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Roadie
Trad climber
Bishop, Ca
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 18, 2012 - 03:35pm PT
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If you’re looking for some useful information to climb the North Buttress of Merriam Peak I’ll save you some time and give it to you right now, here it is: Turn around. Go back to The Hulk, or better yet Tuolumne. The Pine Creek trail is the most brutal trail in the whole eastern Sierra. I live about eight miles from the trailhead and have walked up it five times this summer. I know every one of the 945,318 switchbacks by name and they have given me nothing but sore knees and a blister on my soul. If that’s not enough the hike is twice as far as The Hulk with an additional 2300 feet of gain. By the time you reach the elevation of the summit of The Hulk you will still be two miles from and several hundred feet below the bivy. Once the bivy is reached you will be greeted by a population of marmots that are closer to wolverines in size and temperament. I think most have rabies. And even if you survive the trauma-stomp in and the inevitable attack of the rabid marverienes there’s still the rock, which looks awesome but in reality has that disconcerting, crunchy, exfoliation that adds confidence to every smear. Add to that the lack of people climbing twenty feet away from you on every side. On a normal day there’s just nobody around to see how bitchin’ you look and rescue is not an option. Isn’t Fairview looking better all the time!
Ok then, last spring I came up with this plan: climb a peak a week all summer, get skinny, climb 5.12 and get some cute girlfriend to keep me warm all winter. That is the way it works isn’t it?
Anyhow, I’ve been right on schedule all summer. Ahead of schedule actually. Until this week that is when the apocalypse rolled in on those big grey clouds, storming across the sky like battleships on the warpath. But still, a plan is a plan and the only valid excuse to deviate from the plan is a trip to the emergency room, or a trip to the jail. I’m kind of old-school like that. I try not to let common sense play too much of a factor in the reasoning process. All week I’d been throwing angry glances at the sky and checking the weather in Marty’s office every fifteen minutes. Marty is my neighbor/landlord/buddy and I live in my camper behind his garage. I know its not real conducive to getting a cute girlfriend but I hope to make up for that with the whole peak a week, get skinny and climb 5.12 thing.
On Tuesday Marty asked me if I needed anything from town.
I looked at the angry sky, “Yeah, get me a 10X12 ft tarp.”
I could see what he was thinking just like we were in a comic book and he had one of those thought bubbles over his head. Marty’s thought bubble looked something like this: {what an idiot, you’re gonna die for sure.}
So Wednesday morning, with the chance of apocalyptic rain down from 40% to a comforting 30% I began slogging up that awful trail with my dog, my shoes and chalk bag, my bivy gear and my new tarp.
In the interest of full disclosure I should say at this point that the month before I had done the North Buttress of Merriam peak with my friend D.
We hiked up there, thought we had the place to ourselves, got the crack of 8:45 start and low and behold, there were these two f*#kers on our route! Unbelievable! We passed them by the second pitch and they were really nice but still, the only thing I hate more than inconveniencing some one by passing is someone inconveniencing me by not letting me pass (see- st climbing the hulk tr / roadie).
So D and I did the route, got down and had dinner. Clouds were starting to build and I was reading my book while D was doing a crossword, “What’s ‘those guys’ twelve letters, two words?” she asked. Just as we heard a tiny voice from far above “dude, I think we should start simul-climbing!”
I looked at D, I looked at the peak shrouded in clouds, “um, twelve letters, ‘they’re f*#ked’”
I thought it was funny, D hit me. In the end everyone survived and I made them pancakes in the morning and they were psyched.
I digress.
Where was I? yeah 945,318 switchbacks later there I was, stringing up my new tarp on a boulder in the howling wind while Oula the dog was fending off an army of vicious, rabid marmots. “Maybe I am an idiot,” I thought “But I’m here so at least I tried. If it rains like crazy tonight and its too wet to climb I can do the class 2 on Royce and maybe not get hit by lightening….. As long as I don’t freeze to death… or get eaten by mutant marmots…”
Sometimes when heading out to solo a real route I question my motives. I’m not talking about Cathedral Peak or the West Ridge of Conness, those, in my mind at least, are just, I don’t know, like play solos. I don’t mean to take anything away from anyone, they’re fun and cool and all but, lets face facts, if you fall while soloing the West Ridge on Conness or whatever you’re going to stop before you die. Sure you’ll be scraped and bruised and you might break something bigger than your ego but in all likelihood you’re not going to die. I restate that difference because it’s a big one.
