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tiki-jer
climber
fresno/clovis
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 4, 2008 - 01:21pm PT
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Hello Tom, Was wondering about a route you did in '76 called Left Ski Track in the Hinterlands. New routing going on, now...and I saw the anchors to the top of the first pitch. Actually a bolt w/ no hanger and a buttonhead on a leeper hanger.
Looked larger than a 1/4" buttonhead. Are there more bolts at the top of the second pitch?
And where did you actually start the route? Guide book is unclear.
Do you recall a large cave to the right, I believe of your route?
Would you grant me permission to replace said bolts with stainless 3/8" bolts and either Fixe or Metolius hangers?
I believe it to be an attractive line and would very much like to climb on it, however I don't recall anyone EVER climbing on it. Heared it through the grapevine as a spook fest.
Thoughts, Comments and Stories greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
GJ
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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The Balls
Nightwatch
198. Arch-A-Poko 5.8, 3p
199. Left Ski Track 5.10, 3p
200. Planet Granite 5.7, 5p, water grooves 300' R of LST
201. Space Warp 5.9, lb to 4x, 20' R of PG p4
202. Messages to Young People 5.11c, p1: lb to face, p2: easy to PG p5 belay
203. Roll the Weinies 5.10d, p1: 6x 80' friction crux, p2: 5.7 to PG p5 belay
204. un Nightwatch 5.9, awkward crack, R of Roll the Weinies
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tiki-jer
climber
fresno/clovis
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 4, 2008 - 05:40pm PT
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Ahhh thanks Clint....I knew you would chime in, You walking data bank of info, you!!
I noticed the routes are numbered, perhaps a topo floating around?
Clint do you know what kind of pro there is to be found on LST?
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Gerry,
Unfortunately, I don't know much of actual value - just what is in the old Spencer guide plus the added routes listed in Climbing magazine shortly afterwards. The routes are numbered to hopefully keep them in order (left to right).
I checked the 1977 AAJ, which has nice photos of Kamps and Higgins on the Plate route on Tempest, but does not mention Left Ski Track. Hopefully Tom will have it in his notes, though!
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tiki-jer
climber
fresno/clovis
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 4, 2008 - 08:11pm PT
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Hey Clint, try as I might but I could not locate photos you mentioned....perhaps you could send me the link or the images themselves. Thanks and if you got some from Fresno Dome from BITD.
GJ
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Gerry,
The AAJ search feature is working again - at:
http://209.20.70.87/AAJO/
For the 1977 AAJ, Higgins/Kamps photos on Tempest, the PDF file is:
http://www.americanalpineclub.org/AAJO/pdfs/1977/usa1977_148-196.pdf
The photo of Kamps is on p.28 of the PDF (p.175 of original AAJ). Photo of Higgins on p.31 (178).
For Nightwatch, I saw Matt Schutz' photo of the new routes, but the overlay is keyed by color, so I can't even figure out which is which (because the route names do not mention the color...)!
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Hi Clint,
Matt's routes in the photo to which I think you refer are on the far right side of the dome, below the east summit, which is not represented in the Spencer guide.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Here's an overlay I made from one of Matt Schutz's photos which matches up fairly well with Spencer's topo:
Thanks for the explanation of the new routes, Nate.
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Yes, those look quite accurate Clint.
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LongAgo
Trad climber
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Wow, good to hear climbers are visiting far flung Sierra places of yore where Kamps and I did some stuff. Who knows, maybe Domeland or Proc are next.
From the three drawer metal file cabinet standing in the furnace room, I pulled our the yellowed manila folder entitled "Balls" and found a funny one page drawing of mine to Domeland entitled, "Adventuresome Guide to the Balls." I cooked it up for an AAC trip, July '79. And there, for Tempest Dome is a faded topo showing the old Plate Route, Havana Ball etc. following pretty much the Spencer guide. One discrepancy: we rated "Plate" 5.9, but I see Spencer says 5.10. Whatever - just a nice little route. Here's a link to my website where I summarized the trip (as per AAC Journal 1980):
http://www.tomhiggins.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=20&limit=1&limitstart=4
I see now the old topo of mine calls Nightwatch "Ski Track Dome," and Golden Toad was "Little Dome" and Turtle was "Big Red." So, names don't always stick ... but I have no problem with the new names.
