SUMMARY HAIKU
Mini epic here
Vomit and snagged ropes to start
Then a new day - FAB!
Mini epic here
Vomit and snagged ropes to start
Then a new day - FAB!
|
Climb: Cookie Monster (Trad, 340 feet, 2 pitches - Handren breaks it up into three)
Wall: Mescalito Rope & Gear: We used twin 60s (needed for the rappel), pro to #5 Good Lead for a New Trad Climber? Marginal. May be a bit much for a newer trad leader, depending on how the climb is broken up. Conclusion WTF? What the FABULOUS!
Pitch 1 (170 feet)Although the Handren guidebook rates pitch 1 a 5.6, I feel like P1 is harder than P2 (at least the way we broke up the pitches.)
The protection is mostly there, but can require some searching in spots and/or needs long slings because you have to reach deep to place a piece. There are a couple of spots with no pro for at least 15 or more feet - although vertical, the terrain is very juggy in those sections. On this pitch you will pass a tat anchor with a rap ring in a hole. Further up you will go under and then bypass a roof. About 20-25 feet past the roof, there are bolted anchors. These anchors are difficult to see - the first time I did this pitch (during the vomit-fest - see video for details...), I completely missed the bolted anchors and stopped at some tat wrapped around a boulder (there is also a rap ring on this tat.). To locate the bolted anchors look for streaked tan rock and a roof up and right. |
|
Stef pitch 1 Cat in the Hat
|
Bolted anchor at the top of pitch 1.
|
Although on a big ledge, these anchors are actually in a really weird spot - both awkward to access and difficult to protect while getting there. The anchor location also makes things weird for the pitch 2 leader (more on that in a bit,) If I did this climb again, I would NOT use these bolted anchors. I'd probably build an anchor in the vicinity on the actual climb.
There is a second tat/rappelling anchor about another 40-50 feet up. If the P1 leader tried to get to that and you are using a 60 m rope, the belayer needs to be prepared to simul-climb for about 20 feet and then secure him or herself once the lead is taken off belay. If you use a 70m rope you won't need to simulclimb, but be sure to bring a tag line for the two-rope rappel down Cat in the Hat.
Pitch 2 (170 feet)
Rick and I were swinging leads and we saw that it didn't make sense for him to come over to the bolted anchor. So ,he put in a couple of pieces to secure himself just below where you'd cut across to access the anchors. I kept him on belay, tightened the rope, then attached the remaining gear to the rope and slid it down to him.
Because the bolted anchor is so far off route, Rick had to NOT place any gear for the first 15-20 feet or so,and then use an extra-long sling in the first piece to ensure that the rope would not bind itself around the rock between the anchor and the actual climb (i.e. so it would swing freely and go upwards in a straighter fashion.) Needless to say, a lack of protection "on purpose" like this was non-ideal.
The crux of pitch 2 is near a permanently stuck cam (which you can clip), then you go past the tat rappel anchor, and up into an alcove. From the alcove, go right up the smaller crack (don't go left up the chimney). The pitch ends at a tree.
After pitch 2 we wanted to continue up and finish the last pitch that you can rappel down (and not have to do the walk-off) of Cat in the Hat (this was the pitch we skipped when we did Cat in the Hat because it was too dang hot...). However, there was a party in front of us on Cookie Monster (which we initially needed to wait for) AND there was a party on Cat in the Hat. We could hear voices above us, but because there is not a clear line of sight, we weren't sure if there was a congo line on that last pitch. Since we had chosen to do this climb in the afternoon (because the temps were still warm and we wanted to climb in the shade), we were concerned about more waiting and losing daylight. So, we decided to stop there and head over to the Cat in the Hat Anchors for the rappel.
Because the bolted anchor is so far off route, Rick had to NOT place any gear for the first 15-20 feet or so,and then use an extra-long sling in the first piece to ensure that the rope would not bind itself around the rock between the anchor and the actual climb (i.e. so it would swing freely and go upwards in a straighter fashion.) Needless to say, a lack of protection "on purpose" like this was non-ideal.
The crux of pitch 2 is near a permanently stuck cam (which you can clip), then you go past the tat rappel anchor, and up into an alcove. From the alcove, go right up the smaller crack (don't go left up the chimney). The pitch ends at a tree.
After pitch 2 we wanted to continue up and finish the last pitch that you can rappel down (and not have to do the walk-off) of Cat in the Hat (this was the pitch we skipped when we did Cat in the Hat because it was too dang hot...). However, there was a party in front of us on Cookie Monster (which we initially needed to wait for) AND there was a party on Cat in the Hat. We could hear voices above us, but because there is not a clear line of sight, we weren't sure if there was a congo line on that last pitch. Since we had chosen to do this climb in the afternoon (because the temps were still warm and we wanted to climb in the shade), we were concerned about more waiting and losing daylight. So, we decided to stop there and head over to the Cat in the Hat Anchors for the rappel.
The Decent
Throughout this write-up I mentioned multiple rappel anchors on Cookie Monster. Yes, you can rappel this route (you need two ropes), but considering our rope got stuck not just once but twice on this route (again see video), we opted to do the "traditional" decent - rappelling Cat in the Hat (which also requires two ropes.)
To get to the Cat in the Hat anchors from the top of P2 Cookie Monster, go climbers left at the tree (thorough an opening in the rock). There is about 30 feet of down climbing, some of it spicy, so we stayed roped up and placed gear accordingly to protect the follower. There are several bushes, but keep down-climbing until you see a small tree with multiple tat. This is the first rappel spot. Rappel down with two ropes to a very large ledge.
To locate the next set of anchors, from the rappel turn left, then go back, then left towards some large boulders. Scramble down those boulders following the line of least resistance. This is not really exposed climbing, so if you encounter dangerous exposure, that is probably not the correct way. This scrambling will take you down to a second ledge where you will veer right (skier's right) and then see bolted anchors about head-high on a small wall. From here is a two-rope rappel to the ground.
Having descended this way multiple times, so far we have not yet had our rope get caught.
To get to the Cat in the Hat anchors from the top of P2 Cookie Monster, go climbers left at the tree (thorough an opening in the rock). There is about 30 feet of down climbing, some of it spicy, so we stayed roped up and placed gear accordingly to protect the follower. There are several bushes, but keep down-climbing until you see a small tree with multiple tat. This is the first rappel spot. Rappel down with two ropes to a very large ledge.
To locate the next set of anchors, from the rappel turn left, then go back, then left towards some large boulders. Scramble down those boulders following the line of least resistance. This is not really exposed climbing, so if you encounter dangerous exposure, that is probably not the correct way. This scrambling will take you down to a second ledge where you will veer right (skier's right) and then see bolted anchors about head-high on a small wall. From here is a two-rope rappel to the ground.
Having descended this way multiple times, so far we have not yet had our rope get caught.
Climb Stats to Date
|
DATE OF CLIMB: October 16, 2020
WALLS HIT: 1 NUMBER OF 5.7 CLIMBS TODAY: 1 NUMBER OF 5.7 PITCHES TODAY: 2 NUMBER OF FALLS: 0 NUMBER OF TAKES: 0 5.7 VERTICAL FEET CLIMBED TODAY: 340' DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TODAY: 0 TOTAL CLIMBS SO FAR: 141 TOTAL PITCHES SO FAR: 187 TOTAL 5.7 VERTICAL FEET ON THE TOUR SO FAR: 16,375' NUMBER OF CLIMBS REMAINING: 97 (out of 237) VERTICAL FEET REMAINING: 34,292' DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TO DATE: 5 |
FALLS SO FAR:
|