So I sometimes question my motives. I hope I never do this sh#t because I want to hear my name ring out in some dusty parking lot. I hope no one does. This is serious sh#t.
I woke up at dawn to a blue sky, a few wispy clouds far, far away, its going to be a brutal day. I’m not sure if anyone’s ever free soloed this route before. I asked Croft last week, he said no. I can think of a handful of others who might have, in the end it shouldn’t matter.
As I said earlier, sometimes, when a mistake could kill me, I question my motives. All those questions go away the moment I pull on that first jam and my feet leave the ground. Its difficult to explain to someone who’s never been there. The closest approximation I’ve ever been able to come up with is this: Its like stepping outside of time, its like being balanced on this razor-sharp edge of the electric NOW, the taste of life is large in your mouth.
Does that make any sense? I hope so because it’s the best I can do.
There is a move on the second pitch I’d forgotten about, a weird tib/fib bar between a dimple and a sharp arête, crunch! Yikes! Wipe choss from foot, replace, move on. The double cracks: as awesome as before but better with the volume turned up. I move left lower than before, trying to avoid an awkward transition, oops! Not gonna work, reverse
it, find a better way. Two super cool 5.9ish pitches to the crux.
One of the hard things for me, when soloing at altitude, is to find that pace where I’m moving fast enough to feel my rhythm without getting out of breath. I stand at the base of the crux and breath, look around, enjoy that taste in my mouth.
“Is this your dog?”
Huh? Jesus Christ! When did the world get so f*#king crowded! “Yeah, she’s fine. Just leave her alone.”
“Are you ok up there?”
“Yeah!” or I was until you blew my f*#king focus.
Ok, back in the zone. Steep hands in a corner, weird heel toe, but good. Oops! Too good, foot pops out of slipper, step down, replace foot in shoe, replace shoe in crack but not quite as well. Life tastes good…
After signing in on top I looked through the register for any prior solos of the route. I found none but it only goes back to 06. Suddenly a shadow moves over me. I looked at the sky, a towering grey wall of doom has crept in as I read. If I look closely I can make out the form of four pale horsemen riding out of its depths. Just wonderful!
I called to Oula when I reached the top of the glacier, she’s playing with her new best friend the dead marmot. I’m always amazed at how fast she can move over steep snow, it must be nice having built in crampons and ice axes. There is no one on the route, no one in the basin, I guess her other new friend, whoever he was, took off.
It started raining when we got to Honeymoon Lake. By the time we got to Pine Lake there was thunder rolling across the sky. We were both soaked by the time we got to the truck. It was a good day.
When I got home I posted on super topo: Merriam Peak, North Butt first free solo? I only got two replies, one was rather terse, from a local guy I didn’t recognize- ‘yeah, its been done by at least two people that I know‘. I emailed him to say thank you and ask who they were but so far have heard nothing back.
I’m glad at least two other people have soloed that route. I want all my friends to have a day like that. I want all my enemies to have a day like that too, lord knows they need it more.
Thank you, Steve Seats
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kaholatingtong
Trad climber
the green triangle, cali
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Aug 18, 2012 - 03:42pm PT
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i enjoy your sarcasm, that was quite good and entertaining. cheers.
edit, no pics?
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snakefoot
climber
cali
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Aug 18, 2012 - 03:43pm PT
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bump for the east side and a funny story, always liked that peak.
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mikeyschaefer
climber
Yosemite
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Aug 18, 2012 - 03:43pm PT
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Classic as always Roadie.
Good luck with all the summer projects!
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Aug 18, 2012 - 04:18pm PT
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You must be a native New Englander judging by the sarcasm.
Good read, any pictures?
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snowhazed
Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
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Aug 18, 2012 - 05:16pm PT
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love it
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
bouldering
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Aug 18, 2012 - 05:59pm PT
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This sorta opens a can of worms for you -- other high-country tecnical freesolos on the radar? A repeat of Walt's Keeler solo?
