Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
jsb
Trad climber
Bay area
|
|
|
Jun 22, 2009 - 08:43pm PT
|
Looks great! Thanks for posting all this.
|
|
photonez
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
|
|
|
Jun 22, 2009 - 08:55pm PT
|
Steve and I agreed after getting off the route a second rope may have been a good idea.
I really like the idea of walking up to the summit and leaving the victory beers and what not. Plus, it would allow for scoping some of the last pitch.
|
|
bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 22, 2009 - 09:27pm PT
|
The second rope.
I ran over our escapade with my regular partner, Ken, and his reply was, "You didn't take a second rope?".
Ezra even asked me at the truck if we should take one and I replied that we wouldn't need it. Stupid!
Ezra, a good partner is there to question the judgement of the other climber. Next time ask me, "Dude, are you sure, remember Wamello?".
Good times, buddy! Let's do it again soon. See you in the Valley this weekend.
Oh, and I was telling Ken about the dive-bombing falcon and he laughed robustly, especially the part where it actually saw you on the notch and squacked at us.
Why you so mean to falcons? It was pretty funny though. That thing spied you over a ridge let you know, "Stay away!".
|
|
Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
|
|
|
Jun 22, 2009 - 09:34pm PT
|
Always appreciate your TR's .... packed with honesty and details for the next party. You going to Tuloumne this summer ? Give the little John bug a squeeze from rock auntie lynne. :D
|
|
P.Kingsbury
Trad climber
the jeep
|
|
|
Jun 22, 2009 - 09:41pm PT
|
Cool Blue!! and photo, thanks for posting up!!
sounds like you got it figured out for the next round!!
very cool looking formation
cheers,
patrick
|
|
Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
|
|
|
Jun 22, 2009 - 10:06pm PT
|
Dive bombing falcons, eh?
Here's a bird story...
So Peter and I decide, spur of the moment, to climb the South Buttress. Only it's evening. But there's a full moon, so off we go.
Now Peter Horvath is a good partner. Hungarian national soccer team, a "kick" ass athlete (sic), he's making a living in California coaching high-end girls soccer teams. Beyond that, he just loves to climb. At that time I had climbing classes at Foothill College, and Peter was one of my apprentice guides. A great one. We'd had the Intermediate Rock group on Wamello all day, but that was guiding and now we wanted to stretch out and climb.
Twilight on the first pitch, which Peter leads, then dark above. But the moon is slanting across those plates and knobs and I've been there many times, so I leave the headlamp off and just enjoy pulling upward. Not putting in much pro, just full of climbing.
I put my hands up on one of those horizontal breaks and start to pull up to the ledge.
WHAM!
A huge owl explodes off the ledge, right over my head. It's a tossup which of us is more surprised. I can feel wind from the wing beats. Instinctively I duck back down, but just in time I remember not to let go. Good thing, I'm a loooong ways above any pro and that knobby face is a cheese grater.
I twist around and the owl is flapping off toward the moon, luminous white outlining him with dark shadow between.
Slowly I pull onto his ledge, feeling kind of luminous myself.
|
|
F10
Trad climber
e350
|
|
|
Jun 22, 2009 - 11:16pm PT
|
Thanks for the TR
Will have to get up there
|
|
bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 22, 2009 - 11:17pm PT
|
Nice, DR! Prolly close to crapping your pant, eh?
Lynne, I'll be in the Valley/Tuolumne with the whole family this weekend. Prolly even the dog, no babysitters.
Prolly climb in Tuolumne but I'm not sure yet. We're gonna play it out as it comes.
We'll go back again this summer, let me know when you're up here, Lynne, I could 'guide' you up Wamello Dome. It's really nice up there, no rangers, no rules, just sweet granite!
