973. We climbed the huge chimney system under the gold wall to the big ledge on the left side of the face, clearly visible in the photos. Loose, 5.8 or so. We named it Diarrhea Alley. A vigorous thunderstorm encouraged our escape left, but not before we saw the beautiful cracks and corners leading upward toward the top. I always wanted to get back to what we called Granite Park Tower, but it hasn't happened yet.
Psilocyborg

climber
Dec 14, 2014 - 03:49pm PT
ms55401

Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
Dec 14, 2014 - 03:50pm PT
is that ^^^^ Edge of Time Arete? maybe Morrison?
The Alpine

climber
May 23, 2015 - 09:26am PT
Rock climbing!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
May 23, 2015 - 01:22pm PT
What a great thread!!

Wish I could get to even a few of those!
The Alpine

climber
Aug 26, 2015 - 11:22am PT
Anybody manage to tick off some projects on this list?
Impaler

Social climber
Oakland
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 8, 2016 - 11:53am PT
Bump... cause it's summer time! If anyone is keeping track I've been updating the list - mostly with Vitaliy's new routes and added links to all the routes in the original thread.

I hear there are new routes in the works on Bubbs Creek wall and on the Hulk. Anything else happening in the mountains? Spray up folks! Some of us are stuck changing diapers on the weekends and not sleeping enough to think about hard climbing. Need more stoke!
The Alpine

climber
The Sea
Aug 3, 2016 - 10:42am PT
Spray me down
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Aug 3, 2016 - 10:48am PT
I think we need to get a list from all of Vitaliy's FA's over the past two years. He's been killing it out there.
Impaler

Social climber
Oakland
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 3, 2016 - 01:23pm PT
He's rapidly catching up to Croft and Nettle in terms of the number of 5.11 or harder FAs on the list. That's pretty amazing amount of hiking in the last 3-4 years for Vitaliy. I hope his toe nails don't fall off after this summer...
The Alpine

climber
The Sea
Feb 20, 2018 - 05:55pm PT
How updated is the list?
shylock

Social climber
mb
Feb 23, 2018 - 02:25pm PT
curious myself
Impaler

Social climber
Oakland
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 18, 2018 - 08:13am PT
I've been updating it every year. If the info isn't public, then obviously I wouldn't know about it, but if it makes it into AAJ, instagram, MoPro, or comes up in one of the mags, then I would have added the route to the list. So, as far as i know it's pretty up to date.

Of course, there's the other problem that I forget that supertopo even exists for months at a time...
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Apr 18, 2018 - 08:33am PT
lol, good man. If you can forget, you're ahead of the game.
Radish

Trad climber
SeKi, California
Apr 18, 2018 - 11:38am PT
Always a destination. Big hike..13 miles. Its backcountry Seki for sure but interestingly has 5 star restaurant close by!
The Alpine

climber
The Sea
Jul 11, 2018 - 06:56pm PT
Vitaliy - whats new?
EdBannister

Mountain climber
13,000 feet
Jul 11, 2018 - 07:01pm PT
The Alpine

incredibly beautiful photo
limpingcrab

Trad climber
the middle of CA
Jul 11, 2018 - 08:36pm PT

New route on Bubbs is done, pretty much all 5.10 with one 5.11- pitch and 30 feet of aid. Go find a free variation! The aid is off the big ledge on pitch 8 of 14 so I bet you could walk around the ledge and find another way.

He drew a topo maybe you can convince him to share.

Such a great thread for motivation to train!

Edit to add for impaler: kids mess with climbing but then you appreciate it more and what you have with your little poop machine can't be compared with any other love you've experienced. Hang in there, it gets better the older they get :)
The Alpine

climber
The Sea
May 15, 2019 - 07:42am PT
A new one for the Chamberlin list(yet to be freed):

http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201215004/Mt-Chamberlin-Until-the-Wheels-Fall-Off
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