​QUOTE OF THE DAY

The tree is ON!
- Stef
Picture
Stef leading Pitch 2 of Snake Charmer. Getting past this tiny tree is the crux of the climb. It's harder than it looks from below... We like this climb though!

​DATE: August 23, 2019
​WALLS HIT: 2 (Reptile Rock & near The Fox)
NUMBER OF CLIMBS: 2 
NUMBER OF PITCHES: 3
​NUMBER OF FALLS: 0
NUMBER OF TAKES: Several (Stef on her lead of a scary, crumbly WTF climb... this hang-dogging was for pure safety.)
VERTICAL FEET CLIMBED TODAY: 280
TOTAL VERTICAL FEET ON THE TOUR SO FAR: 1,625
NUMBER OF CLIMBS REMAINING: 213
VERTICAL FEET REMAINING: ~48,460
DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED: 0
​DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TO DATE: 3

​START & END TIMES:
  • Arrived Parking Lot - 5:45 a.m.
  • Arrived at Reptile Rock wall - 6:00 a.m.
  • Reached the top of Snake Charmer - 8:00 a.m.
  • Snacked and refreshed in the shade and hiked to the climb called Lean and Languid on a formation to the right of The Fox. Arrived at 8:40 a.m.
  • Back at the car - 10:35 a.m., 93 degrees F.

The Routes


​Climb: Snake Charmer (Trad) (5.7)(2 pitches - 200')
Wall: Reptile Rock
Conclusion WTF? What the FOLIAGE!
  • This climb can only be found in Mountain Project (not in the Handren guidebook). 
  • A fun, worth-while climb with an easy approach that is close to the trail. There is the occasional hollow rock to avoid, but all-in-all the rock is decent all the way to the top. 
  • We didn't bother with what MP calls a "3rd class" approach as P1. We just walked around to the right and scrambled up to the base of the "dog leg" crack. There are bolted anchors at the top of this pitch.
  • The next pitch (our P2) is the "foliage pitch." There is a small oak tree in the crack. From the base of the pitch you look at the "tree" and laugh, thinking it's nothing. Honestly, getting around that thing is the crux of the entire climb - haha! (See photo above).
  • Continue to the face where there are three bolts (two with quick links in the way but still usable) and then you encounter a set of anchors (which I guess you can rappel from).
  • If you are walking off, skip these anchors and go to the bolted anchors at the top to belay from above. 
  • Since we were continuing up to do the next climb near The Fox, we didn't do the descent as described in MP. The way we went can also serve as a non-exposed walk-off for this climb. Enter into the crevice located at the back of the formation, working your way to the main gully to the right of the formation. At the end of the crevice, turn right and go down the gully. Forward across the gully takes you to our next climb. Left takes you up to The Fox. 
Picture
Stef at the base of the main crack on "Lean and Languid."

​Climb: Lean and Languid (Trad) (5.7) (1 pitch - 80 feet)
Conclusion WTF? YES, WHAT THE FUCK!
  • This climb can only be found in Mountain Project (not in the Handren guidebook). 
  • Rick and I both agree - don't even bother with this climb. It looks cool from a distance, but the rock is so shitty it's not fun - at all - especially for the leader. Even Rick as a second didn't like the climb.
    • As Stef was leading, rock was crumbling beneath her feet for most of the climb. She would try to grab or stand on good sized chunks of rock and they moved or easily popped free. Most of the hang-dogging she did on gear was to safely test places to stand or grab. 
  • If you go up the face by the crack, so many holds have broken off it is NOT a 5.7. If you go out onto the face on the far left side, you can preserve the 5.7 rating - but be warned, there are big, loose, pancake layers that move and can slough off from beneath your feet and severely injure or kill your belayer. In addition, because your pro is in the crack far to your right, you will also have a big ole' swing into the side wall if a chunk of rock breaks and you fall. Pick your poison. 
  • If you really must do this climb, we highly recommend bringing a #5. MP says up to #4. If you like 30 feet of run out, with a 60 foot fall that will result in decking, then don't bother with the #5. As it was it was, I was ~20 feet above my last piece of pro when I could place the #5. Then it's another (easy with slightly improved rock) 15' to where you can build an anchor. 
  • To sum it up: This climb sucks. 


​Summary

IN THE WORDS OF RICK......"NICE LEAD"

Nice lead can mean you lead the climb gracefully. But, it can also mean:
  • I'm glad I didn't lead that;
  • You got through a shit climb and didn't die.

In the case of Lean and Languid  - Rick told me "nice lead" and that he was glad he didn't lead that, and that I got through a shit climb and didn't fall, injure myself (or him), or die. So yes, I'll take that "nice lead!"
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