Trip Report
2010-02 Geek Tower Center Route (partial)
Wednesday May 23, 2012 2:10pm
I just posted this buried in another thread:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=371670

But I want to be able to find the trip report later so reposting here.

----
Ha ha, thanks Alexey and Jay for resurfacing this! I had wanted to make a trip report of our (my and Jay's) adventure as part of another report when I got around to reaching the top! I went back once, and we bailed because of ice sheets falling onto the route. Still need to get back there, hopefully this summer.

But here are my pics from our adventure:

General conditions in Feb 2010:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


We solo'd up Sunnyside Bench with a pretty casual 8-8:30am start...

Visit on googleusercontent.com



Visit on googleusercontent.com



Visit on googleusercontent.com



Had some excitement on the final bit of the approach; I tried the high road, which involved punching fists into steep snow with a creek flowing directly beneath. I retreated back to Jay's way:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


The crew:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


Ice in LA Chimney:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


Jay gettin' it done on the first pitch, with an interesting step-across with suboptimal pro at the end:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


I think this was looking down on P2, with some bushy mess out of sight below this chimney:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


Maybe Jay needs Da Brim for his next birthday:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


Jay gettin' to the money:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


This pitch was AWESOME! I can't wait to go back and do it again:
top left corner top right corner
Geek Tower Center Route - Awesome!
Geek Tower Center Route - Awesome!
Credit: nutjob
bottom left corner bottom right corner

You can't tell but there is a solid hand jam buried underneath the thickest green part:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


After I wiped my hand on my pants, this is what it looked like:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


I did manage to get it cleaned up a bit more, but trying to jam later in the pitch from awkward positions, with that slippery stuff interfering, was definitely the crux.

Grunting along some time later:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


Happy as a clam!

Visit on googleusercontent.com


Cracked piton belay not inspiring, so we backed it up before rapping:

Visit on googleusercontent.com



Visit on googleusercontent.com


But first we enjoyed some glorious views:

Visit on googleusercontent.com


Visit on googleusercontent.com


Visit on googleusercontent.com




Visit on googleusercontent.com



Visit on googleusercontent.com


A good day, but a short day because of the season, and we opted for the non-epic daylight descent.

  Trip Report Views: 3,782
nutjob
About the Author
nutjob is a climber from Berkeley, CA.

Some people call me the space cowboy yeah
Some call me the gangster of love
Some people call me Maurice
'Cause I speak of the pompetous of love

Comments
Russ Walling

Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
  May 23, 2012 - 02:14pm PT
Nutjob always gets after it!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  May 23, 2012 - 06:32pm PT
Very cool, love the water fall shots!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  Mar 29, 2013 - 12:44am PT
This TR needs more comments!
Leggs

Sport climber
Made in California, living in The Old Pueblo
  Mar 29, 2013 - 12:58am PT
I think the smiles in the photos say it all!

Great TR
WBraun

climber
  Mar 29, 2013 - 11:18am PT
The first time I went up there to do the center route I was going to free solo the route.

I dragged 2 7mm ropes to get down with.

I found a big hexentric nut with a biner at the base.

I took it with me for some reason.

I got up to where it's all wet and slimy and knew I could still do it but didn't want to take the possible risk of slipping out and dying.

The hexentric nut and biner miraculously fit in the crack at my high point so I didn't have to down climb out of there.

I went back later with Bridwell and did it with rope.

It was dry then. It's nice mellow route compared to "FreeStone"

Good job nutjob .......
msiddens

Trad climber
  Mar 29, 2013 - 10:54am PT
good stuff Nutjob
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Mar 29, 2013 - 02:35pm PT
cool story Werner.


Great job Nutjob and Jay!

le_bruce

climber
Oakland, CA
  Mar 29, 2013 - 03:02pm PT
Good one, bud. I regret that we didn't get it when we went up there.
Dirka

Trad climber
Hustle City
  Mar 29, 2013 - 05:25pm PT
Well done!
Mr_T

Trad climber
Northern California
  Apr 5, 2013 - 01:04pm PT
Geek Towers in Feb... only one crew could be responsible for that.... nice TR!
Larry Nelson

Social climber
  Jun 10, 2016 - 09:11am PT
Bump for climbing content
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  Jun 10, 2016 - 10:07am PT
Ahhhhh.... one that got away. Still need to get back there and finish it! Definitely an awesome position in the valley with the waterfall going.
Go