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 Adventures during July 30 - 31, 2005

Saturday, July 30, 2005

8:00am: Late Start, Jim and I cruise up P1 of Shockley's Ceiling (5.6) in attempt to make the FAA (First AGI Ascent). I run out P2 like it's my job over some crappy pin. Jim yells at me to put some pro in. We eventually get under the infamous roof and I sew it up with no less than five pieces of gear including the bomber #2 camalot that I fell on last time I tried this.

Runout Shockley's P2 Under Shockley's Ceiling
A lot of muscle and a knee got me over the ceiling and into a corner under another ceiling for a semi-hanging belay. After a little hesitation under the ceiling Jim pulled right through it while the leader on P2 yelled up to us "That's the most elegant way I've every scene that done." I turn the corner on P4, look up and to my surprise there's another ceiling and it's pretty big. I place a bomber passive tri-cam and basically did a chin up to pull the ceiling, then top out. Jim follows with no problems and tops out.

Finally above the Ceiling Jim tops out
1:00pm: After arriving on time, Kurt and Doug meet us at the bottom of Shockley's after we made them wait two and a half hours. Jim takes Kurt up the stellar "5.3" Tipsy Tree and I take Doug up Beginner's Delight (5.3). Doug handles the run out traverse like a champ and almost scores me a .75 C4 but it turned out to be the team's under us.

5:30pm: Kurt: "Let's do one more multipitch climb" Me: "We're going to have to rappel in the dark" Everyone "No we won't." So I lead Finger Locks (5.5, crack!) to prepare for my NH trip. All I have to say is the tree is on. Jim, Kurt and Doug all follow up to the GT ledge. We scramble to the summit and rappel. It must have been nice to have a headlamp as it was almost pitch black by the time we got down.

The tree is on on Finger Locks On top on Northern Pillar
11:00pm: Kevin and Christen show up, make short lived but impressive camp fire.

Sunday, July 31, 2005

8:00am: Finally wake up. Really late start.

11:00am: Jim takes Kurt and Doug up Southern Pillar in an amazing 4 pitches. I take Kevin and Christen up Triple Bulges (5.5) and run out the 2nd pitch not because I wanted to but because I had to. Kevin retrieves a super over cammed #1 robot (Thanks) then climbs away happy.

Doug on Southern Pillar Kurt on Southern Pillar Kevin on Triple Bulges
3:00pm: Kevin, Christen and I climb Southern Pillar. Kevin gives me a booty #4 nut and a micro camalot, which belonged to the party in front of us (who we will return it to, since they go to our gym).

Christen on Southern Pillar Me on Southern Pillar
6:00pm: On top of Madem G buttress - it's raining. Free hanging, super exposed, 170 foot rappel in the rain. A leader on Madem G (5.6) is looking for bolts to belay from. Me: "Um, I don't recall any bolts. There's an all gear hanging belay and your about 40 feet above it." Leader: "What should I do?" Me: "Run it to the top, looks like you have enough gear." Leader: "So you think I should run it?" (It's raining, remember). Me: "Yeah but you might not want to take advice from a complete stranger." He eventually finds a good ledge about 30 feet under the GT ledge, sets up a hanging belay and it stops raining. Everyone is safe and happy.

Now go read Doug's version of this trip report.