Trip Report
Big Adventure in the Benton Crags, a Story of Failure and Redemption
Saturday August 22, 2015 1:36pm
This is a Trip Report about adventure. I was moved to share this adventure in large part because of the magnificent trip reports by Vitaliy and Limpingcrab. The story starts with me, and my personal struggle to overcome a debilitating injury that left me unable to walk more than 10 feet at a time.

Last summer was the worst of my life, something happened to my lower back and some nerves were pinched and the major muscles in my left leg stopped responding to my mental commands. In short- I would fall down without warning; the sucker would just give up and drop me. Climbing was out of the question. I finally hooked up with a good doctor who understood my need to get back to climbing. He did some epidural shots right into my spine! This worked and in November I was able to lift my left leg off of the ground and push, but only just a weak push. I started slab climbing about 5.6 and I did my physical therapy daily. I slowly started to recover and last spring I started climbing at crags with zero approach. My good friend and long time climbing partner “Frumy” graciously invited me to come up to Bishop “anytime” and stay at his place. I have been making use of this base camp and my walking and climbing have been improving.

Reading Marty Lewis new GB to Mammoth Area Rockclimbing Vol 4. My interest was sparked by his description of the Corral and Double Dome at the Benton Crags. His statement about these domes being ... and I paraphrase. “This is the longest hike in all the Benton Crags... those who make the hike are rewarded with some fine sport climbing and tremendous scenery” ..... The fires of desire had been rekindled in my soul.

I let Frumy know of my desires and one Saturday morning we headed out to find the place. Marty’s excellent guide books leave you with with a sense of adventure, no spoon-feeding exact beta to you, you need to use your own sense of direction, path finding skills and grit to find the objective. We wandered around for about four hours and found nothing.
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Good Views during the approach.
Good Views during the approach.
Credit: guyman
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Lost.... Rocks everywhere.
Lost.... Rocks everywhere.
Credit: guyman
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In short we were SHUTDOWN and needed to regroup and try again sometime in the future.
The next day Frumy had some business to attend to so I decided to go try out the new Fly Fishing Rig at Cottonwood. These small streams have small golden trout in them but it is a very good place to improve your skill and my casting skill needs lots of improvement.
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Nice catch n release stream, Cottonwood.
Nice catch n release stream, Cottonwood.
Credit: guyman
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The Dome was in my head all week long. I could not shake the desire that was burning deep down inside me for adventure. This desire had me trying hard at Stoney during the after work sessions.

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Stoney Point sunset
Stoney Point sunset
Credit: guyman
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I was able to convince another of my long time climbing partners, Yafer, to join in with US and our quest to find the DOME.

We were up and off to breakfast at the crack of noon.
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Fuel
Fuel
Credit: guyman
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On the drive to Benton Crags Frumy did a good job of hiding his apprehension of what awaited us.

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Frumy trying to look calm.
Frumy trying to look calm.
Credit: guyman
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I always get goose bumps at the sight of the objective, a cold IPA helped but I still had butterflies in my stomach at the start of the grueling 30 min hike that lay before us.
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Cold one before the hike... need to stay hydrated.
Cold one before the hike... need to stay hydrated.
Credit: guyman
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The beginning of the march.
The beginning of the march.
Credit: guyman
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Uphill, deathmarch.
Uphill, deathmarch.
Credit: guyman
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Even though Frumy and I had been up here the week before we still had trouble finding the way. Lots of looking for the cairns and footprints finally brought us to the entrance of the KEY Drainage that would lead us to the promised but well hidden crag.
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Finding this is key to success. Walk up and over the slab just left <br/>
...
Finding this is key to success. Walk up and over the slab just left
of the TIKI.
Credit: guyman
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About 100 yards past the TIKI you see the hidden dome

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After all the trashing you walk up to this.
After all the trashing you walk up to this.
Credit: guyman
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EUREKA!
a little shiver went through me as I gazed on the formidable climbing that awaited us.

