... Seneca Rocks! (literally) - photo from the early 80's - shows the 'Gendarme' formation in the 'Gunsight Notch' (center) - is the small pinnacle - fell down some time in the late '80's after who knows how many eons - I'll bet someone knows now'days - bet he can accurately predict the weather, too ...
... here's a better photo ... us climbing ...
... next, scampered up the 'Gunsight to South Peak' and to the summit... had some other pics - however - "... I took those photos and they're mine!!!"
... "FU then! - Keep 'em!!" (sorry that you folks have to be a part of all this)...
... whew! - glad that's over with!! - anyway, that's the 'South Peak' and the summit - some climbers on top - think that this is the only "peak" east of the Mississippi that requires 'Fifth Class' climbing to ascend - may be wrong...
... climbers on the summit - that's Rob Goodman coiling the rope - not very wide up there - 'BRILLIANT!'....
... that's looking down from the summit into town - the circular structure in the bottom right of the photo is the old 'Visitors Center' - it got wiped out in a major flood sometime in the '80's ...
... as did the old 'Yokums Campground' - here's a view from there, looking at the 'rocks'...
... ya' could camp right along the 'North Fork River' - anywhere further south along 'Roy Gap Road' as well - all party area's 'ta boot - lots of fun...
... some climbing routes...
... Goodman on 'Banana' - got tired of waiting on some climbers ahead forever fumbling on 'Green Wall' this day - old EB's afoot...
... eventually got our turn - Goodman high up - great route!! -
... Goodman again, 'Finger Stinger', later found out it was R/X rated - lousy pro resulting in some prior ground falls and broken limbs we were told - maybe not - Rob cruised it at the time - pro did look a little sketchy for being 'run out', though, I though at the time...
... 'Lichen or Leave It' - got to the top of this thing this day and am rigging a belay from the tree - late fall season - I hear all this yelling/commotion to my left - Rob hollering from below "What the f*ks goin' on up there?!! - a small girl, maybe ten years old, comes sliding out of control down this narrow leaf-covered notch from the 'North Peak' - she stops inches from hurtling a hundred feet off the edge of the 'cliff' to certain death, dislodging a bowling ball size rock in the process - it's hurtling straight for Rob! - I holler "ROCK!" and am watching from above - Rob tries to run but forgot he was anchored to a tree - he's stopped dead and yanked in reverse - the rock would have hit him point blank if not - next, the girls dad come strolling nonchalantly from the notch - "Hey, how you guy's doin?" he says - HA!...
... here's a shot of the 'East Face' - the rocks are oriented directly north-south, more or less...
... lookin' up - think this is officially called the 'Ecstasy Buttress' (maybe not) down at the south end of the rocks...
... workin' my way up the 'Ecstasy Buttress' on the 'Ecstasy' route to the first belay -
... same roue, Rob beginning 'Pitch 2'...
... and looking down from the final belay...
... another time, workin' toward the first belay on 'Soler'...
... and Goodman headin' off on 'Pitch 2' of the same...
... there's a lower cliffband located below the main rocks - the 'Lower Slabs' - looked like rain this day, so we headed there - non-committing - this is 'Discrepancy' - not bad - never really did much climbing down there, but a pretty nice area...
... same route, Goodman seconding - looks like he's havin' fun...
... have no recollection what route this is...
... personally have (repeat) climbed sixty routes down there - wouldn't want to even attempt a new route - you would be held up to more scrutiny than if you wanted to add a new verse to the 'Bible' - would want no part of that hassle - too old now, anyway (thank goodness)... thought for a second about any of those we'd recommend, however... all of 'em!...
... was climbing 'Le Gourmet' along with a very young 'buddy Matt' belaying (his first route down there) - forget I'm with a ten year old - very easy climb, so I run across the long ledge instead of bringing him up the (maybe) first twenty feet and continue up the inside corner - near the top of the corner I notice he's played out a ton of rope, so ask for a little tension - he obliges - "clang - ping - clang" - look down - every piece of pro (hexes and maybe a stopper) are zippered and laying in a pile on the lower ledge, attached to the rope - no big deal and all my fault - was just ready to clip an old, rusted 'fixed pin', anyway - but glad I wasn't on something "gripping"...
... seconded 'Mad Men Only' once (personally considered the hardest route I ever did there) - followed the lead of a friend's from Maryland then eighteen-year old son - he ran up that thing - the kid went on to do a lot of mountaineering in Alaska - retired not too long ago a decorated 'US Navy SEAL' - not bad!...
... thanks again for the desert combat boots, my friend...
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