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SUMMARY HAIKU
Planned 4 sevens - NOPE! Ha! No way to rap down here Hiked in climbing shoes |
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Go Rick's way! -- Stef |
The shows the order of the climbs planned. You have to climb "CU on Top" (5.5) to get to Pussy Nuts (5.7), so that is listed as climb #1 in this image (even though it does not count towards the 5.7s.)
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This image shows what actually happened.
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DATE OF CLIMB: NOVEMBER 15, 2019 WALLS HIT: 1 (Mossy Ledges) NUMBER OF CLIMBS: 1 (but had to climb 345 feet of unnamed climbs and "CU on Top" to access this climb) NUMBER OF PITCHES: 1 (4 if you count the approach climb) NUMBER OF FALLS: 0 NUMBER OF TAKES: 0 VERTICAL 5.7 FEET CLIMBED: 205' (NOTE: Pussy Nuts is listed as 100 ft on Mountain Project - wrong!) TOTAL VERTICAL FEET ON THE TOUR SO FAR: 5,605' NUMBER OF CLIMBS REMAINING: 185 VERTICAL FEET REMAINING: ~44,762 DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED: 0 DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TO DATE: 3 (holding steady at three...) |
START AND END TIMES
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The Climb
Climb: Pussy Nuts (Trad) (5.7)(205' - MP lists it as 100' - this is not correct)
Wall: Mossy Ledges
Conclusion WTF? What the FAR!
Wall: Mossy Ledges
Conclusion WTF? What the FAR!
- We chose to hit Mossy Ledges because it is almost always in the shade and tends to be wet. We wanted to do the climbs on this wall before it got too cold and winter rain hits (it's been dry for quite a while, so we knew it should be dry).
- The goal was to climb all the 5.7s at Mossy Ledges and the one 5.7 on Case Face wall (see "The Plan" image above which shows the order of the planned climbs), but that did not happen. Our first climb was "CU on Top" (5.5) to "Pussy Nuts" - 5.7.
- "Pussy Nuts" is located almost at the top of the Mossy Ledges wall and tops out at the summit. The Handren guidebook indicated that there is a way to rappel from the top of the formation (MP did not have descent details - we will add some), but there is no way to rappel from this area! We ended up having to walk-off - in our climbing shoes - for TWO hours.
- You might be able to do a partial walk off and try to locate the lower ledge system where "Pincushion" tops out. If you can locate the Pincushion anchor then rappel (we may try to make this connection on another day - if possible, it would be much easier.)
- As mentioned, you have to climb "CU on Top" to get to "Pussy Nuts." The information about "CU on Top" is vague and some of it incorrect in the current guidebook resources. For example, both MP and Handren say "CU on Top" is 100 feet. This is IMPOSSIBLE! "CU on Top" is about 545 feet total, 380 feet of it you need to climb to get to "Pussy Nuts." (We count the first 60 foot almost free-solo 5.2 to get to the "second pine tree" as a pitch -- you can't ignore this stuff!). Pitch 2 was 100 feet (which other resources call P1). Our pitch three was 175 feet. (See photos).
- "CU on Top" has another final pitch to get to the very top of the formation. You need to climb the next 30-40 feet of "CU on Top" as part of "Pussy Nuts."
- BTW, there is one section of "CU on Top" (our P2) that was harder than 5.5.
- AND - we brought a # 5 and used it in the crux of this climb. Rick didn't want to lug it up, since the book said pro to 4 inches, but I insisted. He was glad he had it!
- "CU on Top" has another final pitch to get to the very top of the formation. You need to climb the next 30-40 feet of "CU on Top" as part of "Pussy Nuts."
- "Pussy Nuts" follows a crack up a well featured, low-angle dark petina wall. The crux is going between two roofs. The rock is surprisingly solid for all of the climb (including the "CU on Top" sections) except through this roofy section. The crumbly rock and presence of moss combined with some heady moves makes this a solid crux. Fortunately it is protectable (although where to place pro may not be immediately obvious).
- "Pussy Nuts" will take 100% of a 70 m rope if you do it in one pitch from the ledge where the 5th class terrain begins.
- Bring extra long slings because you end up zig-zagging.
We are calling this 60 foot 5.2 basically free-solo section (you can place a piece or two) pitch 1. Most guidebook resources and MP refer to the "second pine tree" (the one you see in this photo) as the starting place for "CU on Top" but we feel this section cannot be ignored.
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A well protectable pitch. Guidebooks/MP say to bring pro to 4". We brough a #5 and Rick was glad he had it on the crux (which was harder than a 5.5).
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A very easy pitch, sometimes with sparse protection until you get to the crack/lip of rock on the right side. At the top of this pitch is a very large ledge where you need to bushwhack/scramble to the base of the next headwall where the final pitch of "CU on Top" and "Pussy Nuts" begin.
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Video of the bushwhack to get to Pussy Nuts after topping out on our P3 of "CU on Top." (WARNING: FOUL MOUTH!)
Rick at the crux of "Pussy Nuts."
VIDEO: At the top of "Pussy Nuts."
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Summit selfie - before we realized we had to walk-off...
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The Walk-Off
The walk off was strenuous with a fair amount of pokey shrubs and steep terrain to contend with. It would have been a lovely, immersed in nature, 2 hours had we planned for it - like had real hiking shoes and extra food (again we expected to rappel).
There was one section where we did rappel by wrapping our rope around a large pine tree (there is no tat). The other option was a significant 5th class down-climb with a questionable rope - no way we were doing that (see photo).
The walk-off ends up dumping you pretty far upstream in the creekbed.
One of many booty-scootin' sections of the walk-off.
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Stef is at the very top starting to rappel. This is where we wrapped the rope around the large pine tree. The other option is to down-climb all of this with the assistance of a questionable rope.
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Lots of steep sections to navigate in the walk-off. We never even bothered removing our helmets.
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