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nopantsben
climber
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Aug 18, 2012 - 06:03pm PT
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hahaha this is good.
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Roadie
Trad climber
Bishop, Ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2012 - 06:12pm PT
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Hey Biotch,
I always wanted to say that and not get hit. I did the direct start to the thing on Clyde a few weeks ago, on sight and awesome. Most likely Fish Hook and Goode. Did Venusian and N. Butt. of Bear Creek spire, pretty easy, not quite 'play solos' a bunch of easy stuff. Doing Keeler with a rope in a week or two, we'll see.
Oh yeah, nope no east for me, I'm mostly from Utah and Wyoming.
And yes Chief, I did ask Peter, as I wrote, he said no. The Coach I figgured as a likely one. Thanks for your warm feedback
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nopantsben
climber
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Aug 18, 2012 - 06:52pm PT
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i'd not call this spray. although i also wonder why it really matters who else has soloed this route?
it's pretty funny writing about a solo, so what.
the chief, i'd suggest you read this.. interesting article for sure. does bullock spray? nobody would say that i think.
http://www.rockandice.com/news/2165-you-slackers
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PeteC
climber
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Aug 18, 2012 - 08:04pm PT
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micronut
Trad climber
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Aug 18, 2012 - 09:21pm PT
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Awesome Roadie. Respect.
Peter,
That above photo is why we all do what we do. Breathtaking.
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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Aug 18, 2012 - 10:27pm PT
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That is a very nice photo Pete.
I just talked to Coach about an hour ago. A while back while working on a nearby trail, he and Jake hung a bunch of ropes on Merriam's NB and did laps after work 'til they had it pretty wired, but neither of them ever free soloed it, and he doesn't know of anyone doing it.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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Aug 19, 2012 - 11:00am PT
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Good job dude!
We were hiking nearby while you were up there. Wednesday was a good choice, Monday, Tuesday or Thurs. could have been a bad scene!
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Aug 19, 2012 - 12:33pm PT
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Getting skinny wont get you a girlfriend. Get a skate board, couple of tats and a few retarded looking piercings. Hit the gym and hook up with couple of frat boys for a few outings to watch college football. That may bring you something. Getting skinny and climbing 5.12=pathetic.
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Roadie
Trad climber
Bishop, Ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 19, 2012 - 11:34pm PT
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A few retarded piercing could have saved my all that walking?! Christ Vitality, thanks for the tip!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Aug 20, 2012 - 12:24pm PT
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Nice write up.
“Are you ok up there?” ... funny and sorta pathetic on the part of the bystander.
(Okay, maybe just funny).
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Eric Beck
Sport climber
Bishop, California
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Aug 20, 2012 - 01:01pm PT
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Hi Steve. I remember you saying that you were going up there. Had no clue that you were going to do it unroped.
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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Aug 20, 2012 - 02:10pm PT
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What a great story.
I wish you luck getting a beautiful girlfriend with a trust fund. You obviously deserve one. But, and this is just my humble opinion from a woman's perspective, I think that good personal grooming and a decent haircut will get you farther than the whole skinny 5.12 thing.
Phyl
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Aug 20, 2012 - 02:23pm PT
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good personal grooming and a decent haircut will get you farther than the whole skinny 5.12 thing
This phylp person obviously is out of touch with modern San Francisco 'scene.' Telling you, a tat and piercings is the way. If you had the style, the 2 Ks on the Hulk would let you pass, guaranteed. No matter if Dave Nettle was their best friend or not.
*just kidding here*
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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Aug 20, 2012 - 02:32pm PT
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phylp person obviously is out of touch with modern San Francisco 'scene
Oh, Vitaliy, you are completely correct! I'm really too old to be giving anybody dating advice. But you've spent a lot of time on the east side now. Have you noticed how many of the guys over there have the thinning hair/long scraggly pony-tail thing going on? Not a great look. Just sayin...