As for route on Nightwatch called Left Ski Track, looks like Bob and I did the FA in '76. I see my little one page '79 topo shows the route as "3 pitches, one 5.9-5.10 move" but no bolts. The rest of the topo shows bolts as stars, so I don't think I would have left them off the route if they were there in the first place. Spencer guide also shows no bolts. Could be, then, they were added later. I just can't recall - maybe we slung big knobs or plates as these were common on the domes there. I do remember the route starts under a right leaning arch, as Spencer guide shows. Of course I'd prefer the route be left as it was done in the first place, but post again if you find it way run and dangerous and I'll ponder. Unfortunately, I can't wake up Kamps on this one to discuss ...
Tom Higgins
Long Ago
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Thanks for these details Tom! Much appreciated by those who wander in these parts. Every climber who passes and pauses to look upon Nightwatch is immediately drawn to those stunning Ski Tracks.
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tiki-jer
climber
fresno/clovis
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 5, 2008 - 08:06pm PT
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Yes thank you for the details Tom. I assure the route would be left with the same amount of bolts you guys placed(If any)and would just be replaced with Stainless Steel 3/8" Bolts and new hangers.
If you come across some more tidbits of info of this area from back in the day, There are some here who would sit on the edge of their chairs and listen intently and dream.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Tom, I admire the fact that Kamps and you set out for distant places in the Sierra when few where doing it. You have always been an inspiration to me. I remember you showing me a problem at Indian Rock (Bezerkley) sometime back in 1973/74 (I think).
Do you remember Bruce "Whatisname"? He was about 60 or so (but then he could have been older, at 17 everyone seems old, so to speak). He could do a one-arm pull-up with a handjam in between the two branches of the tree down in the pit at Indian Rock. I always admired that guy for that 'stunt'.
EDIT
Bruce Cook was his name, I think. Any Supertopians who hung out at Indian Rock (Bezerkley) remember if I have his name correct?
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jstan
climber
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Tom:
Sometime in the late 60's I went over to try a route of your's. It was sort of a scoop that went from steep to absurd as you went up. Since I was in the Valley, I was trying to face climb in Robbins's blue boots. I would point to them as the reason for my failure, but I don't know I could do that and still keep a straight face.
Later while talking to quite a well known C4 figure I mentioned my failure. He said with some passion, "Tell me about it. I can't climb that sh#t."
Not much to this story, surely. But, still, it does show what we do is interesting on several levels.
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LongAgo
Trad climber
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The Bruce in question is Bruce Cooke. Indeed, he did one arms well into his 60's. He and I climbed quite a bit together. He had hip arthritis in later years and climbed very stiffly, but loved it so much he just went with the pain and immobility.
He served on front lines in WW2 hinted at but didn't dwell on some of the horror of horrors he witnessed. He was a blacksmith in Oakland shipyards. He liked to live a lean life. At one point, he gave away his big Oakland house to a young relative staring up her life and moved into a one room hovel holding a hot plate, bed and his super bike. I think he also gave away his car to another relative. Then he moved to a modest two bedroom house in Richmond where, nowadays at least, bullets probably whiz by in the night. He stopped drinking one day after driving up on a road median and cursing himself. Once he set his mind on something, he just did it, like the time he rode his bike from Oakland to Tuolumne Meadows with a load of camping gear. He liked women, but never married - I think he had very high ideals about love and came away from one relationship soured on certain relationship realities. Very painful cancer plagued him to his death, but he enjoyed visitors to the end. He didn't talk much about his condition, just asked how you were doing and liked to share listening to music.
Quite the man. I much loved him. He was best man at our wedding, such as it was - no friends or family, just Bruce with us there in our home. I have a picture of his holding our baby daughter in front of the fireplace. I think he liked the simplicity of how we did it. We were honored to have him there. His entire manner and being helped set us on our way, affirmed our belief in ourselves and our journey, now 30+ years in the making.
Bob Kamps also respected and liked Bruce and they climbed together too. We named a route after Bruce in the Meadows: the Cooke Book on Daff (yes, Cooke is correct spelling).
For a picture of Bruce and me sitting and talking about some route long ago (I think at Lovers Leap), go here:
http://www.tomhiggins.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=20
Tom Higgins
LongAgo
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Gene
climber
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Methinks the water groove on the left is the Left Ski Track. The arch indicated by yellow in Clint's picture can be seen between the tree branches - assuming that this is the same hunk of rock. Is it? Tom? Ger? Nate? Clint?
