Quest for Mud (Special Edition)

[Brad Young]

To add detail to the story:

I saw this little summit relic ten days ago while I was taking guidebook photos. We went out on Monday to check it out.

We spent hours looking for how they could have gotten up there. Found no way it could have been free climbed at less than 5.8 or harder (and 90 or 100 feet of that). There were no signs of any other protection (bolts or fixed pins) and no sign of passage other than that top bolt.

We concluded that they must have ascended a fixed rope over the summit, but probably got that there by kite or using a deep sea fishing rod. Still, we tried to replicate it by throwing a rope over the top with weight attached.

Didn't work. I got John and Kathy’s rope irrevocably stuck across the summit (turned out that it was utterly jammed between big blocks of rock). So we ended up putting a five bolt ladder to near the summit and then freeing a bit from the last bolt (5.7 A1). Got the rope unstuck, confirmed the bolt on top, and looked carefully for any other sign that anyone had been up any other possible way to the summit. Nothing. Zip.

[burnsbabe]

And here you were swearing me to secrecy regarding the quality of your rope-a-doping on the way back! Did y'all end up putting one more bolt in, or just aiding it like I did and putting in an anchor?

[Brad Young]

Swearing you to secrecy about the location. Yes, location, location, location. It's pretty clear that J.C. already gave the game away about me getting the rope stuck and all that. Besides, it's not so embarrassing a few days later.

And just swearing in general too.

Pretty sure no-one could find this thing from anything we've posted?

No, we kept it at five aid bolts. I got up there and stood high in aiders. Free climbing from there was 5.7 (after a little cleaning).

Two bolt anchor is directly above the route. The little bit of historic aluminum is very visible from it.

[JC w KC redux]

It's pretty clear that J.C. already gave the game away about me getting the rope stuck and all that. Besides, it's not so embarrassing a few days later.
Two bolt anchor is directly above the route. The little bit of historic aluminum is very visible from it.

Well I had the pictures and I really liked the one of you throwing/bouncing the bag off the rock.
I said about as little as I could - figuring it was your story to tell.
I thought about saying even less but I don't like guessing games in posts - so decided to kind of spill the beans.
Glad we didn't need to add another bolt (seeing as my left calf is screaming at me today).
The anchor couldn't have turned out any better.

I thought about Mud's free soloing stories (not to mention Rock Naked), Mungie's 5.8X at HCD and my old buddy Martin saying that at the height of his climbing he didn't rope up for anything 5.9 or easier.

Maybe there is another 1/4 inch stud on that thing somewhere and they took the hanger off. There was a hangerless 1/4 inch stud in that huge lodestone on The Flatiron's Original Route that people missed for 70 years. Crud and Mud had one too.   

[JC w KC redux]

Pretty sure no-one could find this thing from anything we've posted?

I'm double damn sure. The fix is in.

[NOAL]

Pretty sure no-one could find this thing from anything we've posted?

  I would not worry about that.  It's more about someone wanting to find it.  If someone did I would want to meet them.  Just like us wanting to meet the climbers on Casino Rock the other day.

[burnsbabe]

  I would not worry about that.  It's more about someone wanting to find it.  If someone did I would want to meet them.  Just like us wanting to meet the climbers on Casino Rock the other day.

Not a lot of folks clambering to know where this 5 bolt aid ladder on some nearly unclimbed choss is, no.

[Brad Young]

  I would not worry about that.  It's more about someone wanting to find it.  If someone did I would want to meet them.  Just like us wanting to meet the climbers on Casino Rock the other day.

Still some bold and crazy climbers out there. Like Marco leading Turd Merchant.

Curious people too. Like Burnsbabe helping us solve the mystery.

[JC w KC redux]

^
Still an Unsolved Mystery imo.
Not enough data points for anything but conjecture.
New name - Cold Case

[burnsbabe]

I believe Brad had a name for it already, somehow.

[Brad Young]

I believe Brad had a name for it already, somehow.

Shocking. But (would you believe) I've never named a climbing route before....

[JC w KC redux]

Name it.
Blame it.
Tame it.

[Brad Young]

Bantering back and forth aside, here's the description of this new route (and sooo many people will just rush right out to do it). K.C. came up with the name and those who have read this thread will understand it right away. I will also post this on the new routes thread:

405.8  The Afterthought - The End of My Rope  5.7 A1  The Afterthought is a significant but less-obvious formation located 300 yards south from the High Peaks Trail.  The formation is at the same elevation as, but across a south-flowing sub-canyon (due west from) The Unmentionable.  By way of further identifying information, the formation consists of two sections, one to the northeast (smaller) and a main part of the formation, to the southwest (to the right when approaching from the High Peaks Trail). The main formation’s uphill (northwest) side is near-vertical and 45 to 55 feet tall.  Its downhill side is lower angle and 100 feet tall.  Approach by leaving the High Peaks Trail 250 feet northwest of The Rest Stop.  Move west before turning south and passing under the east side of a series of large, discontinuous, multi-faceted rock groups which are east of Pinch or Lynch Wall. The End of My Rope reaches the summit via aid climbing on the left side of the uphill face.  Five bolts and one fixed piton lead to a short section of free climbing and a two-bolt anchor on top (a third, very old bolt is 10 feet west of this anchor).

