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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 19, 2008 - 01:48pm PT
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Gary Carpenter and I went up on Friday night and slept at Hardin Flat by the side of the road on the pine needles. It was a beautiful night with stars and coyotes.
In the morning we ambled down to the Cookie with the intention of climbing Enigma 10a and Cookie Center, 5.9 or 10a.
Here's an overview of the routes.
By about 8:00 we were starting up Enigma 10a. The first pitch starts with a cool chimney/crack combo to a short 5.8 squeeze and a newish two bolt anchor.
Here's Gary leading the chimney/crack.
Here's looking up from the top of the crack toward the anchor.
You can just see the squeeze and also Enema, which is the overhanging crack above.
Supertopo re-rated the squeeze to 5.9, I think just because of the grovel factor.
Pitch two is an unprotected forty foot slab, which caught my attention but proved mellow.
Here's Gary Following
Here's the old three bolt rap station at the top of the pitch.
There are plenty of good placements for building an anchor.
P3 starts with a thinnish move into a flare, a 5.7/8 chimney in the middle and a grovel move to the anchor tree.
Here's Gary up in the flare somewhere.
Here's looking down the 5.7/8 chimney.
The next pitch is a 5.4 chimney which in some sections is no easier than the 5.7/8 chimney below. You end on a broad sloping ledge under the two possible finishes.
Heres' a picture of the standard finish.
The crux is supposed to be a 10a lieback on the flakes near the top but the climbing below is similar in difficulty if different in detail. There is a very thin move off the deck that I was able to protect with a #4 stopper after some dirt removal. After that the pro is good. There are some cool hand jambs and stems in the middle. The rests are pretty good. If you can manage to avoid zee clipping the final lieback is pretty reasonable. Still I made it.
We stayed roped up for the walk off because we had heard it was exposed and people had died on it. There is some exposure but mostly you are in the brush and trees. Next time we would probably unrope and just be careful.
This is a great climb, fun and varied.
Next we went down to Cookie Center. I took the first pitch which is fun 5.9. Gary took the OW P2. He cruised up to the roof where he attempted the tunnel through. He decided it was too small so he did the 10a OW rooflette. We had brought the #4 bigbro just for this move. He did a great job of it.
I had followed this roof clean before but couldn't get it this time. You better have a little gas in the tank when you go to do this. Or be bad to the bone on OW like Gary.
We took doubles to #3 camelot and one #4 on Enigma. We didn't use the #4.
For Cookie Center you need singles to #3 with one extra #1 and #2 and two #6, a 9 valley giant or #3 bigbro, and a #4 bigbro. Another #4 bigbro wouldn't hurt if your OW technique is like mine.
I'm hoping Gary has a few more good pics to add.
See you on the rock.
Zander
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Oct 19, 2008 - 01:57pm PT
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Nice, looks like a good time.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Oct 19, 2008 - 02:13pm PT
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good show guys!
thanks for the TR
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Gary Carpenter
climber
SF Bay Area
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Oct 19, 2008 - 05:02pm PT
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I enjoyed climbing "Zander Style" at the Cookie. We had some good Beta on the Enigma from Melissa that encouraged us to climb this classic. Really fun route with well protected crux moves.
Here are my photos from yesterday.
Zander following up P1 (Enigma)
Z starting up the 5.8/9 short squeeze
Working the 5.4 chimney
Z taking a short rest on a big knob before pulling the crux move at the top out.
Climbing "Zander Style" includes hauling a small backpack up the chimneys so he could enjoy a picnic lunch at the top (deli sandwiches, Starbucks and more).
Z on P1 (5.9) of Cookie Center
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2008 - 06:34pm PT
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Gary,
Post up the picture of you on the crux of Cookie P2. You cranked that thing!
It was a good day.
Zander
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Brock
Trad climber
RENO, NV
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Oct 19, 2008 - 08:10pm PT
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Great time you guys! Looked fun. Cuddling up with the coyotes at night were ya?
