So my memory was pretty good. It looks like on April 17, 2004 Steve Dawson and I did all three routes then known to exist at Crud and Mud: the old rumored/reported route up the east face to the high point (class four), Solotero Pina Especial (5.7), and Light and Shade (5.10c TR). I did the older route as a solo since it was supposed to be class four. (We did these after our epic thrash over directly from The Frog).
All three appeared in Clint's notes from that time (what an epic just now getting my huge box of old paper notes down from the attic!). Here's a photo of Clint's notes from April 13, 2004 (no routes at Crud and Mud are crossed off, these notes are purely his):
Here's a photo of the same notes as they appeared on December 16, 2004 after I'd done these (and other) routes and sent him edits/corrections (at that stage I'd email him with edits and corrections, but he kept the list; I was still working through how to do text documents of my own):
And I don't know where Clint got information about a route on Crud and Mud's east side. I had assumed that he got it from an old guidebook, but the only information I'm finding in the old guidebooks is basically nothing or is wrong:
- 1995 Rubine book, nothing meaningful;
- 1983 Gagner book, no mention;
- 1974 Richards book, a Class 3 or 4 rating, but no mention of any route of that difficulty, and a confirmation of a more difficult route on the "NW" face;
- 1966 Roper guidebook, very general comments about "any number of class 3 and class 4 routes" and a "more difficult route" on the "NW" face of the formation.
The source of what little information is in these later books is likely the 1955 David Hammack guidebook (15 pages). Here's what it says (I didn't remember that Crud and Mud used to also be called The Mitten):
But whatever source for the information Clint got, it was basically correct; there was an old route leading to the highest summit from the east side of the formation (the one you three found yesterday!!).
I'm apparently the one who got it wrong.
Based on what Clint had in his notes I climbed a "class four route" on the formation's east side (I no doubt made the assumption that it would go to the highest point). I found no lead bolts, and the route distinctly wasn't class 3 or 4. But, keeping with tradition I listed the route as class four (at least I chose the harder of the two options). I also made the tongue in cheek comment about easy class five not being called that if a rope wasn't used.
I never saw any bolts (except on the summit), I never made a traverse to the right, and the chute I climbed most definitely wasn't dirty. I climbed up and down the chute that is to the left of Clink in the photos posted above by J.C. I suspect that this line is 5.4 or so in difficulty and (as the book says) is only fifth class at the start.
So Clint got it right, I got it wrong, and you guys found and rebolted the old route that Clint learned about. I certainly don't recall anything that looked class three or four to that summit, do any of you? How could Hammack have made that conclusion? And a "more difficult route on the NW face?" That sounds like where Solotero is if one thinks in terms of the whole formation and not just the high point. Did we miss something else by way of old stuff over there? Maybe something to that summit? Or is there something still to be found on the "NW' face of the highest summit's formation (across from J.C.'s new routes)?
Ah, the satisfaction of working on old, old mysteries. Keep your eyes peeled while out there boys and girl
