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| Messages 1 - 31 of total 31 in this topic |
Josh Higgins
Trad climber
San Diego
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 3, 2014 - 06:10pm PT
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I ran another lap on The Vampire yesterday, and spent my time at the belays looking over at The Happy Hooker. It has always piqued my curiosity, although I'm not much of an aid climber. I've done some easier walls up to C2 in the past, and have done a significant amount of hard free climbing, but I've never tried anything that was even close to A4. I've always thought it would be a hilarious day to pack a mini haulbag with beer and have a go at the route. Who here has done it? Is that a stupid idea? Is it dangerous? Or are the falls clean? I've never met anyone who has climbed it (that I know of).
Thanks for any info, stories, amusement, or flaming...
Josh
P.S. I'M GONNA DIE!!!11!!1!1!!!!
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Pie
Trad climber
So-Cal
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I took a gander the other day, copperhead looked intact to link features down low, but man some of the hooking looked so wild! Hard face climbing to tough hooks back to hard face climbing. Most of the bolts looked pretty new, falls seemed clean. It's totally out of my league, FYI. That's all I got.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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something something thin features something something ledge fall something.
That's the rumor round the shop, these days... my memory is a bit dusty.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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I heard you get around the world if you send the route...?
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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X Cracks on the South Face are pretty exciting,
Can't help out on the Hooker, but some extra space above the deck should help.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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As long as you are bringing the mini haul bag with beer, you're good to go then.
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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I did it rope solo about 20 years ago. I remember being terrified, and in over my head. Unfortunately I don't remember much in terms of beta. I do remember some scary hooking, and some questionable copper heads I removed and replaced. If you see an old copper head with a "unhappy" face tapped into the surface, it's mine. DON'T TRUST IT!
It will look something like this:
o o
xx
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Kristoffer
climber
mali, africa
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I think its safe to say the route gets harder after each attempt.. some "key/obvious" hooking features have broken off, by saying that I am not implying that it no longer can be climbed, but rather the hooking is just a bit more wandering and thinner. I ripped it twice at the crux and came mighty close to the ledge. now that I think back I glanced something on the first plunge.
anyways, here is what Bob Gains told me back in 2006 when I was kicking around those parts and cooking up the plot.
"What I remember about that one is using quite a few different
hooks, working two or three at the same time to distribute my weight, and
being very scared. Make sure you have the black diamond talon hook for the bat
hook holes. I've talked to two different people who attempted Happy Hooker, but
turned back at the crux. They both tried to do the thing in one pitch, but when
I led it I did it in two (like the topo shows), for less rope drag; I think
it helps when trying to balance around on those very precarious hooks.
Good luck!"
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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Damn, at least you had beta. I wandered up there completely clueless, not much has changed!
Also, the talon hook is mandatory in my book.
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Josh Higgins
Trad climber
San Diego
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 3, 2014 - 09:24pm PT
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Something something ledge fall?
Well hell. Why didn't you say so?
I love the ambiguity of this statement. Are you excited about the prospect of potential ledge falls? Or is it terrifying and now you don't want to do it....? Both?
How was aiding the Pirate? I tried to give it an onsight burn. Holy hell the gear was not confidence inspiring and I backed off near the bottom rather quickly. Props to anyone able to onsight that thing!
It sounds like the route is quite committing. I'll have to mull this idea over a little more. I've done very little hammer swinging outside of bolt placement and replacement. A lot of the falls looked clean, but I take it there's potential of falling on the first ledge the route leaves after the flake? I was hoping it was more safe since long clean falls are fun/hilarious. Ledging out due to ignorance on how to set a copper head is terrifying....
Josh
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Now I am interested.
How long is the route? Hard Free climbing off hooks with ledge potential?
Hmmm
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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The Pirate was my first aid lead. Thin HB offsets helped tons. Of course, stupid is as stupid does. I'm the same idiot that rope soled Tons of Junk, and Rurp Romp here in Josh around the same time.
Gerberding and I were working one day at Cap Rock and we wandered over to Rurp Romp and I told my tale. His comment, "That's why I don't do hard aid close to the ground."
Point taken. Now the only hard aid I do is to get out of my chair.
Good luck. That ledge is all yours if you don't have good hooking skills. I just got lucky.
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Splater
climber
Grey Matter
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Aided the Pirate mainly with nuts long ago, no offsets. Don't know what it's like now. but don't use hooks on any face holds- they may break off.
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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Yup, small nuts (gear wise) is the ticket. The offsets were great for me.
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j-tree
Big Wall climber
Typewriters and Ledges
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Higgins, Prrrdylady is a troll account that was started when stitch got booted from MP for talking about the real prrdylady's prrdyness, unless prrrdylady was aiding the pirate a month ago while prrrdy darn preggers.