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
|
|
|
Jun 22, 2009 - 11:31pm PT
|
Wow, Doug, you had a close one! There is a famous case of a Minnesota State Park Ranger who went for a walk one night and got too close to a Great Horned's nest. He never saw, or heard, her coming. She hit him right in the face and took out both his eyes!
|
|
Nate D
climber
San Francisco
|
|
|
Jun 23, 2009 - 03:28pm PT
|
Cool story DR. On an FA attempt we were doing (in the daytime), Tiki-Jer reached up into a horizontal slot between plates and a bat flew out. It was tucked back in there when I passed by on the follow, quivering like a leaf. Route was later named "Wingman". Might have to be seasonal bat closures on that wall in the future. :)
|
|
Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
|
|
|
Jun 23, 2009 - 03:46pm PT
|
BTW, little help from other locals, please.
I lost a butt-load of gear up there a couple of weeks ago, and would love to have it back. That was the big snowstorm; I had my daughter's middle school friends there, and hustled them out of there before they got hypothermic in cotton hoodies and skateboard shoes. 3" of snow and falling.
I left my camp up by the Dome, and more stuff at the roadhead. When I got back 3 days later (my car broke down in Madera) some things were missing.
At the campsite up by the Dome:
A rope
3 backpack stoves
pots and pans
6 helmets (Moving Over Stone stickers on some of em)
At the roadhead parking:
3 coolers
2 wooden lowrider camp chairs
No real expectations here, but any help appreciated.
|
|
tiki-jer
Trad climber
fresno/clovis
|
|
|
Jun 23, 2009 - 11:17pm PT
|
Aw that sucks DR, have not been able to go out due to money situations. Really wanted to meet you out there that time.
Good on you to take care of the youngins'.
|
|
micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2009 - 12:22am PT
|
DR,
I took one of the coolers but none of the other stuff.
Just kidding. Sorry, couldn't resist. Thats lame man. There is kind of a good bit of "tourist" and hunting/oddball traffic up there. Doesn't surprise me that some of your stuff got swiped. The last time I was up there, we pulled in about midnightish and slept on the ground with a wierd bearded man in a truck camper next to us. The dude was in street clothes, no hunting gear, no camping gear, no binocculars, just a creepy guy in an old truck. Didn't sleep well with him lurking near. I hate it when odd characters creep me out in the hills. Takes away the vibe that's usually part of the experience. Hope you get some of the goods back somehow.
|
|
Nate D
climber
San Francisco
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2009 - 12:39am PT
|
micro-
Bet he thought you were just as weird - two yuppie goons showing up at midnight with odd gear and ropes. :)
|
|
fourmiletrail
climber
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2009 - 03:20am PT
|
" A rope
3 backpack stoves
pots and pans
6 helmets (Moving Over Stone stickers on some of em)
At the roadhead parking:
3 coolers
2 wooden lowrider camp chairs
" To be cynical , check craigslist (Fresno) or Ebay .
|
|
Wack
climber
Dazevue
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2009 - 08:38am PT
|
Mike Arechiga (CR local) has another mini climbing booklet available at PG for Fresno Dome and Willow Creek Wall. Please remember that value is based upon your need. So while the price may seem steep while standing in the store it might be a good deal if it kept you from burning up $3.00 + gas driving around lost in the darkness or busting brush looking for the start of your epic.
|
|
bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 24, 2009 - 11:17am PT
|
Wack, I'd buy it in a second...if I ever went to a gym. Maybe I'll make a trip for the book.
I wonder if I've ever run into Mike?
|
|
GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
|
|
|
Jun 29, 2009 - 01:05pm PT
|
Really nice TR, thanks for sharing. I can most certainly empathize!
GO
|
|
Barcus
Trad climber
San Luis Obispo, Ca.
|
|
|
Jun 29, 2009 - 07:50pm PT
|
When is the next trip Bra?
Marcus
|
|
bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 29, 2009 - 08:18pm PT
|
Barcus, we got Emerald Bay on the last weekend of July (24th?). That'll be cool, lots of people coming for that one.
WE should be able to get out again for a weekend prior to that. I just got back from Tuolumne this last weekend so I may around town this upcoming weekend.
That leaves???? I dunno, I'll call ya. Wamello Dome is ultra Badass!!!! Definately gonna try to make it back this year sometime.
Maybe before Emerald Bay.
EDIT: Todd's still up in Tuolumne climbing with Karl Baba. Lucky duck!
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!