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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Nov 11, 2013 - 06:18pm PT
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Adam and I cleaned up Jaybro's route a good bit following green tape till about the halfway point. Does this mean you went halfway up the trail,
or you went all the way up the trail and the green tape stops halfway?
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 11, 2013 - 06:27pm PT
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Clint. We were still finding green tape every 50 yds or so when we decided to stop. We had four seven year olds in tow and had to get back to find Mark who was on a bushwack adventure up around the falls. We could have kept going....we were definitely hot on the trail when we turned back.
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okie
Trad climber
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Nov 11, 2013 - 08:48pm PT
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I went up there about a month or so ago. I wanted to check the flake out. I only had a couple hours and a friend waiting for me at the car so I didn't make it to the wall, which was very disappointing. I did find the starting cairns and went uphill a short bit to the electrical towers, found a marked contour trail and followed that for a bit but I got greedy and headed uphill way too soon and did a fair amount of thrashing. By the time I'd retraced my steps I'd run out of time on my eta back to my friend. I underestimated the hike.
Planning on going back this weekend so I hope to see y'all up there!
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Paul Martzen
Trad climber
Fresno
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Nov 12, 2013 - 12:11pm PT
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Patterson Bluff trail cutting, November 9, 2013.
If you go into Patterson Bluff, always bring pruning shears. Trail maintenance will be a continual process. The more people who work at it, the better the access will be.
I had the idea that it might be as fast or faster to hike in to Balch Flake from Patterson Creek as from the south side. On the map the distance looks about the same. A route up Patterson Creek reaches the cliff quickly, then generally follows the base of the bluff for the rest of the distance. There are a number of areas where the “hiking” is in the open on rock. The other positive from my perspective is that this route provides access to a large area of lower angle rock with climbing of moderate difficulty.
The reality is that route finding was quite difficult, there was quite a bit of scrambling involved and it took us a long time to get over to the Flake. By splitting our efforts we did not completely clear Jay's trail from the south. Doughnut and I worked on the Patterson Creek route while Micronut and Macronut worked on Jay's trail.
Since Kevin and I did reach the flake, I have quite a lot to report.
The Flake itself is amazing and beautiful, especially the Grotto behind it. The Grotto is a wonderful place to hang out as it is cool and feels moist. The outside of the flake however is completely overgrown so hiking is difficult. I struggled right past the big cracks without noticing them. I finally got a glimpse of the JCA crack above and behind me, then work my way back to the bottom of that crack. There is an ancient old growth juniper tree actually growing out of the crack which will need Joe to remove.....well, maybe it is a young fast growing Bay tree and it might help gain the first twenty feet of climbing. But, a cluster of trees grow at the bottom and I could barely see the crack while standing at its base. There might have been easier hiking 10 or 15 feet below the base of the flake. The ground looked a bit more open under a tree canopy.
Some of the easiest hiking of the day was along the section of cliff that was mostly level from the flake north. Much of this section was fairly easy hiking under a tree canopy and was obviously traveled. There was no poison oak in this section until we got close to the flake. There were several section of poison oak near the flake that I actively pruned. (More on the cost I am paying later.) If you come up Jay's trail from the south and quickly reach the flake, you can then access the rest of the steep cliff pretty easily. I did not look further south of the flake to check out access to the other climbing areas there, so I don't know what the growth is like there. I looked for the upper end of Jay's trail, saw a possible location, but can't say for sure.
Going back out, Doughnut saw how close the road was straight down and elected to bushwack directly to the road. I elected to return the way we had come. Doughnut got out in 1/3 to ˝ the time it took me.
In the Balch Flake area, there is a line of bolts going up the big seam just to the right of the flake. There was also a bolted line to protect the chimney on the back of the small satellite flake on the left side of the main flake. The chimney is between the main wall and the smaller flake. Somebody left a rope coiled and hanging off the bottom bolt on the original arete route up the flake. There is new rockfall a little bit to the left/north of the flake It has cut a pretty big swath through the brush.