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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So facetious, Gene. Of course it's the same hunk. ;)
Made it up there yet this year, Gene?
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Gene
climber
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Nate,
What would I know about that area?
Hope all is well.
Gene
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Beautiful, Tom - thanks for sharing your memories of Bruce Cooke.
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LongAgo
Trad climber
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Gene,
Yes, as you say, left groove or channel in last pic is left ski track, as far as I remember.
Hard to believe we didn’t use a single bolt, as per my old topo and Spencer guidebook. Once someone does it, maybe they will be able to report back here and tell what old junk they find, presuming it was our old junk.
Tom
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Hi Tom, thanks for that. Joe McKeown also e-mailed me to let me know it was Bruce Cooke that I was thinking about. I also took a look at the photo on your site and that is how I remember Bruce looking.
I will always remember him as a very nice, helpful and unassuming man. May he rest in peace.
Cheers
Patrick
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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All good memories about Bruce Cooke. He was a very regular climber at Indian Rock from way back, I think before the sixties actually. It was his social center. What a wonderful subtle kind decent man. He mentored several lucky generations of us and we all loved him for it. His attitude was starkly contrasted by the rather ferocious approaches taken by other climbers like Robbins and Sacherer who also actually did spend time at Indian Rock.
Adding to Tom’s notes, Bruce had had an industrial accident in the steel shop long ago when an overhead gantry crane slipped a chain link or so that was holding a gigantic beam. He had involuntarily attempted to catch the load with one of his super-powerful arms tearing the biceps severely. There was a huge scar there but he healed out of it quite well. I would add that Bruce not only could do a one-armed dead-hang pullup on either arm, but actually something more than SIX in a row.
And one of his other very close friends was Jim Crooks who was a kind of carbon copy of Bruce and also a wonderful older climber and mentor. One day back in the sixties, Bruce, Jim, myself and another young climber did Machete Ridge (original route) together at Pinnacles Nat. Mo. enjoying a leisurely pace up that junky old classic pile. I think those days were really important for hundreds of climbers young and old at Indian.
It was really cool, fantastic really, that Tom H. partnered up with Bruce often in the early seventies; it was a final renaissance for Bruce before he had to leave us.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Nov 20, 2008 - 03:51am PT
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Matt,
Does the line in the photo below match up with where your route goes?
[edit: line of Left Ski Track revised to match Nate's description in his post below]
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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Nov 20, 2008 - 10:50am PT
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I was strongly influenced by Bruce Cooke without ever really meeting him. He had that surefooted demeanor just standing around camp that oozed calm presence. So comfortable with himself; so aware of what surrounded him. Couldn't help but notice that and be affected by it. No need to get in his face to appreciate deeply the quality of the man.
Tom, thanks for adding your perspectives on him. Had been curious, over the years, what happened to Bruce. It speaks volumes that you had him as your best man even to the exclusion of family. Congratulations on your longstanding partnership. And I keep hoping that your back is getting stronger so you can get out on the stone.
And Peter I especially liked your contrasting Bruce to the more "ferocious" climbers at Indian Rock. My mind jumped right to Galen too. You've hit a nerve there that goes to the depth of something that's always intrigued me about climbers: the sheer range of personalities, all drawn to the rocks. Almost reducible to types on that scale of ferocious-calm, but you gotta be ah-so-wary of generalizing.
Love the Hinterlands (Royal's term, I believe) and the exploratory sort of climbers drawn there. Clint, your database stretches further than I realized, into the void left by the Spencers' old and only guidebook. Much appreciate the effort and accuracy, not to mention your finesse with the tuning fork. I will see Lawrence Garcia this evening, who has a lot of good topo info on Wamello (Fresno) Dome, and urge him once again to contribute it to the mainstream. Maybe he could email it to you?
Cheers,
Doug
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Nov 20, 2008 - 01:34pm PT
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Hi Clint,
Not sure 'bout Matt's new route, but I believe the line for Left Ski Track angles up off the ledge to the track, rather than directly up off the ledge. I received an updated topo from Spencer, and he actually shows a bolt before gaining the track. However, he never climbed the route, so it's still a mystery...
Possibly Matt can enlighten us. Really great close up picture of you getting down to business, Matt! Dare I ask if you finished the other route to the left?
