Disappearing Dome pics

[Stephen M]

On Dan Merrick's photo above one can vaguely see another route that John Stoddard and I did. It was right of Memphis Blues. Starting from the Sword of Damocles and passing 3(?) bolts one comes to the main feature/open book on the face. We followed the main line of weakness to the top. We did it bottom up in one day. Maybe 5 pitches or so. I used a bosch to drill at least one of the bolts. Someone else later reported a route that sounded like it followed most of the upper pitches of what we did. There was a flake on the route maybe 20' long side to side, by 2' thick by 2-4' high. John thought it was ready to cut loose and had me lean into the rock as much as I could while he climbed past it, so I wouldn't die. We named the climb "Knockin on Heaven's Door"  because of the flake and to have a second Bob Dylan reference. I followed his pitch and thought the flake was solid. There was no way to avoid climbing over it. I don't know that we ever drew a topo and I did not submit it to the American Alpine Journal or otherwise report it except maybe in an email to either Jerry Anderson or Nate D?

Stephen McCabe

[NateD]

Thanks for posting up Stephen! No, I had no idea you did another route to the top out there. It makes perfect sense, as that is the obvious weakness up the dome. Although never formally reported, there were some guides in the region in the 90s who reported climbing that center open book, no bolts placed, and didn't know if it had been climbed before. The called it Peregrine Song, 5.10. It sounds like you connected with the book higher up then they likely did, crossing the face to access it. Did you traverse into it on a dike system? Rating? Date of ascent?

[susan]

Another for the record. Will have to take a closer look in that area. Scarey rock good to note. I love the Dylan references btw.

Do you recall, how was Sword of Damocles to climb? Some bits looked fragile to me from the ground. We couldn't spot an anchor there and  how to get down.

[Stephen M]

Nate,

 For a while after 1980 my notes get pretty sparse. Knockin on Heaven's Door 5.10 must have been 1981-1986. I don't think we made a topo I think we went off the top or near the top of Sword of Damocles and followed a dike up and right past three bolts and joined the dihedral fairly low down.

[Stephen M]

The Sword of Damocles L and right were John and Mary Ellen's routes. Maybe they rapped from slings on the top flakes? John and I may have climbed most or all of the left side and then headed up (left or right?) and then followed a dike or feature up and right placing 3 bolts. Maybe we removed old slings as we were heading to the top of the dome and didn't need to rap? I do think that parts of the Sword may be fragile. Sorry my memory of some of this is pretty fuzzy, where  for other routes, I remember very well.

Stephen McCabe

[Jerry]

Hi Steve- You didn't send me a topo of "Knockin' on Heavens Door" but after climbing on Disappearing so often I think I know where it goes. Are you aware of anymore routes on the dome? So many possibilities but no records and no one wants to tromp on something that was done in bold style years ago. Some of that on Grey Eagle on no need to take it elsewhere.

[Stephen M]

Hi Jerry, I thought I had lost the topos. I found both copies. I hope this helps. This may be the first time we have shared them with anyone? Above is John Stoddard's partial topo.


And there is my topo. We usually only did one topo and I'm surprised how much the two versions differ. Memphis Blues was many years earlier, but I can remember it far better. I climbed Knockin on Heaven's Door around the time I was sleep deprived from having a 2 year old at home who slept erratically. That may explain my poor memory. I led part or all of the second pitch. The dike at the lip of the roof was a cool feature. John led the fourth pitch. And maybe the 6th because I can't recall placing the bolts. We did the route in one day. All bolts were placed on stance, on lead. At least some and maybe most were placed with a bosch drill. If they were 1/4", they were hand drilled. It may be that there was at least one difficult stance on the 2nd pitch and I decided to hand drill instead. Near dusk as we were finishing retrieving our gear, bats came out of one of the flakes near where we climbed the first pitch. I can't imagine anyone starting that late, but boy would they be surprised! Has anyone repeated it?

Stephen McCabe

[John]

So cool that you found these. Thanks for sharing them.

[Stephen M]

My topo again. I may have messed with the photobucket link in the previous post. Still learning.

[mungeclimber]

liking the topos!

[susan]

Me too... liking the topos.

Looks like a quality route except for the big block but you mention it was solid, actually... i know, 30 years ago... Definitely sounds heads-up.

[NateD]

Thanks again for taking the time to share these topos and pics, Stephen!

[Stephen M]

This is the start of the first pitch on the first ascent of Memphis Blues.



A little higher on the pitch. Gerri belaying.

[John]

Sweet shots Stephen. Thanks for the share. Keep em coming.

The "Dead Tree" is still there in the first one! It has since fell down due to it deadness.

[susan]

Very cool to see those photos Stephen. Curious who took em. Were the 3 of you in the photo all on the FA? Looks just the same to me minus the tree.  Would also like to see more!