Yosemite Valley, 10/23 - 10/24/99
Clint Cummins

"Those who love sausage and the law should never watch either being made"
attributed to Prince Otto Edward Leopold von Bismarck

The same applies to new routes, at least when Clint and I are working on them. It was back to the Spires gully for more work on new routes. First, we finished up Remain in Light by leading the second and fourth pitches. It took a little extra time to get the redpoint on p2 because on my first two attempts I pulled off sidecling flakes, launching myself into space onto the 3rd bolt. On my next try it went at basically the same grade on the remaining, much more solid, holds. The rest of the route is bomber, I promise.

It seems that Clint and I cannot get enough of that dark, featured, Braille Book buttress rock, and we immediately went to work on another masterpiece. We probably freaked out the parties on the Braille Book and the Higher Spire when Clint trundled a 25' dead tree from the top of the buttress. At least parties bivied at the base will now have lots of dry firewood, pre-chopped. Given my experience on Remain in Light, we tried to be extra-thorough in testing and removing loose flakes. With some consideration for the other climbers in the areas, we pitched off the larger pieces on Sunday, when the gully was less busy. Significant time was spent rapping and jugging on Clint's super ratty red 9 mil. At one point, when I fed the taped "core inspection point" through my rappel device, I suddenly dropped an inch or two as red fibers flaked off the line and blew away in the breeze. Later, Clint admitted that he was not entirely confident jugging on it and switched to his new 10 mil lead line. All the time, we had my nearly-new 9 mil in the car. With nearly 50 years of climbing experience between us we ought to know better.

Remain in Light, 5.11a (J. Ager and C. Cummins, 10/99)

Quickdraws, optional 1.5 and 2.5 friends for p1, p4, and p5.

  1. 5.7  The first pitch of the LH 5.7 variation start to Blind Man's Bluff, 75'
  2. 5.11a  Up the overhanging wall R of the Sequel chimney. 7 bolts, 70'
  3. 5.11a  Up more steep rock to a stance. 6 bolts, 60'. This pitch is more sustained than p2.
  4. 5.7   Up less steep rock to a ledge. 2 bolts, 90'.
  5. 5.4   Step left into a hand crack and climb it to the big ledge at the top of the Braille Book. An optional 6th pitch would climb the last, "5.4 madness," pitch of the Braille Book to the top of the buttress.

Fixed anchors at the top of the first four pitches. All pitch lengths approximate.