[clink]

 

The End of My Rope reaches the summit via aid climbing on the left side of the uphill face.  Five bolts and one fixed piton lead to a short section of free climbing and a two-bolt anchor on top (a third, very old bolt is 10 feet west of this anchor).

 Old school Pinnacles climbing, any pic of the fixed pin? The story is different but the route reminds me of a route I climbed, to a summit with a mystery, that Brad later used for his own Cape Canaveral.

[JC w KC redux]

Kat and I spent the day with Noal yesterday up at Crowley. I wanted to try and get at least one day up there before the rains start and before closures kick in. We saw Marco, Cole and Mikayla in the parking lot. Marco and Cole were sorting/packing gear to go climb Premeditated. We watched Marco climb to the crack (from the approach trail) to Crowley and then made our way up the trail. Marco sent some great pictures yesterday afternoon but that is his story to tell.



Marco getting established in the crack (the traverse over to it looked scary)





We made our way to Big Bottom Boulder and started the day with Mister Rightbottom. If anyone makes it out there - the cam goes between bolts 1 and 2. The hole is not visible until you start climbing and start to pucker looking at the decking potential before bolt 2. Once the cam is in - it's Saul Goodman. Fun little climb.

Noal relaxed and cruising the moves




We made our way up the slope to the start of Good to Find. Another fun route.




 


Thanks for the day Noal - that was fun 

[Cole Ing]

We watched Cole climb to the crack (from the approach trail) to Crowley and then made our way up the trail.

This was actually Marco, who absolutely cruised the first pitch!  Getting established in the crack did seem rather scary, and Marco confirmed that this was the only section of his pitch which was not type 1 fun.  Nice photo

[JC w KC redux]

This was actually Marco, who absolutely cruised the first pitch!  Getting established in the crack did seem rather scary, and Marco confirmed that this was the only section of his pitch which was not type 1 fun.  Nice photo

Whoops. I'll fix that. I could have sworn you were wearing a red shirt in the parking lot but I am old and forgetful. I also did not know who planned on leading what. I am curious about the bolts on the route (not that I will ever go near it). I could clearly see the p1 belay from Marco's picture (two old buttonheads on Leepers and one 5 piece carbon steel bolt on a Metolius hanger). It looked like maybe the p2 belay had some newer bolts but I could not see through all the gear. Nice job on leading that pile. I was looking at Cobbledik's old TR this morning.

[Cole Ing]

I am not the most knowledgeable on bolts, but the second anchor consisted of what I believe to be two newer-looking 5 piece bolts (same as on the p1 anchor) and two star dryvins with leeper hangers.  After seeing the 5 piece bolt on the p1 anchor we decided to leave the bolt kit on the ground, which ended up being a good call.  The bolts protecting the traverse into the crack where Marco is in your photo were buttonheads with old SMC hangers.  And you are totally right, that thing is an absolute pile.  I belayed Marco from way up the hill to avoid the constant stream of rock he was raining down.

[Marco]

Posting here because the climb was previously mentioned but if this is too long I can make it its own thread.

Had a great weekend with Cole in which we decided to do some great climbs.

On Friday we did Full Circle + Shake and Bake linkup. I took a fall on the well protected crux on P2 of full circle but it was such a good climb I look forward to going back. Cole somehow lead every pitch of shake and bake with his massive balls weighing him down.



Cole on P1 Shake and bake


We then toproped Electric Blue by lowering off the top shared anchors. This is a great sustained climb that judging by the amount of dirt does not get done a lot.

The following day we went to premeditated and had a great time. I'll admit I was puckered as heck for the "5.5" lead up to the crack before the first bolt. Though the rest of the pitch went a lot smoother than I anticipated. I have had much more "type 2" fun aiding in granite.



Looking down P1



Anchor situation on P1 for bolt people



Cole took a whip on P2 when a beak ripped dissolving the crack it was in. Fortunately a black totem caught him in what we assume was an old angle scar. When cleaning the pitch I laughed at how bad of a placement caught him (though it was the best palcement available for a cam). The second I weighted it while cleaning the cam it ripped and I took a mini swing. How the hell it held Cole I will never know.



Cole post whip



Lower out beak



Cole happy it is over

Overall awesome experience. Good weekend.

[JC w KC redux]

I am not the most knowledgeable on bolts, but the second anchor consisted of what I believe to be two newer-looking 5 piece bolts (same as on the p1 anchor) and two star dryvins with leeper hangers.  After seeing the 5 piece bolt on the p1 anchor we decided to leave the bolt kit on the ground, which ended up being a good call.  The bolts protecting the traverse into the crack where Marco is in your photo were buttonheads with old SMC hangers.  And you are totally right, that thing is an absolute pile.  I belayed Marco from way up the hill to avoid the constant stream of rock he was raining down.

You seem to be pretty knowledgeable.
Given the age of the bolts on the traverse I'll guess they were SMC death hangers (not shiny like stainless SMC would be - plus SMC didn't make stainless prior to the 1980's) - so basically time bombs - buttonhead + smc death hanger = double death. Insert skull and crossbones emoji.