2013 Shuteye Ridge Guidebook - Additions, Corrections and Comments

[John]

DaveyTree-

Obviously there is a lot of water under this bridge I am not aware of and don't really care to. As an outsider in whatever it is, I have nothing bad to say about the book. It directs me to where all the climbs are and where they aren't(even better). It is quick to look up specific ratings in each area and overall is just plain cool to look through. I am France in this war...............hahaha

I don't want to dogpile, but I believe that those that put up routes can't take the stance of, "I just want to climb and stay away from the drama". If you permanently alter the rock with bolts you need to be aware of the local discussions, both good and bad, past and present, unless you are comfortable with being thought of as more like North Korea than France.

EDIT:
BTW, I hope this didn't sound harsh, I just want everyone to be involved in the conversations about the area...said with a dash of my sick humor.

[susan]

I'm not aware of personal relationship drama there. If all climbers on the ridge got together for a party, so long as we didn't talk about climbing, we might find ourselves laughing with each other and having fun.  If we started talking about climbing and what we think is cool and not cool, what we value most and least, and what that means for the ridge and climbers there, some drama could ensue. So far, the area is big, and climbers don't end up running into each other much, yet. It's almost always been pleasant if not very enjoyable when we've run into anyone. So I wonder why it seems there's personal relationship drama to you. Who are you talking to and what are they saying? Or do you tell them the same thing that you don't care to hear it? I respect the idea that you are keeping an open mind. For instance, I try to do that. I tried to do that about someone in particular out there whose reputation preceded them. And still I try to give the benefit of the doubt. 

Edit: removed any specific name...

 

[DaveyTree]

Point taken John. I have lived in Fresno my entire life and have always known the local style as bolt only when realllllly needed and never by any natural possibility for pro. I always figured if I stay in those lines there would be no issues. And I really don't talk to many people about climbing outside the 5-6 people I climb with and the topic is always about new rock, cool routes or stories of old. I see your point though about knowing the local discussion. I have always lived here so I figured I knew.

Susan, It is just a feeling I got from some of the posts that there was an obvious history between some of the people on here and Graham. If I am wrong then my bad for sure. I like Graham and have always got along with him in 4-5 times I have actually climbed with him. I don't know you guys....yet, but I imagine I would also enjoy hanging and climbing with you as well.

In the end, to me it is only about climbing and really don't want to know about drama if there is any or not. I climb 8 months of the year and hunt the other 4. I love the adventure and eventually hope to climb with everyone on here at some point.... ;-) .

[susan]

I hear ya DaveyTree... And it'd be great to meet you!

[NateD]

If you permanently alter the rock with bolts you need to be aware of the local discussions, both good and bad, past and present, unless you are comfortable with being thought of as more like North Korea than France.

While I agree with this, certainly the vast majority of climbers who passed thru SoYo over the years and authored routes were essentially explorers who seldom crossed paths with other climbers - for who was there to cross paths with anyway in quite SoYo? So there was little to no climbing community with whom to discuss local ethics, as you know. That said, they almost all brought with them the ethical underpinnings and stylistic preferences of the areas they frequented. That dynamic (or lack thereof) has certainly changed in recent years, and not without some growing pains. There is still a lot of adventure and a sense of freedom in the region, but I agree it's important to try and not step on others toes in the process.

[Dave]

Anyone else done 'Naval Eagle' on Lost Eagle? Based on the difficulty of its next door neighbor 'Tales From The Wadi' (.10a), how is this route 5.7?? Led this route twice, thinking I was baffled by the crux move out of the 'mini pod" and still felt it was much harder than 'Tales'. Crux move (a balancey left footed high step onto a crystal while flagging the left hand out wide) was  checking in at  .10b/c . Shared thoughts?

[NateD]

I've not been back yet, Dave.
Is there really a difference between 5.7 and 5.10 slab though? 

[John]

I can't find a partner that will go past those darned pools!

Sandbags are all part of the fun. Besides, rating a climb is more like a process and requires some time and traffic to "settle".

[Dave]

Nater-
I thought that was a standard upheld by rats from places like Planet Granite. If so, Funnel Runnel just made the ranks of 'Hall Of Mirrors'.

John -

Haha! So true. I couldn't even get my son past them a few months back. Had to bribe him with a trip to town. That's a good sized sandbag! But what's the sense to share that kind of info when folks truly believe they're roping up for a 5.7. I understand the inner circle sandbag but to the innocent and inknowing? Asked Tiki if he'd give it a whirl but he didn't get the chance to give it a go.

[John]

I understand that Book of Spring Pages on Gray Eagle now has a P1 bolted anchor replacing the enchanted hex anchor.

The piton anchor on Skywalk on Minerva has been updated to bolts with rings.

[crazymountaingoat]

I did Naval Eagle with my friend Justin Brown last season. I would have to try it again for a grade. I don't remember it being that hard.
That first bolt in the belly button was Justin's first hand drilled bolt. He spent at least an hour in that hole. Good times. Glad someone liked it.
I think I remember John mentioning that he may have soloed it before we put the bolts in.

ps
Posting up on some new stuff at dreamtime wall shortly.

[John]

Munge has photos of this FA if I remember right, but....

I solo'd the first part of your line and I think I cut out left before the bolt/bulge so it's really all yours.

[John]

Sue and I put two more pitches on Cowboy Cracks on Minerva and cleaned out our fixed cam anchor on P1.

P2 goes straight up from the top of the P1 belay crack and traverses out right at a bolt. Head up and left into a crack and belay on gear. 5.6 ~150'. P3 heads straight up past three bolts on completely blank slab, belay at summit or at a nook about 40' below. 5.7~150'. Rap Of Wisdom and War with two ropes.

I found the fixed pin on P1 to be questionable but there is good enough gear to keep you safe but I left it for psychological pro.

[splitclimber]

Midway Dome - Rite of Passage (and possibly the 3 other climbs that share a common anchor)  is not 30m.  Pretty obvious from the start that it was longer.  It is an easy walk off around the left side of the jumble of boulders.  Maybe you can lower straight down to the start of digeridude with a 60m rope but we didn't want to risk it.  Fun and varied climb.

Crocodile Dome - Italian Job - Is this really only 25m?  It looked way longer from the bottom.  Didn't confirm the length as we only had one rope and the walk off, if there is one, didn't look obvious.

[Climberdude]

Since Grahm is not posting additions reported to him.  I thought I would report an addition here.

On April 10, 2015 I led and bolted the first two pitches of the climb "Three Knobs" (5.5-5.6) with Steve Leahy and Stacie Smith.  This climb is on Playground Wall on Chiquito Dome.  The climb is between "Black & Blue Planet" and "Walk The Line".  This is entirely bolt protected.  On May 2 I completed the third pitch rope solo.  Although the climb has glue-in wave bolts, it was bolted ground up using removable bolts which were later pulled and replaced with the glue-in bolts.  There are rappel rings at each pitch, but two ropes are needed to rappel the first pitch.  The variable rating depends upon exactly where you pull over the overlap.