Patterson Creek is a pretty cool place to hang out. When I finally got down, the 4 kids were happily barefoot and playing in the water flowing over the bedrock. They were making little boats out of leaves and pine needles, then sending them down the slides. They were hoping to stay there for the rest of the weekend and were disappointed to leave.
There is not much water in the creek or the falls, but they are still beautiful. I highly recommend hiking up to the base of the falls. It is an impressive location.
Patterson creek provides a natural route if you wish to access the low angle slabs in the Achille's Heel area. Kevin and I cut out of the drainage early at some steep and exposed slabs that lead up into a poison oak infested gully. Coming back, I stayed near the base of the rock all the way to the water fall, where I found user trails and a fairly easy descent.
Hiking and route finding around the big apron and up to the steep wall was much more problematic than I remembered. At times the hiking was easy right along the cliff base or on open rock slabs, but then we would hit a gully and have to drop down or hit sections just a bit too steep for comfort. Coming back, the route finding was easier in spots, but more difficult in other areas. I dropped a hand saw on the way in while Kevin dropped a machete. I did not see either on the way out. This means that despite following our cut marks, I was often on a slightly different route than on the way in.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Nov 12, 2013 - 03:41pm PT
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Thanks for the detailed report, Paul.
The rockfall looks interesting - possibly climbable there?
Sorry to hear about the poison oak exposure and the lost tools.
The approach continues to live up to its reputation as challenging.
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Alexey
climber
San Jose, CA
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Nov 12, 2013 - 03:56pm PT
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Paul, how long it took for you to hike up to the Flake and than hike down same way?
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cultureshock
Trad climber
Mountain View
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Nov 12, 2013 - 04:26pm PT
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I can only make it out on Sunday.
If anyone needs a ride I will be heading out early in the morning from Sunnyvale.
Shoot me a PM if you are interested.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Nov 12, 2013 - 05:11pm PT
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Too bad, cultureshock. I need to leave after dinner on Saturday. Sorry I'll miss you.
John
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Nov 12, 2013 - 05:35pm PT
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Thinking of possibly going for the weekend if there is someone I can climb/carpool with from the Bay Area?
Would be happy to give the OW a go on lead and would be super happy to climb many pitches in 5.8-5.11a ballpark or something.
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Paul Martzen
Trad climber
Fresno
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Nov 12, 2013 - 06:12pm PT
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It took us several hours to hike in as we were pruning the whole way in, route finding and getting off route several times. Coming out should be a better gauge, though I still pruned a bit and made a couple wrong turns.
The photo of the groto was taken at 2:53 pm, within 10 - 15 minutes or so of when I started back via the front of the flake. Much faster going behind.
Rockfall area is not far and photo was taken at 3:20 pm.
Photo looking south from top of apron area taken at 3:35.
Photo looking north taken at 3:37.
Photo taken at base of waterfall at 4:30 (will add this to my previous post.)
No photos from the road when I reached there, but estimate another 10 or 15 minutes from the waterfall down the creek to the road.
Oh, those are Daylight Savings Times above. I had not changed the time on that camera.
I am certainly surprised that it took an hour to go around the apron area on the way down. I could hear Kevin's voice down at the cars when I still had a long ways to go. I was pruning a little bit, off route at times and very tired by then. Sat down and rested several times. Finding the best route through that area will take quite a bit of exploring, work and marking the trail. A good gps with satellite views might be very handy in figuring out the best route in that area.
edit: The rockfall wall has potential for climbing, but probably aid, as it is slightly overhanging in that area and cracks look to by discontinuous.
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Paul Martzen
Trad climber
Fresno
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Nov 12, 2013 - 07:13pm PT
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Poison Oak:
We went through two areas that were particularly thick with poison oak. The first was in an off route gully when we left Patterson Creek too early. If we had stayed in the creek bed all the way to the base of the falls we would not have encountered any po in that area. There was probably some here and there as we went around the apron, but nothing stands out in my memory. The other thick area was just before we reached the flake. Our route was right along the base of the cliff and the oak was hard to avoid. I aggressively pruned it and pulled up roots where I could. It should help for a short time into the future.
