For the ClimbNet record: I drove up to Donner Summit last Friday, meeting Joe Schiefman, Phyllis Ponte, and Jack for a weekend of sport climbing. An added bonus was running into Joe's friend Steve Petro and his new girlfriend Lisa Gnade. We began Saturday by "warming up" on the Goldilocks Wall. Morning sun had turned this east facing wall into an efficient solar oven and I think everyone did some hanging as we tried to TR Gold Run (10d) and Goldilocks (10d). Everyone expect me (who had eaten musli) complained of stomach problems which were attributed to a grease laden breakfast at Jeanne's Kitchen. Having learned our lesson about direct sunlight in the morning, we went over to Snowshed. Joe led Peter Principle (11a) with a hang at the crux and I redpointed Aerial (11b) on my second try. Then everyone got to TR - I think only Joe and I got PP, and only Jack Aerial. Joe and Phyllis headed for Truckee to meet Steve and Lisa for dinner, but Jack and I still had some juice left so we hiked up to the Space Wall (behind the Peanut Gallery, 10 minute walk if you follow the trail). Jimmy Thornburgh had told me of new gear on Made in Japan (11a)- and how! - 9 bolts in 80 ft., mostly vertical face climbing on finger tip wide edges - very nice. I flashed it and Jack followed free as well. Jack then led a new 5 bolt 10d to its right with several hangs and I followed free. We got to the restaurant in Truckee just as Steve, Joe, et al. were getting ready to order - perfect timing! Sunday we hiked up to Star Walls to check out sport routes right of the famous cracks. We gazed at Star Walls Crack (13a) and Puma (13b) from a distance and boggled. Jack opened the day by leading Ice Pirates (11b/c) which, as advertised, features 4 5.11 sections - an initial roof, a slab traverse, a headwall with pockets (maybe this counts as two sections?). He hung on the headwall but did all the moves. Meanwhile, I had managed to clip the first bolt of Diamonds in the Rough (12a) with the help of an in-situ cheater stick (I even found another one under a boulder). Phyllis and I tried to get the initial moves without success. On the Ice Pirates TR, only Phyllis got it free and she also got closest to the bolt on Diamonds..., wearing her tips to the quick. It was now mid-afternoon and Steve and Lisa appeared on the trail, cooling down with a beer after disposing of Death tongue (12d?) on Snowshed. Their report of gale force winds there vetoed Joe's plan to pump out on cracks there, and I had mentioned Space Wall and my desire to *look at* Neanderthal Dudes (11d, gulp) which somehow was translated into my desire to lead! it and there we were. Fortunately, someone was on the route when we arrived - hanging on the second to last bolt, in fact. As the guy struggled to the last bolt Steve said, "he'll be hanging in 10 seconds" and started to slowly count down. Sure enough, when Steve reached one, the guy shouted "take" and slumped on the rope! Lisa then added, "and what's more amazing is that he makes it happen." Temporarily relieved of my grim fate, I slunk to the right side of the cliff (where I could not see ND) and redpointed the 10d I'd TR'd with Jack the previous day. As I lowered I heard the shouts from Steve et al. that ND was now free. Joe TR'd free, we coiled the ropes, and slowly walked over. 80' of vertical to overhanging thin face - now Steve confesses to being scared of ledging out clipping the 2nd bolt and to taking whippers onto the last one! I felt like a Christian being thrown to the lions as I clipped the first bolt with a locking biner from last week's booty score and cast off into the unknown. Steve, Lisa, Phyllis, and Jack watching from a convenient rock balcony, Joe belaying. I crimped hard and clipped the second, up more steep edges, the third, my memories grows dim, just gazing up at edges and flakes and one more Metolious hanger and feeling the skin slowly wear off my finger tips... I think I got 7 bolts (of 9) before hanging so I didn't embarassed myself although I disappointed the crowd by not taking any big dives. Most of the climb is sustained 5.10 like Made in Japan; there's a 5.11 move at the second to last bolt which I got (off a hang) with a crowd pleasing lunge and some 5.11 slab moves off the last (eye) bolt which I never did get. So I felt pretty good as I spun in space, unclipping my draws as Joe lowered me. The crowd dispersed, Joe had been freezing at the belay and left to seek the sun, so I coiled my ropes alone and slowly walked to the car in the soft evening light, my hands cramping into useless claws. Joel