Only one thing wrong with the Cookie Cliff...It is not in my backyard!!!!
Was just on Meat Grinder & Outer limits on 10/16. Sorry no pixs available, but some guy from one of the British climbing mags was shooting pictures. Sender? or was it some mag that starts with a G?
Also top-roped Red Zinger...Saw Peter Croft solo up this 7-8 years ago like it was nothing...Hell, it was a struggle on toprope for me.
Thanks for the trip report.
Enjoyed
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Gary Carpenter
climber
SF Bay Area
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Oct 19, 2008 - 09:21pm PT
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Z,
Bad camera angle. Can't see the OW crack. Just some old geezer looking like he's about to expire!!
BTW, It looks like someone has a fixed rope on Twilight
Zone. Jaybro...Scuffy???
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Oct 19, 2008 - 09:29pm PT
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Zander, you guys should prolly link this thread in the climbing beta section.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Oct 19, 2008 - 10:23pm PT
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hey dudes, could I tag along too?
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Oct 19, 2008 - 11:15pm PT
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It's nice to see you guy getting your dividends on all of your mid-week practice sessions.
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Oct 19, 2008 - 11:21pm PT
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Nice Job, guys.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Oct 20, 2008 - 10:50am PT
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Now that's real Yosemite climbing. My helmet's off to anyone who can climb those offwidths and chimneys by legit means. Thanks for the stories and photos.
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spyork
Social climber
A prison of my own creation
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Oct 20, 2008 - 11:07am PT
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Now Zander, did you actually Z-clip? Inquiring Minds want to know!
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Oct 20, 2008 - 11:23am PT
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Looks like a lot of fun was had. Cool photos!
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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Oct 20, 2008 - 01:22pm PT
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Cool trip!
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Oct 20, 2008 - 04:25pm PT
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Well done! Before the Coulterville Road rockslide, I always enjoyed the Enigma because it had no approach. It shows how lazy I've become that I haven't done the route since. Thanks for the report.
John
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seneca
climber
jamais, jamais pays
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Oct 20, 2008 - 07:57pm PT
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Sorry I missed it!
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2008 - 08:09pm PT
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Yeah, spyork, I zee clipped.
What a Noob! I was up there looking at the supposed crux and decided to put in second piece in case I whipped. I didn't pay attention and clipped wrong. I liebacked up with enough slack to get to the next foothold before the rope came tight. I thought I must really be looking sketchy because Gary's keeping me on a short rein. Then he calls up somethings wrong with the rope. I could have lowered and cleaned it up but I really wanted to climb it in as "good" style as possible. So I just pulled up a enough slack to get me through the hard part and kept going. After I got to the anchor I lowered and fixed for Gary's follow. My humility is intact.
Zander
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Oct 20, 2008 - 08:16pm PT
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Nice shots !
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Oct 20, 2008 - 08:25pm PT
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If your name began with a Zed (as in Zander), you too might Zed-clip.
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nutjob
Stoked OW climber
San Jose, CA
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Oct 20, 2008 - 11:25pm PT
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Good showing, thanks for the gear beta
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cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
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Oct 21, 2008 - 12:24am PT
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Saw you guys climbing the chimney from the white talus. Looked cool from afar!
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Alexey
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Oct 27, 2008 - 06:06pm PT
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Zander and Gary, thanks for TR- it bring me back to Enigma last weekend. When I climbed it before we rappelled down from the tree p3. This time we top out and last pitch was very good- way to do it. I am curious how you rappel? We did not find Nabisco wall upper bolts and rappelled from Meat Grinder. Actually I realized that this is Meat Grinder after first rappel
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 27, 2008 - 07:40pm PT
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Hi Alexey,
We didn't rappel at all. We just walked off the left side. It didn't take very long.
Take care,
Zander
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GhoulweJ
Trad climber
Sacramento, CA
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Oct 27, 2008 - 11:58pm PT
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Climbing thread bump
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jenren
Trad climber
Sac, CA
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Oct 28, 2008 - 03:57pm PT
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bump
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jpin
Trad climber
CA
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Feb 25, 2009 - 03:47am PT
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Zander, have you ever done the Cleft at the Cookie?
