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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 24, 2014 - 01:21pm PT
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Not the song by Wings, the desperate, super thin and sharp, two pitch route in Joshua Tree. Anyone have any info on this climb? I was working on it this weekend and what an incredible line. Not sure if it will go for me (or anyone) but will keep trying.
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Feb 24, 2014 - 01:51pm PT
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I'd hit up M&M if you haven't already.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 24, 2014 - 04:40pm PT
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The first pitch has a couple hard moves getting to the flake that felt around .12. The second pitch has a 8 foot very hard section on sharp friable sidepulls, just before it goes beyond vertical. Kind of terrifying on my mini-trax but a wild line. I'll be back on it in cooler temps with fresher tips.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 24, 2014 - 04:42pm PT
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All the decent holds have chalk on so get on it.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 24, 2014 - 10:33pm PT
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Someone must know something? There were plenty of thin masters back then who maybe gave it a try? I'd love to hear how easy only 13a is to the young guns. Honnold would solo it? Tommy would call it 14d.
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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Feb 24, 2014 - 10:49pm PT
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I did the 1st pitch with M & M & crew,back in '92 or so. Several of us led the 1st pitch which we were calling 5.12 b/c. There was a thin move stepping onto a razor edge around the 3rd bolt or so. The 2nd pitch seemed grainy & a bit loose so nobody put in much more than a cursory effort & we declared it jive.
At that time slabby climbing was going out of fashion, and we declared that Mamunia, was a synonym for "men with breasts". Man, we got a lot of laughter miles out of that one.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 24, 2014 - 11:37pm PT
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Yea, hard there but I thought the moves around the last bolt were harder. The big flake there is pretty cool but the one on top of the last pitch is huge. Wild back in there.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Feb 24, 2014 - 11:46pm PT
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yeah, the way it is now is not how it was originally done
i hear things, see?
be vewwy, vewwy careful sweet people
just sAyin
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 26, 2014 - 04:32pm PT
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Anyone else besides Bill? I did talk to Rob M about it but he only talked about the first pitch. Who belayed Troy on the second pitch and why do people think it was not freed by him?
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pelut espania
Big Wall climber
Espania
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Feb 26, 2014 - 07:24pm PT
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Who belayed Troy on the second pitch and why do people think it was not freed by him? Mi Americano amigos! Mamunia es muy bueno en es fantástico even por the American dogs! Troy Mare es un hero en Espania and to say he no do pitch dos is classico Americano dog puto lengua by Americanos like Cozgrove and other old hombres who canot escalade the big cliffs. I do all pitches a vue and make downrate nunca as I am Pelut from Espania and not an American perro with the bolsa of mentiras and hate. Viva Espania!
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BG
Trad climber
JTree & Idyllwild
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Feb 26, 2014 - 09:40pm PT
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The first pitch (6 bolts)was done by Troy Mayr in 1988, originally rated by him at 5.12c/d and subsequently downrated by Coz and others to consensus 12b.
Pitch 2 (7 bolts) was done a year later, in 1989, and rated 5.13a/b, credited to Troy and Rob Mulligan, so Rob would be the one to ask about the details of that ascent. The second pitch was also given a separate name: "Illusions"
During the late 80's Rob had a solid track record of bouldering many V9/10 problems at Josh, and many 5.12/13 FAs, so he could certainly climb at this level.
With flakey slab climbs (although it's hard to characterize the second pitch as a "slab" since it's is vertical if not overhanging), over time, edges continually disintegrate under foot or get pulled off, so these types of climbs generally only get harder and harder over time as holds disappear....like the first pitch of Gunslinger on the North Astro Dome.
As far as I know, since 1988, the first pitch has been climbed infrequently, but the second pitch remains somewhat of a mystery.
Some years back the great Australian climbing photographer Simon Carter asked me about it, and subsequently took shots of his girlfriend Monique leading the second pitch, but I'm not sure if she redpointed it.
I haven't done the route, but always looked up there wondering about a third pitch to the top??
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drewsky
climber
Seattle
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Feb 26, 2014 - 11:22pm PT
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I did the first pitch years ago. I remember it being thin and crumbly. I also recall the hardest part, by far, being a slabby friction/balance deal in the upper section of the climb, with a reach move. I claimed three bail 'biners, including one from the beginning of the second pitch. I didn't try the second pitch, though. What I remember best of all was rapping and pulling my rope into a patch of prickly pear. That made for some fun belaying later on.
Could it have been the second pitch that got a .13c rating originally? I didn't really look at it so can't speak to whether it seems climbable or not.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 27, 2014 - 10:52am PT
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I would agree the crux of the first pitch is around the last bolt passing it and getting to the bottom of the massive flake. I thought is was rated 12a and felt it was harder than that but 12c would be correct. I did ask Mulligan about it and he said he only did the first pitch. He's in Europe now but I will ask him again when he returns. I do remember him being somewhat reticent about the whole thing. The second pitch is way harder than the first. Thanks Coz for the info.
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BG
Trad climber
JTree & Idyllwild
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Feb 27, 2014 - 12:32pm PT
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Hi Coz, I'll take your word for that...to be honest I don't remember exactly what Troy rated the first pitch (memory is a funny thing...it's been 26 years!) but the more I think about it, I do recall the downrating was a full grade, not just a letter grade, so you'd be correct.
...you got the second ascent, and the girl!
Rob Mulligan would be the one to ask about pitch 2. If he says he was never there...then it probably has never been done, since he was credited in Al Bartlett's guidebook with the FA of pitch 2 along with Troy.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 27, 2014 - 12:36pm PT
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Rob definitely did not climb the second pitch.
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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Feb 27, 2014 - 12:46pm PT
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Maybe Cesare Maestri did the 2nd pitch, french free of course. (I apologize if my humor offends)
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 5, 2014 - 04:01pm PT
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If Troy rated the first pitch 13C, how did the second pitch get a 13a rating supposedly by Troy? I was back on it last Sunday. The second pitch is really hard but I think it will go.
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RtM
climber
DHS
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Mamunia
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 5, 2014 - 08:35pm PT
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Cool shot Robert. I am on pretty good holds and just finishing the overhanging part to the second pitch. You can see the two flakes pretty clearly. The first pitch ends at the top of the first one. The one above the anchor on the second pitch is completely detached and hanging out from the wall. No idea how it is staying there but rapping in over it is really terrifying.
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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I don't believe the first pitch was originally 5.13c, but 5.12c. The second pitch has always been rated harder. As for the other gratuitous comments, I don't give them much credence.
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