8-Day 7: Caligula Crag

SUMMARY HAIKU

That ain't no walk-off
Brutal heat, pushed to our edge
Third pair of undies found

START & END TIMES:

Arrived Parking Lot - 5:45 a.m.
Arrived at Caligula Crag - 6:15 a.m.
- Spent time trying to figure out which was the climb based only upon written description (no photos).
- Getting down was an exercise in fear and WTF-ness (details below).
- Walked to Winter Heat Wall for a second attempt at the climbs on this wall.
Arrived at Winter Heat - 8:30 a.m.
- Took a much needed break in the shade and snacked. There was no breeze and it was already hot as hell. We debated about whether and how to do the climbs.
- We got set-up to do the first climb, felt the already oppressive heat, touched the black wall and said, "no way." (Video below)
Left Winter Heat Wall - 9:30 a.m.
- Stopped for much needed shade break at Yin and Yang formation. This was, bar far, the worst. most dangerous heat day yet. Other than the brief, fleeting, breeze in the video clip, there was zero wind to cool the body.
Back at car - 10:30 a.m.- approximately 98 degrees F, still no wind.

DATE: August 3, 2019
WALLS HIT: 1 (Caligula Crag) (2 walls if we count our second failed attempt at Winter Heat...)
NUMBER OF CLIMBS: 1
NUMBER OF PITCHES: 1
NUMBER OF FALLS: 0
NUMBER OF TAKES: 0
VERTICAL FEET CLIMBED TODAY: 30
TOTAL VERTICAL FEET ON THE TOUR SO FAR: 1,280
NUMBER OF CLIMBS REMAINING: 216
VERTICAL FEET REMAINING: ~ 48,805
DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED: 1
DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TO DATE: 3

What's up with leaving the dirty underwear people? This person even bagged his up...

The Route

Climb: Hefner (Trad) (5.7)
Conclusion WTF? What the FRAIL!

This climb is located on the backside of Caligula Crag. It is listed in the Handren guidebook and not in Mountain Project (although we may add it to MP with a photo).
There were no photos of this climb, just the description of "climb the flake." So, we picked a flake and climbed it. We are calling that Hefner.
The climb felt like a 5.7, however, it was un-nerving because the rock was frail. It's clear this climb has not seen much action.
There are NO options on top to build an anchor using pro. You have to sling questionable rock.
The climb was not a WTF'r but the so called "walk-off" is. The book provides no description of how to get down. Getting off this climb is NOT a "walk-off." It's a full-on 15 to 20-foot 5th class down-climb with NO FOOT OR HAND-HOLDS on slick rock. You climb down onto a pillar, where, if you lose your balance, you can ping-pong into a crevice. We slinged a small, questionable chicken-head as a safety back-up. Sorry to leave gear up there, but safety first...
- In retrospect, possible alternatives to get off this climb include lowering one person off, then down leading the 5.6 that's to the right of Hefner (placing protection below you and removing it as you go past - making sure you always have gear in before removing a piece). There are probably more holds and protection options that way... but I haven't done it so take it with a grain of salt.
- Or, simul-rappelling - but one side of the formation is longer than the other so this is potentially quite dangerous. The person on the shorter side would need to keep that side fully weighted until they hear the other person say "off rappel."

Winter Heat Wall - "Failed" Attempt #2

Damn it. We walked all this way again, all the way around the backside of Kraft Mountain, to do the climbs on Winter Heat Wall. Our first try was on Day 4 (our double WTF'r Day). On Day 4, we thought Winter Heat would still be in the shade, but by the time we arrived, it was well in the sun.

Today, we planned to hit Calligula first thing, since we knew it would receive sun very early, then move onto Winter Heat. When we left Caligula, we saw that Winter Heat was still in the shade, but by the time we arrived, the sun was full-on.

The hike up through the canyon took a while and the heat was already oppressive. After resting and eating a snack in the shade, we set up to do the first climb. It was about 9 a.m. and felt hotter than any day we've encountered thus far. There was no breeze near the wall and the black petina was already warm to the touch.

There are two climbs, but three pitches. We realized there was no way we would get both climbs done and would have to come back yet again. We decided not to torture ourselves further and knew, if it was already this hot, the hike back to the car would be worse. We decided to bail.