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Yafer Dumping pack at the base.
Yafer Dumping pack at the base.
Credit: guyman
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Yafer was chomping at the bit so he grabbed the rope and went for the first lead.
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Yafer ... takes the sharp end.
Yafer ... takes the sharp end.
Credit: guyman
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Yafer at the first bolt of Dike Hike, Hi Guy!!!
Yafer at the first bolt of Dike Hike, Hi Guy!!!
Credit: guyman
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Yafer really put out for the team, soon he was nearing the ultra steep climax of the route.
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Steep Crux coming up.
Steep Crux coming up.
Credit: guyman
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Crux Top Out.
Crux Top Out.
Credit: guyman
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It is ours!!!!!!!

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Sweet success, the big smile says it all!!!
Sweet success, the big smile says it all!!!
Credit: guyman
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We enjoyed some of the other climbs, but soon the sun came over the top of the dome. Its fierce rays told us that the day at the Dome was over, it was time to retreat. So we partied some and beat a hasty retreat, vowing to return for more. Soon.
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The Brown Bear.
The Brown Bear.
Credit: guyman
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I hope you liked this TR, my first but not last, and I hope that this has fired the stoke in your own mind to get out and climb in the big unknown.

  Trip Report Views: 2,518
guyman
About the Author
guyman is a social climber from Moorpark, CA..

Comments
The Chief

climber
Down the hill & across the Valley from......
  Aug 22, 2015 - 01:47pm PT
Benton Crags: Very Very Old News.


More on the Cottonwood gig.... more.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Aug 22, 2015 - 02:35pm PT
Good job getting back up on the horse! Question....you call it an excellent guidebook yet you had trouble finding the crag. I agree about too much beta but, for me, a guidebook should get you to the crag, then let the adventure begin.
matty

Trad climber
Sad the forum is gone =(
  Aug 22, 2015 - 03:20pm PT
Jim- I bet the reason they couldn't find the crag wasn't the guide book but too many "honey bears"

Good job on the comeback Guyzo!!! Hope to see you soon.

Matt
Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Aug 22, 2015 - 03:57pm PT
getting after it Guy...good for you!..
Studly

Trad climber
WA
  Aug 22, 2015 - 04:21pm PT
Fire in the hole! Sweet.
F10

Trad climber
Bishop
  Aug 22, 2015 - 07:33pm PT
Corral Wall looks great in the guide, but routes are on the short side.

Thanks for the TR and glad you guys had fun, that's what it's all about !!
FRUMY

Trad climber
Bishop,CA
  Aug 22, 2015 - 08:05pm PT
We had a great time.

Short nice climbs.

The trail descriptions - well - leave a lot to ?

GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
  Aug 22, 2015 - 08:24pm PT
You son of a bitch.

Spent the better part of 4 hours bushwacking looking for that stupid Fin wall. A squiggly line was hardly helpful XD

Luckily for us the beer and imbibations were flowing so a good time was had by all. And the bouldering at the ridge above camp? STELLAR.

justthemaid

climber
Jim Henson's Basement
  Aug 22, 2015 - 08:39pm PT
Had no idea you were struggling with such an injury. Good job sticking it out with some recovery and an climbing venture. I like Benton a lot. Lot's of easy crap for wimps like me.

That Corral/Double Dome approach is sort of the Bighorn Mating Grotto of the north in terms of difficulty. We wandered around for 4 hours before finding is at well. The book directions.. we'll leave it at "Meh". We kicked over a lot of sucker cairns, but they may have reappeared. I posted a somewhat detailed description on Mountain Project of the approach- but it's pretty difficult to describe how to get there- folks will likely still lost ...on the upside- it's a pretty piece of landscape to be lost in:)

They are pretty short climbs for all the hiking you have to do to get out there.
Fun little adventure if you want to 'splore though.
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
Author's Reply  Aug 25, 2015 - 09:40am PT
Hi All, Thanks for the comments...

Making this TR was sort of fun, I encourage everyone to make one and share.