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Impaler
Social climber
Berkeley
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Aug 20, 2012 - 03:06pm PT
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Thanks Roadie! That was fun to read. I though the whole route was pretty mellow and secure and would be a nice solo. EXCEPT, of course, for that damn flake somewhere around pitch 1-2. I climbed the route in June and clearly remember not wanting to even touch it since it looked WAY loose. I'm pretty sure that was the crux for me. 5.10+ friction moves to dance around that thing, reachy, with gear below my feet (didn't want to plug anything behind that flake). That's a good reason why I'd never solo this one. It's probably ok to pull on, but I would really not want to trust my life to it. I would much rather solo the Harding route on Keeler. That's a lot more secure all the way through (-:
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crusher
climber
Santa Monica, CA
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Aug 20, 2012 - 04:39pm PT
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Roadie you are funny and I'm enjoying your TRs. The one about The Hulk had me spitting out my coffee.
I will agree that the Pine Creek trail is a b*(^*). I bonked pretty hard getting to Pine Lake last time we hiked up there which surprised me. Husband kept telling me beforehand that he remembered the hike as being no biggy. We were in fine shape but so much for memory, he was a lot younger when he did it last and plus we live at sea level, so...
The marmot description reminds me of one early October we were up in the Golden Trout Wilderness, hiking around the Cottonwood Lakes area below Mt. Langley - there's a big meadow there and it was the most bizarre scene - it was full of romping marmots. I can't describe it any other way - it was a like a HERD of marmots, or a very big family. Running around like dogs at play. Maybe it was a quick, last minute gathering (of food or a party, I don't know) before winter hit but it was pretty amusing and kind of surreal.
As for the girlfriend - go easy on the tats and piercings!
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dmalloy
Trad climber
eastside
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Aug 20, 2012 - 06:12pm PT
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^^^ - We also saw a "herd" of marmots around the Cottonwood Lakes when we were up there 4 or 5 years ago, after passing by 4 deer on the trail up. Shortly thereafter, we saw a mountain lion, which I would assume was both fat and happy.
And while Pine Creek is a tough walk, save the "toughest trailhead" awards until you have walked up Taboose or Shepherd. Beautiful piece of rock, nice work up there.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Aug 20, 2012 - 06:26pm PT
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Shepherd eh? How about George Creek?!
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cultureshock
Trad climber
Mountain View
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Aug 20, 2012 - 06:40pm PT
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Vlad,
We trundled some loose stuff on the early pitches of the NB back in July.
That one block may be gone but there were plenty of scary blocks on the rest of the route. I guess none of them were actively loose...
We also cleaned some rock from the Croft-Rands left route. It's really clean and the gem of Merriam. More people should do that route! Much better rock than the North Buttress and stellar climbing! At some point I'll have to go back to try the right croft route...
We were pretty psyched for cloud cover on the approach. Heinous switchbacks!
 Luke
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Impaler
Social climber
Berkeley
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Aug 20, 2012 - 07:54pm PT
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Luke, WOW! What did it take to trundle that thing? I think you'd remember which block I'm talking about. It's on the 2nd pitch, but was on 1st for us as we were linking pitches. Shield-sized flake about 1x2 feet. Jug on top of it, good side pull on either side. It was in a section of finger crack that otherwise didn't have a lot of features (not just sitting on a ledge). I asked my partner, who was following to give it a good tug, but it didn't go.
Two days later we were approaching to do the Croft-Rands right and got to the beginning right as Vitaliy and partner were screwing around placing gear behind that thing (-: Had to hide under a small roof for a few minutes waiting for the leader to get through that section... and we thought we were done with that flake.
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Roadie
Trad climber
Bishop, Ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 20, 2012 - 08:48pm PT
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The marmots up there are more like a gang, or a Mexican cartel. I'm not kidding.
I remain tat free and umperforated , thanks for the good advice, Roadie
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cultureshock
Trad climber
Mountain View
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Aug 21, 2012 - 04:15pm PT
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Perhaps your block is still there. There was one that moved but I couldn't' yard it out for the life of me. Seemed pretty well stuck despite being large and semi-mobile.
There was a barely attached one less than 5 feet above the "shield" that came out pretty easily. We were psyched the party above us didn't drop it. I would say the shield is good for a little while...
I thought the craziest block was the huge fin sticking out on the pitch before the crux. That thing was crazy and like 10 feet tall! I was nervous climbing over it but it was pretty well wedged...
