Have you done 1000 routes at an area? At Pinnacles?

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mtnyoung

Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
Feb 26, 2017 - 08:42pm PT

I thought it was breccia and volcanic tuff?

It is. Definitely volcanic.

But we jokingly (and lovingly) call it "mud." Some of us who climb it a lot call ourselves the "Masters of Mud."
Kalimon

Social climber
Ridgway, CO
Feb 26, 2017 - 08:47pm PT
Fisher Towers are mud . . . Pinnacles rock is way more solid.
mtnyoung

Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
Feb 26, 2017 - 09:00pm PT

Fisher Towers are mud . . . Pinnacles rock is way more solid.

From what I've seen, both comments are definitely true.

We still love our "mud" at Pinnacles though ;)
mtnyoung

Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
Feb 26, 2017 - 09:03pm PT
And by the way, thanks for some very, very nice comments here in the last two days.

One of the great things about climbing is that almost anyone can find their fun.

I've got friends who go to an area and do some of the same 20 routes every time. Others who do big walls in hours and some who dream of doing one big wall in their lifetime. Some of my friends climb all over the world and others don't have that desire or simply can't travel like that. I climb with partners who never note down what they've done (and sometimes realize halfway up a climb that they've done it before).

Me? I climb for adventure, for fun and to be with friends.

As part of that I love keeping lists and totals; I find that to be a lot of fun. I don't hold it against those that don't though - to each their own.

Kalimon

Social climber
Ridgway, CO
Feb 26, 2017 - 09:12pm PT
We still love our "mud" at Pinnacles though ;)

I did my first technical rock climbing at the Pinnacles in 1977 and to this day have never thought of it as mud!

Surely there are not 1000+ established routes there . . . maybe 500 max.
pb

Sport climber
Sonora Ca
Feb 26, 2017 - 09:38pm PT
Was it your birthday? Here's mud in your eye.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 26, 2017 - 09:54pm PT
LOL

IAD? Now that would be something!

mtnyoung

Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
Feb 26, 2017 - 10:26pm PT

Surely there are not 1000+ established routes there . . . maybe 500 max.

The hosts let me keep a "sticky" thread on the Pinnacles web forum. The forum is called "Mudn'Crud" - there's that damn mud thing again ;) ;) The thread lists newly established and newly found (never reported) climbs since the 2007 guidebook. Here's the introductory paragraph to that thread:


I have what I consider a "complete" list of new and newly found routes since the book came out. But I think it's only fair to keep parts of the list non-public. For example, at one point Munge and Uber posted on this site about a route they established (after the book came out). I knew/know where the route is because I was there with Uber when he "discovered" the potential line. But, their post doesn't say where the climb is, AND I'm pretty sure they intend more lines there. So I'm not sure it's fair to them to post what's on my list yet. And Mr Mud's route is noted on this site too, but not with a lot of detail. I note all this because I would like to keep a "current" list, and I'd appreciate hearing from people about new routes. But, I will keep such information private if so requested, for as long as requested. I'll start with what I have that is for sure public. I've also got a format that may help with a new book in the future, designed to list all known information so the route can be "tracked down" at some point, if needed. Other "posters" of new routes might find this format helpful too.

There are 211 new and found routes listed as of February 17, 2017 (when added to the 893 routes listed in the 2007 guidebook, this makes 1,104 routes publicly known to exist at Pinnacles).

While we were doing this route "A Grand Adventure" on Friday and Saturday, we found another previously unreported route and made three other first ascents. So that adds five more to the list.

BTW, all five of the routes - including the found route - are fairly easy; we wanted them easy so that anyone out there that day could follow and be part of the first ascent team (they also vary in length from 30 to 95 feet).

Here's a link to the full Mudn'Crud new routes list:

http://www.mudncrud.com/forums/index.php?topic=886.0




mtnyoung

Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
Feb 26, 2017 - 10:35pm PT
Keep in mind too that at Pinnacles two class twos, maybe a dozen class threes, and perhaps 30 class fours are still listed as routes in the guidebook. My list includes some class fours (and maybe one or so class threes?).

This is somewhat unusual in the modern age and follows from the character of the the rock (almost all or maybe even all of these "sub-fifth class" routes reach a distinct summit), and from the long "mountaineering" type history of climbing there (starting in 1933). Guidebooks since then have listed these types of routes.

Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 26, 2017 - 10:46pm PT
Those are just scrambles!!! ;)
pb

Sport climber
Sonora Ca
Feb 27, 2017 - 07:58am PT
A buddy was telling me about looking down from the 2nd pitch of some route and seeing his dog on the way up.
"What did you do?"
"Downrated it."
martygarrison

Trad climber
Washington DC
Feb 27, 2017 - 08:46am PT
Bet I climbed Leanie Meanie a 1000 times, even once with Brad!
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Feb 27, 2017 - 10:24am PT
I'm still working on a thousand deep knee bends.
looking sketchy there...

Social climber
Lassitude 33
Feb 27, 2017 - 10:38am PT
Mtnyoung:
One of the great things about climbing is that almost anyone can find their fun.

So true. Climbing that many routes at the Pinnacles is more than impressive (or obsessive), it is an adventure.
Craig Fry

Trad climber
So Cal.
Feb 27, 2017 - 11:22am PT
Congratulations Brad
Well Done!

BUT!!!
The Thread Title is "Have you done 1000 routes at an area?"

Then asks if you did it at The Pinnacles as a sort of an after thought.

A thousand routes at an area..
That is a good topic to discuss, and we should discuss it here since it is the title of the thread,
First of all, there aren't even that many areas you can do a 1000 routes, so that's the first thing

and Please Carry on
clinker

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
Feb 27, 2017 - 11:26am PT
looking sketchy there...

