Saturday, September 14, 2013

Fish Rocks (aka: "The Pipeline" - Rock Climbing Part 2)

... end of summer with fall movin' in - definitely "climbing season", and - "Man! - you don't post no climbin'!!" - I'm told - here's a "start' to a few good areas up on 'Chestnut Ridge'...

...'Fish Rocks' for one...

... here's an old route map - "done up" probably 'round 2002' - never really named or "rated" much - just located 'em - quite a few more added since then... pick a number... or add one... the "dashed line" is the trail system...

... located high above the 'Dunbar Creek' valley.... you'll have to figure it out from here on your own... pretty cool area - lots of big sandstone blocks - steep slabs and face climbs with a few good cracks - maybe 40ft at the tallest - 

... slightly "younger day's" - not yet a serious 'muscle girl' as yet (still a 'mountain girl') - Sarah on the "Guppy Dihedral" (route #57 on the map)...

... here's rock climber Laura Hahn lookin' for some "gear placement" on the same route ("Prince of Darkness" lookin' on from below)...

... and subsequently beatin' up 'old fat guys'... that's what she does!...

... here's Tim Anderson on second ascent of 'Master Blaster' (#56) - FA Rob Goodman... TR climb at the time - guess it's been done on "gear" since then (I'm told)...

... that thing is pretty overhanging - as you can tell from the rope angle from this shot...

... here's a "flash back" shot (1986) -  the 'Sharks Fin' boulder - #1 thru #12 on the map - and the "Left Crack" (#4) - brilliant!... that small old tree up above got zapped by lightening long ago...

... the 'Sharks Fin' is a steep slab with two excellent crack climbs left and right as well as great, steep, thin and technical face climbs every five feet in between - that's it there - with Tim and Laura for scale...

... Hey! - here's the "best climber that never was" - 'Howie' - toppin' out on the 'Sharks Fin - Right Crack' - took this guy climbin' twice - other than a 5.8, never took him to nuthin' less than a 5.10 - no experience - no falls - a "natural born" climber - didn't like climbin', however - "too much standin' around in between the action" says he... bad ass on the 'golf course' and on MTB... as long as ya' keep him movin'...

... ("nice shirt") - 'BeerWolf'...

... here's 'buddy Matt' high on a steep face - somewhere up there...

... Sarah with 'Mountain Dog Ben' atop the "Guppy" (routes #55 thru #58 + #62) - strong and tireless - would chase mountain bikes for up to 15 miles (at least) - swam river rapids - and was just him - passed away in October, 2007 at 17 years age - what a great dog!!...

 ... quite a few good "gear climbs" up there - here's Rob Goodman...

... another - Laura "toppin' out"...

... here's a thin face climb - #41 (needs one bolt - hey! - who said that?!!) - other than a few bolted top-rope and rappel anchors, nuthin's been "rigged"...

... Tim puttin' up a recent new route...

... big, easy slab (#60 & #61)...

... this is back in the small "cove" - #25 thru #31...

... first ventured here in 1986 - they'd just timbered the whole mountainside - for quite a few years you would have thought that you were out west if you didn't know better - sweeping view with lots of clear sky - 'till the place "re-forested" itself...

... lots of fun...

... also - 'Black Bear' (and 'rattlesnake') country - here's some 'bear-claw' scratching...

... the whole way up this tree  - to top out on this boulder!...

... a workout just gettin' in to the place - climbs around 600ft in elevation up a steep hillside located in the 'State Gamelands' - this photo is from quite a few years back when they were doin' some pipeline maintenance...

... a "good place to go"...

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