To DMT.... Gimp to Gimp, many thanks

Chief.... so how old are the Benton Crags? I reckon about 3 million years old, any geologist out there know? And Cottonwood... when I land a nice one Ill post up for sure.

Donini.... agree a good GB will land one at the base.... but that would spoil the adventure.

EKat.... EeeeeeeeeeeeKaaaaaaaTTTTT121212XXXX

TAD... Thanks.... keeping the Geezer stoke alive

Matty .... The Honey Bear leads the way.

Todd.... Time for a Josh Adventure.

Studly Boom Boom, out go the lights.

F10 Short but sweet

Frumy Whats next on the list? Cardinal Pinnacle? That one is easy to find.

GDavis .... you know the pain! Yes some really fine bouldering hidden back in those rocks

JTM... yes lots of LOST cairns, I guess tons of folks wander around looking for the hidden gems.

Sewelly Yes: How about that Frumy.


So here is to getting off of the DL and back into the GAME.... cheers


phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
  Aug 25, 2015 - 10:03am PT
Nice TR, Guyman!

I went out to those walls once with the hubby and a friend. It was a ways out for Benton Crags, but I don't remember having a hard time finding it. We must have gotten really lucky!

Phyl
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
  Aug 25, 2015 - 11:06am PT
HONEY-BEAR

TGB,
The Golden Bear,
Tasty Green Bud,
The Grapefruit Beer

It's there when you go
no matter how near or far
simply going is full-filling,

stoked to read and sending the Akio your way
blue bird day!
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
  Aug 25, 2015 - 12:17pm PT
Damn, Guy, you hid yer physical failings well at those partays.
Nobody likes a whiner but, really, another drink to yer health
would not have been out of line!
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  Aug 25, 2015 - 12:26pm PT
I love this TR! Thanks much.

John
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
  Aug 25, 2015 - 01:25pm PT
For me, this stuff is truely inspirational. Way to get back on it guyman! I'm sincerely stoked for you. And as Donini says, "it's not when you started but when you stopped", or something like that....anyway don't stop was the message I got out of it.
pyro

Big Wall climber
Calabasas
  Aug 25, 2015 - 02:02pm PT
dude!
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Aug 25, 2015 - 04:54pm PT
Nice job!!!
rincon

climber
Coarsegold
  Aug 25, 2015 - 05:14pm PT
Nice Guy! Looks like you had fun as always.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  Aug 25, 2015 - 06:16pm PT
Awesome report man. I knew you were recovering after an injury of some sort, but did not know the full story. Really happy you were able to get over the thing and continue doing the thing you love. Also, glad some of my reports fuel your excitement. Your and Ksolem's content about the gorge of despair has fueled my own drive to find own adventures through the years. Hope we can help each other get excited by posting and seeing more content!

PS: Frumy seemed like a real good guy when we met in Shuteye. Hope to see both of you guys out somewhere in the future! AND hope to have a breakfast like that as well! Too many good things in this report, TYFP!
Yafer

Trad climber
Chatsworth, California
  Aug 28, 2015 - 07:33pm PT
F10

Trad climber
Bishop
  Aug 28, 2015 - 07:40pm PT
Benton Crags are a fun place, cool area.

Like the attitude of the first ascensonist
Russ Walling

Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
  Aug 28, 2015 - 09:54pm PT
Good stuff Guy!
Bad Climber

Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
  Aug 29, 2015 - 06:27am PT
Hah. Classic episode of "Lost." We did the same thing. Kind of a right of passage, like North Dome Gully. I loves me some Benton.

BAd
L

climber
Just livin' the dream
  Aug 29, 2015 - 02:49pm PT
Nice TR, Guy. I really enjoyed it.

Hope that leg of yours wakes up.
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
  Aug 29, 2015 - 08:41pm PT
In short- I would fall down without warning; the sucker would just give up and drop me.

Been there, and it just ain't no fun at all. But glad to hear your leg is gradually becoming a member of the team again.

Keep at it, and keep having fun.
Go