I rope-soloed Tons of Junk and Rurp Romp (stripped most of the heads and was able to manage a clean go at it) last year, not too bad considering some of the stuff you can find yourself on at Riverside Quarry.
Say the word Mucci and I'll meet you down there.
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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You're a better man than I. I placed I think two heads. I've done a few out the quarry about the same time frame. Vertical Vee was fun. Can't remember the other 3 I did. Talk about expando.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Go check out Flying Circus and let us know how that goes.
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j-tree
Big Wall climber
Typewriters and Ledges
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love when a troll account becomes a real account
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BG
Trad climber
JTree & Idyllwild
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Here's a photo from the first ascent, 20 years ago (in 1994). I'm hanging from a bolt placed at the end of the scary hooking section. This photo was taken from the hanging belay about 50 feet off Vampire ledge. The first bolt is a 3/8 incher that protects the tough hooking section. Although it doesn't look too far here, it's a distance of about 20 feet to the next bolt (that I'm hanging off).
So if you try it in one pitch, skipping the hanging belay, if you blow it just below the second bolt (that I'm hanging off here) I'm guessing you'd fall at least 60 feet (figuring 30% rope stretch) but wouldn't hit Vampire ledge.
I've talked to a few people that have taken the fall!
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Drilling that second bolt must have been.....*shudder*!
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BG
Trad climber
JTree & Idyllwild
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It was! I think this was the "Wheww" moment after I punched in the bolt and clipped in.
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Hey Bob,
What are your thoughts on the comment above about ripping that flake off?
Do you remember it?
Think it will go without it?
Sweet photos of the FA!
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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Wow, I really am stupid. I must have bagged one of the early tags on that route without even knowing it. All's I ultimately remember about that route was how scared I was.
Loved the picture of the pirate, steep sucker.
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Josh Higgins
Trad climber
San Diego
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 4, 2014 - 08:50pm PT
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So the crux isn't above the ledge.... this is a good thing. Maybe I'll yo yo it with a friend sometime wearing padding for if/when we rip gear and go whipping.
Great pictures! Thanks BG! I didn't realize this was only a 20yr old climb. I've been looking at it for almost 15 with curiosity.
Great route name by the way. That route name adds to the appeal.
Josh
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BG
Trad climber
JTree & Idyllwild
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Thanks Josh. The crux hooking sections are relatively safe, since the wall is very steep and the falls would be clean, plus you're far enough above Vampire Ledge that you shouldn't hit it.
The most dangerous part is an expanding flake right off the ledge that can't be avoided. You nail a little crack then stick a cam behind a dinner table sized flake. As I remember, when I weighted the cam, it opened up a little wider! If someone wants to add a bolt here to avoid it altogether, I'm cool with that.
Above the expanding flake is a bolt. From there you tension traverse left, nail some thin features (A3), then there's a bathook hole, a bolt, and a little more nailing up to the original 2-bolt belay. Since this pitch winds around you'll get serious rope drag if you continue past the 2-bolt belay, which is not what you want for the tenuous hooking that comes next.
The next pitch has 4 bolts, several bathook holes, and plenty of scary hooking. Looking at my notes, I used 2 Black Diamond Talon hooks (these work in the bathook holes), a logan skyhook, a pointed Leeper hook, and 2 Fishhooks. The key for me at the crux was balancing on multiple hooks at the same time. This pitch ends at the Vampire belay.
Pitch 3: Move left to a bolt, then tension traverse left (or 5.12) to another bolt, then traverse left across a ledge (5.10) to a 2-bolt belay at a small ledge.
Pitch 4: Incredible face climbing straight up past 5 bolts (5.11+, A1 or 5.13a) ends at the 2-bolt belay shared with Stairway to Heaven. This pitch was free climbed by Scott Cosgrove at 5.13a after rappelling down from the top, and was given the seperate name "Infinite Justice" when done free.
Pitch 5: One aid bolt leads to free climbing, joining the Vampire finish to the top (5.9)
The topo in the 2001 guidebook is pretty acurate. Bring a few knifeblades, a few small Leeper pitons, and couple of baby angles.
Go for it!
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BG
Trad climber
JTree & Idyllwild
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BG
Trad climber
JTree & Idyllwild
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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This is a great thread. ST at it's best.
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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(cool angle of the Vamp too)
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TYeary
Social climber
State of decay
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Aiding the Pirate, in winter, early 70's . Stoppers and a pin or two.
TY
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Feb 16, 2015 - 12:50pm PT
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I could not see aiding from the third to the fourth bolt on the second pitch. Really wild up there but there are holds. Lots of loose small flakes breaking off, not sure what will be left.
What is the incomplete direct start pitch that would take you to Vampire ledge? A couple of bolts down low.
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| Messages 1 - 31 of total 31 in this topic |
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