Social climber
Lassitude 33

Feb 27, 2017 - 10:38am PT
Mtnyoung:
One of the great things about climbing is that almost anyone can find their fun.

So true. Climbing that many routes at the Pinnacles is more than impressive (or obsessive), it is an adventure.

Years before I meant Brad, I had heard rumor of some guy trying to climb every route in the then Monument. Knowing how bad many of these were, I had reason to doubt the sanity of this endeavor and the best one word description pf this may be Monumental.

mon·u·men·tal
ˌmänyəˈmen(t)l/
adjective
great in importance, extent, or size.
"it's been a monumental effort"
synonyms: huge, great, enormous, gigantic, massive, colossal, mammoth, immense, tremendous, mighty, stupendous
"a monumental task"
terrible, dreadful, awful, colossal, staggering, huge, enormous, unforgivable, egregious
"a monumental error in judgment"
impressive, striking, outstanding, remarkable, magnificent, majestic, stupendous, ambitious, large-scale, grand, awe-inspiring, important, significant, distinguished, memorable, immortal

Or at least somewhere between Mental and Monumental.

men·tal
ˈmen(t)l/
adjective
1.
relating to the mind.
"mental faculties"
synonyms: intellectual, cerebral, brain, rational, cognitive
"mental faculties"
2.
relating to disorders of the mind.
"a mental hospital"
synonyms: psychiatric, psychological, psychogenic
"a mental disorder"

;) He is a strategist and historian.
I believe he also has numbered some of his repertoire of jokes.



Certainly along with and beyond the climbing, there can be few finer examples of a person.

Jon C
Matt's

climber
Feb 27, 2017 - 12:11pm PT
To me, the most amazing thing about doing 1000 routes at the Pinnacles is not dying in the process. I've done ~75 routes there, and have already almost died once. The rock quality there poses some serious objective hazards.

best,
matt
mtnyoung

Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
Feb 27, 2017 - 12:31pm PT

To me, the most amazing thing about doing 1000 routes at the Pinnacles is not dying in the process. I've done ~75 routes there, and have already almost died once. The rock quality there poses some serious objective hazards.

Matt's, the post above confirms that you are one smart person (and thank you for the sideways compliment too).

Here's part of a post I made a few years ago on Mudn'Crud about what I thought were the 25 scariest leads at Pinnacles (it's modified a little from that post to omit names on this much-larger circulation forum):

TOP FOUR SCARIEST LEADS AT PINNACLES (that I have done; not in any intentional order):

- 520.5. Seldom Seen Pinnacle - West Face 5.8 X (Two pitches protected by one bolt total; take a rope though, it'll make you feel like you're not free soloing. Besides, with a rope, if the second pitch leader falls, he might take the belayer with him. Did this with David.)

- 854. Herchel Berchel 5.11a R (I had to be rescued from the third pitch of this the first time I tried it - thanks again Dennis. Did that first try with Mungeclimber. Then did it with Dennis - he led the crux pitch though. So I went back and led that pitch with Jennifer. I've led all three pitches.)

- 0.5 Flake Don't Break 5.9+ (Will any of your gear hold a fall? Will any of your holds stay on the rock? Did this with Gavin.)

- 413. Needful 5.8 R (We joke about "kitty litter." On this one it's true. Total crap rock and total crap gear. For most of a rope length. I estimate that, while leading this, I knocked off a cumulative total of at least 100 pounds of rock. Did this with Mungeclimber.)

THE NEXT FOUR SCARIEST LEADS AT PINNACLES (that I have done; not in any intentional order):

- 828. Desperado Chute Out - Denny Colliver Direct 5.9 R (Start on an easier route, at a one bolt belay 200 feet up. But that one bolt is backed up by gear scattered between knobs at your feet. And then it's only one rope length to the top; I used a 75 meter rope and still had to brace myself among lodestones for the belay. With no anchor. Oh, and bonus, there's a bolt protecting that 75 meters of climbing. And yes, that's meters, not feet. Did this with Jeff.)

- 822. Icarus 5.9 R A3 (It's hard to define why this one is scary - and yet it scared me a lot. The possible 40 to 50 foot lob off the 5.9 would be all air, and that's safe. The belay at the top of the second pitch is interesting. And the aid was intricate and hard. Did this with Kevin.)

- 816. Pigeon Crack 5.6 X (it's really 5.8 X) (It took me three leads of this before I figured out that the climb has never gone further. That's a lot of kitty litter packed into 55 feet. Did this with David and then Jim and then Kevin.)

- 792. The Arch - Up the Center 5.8 A3 (In a way this one is odd to be scared on/of. A leader is never more than 40 feet off a usually-sandy/soft creek bed. And yet, with a horrible, pivoting slamming-into-the-vertical-wall potential, and with 10 pitons driven straight up into a Pinnacles roof crack - six of those being knifeblades - I was exhausted, bathed in sweat and completely, utterly spent physically and mentally after this one. I did it with John.)

Man I love Pinnacles....

Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 27, 2017 - 01:17pm PT
I seem to recall needful have exactly 1 semi decent placement up high (small alien in a pocket), and exactly 1 small section about 4 to 5 feet of semi decent rock.

The rest was totally horseshit in a rope length.
Matt's

climber
Feb 27, 2017 - 01:29pm PT
I would add-- the thought of leading 1000 pinnacles pitches is not the scariest part-- it's having to belay 1000 pinnacles pitches, never knowing when death by cantaloupe is going to occur...
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