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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Sep 17, 2010 - 06:34pm PT
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susu - real possibility of showing up on Sunday...
can you email me details of where to go? never been there...
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susu
Trad climber
East Bay, CA
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Sep 17, 2010 - 07:08pm PT
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Ed! Wonderful! We'll pm you shortly! -s
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Sep 17, 2010 - 07:14pm PT
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ok, I'm at work for the moment.. but I'll see my email once I get home...
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Sep 27, 2010 - 03:41pm PT
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Roger Breedlove - tell us the FA story!
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Sep 28, 2010 - 12:27am PT
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A Quick Trip to Shuteye Ridge
TR September 19, 2010
Well as the chatter in this part of the expanding SoYo thread attests,
I made it out to Shuteye Ridge, the guest of susu and her guy John...
what a wonderful place and two of the best hosts one could wish to have.
I scoped out the approach using Google Earth, especially the part past North Fork along the Scenic Bypass Highway.
What an amazing landscape!
this is a land of domes, in the interior of the Sierra range, and mostly left alone by climbers
Looking out to the east, towards Mammoth Mountain...
The cliffs I was headed for were closer at hand, with many others near by
these cliffs were peeking out between the trees all along the drive... so much rock
Eventually spot the sign to the dirt road
which takes an interesting passage up towards the ridge, first along a relatively mild dirt road until you take the left fork
up a series of steep dirt slopes to get to the rough camp
and breakfast time!
It took about as long to get there as driving to Tuolumne Meadows... only I hadn't spotted anyone on the road for the last hour.
We do the approach hike up to the domes, here is a look at Minerva Dome
the weather here is wonderful, a good day to avoid the potential stuff coming in north of here.
John leads on a new route which he and susu have put up, we do the first pitch at 5.9 to get a first taste of the granite.
I already know I want to come back and climb.
I'm being given the "grand tour" of the cliffs, we wonder down a series of domes, Grey Eagle, Red Eagle, Electric Eagle...
granite, granite and more granite... with so many route possibilities that the head spins
Here susu leads the 5.8 first pitch of Escher's Way
which John and I top rope...
great cracks, texture, and even more possibilities...
The last climb of the day, the 5.10c first pitch of Wanderlust with John cranking what I thought was the crux, right at the first bolt
The light was incredible, as were the clouds blowing across the northern sky all day
it was a perfect day.
John and susu departed that evening and left me all alone... it was so quiet, not even the sound of aircraft overhead...
a near full moon and a sky full of stars.
The rising sun cast a rosy light on the cliffs we had visited the day before
an invitation to return again.
What a place.
Thanks for sharing John and susu! I can't wait to return...
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Sep 28, 2010 - 12:39am PT
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So jealous ED
Those 2 are the best hosts.
The full monty, WHOOOOP!
Great shot of the balls, and the one of gray in the sunset.
Mucci
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susu
Trad climber
East Bay, CA
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Sep 28, 2010 - 01:30am PT
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Ah Ed, we're touched! Was wonderful to share the place with you - someone who fully appreciates it!
What a nice TR and stunning photos! We both had a great day out there with you and look forward
to the next time! There is so much wandering to do, and we've only scratched the surface.
Here's a photo of Ed floating Wanderlust
Hey Mucci... Thanks! We've all been missing you there!
Wow... really love the panorama, Ed!
Added: Tx too Bluey!
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Sep 28, 2010 - 02:06pm PT
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Good stuff, Ed. Susu and John ARE great hosts. Good climbers too!
Woo-hoo!
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Sep 28, 2010 - 03:58pm PT
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Wonderful shots and TR, Ed!
I beg to differ on the statement "mostly left alone by climbers", though. :) But yes, it's a far cry from the Valley.
I too have prodded Roger B. and RR for the story, so let's all keep the pressure on!
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Grahm Doe
Sport climber
Just South Of Heaven
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Sep 28, 2010 - 05:09pm PT
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Nice TR and photos. Cool to see the reaction of a Shuteye virgin! Awesome you got the tour from John and Sue.
Don't forget the next tour of the south west end of the ridge is the weekend of October 16th. A different flavor than the Grey area.
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yosguns
climber
Durham, NC
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Sep 28, 2010 - 09:57pm PT
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<3 Thanks for the update! Great photos!
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Sep 29, 2010 - 06:15pm PT
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Hi Ed, Hi Nate,
I climbed in these areas as a guide for Royal at RockCraft. We would do first ascents with clients, which made it more interesting and fun for us. We would give cursory route descriptions that didn’t go much beyond, “Climb the face left of something to a ledge. Work upwards and stretch the rope to a belay ledge. Continue to the top.” Apparently, Royal kept track of these ascents and named the climbs. I might remember the climbing if I revisited, but I cannot remember anything by looking at the pictures. About five years ago, Nate told me about my routes in the area. I pulled out my pictures of the area but never scanned the slides. (Now my scanner is busted.) Is the picture you (Ed) posted something that I did with Royal?