Luke
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Roadie
Trad climber
Bishop, Ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 22, 2012 - 11:45am PT
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Its still there. I think coming from Utah I might have a slightly different idea of what ’loose’ is.
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fsck
climber
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Aug 22, 2012 - 01:43pm PT
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great tr, roadie. hope to see more of your writing here.
btw, we crossed paths on Infared one day a few years back. you were climbing with a red haired lady.
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Joe
Social climber
Santa Cruz
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Aug 22, 2012 - 02:18pm PT
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Aug 23, 2012 - 03:07pm PT
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Vitaliy and partner were screwing around placing gear behind that thing
I know exactly which block you were talking about. I would call it a flake. It was my partner's lead, and as I remember he placed a #1 in a crack on the left and tried not to touch that thing at all after exclaiming "that thing is moving!" He did not put a cam behind the flake. I thought the flake was solid if you grab it higher up, rather than on it's end (where it was mobile). I do not think it needs to be moved. It is an alpine climb and climbers should expect to be cautious grabbing flakes etc.
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Aug 23, 2012 - 03:43pm PT
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Got to agree. "The Pine Creek trail is the most brutal trail in the whole eastern Sierra." Just got back from 5 day backpack over Piute Pass with 4 days of rain and out down the Pine Creek trail. It is the worst eastern Sierra pass trail - bar none. I been in and out on it many times and it just gets worse. Of course, I just keep getting older.
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Aug 23, 2012 - 04:07pm PT
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Malloy, you wuss! Taboose, Sawmill, Baxter, and Shepherd are long trails with lots of elevation gain, but they're not as debilitating as Pine Creek's switchbacks. The hardest part of Taboose is the road!
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
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I was there this fall after wanting to see the Buttress and left my mark as the small pile O rocks - Pikas' probably turned it into a base camp. Been down Pine Creek Trail twice now but never up it! Heavy to solo something like that!
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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I enjoyed your story Roadie!
Looks beautiful up there.
Thanks!
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brat
climber
El Portal
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Man, the Pine Creek Pass Trail is harsh, but it doesn't compare to George Creek down south.
Though I think my hardest day of trail marching in the Sierra was up and over Blackrock Pass from the westside to get into Big Arroyo by the Kaweahs. Holy crap that is a lot of sunny switchbacks.
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tom Carter
Social climber
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Nice job. Cool not knowing.
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ryankelly
Trad climber
Bhumi
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bump for a fun summer read in the winter
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Psilocyborg
climber
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Goodale creek is a tough way up too. Pretty neat in there though. Thanks for the TR, I really enjoyed the read.
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Blakey
Trad climber
Sierra Vista
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Last Time I was in Tuolumne I came across several Marmots, all had tats, inappropriate piercings and behaved like they were on drugs.
They are probably looking to take over the Merriam Peak turf.....It will only get worse.
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Splater
climber
Grey Matter
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Another tough method for a weekend hike:
Drive up to the eastside on a Saturday July 4 weekend.
Go to ranger stn and find out what permits are left.
Start hiking up Taboose Pass about 11am, temperature in the 90s.
2 days later come down the Sawmill trail.
You are now about 15 miles from your car.
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KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
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Man I love Pine Ck and all its tributaries!
Only thing for you now - solo Mt. Banard pillar, via George Ck, c2c.
Remember, it's closed except for the last 2 weeks in December; Bighorn Zoological Area. Although they can't read the maps too well and sometimes get lost.
Edit:
Goodale creek is a tough way up too. Pretty neat in there though
Ah, you beat me to the punch. I'm ashamed to admit that 4 hours attempting to reach the snowline with the skies netted about 1 mile or 2.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Great write up. I remember Steve from when I worked with Trevor at the gear exchange, a good dude. Doesn't blink much, though.
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Roadie
Trad climber
moab UT
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 2, 2018 - 12:23pm PT
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Nope, I never worked at Gear Exchange. I did hang out there some, but only if Emma was working...
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Never said you did silly goose, you oogled all the pretty ladies and scared off the tourists ;)
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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The Pine Creek trail is the most brutal trail in the whole eastern Sierra.
Done it twice. I thought I was just having a low energy day. Thanks again for a good read.
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| Messages 1 - 48 of total 48 in this topic |
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