The Weekend of Balls

[Aaron McDonald]

Spent the weekend at Bowler Camp.  Beasore is open from Bass Lake to Minarets.  Spent quite a bit of time on Boulder Garden Slab, tons of easy climbing. We even jumped on the Rockcraft bolt ladder did several laps just for fun.

We also found our way to the Book of Revalation and attempted Niki's Nimbility. Made it up the first pitch but could hear my partners' dog howling from the truck below and had to bail.  I cannot wait to get back. Tons of trad lines all over the southern face that need to be explored.

The Spencer book takes some serious study to figure out approaches and scale but I am beginning to really appreciate the vagueness of topos.  It really forces one to study the line and moves prior to getting off the ground and really keeps the adventure level at a maximum.  Maybe more guide books should follow this style.

I could spend several months just at The Balls.  Will post some pictures soon.

[John]

Sounds awesome, Aaron. I bet you guys saw the fire from your vantage point too.

I am really glad to hear that you also appreciate a simple guidebook format such as the Spencer guide. Sometimes it is frustrating not having certain key pieces of info such as gear size, but i agree that it forces you to focus more and have to "get into the FA'ists head" to figure out where to go and why. Some guidebooks make you feel like you already climbed the route after reading their description.

Looking forward to the photos!

[susan]

Nice - TFPU - Looking forward to your photos!

How was the smoke out your way? For us, gone were the usual crystal clear blue skies. Friday night, though, the sky was the clearest I can remember - felt fortunate to have caught great views of the Milky Way probably not long before sun-up.

True that about guides and a sense of adventure. Nice to get the basics for safe keeping if possible, yet not so much in the way of spoils of beta. I really appreciate how many areas are included in the Spencer guide considering how much narrower the avenue for sharing what little information was available at the time.

[NateD]

The Spencer book takes some serious study to figure out approaches and scale but I am beginning to really appreciate the vagueness of topos.  It really forces one to study the line and moves prior to getting off the ground and really keeps the adventure level at a maximum.  Maybe more guide books should follow this style.

Makes me reconsider posting a somewhat crude photo topo of known and partially known routes on Book or Revelation, started by Dan, with some new additions I've added. I often agree that too much information squelches the adventure. I remember when I first bought the Spencer guide in the early 90s, I was puzzled by some routes on the topos that showed no bolts, showed no cracks, and of course mentioned nothing about gear, AND had no R or X rating. Some of these protect just fine using all kinds of face features and such. Others are true X routes, and you really don't know until you get to the base of the cliff or actually start climbing and observe first hand. OR, if you know something about the FAists and their other routes, it may provide a clue as to what you are up against.

I too look forward to a few pics! The Balls are great fun!

[susan]

Off the top of my head add to the list Wither's 2nd pitch on Minerva as far as what some might call R but I might call X rated runout, even if it is over 5.7 terrain, and Queen's Throne Easy Does It (hope I've got the name correct) for its upper pitches again are run though mellow terrain.

[daniel banquo merrick]

I love Book of Revelation. Pretty much 5 fun where ever you go and very few bolts. I've only seen one bolt on the main face - it's a stupid bolt and should be removed. Two basic approaches but it's hard to tell which is better. Go up the gully from the Jackass Lake trail (turn off marked with cairn) or bushwhack up from the east side of the the trail head crags.

[Aaron McDonald]

Nice - TFPU - Looking forward to your photos!

How was the smoke out your way? For us, gone were the usual crystal clear blue skies. Friday night, though, the sky was the clearest I can remember - felt fortunate to have caught great views of the Milky Way probably not long before sun-up.

We noticed the smoke on Saturday from the book of revelation but didn't think much of it because it look like a small area.  Early Sunday morning I woke up and smelled smoke and double checked that our camp fire was out.  Sunday morning I thought I smelled rubber burning when we got to the Boulder Garden, then it really started to get hazy and the smell was really strong.  It was hard to tell what direction it was coming from. We left by 12:30 and made it to the Mile High Curve and realized that you could not even see The Balls due to all of the smoke.  Did not look good.

[susan]

Book of Rev sounds great - a must add to the ever increasing list, and to be bumped-up in the queue.  There are some very fun steep and sporty clip-up routes out there too as mentioned earlier in the pictures of the Balls thread  for the JLT area, high on the right shoulder.  The area I'm thinking of is shown in the photo of Nate that Munge posted for him.

That's too bad about how severe the smoke was Aaron. I didn't really notice any helicopters working on it til afternoon when the smoked seemed to be getting the darkest. Am appreciative though surprised that two lone helicopters did the trick. (edit... Two copters and sizeable ground crew as the news article Jerry posted indicates...)

[Aaron McDonald]

Approach to The BoR

Bush whacking anyone?

Niki's Nimbility 1st pitch

The first sign of smoke we saw from BoR

Bummer we had to bail




Boulder Garden






BoR

Rockcraft aid practice, bolt ladder

[susan]

Nice! I am fighting the urge to say, "looks like a ball"... but just lost. Really looks like great fun! Great views!

[mungeclimber]

those pics are tiny! 

I can't tell if I have to hike uphill, in the snow, both directions.

[Aaron McDonald]

and You told me size doesn't matter!

[Aaron McDonald]

There I modified the size. Just for Munge. 

[mungeclimber]

noyce!

[larsj]

Nice brushwack to the base of Book Of Revelations.  Rainer Lambretch and I did a route in '9.6.'92 that follows a line through the big roof that caps the wall. Five pitches the last being 5.7.  Not sure if this was a Spencer route or a FA.  I guess it really doesn't matter much.  It's all an adventure out there.

lars