Oh, and CC, I know I still owe you some new route info.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Nov 20, 2008 - 02:10pm PT
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Doug,
Sure, I'd be happy to receive topos or other route info for Wamello (or elsewhere) from Lawrence Garcia. I'll copy and forward it to Nate, who has a much bigger store of info on southern Yosemite than I do. "Small world dept.:" speaking of tuning forks, I first met Lawrence when he was hiking up the backside of Fairview Dome to replace bolts on Inverted Staircase! I was very happy to clip the updated bolts a few years later.
Nate,
Thanks for the revised line on Left Ski Track - that certainly looks like the natural line of least resistance to reach the water groove.
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scuffy b
climber
On the dock in the dark
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Nov 20, 2008 - 04:02pm PT
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"Now, Listen!! Being a good climber has nothing to do with
being a good person!!"
Bruce Cooke
Said sternly to me, when I was moping that I'd never be a good
climber like so many that came through.
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crazy horse
Trad climber
seattle, wa
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Jan 30, 2009 - 05:27pm PT
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Yeah clint, that line looks pretty good for Fresh off the farm. If you were to go up there you'd see the bolts and it's obvious, you really just need to get to the start. The only thing i would change about the photo you've posted is that the line goes just climbers left of the black triangle (shallow left facing corner that composes the latter half of the 1st pitch.) Last Fall I was also able to complete a long route to the right of fresh off the farm that i called get into the groove 5.12 which goes up the obvious super prominent water groove to climbers right of Fresh. If you want to draw the line in and post it you can. I still don't know how to post photos on supertopo...
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Matt,
Here's an updated overlay which hopefully shows Get Into the Groove. I didn't try to guess exactly how it starts.
As for Fresh Off the Farm, I'm not sure which "black triangle" you mean, since I don't know where the first pitch ends. So I guessed. Did I guess right?
It's not that hard to post photos on supertopo:
1. Upload the photo to some website, like photobucket.com (where you can get a free account; they limit photos to 800 x 600).
2. On supertopo, put the URL of the photo, but surround it with "IMG" and "/IMG" tags. For the above photo, this looks almost like:
[IMG ]http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q317/clintcummins/soyos/Nightwatch_Matt08_r800a_ov.jpg[/IMG ]
Except there is no space between IMG ] - it is IMG] both before and after the URL.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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LongAgo,
Thanks for posting up. It's important to see you here from time to time. Almost gives us a pseudo legitimacy...you know?
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Bschmitz
Ice climber
mountain view
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Jul 12, 2010 - 03:39pm PT
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Will someone please re post the picture of nightw#tch with the lines drawn in.....Climbed a route out there last weekend and am curious if it has been done before.
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Jul 12, 2010 - 06:03pm PT
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If it was all trad, very very likely it's been done. Do you have the old Spencer guide, and if so, can you describe where it's at in relation to the old routes? Plenty of new stuff has gone up in recent years, but almost all with some bolting. crazy horse knows the place probably like the back of his hand.
Pretty sure the phototopo posted by Clint above did not include all of the many lines, so it might not help you too much.
Boy I miss those domes...
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Bschmitz
Ice climber
mountain view
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Jul 12, 2010 - 07:19pm PT
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The first pitch goes straight up to a roof crack. Placed one bolt on lead with by hand. Placed two more bolts at end of second pitch below headwall for anchor.
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Gene
Social climber
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Jul 12, 2010 - 07:26pm PT
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Mark it up, and start telling YOSO tales.
g
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Bschmitz
Ice climber
mountain view
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Jul 12, 2010 - 07:29pm PT
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so maybe an FA?
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Jul 12, 2010 - 09:52pm PT
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Ya know, your first pitches up to the big ledge might actually be virgin. Mark Spencer's "Planet Granite" from what I understand, sorta goes up the water groove to the right on this first part of the wall. There are no protection bolts on this route, only anchor bolts.
The later part of the climb, off the ledge, esp. if it sorta follows a groove and knobby face has likely been climbed as the remaining pitches of "Planet Granite" which are also possibly shared by another route done by Jerry & Sigrid Anderson. Again, no protection bolts shown for either, as it's supposedly wonderful 5.6 knobs w/tie-offs, but I think you would have noted some belay anchors, which are also used for some shorter and harder lines off the ledge to the right, done by Spencer. These anchor bolts could have been just to your right, however. Although not encountering any bolts doesn't necessarily mean it's virgin, you might just have squeezed something in there.