One year George Meyers and I drove down to Southern Yosemite and wandered around. We started up a few things, but I don't remember if we finished anything. We would not have recorded it if we had, unless it was the world's best route. It was vacation climbing as opposed to the projects we were doing in the Valley. I remember it was really fun, and I have a box of slides, but I don't remember any of the climbing. The only thing that sticks in my mine is driving in my white VW station wagon with George. George needed a bottle or can opener and I had a tiny one my key chain, which was attached to the key in the ignition. We were going downhill on a twisty dirt track, so I took the key out of the ignition and figured I would coast until George gave it back. But...there is always a but...the steering wheel was locked. I got the car stopped half way up a dirt embankment. George was not impressed with my driving or decision making. That was probably 1973.
The climbing that was the most fun were the steep, short plugs of really featured rock shown in pictures posted upthread. Really fun stuff.
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Grahm Doe
Sport climber
Just South Of Heaven
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Sep 29, 2010 - 07:19pm PT
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Awesome Roger! I was BORN in 73. Hats off to one of the original pioneers! Talked with Royal a few months ago and he couldn't recollect any specific info about routes you guys did at Shuteye way back at the dawn of time.
I am working on a guide book so if you get your scanner up and going I would love to present some of your old shots in it. I can also scan them here if you feel comfortable mailing them?
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Sep 29, 2010 - 09:55pm PT
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I believe the route pictured by Ed is "Wither" on Red Eagle Dome or Minerva (don't have my guide handy). I recall you said there was a story behind the name, Roger.
Your pics would be invaluable to locating some of the climbs you did but didn't necessarily record.
Such was the case with one of RR's photos showing Dick Erb on a short unnamed face at the Balls where you guys played.
Grahm,
Cool you've been in contact with RR as well! If he hasn't shared any photos yet, I have a few good scans he sent me, and with permission, there are a couple that would be nice to include in the guide. Ihateplastic (Simon King) who may be reading, also shared a few from BITD around the Incinerator. He could likely cough up more if we both twist his arms!
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Sep 29, 2010 - 10:20pm PT
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Hi Nate, I know that I told you there was a story about Wither, but the story I had in my head was about a climb on the Queen's Throne and the story was just in my head. The picture upthread showing Runnel Vision (great name) reminded me of the climb: steep climbing in and around those deep grooves; lots of stemming and smearing and sometimes really run out. We had to always look cool and collected in front of clients. No whimpering.
Grahm, have you talked to Dick Erb? Dick probably still remembers all the climbs. I would tell you that I will dig out the slides and get them scanned, but you can ask Nate to tell you what happened the last time I said that.
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susu
Trad climber
East Bay, CA
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Sep 29, 2010 - 10:40pm PT
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With a story like that, only want to hear more stories, Roger! In the Spencer guide, you're also the lead name on the route called Acorn on the Bastion. Another beautiful formation nearby.
Yes, Wither is on Minerva. The dome farthest south past Red. The Spencer guide also shows Sugine on that FA.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Sep 30, 2010 - 01:15am PT
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Roger is also quite resistant to accepting offers for scanning his slides... the free Hartouni slide scanning offer is still out there...
... as it has been for a quite a few years!
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susu
Trad climber
East Bay, CA
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Sep 30, 2010 - 02:01am PT
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micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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Sep 30, 2010 - 02:03am PT
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Its fun to see history and the present collide like this. And the whole time, rock hasn't changed....The trees are a bit thicker in the waist, the approaches have a little less bushwacking I'm sure. But the stone of Shuteye hasn't even blinked an eyelash in the time between the first pioneers and the new wave. Kinda cool.
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Sep 30, 2010 - 09:30am PT
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Four or five years ago Jeff Lowe started a thread on getting rescued. I offered up this admission which occurred in Southern Yosemite probably at Shuteye Ridge. A cautionary tale to warn-off the siren’s song.
I have mostly tried to stay out of trouble and only have one real rescue tale to tell. But it was such a public humiliation that it cured me of any desire to get strung out without a rope.
RockCraft was organized as a weeklong adventure and for a few years it was held in Southern Yosemite. Royal found these giant boulder-like cliffs that were perfect for teaching. The first time I went there was with the entire RockCraft group--all the clients and all the guides. We were driving along and as we rounded a corner and came out of the trees, we were parked within feet of the prettiest rock anywhere.
Beautifully colored; steep; nice holds.
A paradise.
I was enthralled.
“This must be climbed. Now.” the voice says.
No calculations were necessary. No thoughts intruded. I slip into my shoes and start up. What a glorious find.
Then, the nice holds are just colored rock. I cannot figure out how to reverse. No calculations were employed getting that far.
Melted rock, melted mind.
What a inglorious blunder.
The clients are gathering below, wide-eyed.
Royal is looking a little stern.
"Fake it," I say to myself.
Holy crap. Strung out on unclimbed rock in front of the clients.
"Fake it, man." the inner voice says.
"You are peeling, and you want to fake it????" the other shoulder says.
Several ages later, a savoir, a fellow guide (Pratt or Erb), drops a rope. I convert the pulsations of my sewing machine body into grasping the rope.
Secure, my steely guide-gaze returns.
I run the rope around my waist and deftly tie a one-hand-bowline, finished with a secure overhand.
A teaching moment.
I climb to the top.
Nice rock.
Beautifully colored; steep; nice holds.
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