This was a very difficult decision for me (Stef). I really did not care for the idea of coming back to Winter Heat - yet again. I didn't like having expended all this effort, then not climbing. I was frustrated by yet another "one-off" day, where we completed one not-so-great 30-foot climb with a bull-shit scary down-climb. I was tempted to push us to do the Winter Heat climbs anyway. I was tempted to say "fuck the heat," believing we would be happy afterwards.

But then, I looked at Althea panting in the shade of a bush and Rick's bright red face, covered in sweat. I also felt my own sweat-soaked shirt. Even I was really hot and I have a high tolerance. We needed to leave.

The Brutal Hike Back

There are two ways to get to Winter Heat wall - around the east side of Kraft Mountain, or around the west. Since we were coming from Caligula, we approached from the east.

But, since the distance is shorter going west and the steepest part of the trail would be going down when heading towards the parking, we thought it would be best to return via the west-side trail. Now, I'm not convinced we chose wisely.

For one, there is still a fair amount of hiking up from the wash on the back side of Kraft to the main trail. Up + heat is a really bad combination. Two, with the exception of the Yin and Yang formation, there is no shade on this side trail (the east side trail has lots of large boulders to hide under and recover).

This is a marked up photo of a Climb-On Map page of Kraft Mountain Overview to show the location of Caligula and Winter Heat. The arrow colors correspond with the trail difficulty ratings shown on the map. The approach to Winter Heat via the east side of Kraft is easier but longer. The west side approach almost merits an orange color-coding in one section (near Three Peaks) because its a pretty good bun-busting hill. Copyright: Climb-On Maps.

The problem with the lack of shade became particularly evident with our dog, Althea. After a rest and water break in the shadow of Yin and Yang rock, there is nothing but shrubby desert - which provides no respite from the sun.

To survive in high heat you MUST take frequent breaks in the shade, catching your breath and cooling down.

Althea will also do lots of mini-breaks, running from shady spot to shady spot, then waiting for us to arrive. This time she ran manically, going off trail, desperately trying to find shade. She wasted precious energy. When she figured out there was no shade, she frantically began running down the trail. Although we had removed Althea's pack to reduce the weight she was carrying and allow more air flow over her body, her black fur and the glaring sun were a terrible combination. She was freaking out in a way I'd never seen.

Rick informed me his knee was taking a beating with the extra weight of Althea's stuff and the steep hill. So we decided it was best to leave him behind and get Althea to an air-conditioned car ASAP. By now Althea was way ahead of us. So I ran. I ran with my 50 pound pack, on the steep gravely trail, being driven by the love of a dog and my guilt.

I physically felt like shit - but I felt like worse shit for putting Althea (and Rick) though this. We knew the day was going to be hot, but, we thought, it wasn't anything we hadn't faced before. We didn't know that the breeze would stop, making the air suffocating and not producing the evaporative cooling effect with our sweat. We didn't know that our choice to go west instead of east would be the poorer choice.

When I arrived at the parking lot, Althea was laying down, panting in the shade of the first parked vehicle she found (the parking lot is gravel and not asphalt). When I ran past her, she followed me to our car. I started it immediately, cranked the AC, opened all the doors to vent the heat, and gave her some ice water we had inside. I squirted her head and body with water and she hopped inside the car - even though it was still quite hot, to her it was shade.

Ultimately, all of us fared OK - although Althea did not kiss me or Rick all day. That was telling, because she would dole out kisses non-stop if we let her. Understandably, Althea was pissed. And Rick was on the "hangry train" (hot-angry) too. The WTF 5.7 Tour can be a bit of a suffer-fest, consisting mostly type 1 fun (fun while you are doing it), with an occasional day of type 2 day (fun upon reflection). But this may be our first Type 3 day - where there just isn't a whole lot of good parts to remember.

As a climb, the frail-rocked, super short, Hefner is not worth the really shitty, really risky "walk-off."

Winter Heat still stands "at-large" and, now, we have to do that damn approach again.

And I have a dog and husband who were pushed to their limits. Today, Rick and I decided that, as much as we love having Althea with us and as much as she loves being on the trail, we will not take her on one of these early-morning summer climbs again (that seem to always end later than expected in high heat.)

A type 3 day...

Resting in the last available shade near the Yin and Yang wall. Althea is hotter than I've ever seen her. We waited to leave until her panting slowed. Then came the un-relenting, shadeless push to the car. Rick commented about taking a cold shower first thing and bringing Althea in with him (Althea hates baths!)