Quest for Mud (Special Edition)

[JC w KC redux]

Here is a better picture of Poppi's Poppies.
Marco never got the chance to lead it with a belayer (since he did it rope solo) so I was happy to oblige.
He was so comfortable on it he was talking with us the whole way up - including through the crux (pictured).

[JC w KC redux]

That location shot and the one of Marco leading were taken on Sunday.
On Sunday Kat and I headed up to Pink Giant to climb Little Pink Giant and the Secondary Summit.
Little Pink Giant is scrappy and is easier than it looks from the base. After moving up the initial loose lump of rock you'll be happy to clip bolt 1. Now grovel up an awkward, exposed ramp past a little tree. Stand up at the top of the ramp and clip the second bolt (pictured). Easy terrain leads to the summit.





I looked at Little Pink Giant (no bolts yet) and the Secondary Summit the day Brad and Marco were working on Pink Giant - but I was still feeling pretty "green" at that point. I wasn't sure how I would feel about the Secondary Summit after Brad told me about climbing it with waldo. I couldn't resist another look. After another look I said "that doesn't look so bad". I'm still not sure how to rate it. Brad asked me if I thought it was 5.1 and I didn't have an answer. It's shenanigans for sure. Step down carefully into the maw and find something solid to hang onto while you contemplate the step across. Once across, it's a walk up the slot to some easy chimneying - followed by scrambling to the summit. The return trip was more exciting.
 

On the Secondary Summit.

[JC w KC redux]

Went out yesterday and made our way up to The Tidbits. We clawed our way up La Ultima and then I climbed up and down Last But Not Least. Someone leading at the grade is going to have their hands full leading La Ultima (the rock quality is poor). Unfortunate, since it looks pretty good from the ground. I’m pretty sure it’s getting to bolt 4 that has a run uncharacteristic of the rest of the route (well protected) – leader lured by an easier drill stance higher (been there, done that, got the t-shirt). That bolt is also in a hole so it is hard to see from below. Moving around the bulge is awkward and scrappy. There was no pretty way to do it and I nearly scraped my tidbits.

Contemplating the unknown on La Ultima (can't see the bolt and rock quality is dubious). Terrible foreshortening in the photo.




I didn’t get any worthwhile shots of Kat on the follow but I liked this one of her rapping down





We took a snack break in the sun and then I climbed Last But Not Least

Kat got a nice shot of me standing on the summit. I roped up in case there were any good slings knobs (there weren’t)





Looking back at La Ultima (left) and Last But Not Least (right). The downhill side of Last But Not Least is really tall! The climbing on that one is pretty fun and the rock is good.





I got a couple nice shots from the approach when we crested the ridge. The light seemed just right and the vantage was different from any other I have seen.

Machete’s south face looked inviting





The boulder atop the Citadel looked like Tricky Dick Nixon





One of the things I have always loved about Pinnacles is the way things appear/come into view from different vantage points.

The streak on Resurrection Wall has never looked so well-defined to me (after over a decade of looking at it)

[JC w KC redux]

It's a fee free day and a Saturday.

I bet the park will be bustling.

[Brad Young]

Bet it'd be bustling anyway. It's that time of year.

[Marco]

Saw a bird or something yesterday. I guess this place is kinda cool.

[Gavin]

Saw a bird or something yesterday. I guess this place is kinda cool.

Meh. Chickens and choss piles. 

[Marco]

Meh. Chickens and choss piles. 

I agree! If it wasn't for the sport bolting on all the obvious classic lines I probably wouldn't come here.

[JC w KC redux]

I wish I could be a budding 5.6 climber 

[Brad Young]

I wish I could be a budding 5.6 climber 

Keep in mind that "budding" means heading toward or moving in the direction of. As in moving in the direction of being a 5.6 climber.

And sorry to point out the obvious: you are "a budding 5.6 climber" in that sense. I'm heading back in that direction too. It's only a matter of time.

[JC w KC redux]

^
Then we'll just go with the old adage - Careful What You Wish For

[clink]

 Does the “budding” refer to nose and ear hair?

[clink]

Nice photos all!

[NOAL]

It's just a spring clean for the May Queen.

[waldo]

That tree sprouting out of the ramp on Little Pink looks somehow familiar.

[Marco]

One time in boy scouts I stepped on a snake hiking so now I always look down when I hike. Do you see it?

[NOAL]

Just saw this on IG.  I have never seen one of these!  Plenty of rattlesnakes but not one of those.  Super cool!

[Marco]

[Brad Young]

We've always thought they were good luck (the girls and I). We see at least one on most of our southern California backpacking trips (like the Sisquoc loop trip we did in 2012 (similar photo near the end of the report on page 2):

http://www.mudncrud.com/forums/index.php?topic=1582.0

[JC w KC redux]

^
I've never seen one of those lizards and probably wouldn't with my vision. That camo is amazing.

We spent the day out in the canyon yesterday and I drilled some bolts and did a little climbing.

Kat got a shot of a juvenile condor on top of Jubilation Pinnacle. There were two adults too (they all landed in a nearby meadow).





There was a growth spurt in the park the last 10 days. I swear the grasses were 6 inches higher and PO that had been sprigs was in full leaf and looking juicy.

The creek is dry now and the logs at the former crossing look out of place. Things are feeling more "normal" now and temps are expected to soar into the 90's this week.