Cheers For Courtright!

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mooch

Trad climber

Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)

Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 17, 2017 - 01:24pm PT

Damn, it's been almost 15 years since I had last been to Courtright Reservoir, an old stomping ground when I used to live in Fresno. There was a time when going there every weekend wasn't enough. I would create "soft lies" for sneaking out of work to head there to climb throughout the weekdays! If you've ever been, Courtright is like the Lost Sister to Tuolumne Meadows......beautiful domes on bullet white granite, polished by glaciers long gone. I fell in love with Courtright.....and I still am! This past LONG weekend was just as amazing as it was nearly 15 years ago. I simply wasn't ready to leave. Memory after memory flooded in as I recounted routes I had done out there or simply scouting around. Equally awesome was running into Scott "Loomey" Loomis. He and a host of greats (Herb Laeger, Kris Solem, Ron Carson, Vaino Kodas, Stephen McCabe....to name a few) made Courtright what its is. Routes like 'The Cross And The Switchblade', Carson-Kodas Arete, Wild West, The Gold Standard.....classic testpieces of Courtright, set upon a majestic granite landscape. Scott and I could have pow-wow'd the entire day recounting memories, hatching plans and painting descriptors of places near and obscure. Good seeing you Scott! Well, 4 days just wasn't enough but we got in what could as a reintroduction (like getting yourself acquainted with an 'old flame'). Here's a taste of the "magic". I encourage fans of Courtright to post up favorite memories and pix from your times at this western Sierra gem.

Tiki-Ger getting in some 'fore-play' at The Sex Wall

Ger teases the friction addition

Linda Jarit sensually saunters up The Sex Wall

Linda Lou

Bela Logan gets in a 'Quickie (5.9), The Sex Wall

Bela on 'This Pussy Eats You' (.10b), Tiger Cage. Yummy!

lars johansen

Trad climber

West Marin, CA

Jul 17, 2017 - 01:49pm PT

Couldn't help chiming in. Courtright was and is one of my favorites places, period. First went after the Vermin Guide was published in '93 and I have tried to go there every year since.Last year was no exception.included here is a pic of climbrunride as we were bailing in the middle of a torrential shower on Duzy Dome a few years back. Most of my climbing shots are in a box at my studio, on film no less. Will try to post some later.-lars

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

Nothing creative to say

Jul 17, 2017 - 02:01pm PT

My last trip was 2007. Why has it been so long?

Wish'd I could have gone. Finally starting to feel more normal.

Stoked you got to reconnect with the stone out there. Nothing quite like it.

mooch

Trad climber

Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 17, 2017 - 03:40pm PT

Michele Beaty on 'Anyone Got A Cigarette' (.10b)

Yours truly leading the first pitch of 'A Little Nukey', Power Dome. Forgot my climbing shoes at home! Uggg!

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Jul 17, 2017 - 03:52pm PT

From Spread Eagle...

That's Power Dome, with the long prow, just below the south end of the lake.

msiddens

Trad climber

Jul 17, 2017 - 06:57pm PT

Jul 17, 2017 - 02:01pm PT
My last trip was 2007. Why has it been so long?

Wish'd I could have gone. Finally starting to feel more normal.

Stoked you got to reconnect with the stone out there. Nothing quite like it.

Munge when were you ever normal....LOL

Agreed it's been too long- 4 years

lars johansen

Trad climber

West Marin, CA

Jul 17, 2017 - 08:19pm PT

Munge-

PM me if you want to go this summer-lars

limpingcrab

Trad climber

the middle of CA

Jul 17, 2017 - 08:36pm PT

I. LOVE. COURTRIGHT. AND. WISHON!!!!!

Too bad we missed each other this weekend. I'll post some pics and memories when I'm on my computer.

PS- Courtright is better than Tuolumne :)

Inner City

Trad climber

Portland, OR

Jul 17, 2017 - 09:39pm PT

Limping along...'Courtright is better than Tuolumne'.

I love that quote. Courtright is awesome...And Dogtooth too

But I mean only one road cuts through the heart of Yosemite...

this just in

climber

Justin Ross from North Fork

Jul 18, 2017 - 07:33am PT

Nice Dave. My first time tying in was at Trapper, by the time I got back to the ground, I was hooked. Thanks for the pics.

micronut

Trad climber

Fresno/Clovis, ca

Jul 18, 2017 - 07:54am PT

Courtright.....the best of times......

mooch

Trad climber

Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 18, 2017 - 09:54am PT

PS- Courtright is better than Tuolumne :)

You had me at "better". :) Minimal tooling, no "racing" to the classics, no headaches when looking for places to camp, no park entrance fee......shall I go on?

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Jul 18, 2017 - 11:08am PT

Looks like great rock.....but where are the cracks and holds?

G_Gnome

Trad climber

Cali

Jul 18, 2017 - 11:18am PT

Right here Jim.

Oh, but you do need to know how to climb 12b thin edging to get to it.

mooch

Trad climber

Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 18, 2017 - 11:28am PT

Jan -

Face Of A Blue Eyed Dog??

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Jul 18, 2017 - 11:39am PT

That would be me drilling the third bolt on SeamStress in about 1989...

Gary

Social climber

Desolation Basin, Calif.

Jul 18, 2017 - 11:44am PT

My first lead was Drill Instructor.

mooch

Trad climber

Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 18, 2017 - 04:27pm PT

Thanks for setting me straight, Kris!

BTW, is the shindig for Courtright for August 4th thru the 6th still on? I know DaveyTree was the driving force to get it going. I've been spreading the word. Yes, yes.....it'll be warm. Get over it! Let's go have a good time!

FlyDude? You on board? I've got a few that are committed.