Matt Schutz has a route called "Get into the Groove" which ascends the water groove to the left of the line you've drawn. He may have also climbed this same line you did as mostly a solo, and I reckon he'll chime in.
Sounds like a fine adventure. What did the roof go at, assuming it's the crux? Just to be clear, was your double bolt anchor at the ledge below the final headwall, or midway between the roof and big ledge?
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Fuzzywuzzy
climber
suspendedhappynation
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Jul 13, 2010 - 01:45am PT
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Thanks for that quote Scruffy B!!!
He was a true gentleman.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 13, 2010 - 03:04am PT
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Bschmitz,
The overlay photos are still at their original locations on photobucket.
The reason they do not display at present is because the supertopo "bad word censor" has become very aggressive - it is even modifying letters within IMG URLs.
You probably noticed you can say "night watch", but not "nightw#tch".
So copy/paste the URL to your browser and change w#t to wat .
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Bschmitz
Ice climber
mountain view
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Jul 14, 2010 - 03:27pm PT
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Roof was the crux, I think that it is between 5.8 and 5.9, I was real hung over and this was my first route in shuteye so I have no area grade consenus. I am not sure what you refer to as a ledge, there is no ledge directly below the final headwall. I drilled a two bolt anchor about 30 feet below the final headwall and almost directly under that far right hand water groove. There are some fat ledges on at the end of pitch one, about 215 feet from the base. Hope that clears it up. If Kev has some photos from the day, maybe he will chime in.
bryan
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Jul 14, 2010 - 05:01pm PT
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No offense to Peter, Scuffy, Long Ago, and all the other Indian Rock regulars who post here (and whose presence here I really appreciate), but Bruce was beyond a doubt my favorite person at Indian Rock, and one of my most cherished memories of my time there.
John
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LongAgo
Trad climber
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Jul 14, 2010 - 06:11pm PT
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John,
Could not agree more with your feelings about Bruce (as you can tell from my post on this thread) and certainly no offense to me in what you said.
I keep telling myself I should post a couple of good pics of Bruce but then get distracted. Will make note to self again!
Tom Higgins
LongAgo
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Jul 14, 2010 - 06:16pm PT
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OK, cool Bryan. Prominent ledge was right of you, I suppose. That Kev guy sure gets around. Pics would be neato. And yes, you were definitely hungover if you think The Balls are part of Shuteye Ridge. :)
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Gene
Social climber
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Jul 14, 2010 - 06:20pm PT
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And yes, you were definitely hungover if you think The Balls are part of Shuteye Ridge. :)
Lighten up, Nate. I have similar navigational skills. ;)
g
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scuffy b
climber
Eastern Salinia
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Jul 14, 2010 - 06:58pm PT
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Oh, Johnny, I am so hurt!!
Truly, knowing Bruce (I think to nearly any degree) was remarkably
beneficial to untold numbers of young climbers.
Even if you never actually conversed with him, he was a conspicuous
example to counter the pervasive belief that we all had: that climbing
was for the young, that we would be washed up by the time we hit 30, let
alone 40 or 50 or 60.
To see a 60-year old man (who could act like he was 75) hold a front lever
and talk at the same time...well, you realized, there's washed up, and then
there's washed up.
He did, also, have a childlike side to him, and his joy and humor were
infective.
He could poke holes in your delusions with kindness, making you rethink
your views without becoming defensive.
I think many of us relied on his judgement rather like an impartial,
improved version of a parent.
I know you're John now, but back then we all got away with calling you Johnny...
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crazy horse
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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Jan 27, 2012 - 05:17pm PT
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planet granite goes up just to the right of the route line in the picture above to a large obvious ledge just to the right of the red route line in the picture. the opening pitches are vague as to where they go and i'm sure it's just all runout as hell. When you get to the obvious ledge there is a big left facing seam/corner with a few bolts to the left of the feature. Not sure what this is rated. To the left of that is a stout bolt line with vintage gear headed straight up the face. This is planet granite .11c? I'd be interested to know if y'all ran into any fixed gear up there or saw any signs of previous ascents anywhere. I've heard there was routes done up that area in the 70's and 80's but the topos went missing when the Summit Adventures guidebook got lost. Anyone?
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jan 27, 2012 - 06:52pm PT
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I had posted this photo earlier in the thread, but the supertopo "naughty word" filter now applies the filter to filenames, so the URLs are changed and the photos no longer appear.
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