Pinnacles Climbing: 30 Years and Counting

[JC w KC redux]

Methuselah is said to have lived 969 years

They asked and I answered.
I thought showing how long it takes might be illuminating. 
If I hadn't gotten into FA's and rebolting...
At this point I want to mix it up more - alternating between FA's and climbing the old routes - rebolting them if needed as I go.

[Brad Young]

If I hadn't gotten into FA's and rebolting...
At this point I want to mix it up more - alternating between FA's and climbing the old routes - rebolting them if needed as I go.

But you did get into FAs and into rebolting. I don't think that's hurt your Pinnacles career at all. In fact it's a great mix.

[JC w KC redux]

But you did get into FAs and into rebolting. I don't think that's hurt your Pinnacles career at all. In fact it's a great mix.

I agree. FA's and rebolting are some of my best days.
It slowed things to a crawl as far as climbing new routes but I don't regret one minute of it.

[looks easy from here]

[JC w KC redux]

That's cool Shane.

Too bad MJ wasn't there with his GoPro - he did one of me and Kat on Stretch Seven that is really cool.

[looks easy from here]

Thanks. It makes me a little more seasick to watch more than twice in a row than I'd like, but it was the best I could do with a series of pics that I didn't take with the idea of making them into a movie in mind. 

[mungeclimber]

Nice!

[clink]

Munge,  I think you broke a hold on Bathing Beauty. The beginning of Mud Diamond is a step ladder for 10 feet.

[mungeclimber]

Nope.

[clink]

 
 So many holds, so little time.

 Caleb, Nicole, Colton and Layton brought a group of 4-H youngsters and parents out to Crud and Mud for a first time climbing outing. Kat, Rachel, Ryan and my grandson Johnny, drove in with me to join in the fun. The 4-H group went all in for the climbing, both kids and parents on 4 of the routes.

 Rachel went up Here's Mud in Your Eye with a little prodding from Kat, and got a congratulatory fist bump from her old buddy  JC(Traffic Cone) when we dropped Kat off.

[clink]

 On the hike in, as we were passing No holds Bared on of the Dads asked me "Are you a Pro Climber?" I replied "No, I only look like one, but i am a Pro burger and pasta consumer."

[waldo]

On the hike in, as we were passing No holds Bared on of the Dads asked me "Are you a Pro Climber?" I replied "No, I only look like one, but i am a Pro burger and pasta consumer."

I guess I must be a Tecate pro.

[clink]

I guess I must be a Tecate pro.

Definitely!

[JC w KC redux]

Nope.

Mungie,
We saw EXACTLY where you broke the hold yesterday when we were at Mud Diamond.
The hold was a step over left from the two bomber holds clink stood on to drill the first bolt.
Those two solid holds he stood on to drill are only about a foot apart.
I could see why one might bridge over left to shift weight and get better balance.
You definitely stepped onto untested territory.

How is the elbow?

[mungeclimber]

Elbow is good. I think you'd be surprised which hold blew out. If you guys were off left, yeah. I was directly in line with the bolt, and was reaching up to the box shaped flat topped jug.

[JC w KC redux]

Elbow is good. I think you'd be surprised which hold blew out. If you guys were off left, yeah. I was directly in line with the bolt, and was reaching up to the box shaped flat topped jug.

Glad your elbow is better 
I definitely saw the hold that broke. I recognized it from the pic you sent me. There was another one broken very near it too and a little lower. We went up starting a couple feet to the right of that and gently trended left. After the first bolt it goes significantly left, then up. The route definitely wanders a fair amount.

I broke a sizable knob off Mud Bath on the second ascent. It smacked Kat in the leg pretty hard. Not sure if it had been used prior since there are so many features but it may have been pre-weakened by repeated use. It was between bolts 3 and 4 so it saw a lot of action between Brad and clink on Saturday. Good route with a bouldery start that is in your face right off the ground.

Kat says we need to start taking one weekend a month to just climb so we will undoubtedly be visiting the crag a lot. We climbed Squeaky again while Brad and Jon were finishing Mud Bath. I always find it very pleasing. There is a little lesser quality rock up high and the angle drops off - otherwise it would be 3 stars. Same with Here's Mud in Your Eye - it is so much fun you'll want to repeat it too.  

[Brad Young]

As of yesterday (and today) I'm back "in status." For the fourth time I've reached a point where I've done every route at Pinnacles easier than 5.10.

Now this renewed claim rests on one assumption, one conversation with Mr Mud. I called him today, suspecting that he and Noal had finished their route yesterday. They did finish it. Obviously I haven't done it, it's too new. So I asked Dennis "how hard?" And he bit, he said "5.9 or 5.10a." That sealed it; by even mentioning the possibility that the route might be 10a, Dennis pretty much confirmed that it isn't 5.9 (anyone who isn't named Dennis - or Noal - disagree?). 

[clink]

 5.7 or 5.10d but probably not 5.9.

[F4?]

Well Mr Mud only has 5 fingers on each hand. So the hardest he can rate is 5.10 since he can't count any higher. I prefer 5.9. Why over rate something.

[NOAL]

Brad, did you climb Up the Buttress? Has anyone done a second ascent? If not somebody go do it and report back. It is fun.