That should be right your ally.
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 25, 2009 - 10:53am PT
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jpin,
Looking from the road there are three classic lines, or weaknesses, at the Cookie. Enigma, The Cleft and Vendetta. You can see them clearly in the photo above. And they are moderate. Not sure which is next, Vendetta or The Cleft but both must be done. Yah hoo!
Zander
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scuffy b
climber
Where only the cracks are dry
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May 17, 2010 - 03:38pm PT
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I just climbed Enigma this past Saturday. This was one of the first climbs
I heard people describing when I was new (the unusual double crack setup
on the first pitch.) A few decades later, I finally get around to it.
I'm certainly glad I didn't put it off forever.
We broke the climb up a little differently than Gary and Zander, in that
I continued up to the tree above Zander on Pitch 1. That put the 5.8
squeeze into Ron's lap, so he got the squeeze and the slab.
The flare/chimney pitch was the real deal, in my book. Serious in
appearance, from below and from most of the stances on the pitch. Some of
it was wet, in the first 30 feet or so. It went kind of like this: Yeah,
that's wet back in there. I'll just try this sopping hand jam, and I can
keep my feet dry, further out. Oh, damn, I have to use a wet heel/toe now
but it still feels OK. Oops, this arm lock...hey, are my hips getting
soaked now?
Some really really fun chimneying above all the wetness, and the moves
always felt better than they looked.
The 5.4 chimney, 4th pitch, was a delight, and then the choice of finish.
Ramp of Deception (I'd also heard talk about this way back when) looked
great, but we chose the original line (?) like Zander. I had a harder
time than I expected, but the protection was great. I may have missed
something, or been in some kind of haze, but after I did the strenuous
lieback moves, the climbing got strange instead of over. Heel/toes, hip
scum, roundiness...then I was sitting in the sun pulling up rope.
An excellent climb for a hot day, at least if you don't get an early start.
I think a repeat is just about dictated, for other summit pitch options.
Ramp of Deception would be a must-do if it were at ground level, and
Abstract Corner looks great, with the possible complication of its
severe difficulty.
If someone cruises the Enema, it would be good to continue up and finish
with Abstract Corner.
I say it a lot when I finish a climb, but I don't think I am at all off
base this time: What A Great Climb!!!
Cookie Left
A week before, I went to climb this one, another common topic of conver-
sation in Berkeley in the 70s: did you fit? No, pard fit through but I
had to go outside...
Well, I was always one of the skinny guys, so I know I was going to fit
through. HAHAHAHA
Somehow, being 15 pounds heavier has some correlation with actual SIZE,
who'd a thunk?
I got up to the pod, couldn't fit through, investigated the outside OW
moves, but since I didn't have any more big stuff and was looking at a
grounder, I climbed back down, and we bailed.
The major part of the pitch is one of the best 5.9 off width pitches I
have been on: great rock, 5"-6" in a corner with a great lip plus a good
foothold or two.
I think that if you fit through, this will be a classic 5.9 OW pitch for
you. If you have to climb outside the bulge, it will be a classic 5.10a.
If someone insists that it's 5.9 even if you have to go outside, I might
cry or puke or something, but I won't take it personally.
Way To Go, Zander and Gary
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Jingy
Social climber
Nowhere
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May 17, 2010 - 03:49pm PT
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Team Zander/Carpender...
Top notch dudes as far as I'm concerned...
Proud send, and thanks for the photos...
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Topic Author's Reply - May 18, 2010 - 12:38am PT
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Hey scuffy,
Sound like you had a great time. Enigma is really a fun route.
You definitely need a #4bigbro for the finish of Cookie Center. I hope to lead that some day. It is tricky. Gary did a great job leading that thing.
climb on!
Zander
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msiddens
Trad climber
Mountain View
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May 18, 2010 - 12:45am PT
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AWESOME STUFF
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