I am sensitive to Poison Oak and I got a pretty massive dose. So far, 3 days out, I am not paying a super high price. I used mechanics soap on my arms when I got down to the cars and changed into clean clothes. At home that night, I used mechanics soap on most of my body, then showered with coolish water. Once in the shower, I soaped up and rinsed multiple times.
I was really scratched up, which I think increases the potential for a po reaction, but nothing developed on Sunday. Monday, however several large areas on my left arm and left leg showed signs of reacting, though not in a full blown way. I got slightly raised reddish areas but no water blisters and no real itchiness. I washed the areas with cold water a few times a day and the reaction seemed to hold.
Today, day 3 from exposure, additional areas have developed and I do have some small areas around my wrists with small water blisters. Most of my forearms show signs of reaction, some areas above my elbows and both legs above the sock line show inflamation. However the reaction seems to be maintaining at a preliminary/moderate level. The cold water washes seem to help with the mild itchiness and the reaction has not gone full blown at this time. With such large areas involved, if the reaction does go full bore, I will be miserable, in bad shape and will probably seek a shot from the doctor. I am really hopeful that it won't get worse than it is presently and will start dissipating in a few more days. Will just have to see.
To summerize, despite large areas of my arms and legs reacting, the reaction is fairly mild and is not bothering me a lot. Whenever I feel a mild itchiness I wash with cold water and the itchiness dissipates for awhile. The areas that do feel mildly itchy seem to be the areas most recently reacting. The areas that first reacted don't feel anything at all now.
A hand held shower head is sure nice for directing cold water only to the areas that I want. Cold water on my legs and arms is easy to take, but much harder to tolerate on my torso.
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 12, 2013 - 08:00pm PT
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PAUL! You're an animal. Pulling up roots! REALLY?
My experience was much different and I am not developing any issues three days out....maybe a 1cm spot on one forearm.....but nothing that counts. And I'm VERY sensitive.
We went up the creek, and bushwhacked a bit to clear trail behind you. No real issues there. We then used Jaybro's approach, and though we were clearing trail, only saw a bit here and there.
TO SUMARIZE FOR BALCH FEST INVITEES.....YOU WILL NOT BE CLEARING TRAIL!
We are doing the dirty work so yall can come up and have a good time, but there is PO in the area and you'll have to be careful and consider a couple changes of clothes for the weekend. See my recommendations in the invite. Looking forward to a great weekend!
Paul, heal up fast, and try not to scratch!
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Slater
Trad climber
Central Coast
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Nov 13, 2013 - 12:02am PT
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It's amazing what Micronut will do for some webtime and an inevitable Trip Report!
Paul, buy some ZANFEL next time and get it on the second it shows up. It is a miracle treatment...
Or climb at Shuteye where there isn't any poison oak ;)
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nov 13, 2013 - 02:16am PT
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I just want to thank you all for working on this. I won't be there this year, but one of these years I'll be there with shears "trail maintenance, along with freedom, is a constant struggle". Usually climbing OW is too, except on "those days".
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i'm gumby dammit
Sport climber
da ow
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Nov 13, 2013 - 02:23am PT
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is it wrong that i wanna climb this? are there any bolts (yet) or pro?
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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Nov 13, 2013 - 07:31am PT
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no danger of me showing up, but i'm completely on board. really cool what you've done here. the anticipation is palpable. and i want that ^^^ much granite irradiating my soul right now
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Nov 13, 2013 - 11:44am PT
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Great work .... Thanks
wont make the Fest but looking FWD to the report.
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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Nov 14, 2013 - 04:57pm PT
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Looking forward to the beat down. My GF will not be coming after all, family business pulled her out at the last sec, but I'm still coming. Not sure if I'll be there hoping to arrive friday night, but may just come early saturday. See you all soon =)
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doughnutnational
Gym climber
its nice here in the spring
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Nov 14, 2013 - 05:10pm PT
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After 3 trips to Balch Flake, one last Saturday and two in the previous century I feel confident in saying that walking in from the waterfall is not the fastest way and that I am immune to poison oak.
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 14, 2013 - 05:22pm PT
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I just picked up some wood for the campfire at my sister's who married an almond farmer. There shall be flame.
And put the finishing touches on my $2.95 Walmart hat.
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