Sequoia National Park:  Chimney Rock, Crystal Wall   9/1-3/90

Lotsa rock, few climbers, big trees, traffic jams on 152:  as expected.
The drive is about the same as Tuolumne Meadows, if you don't get lost....
The turnoff to Chimney Rock/campground is between Big Meadow road and
Stony Creek, with the sign "National Forest Organization Camps: San Joaquin".
Nice campspots, few people, 10 minutes to Crystal Wall (slab), 20 minutes to
Chimney Spire/Chimney Rock.  On Saturday Nancy + I did the 5.7 *** and 5.8 ***
at Crystal Wall, with 3 high school beginning climbers.  Joel + Marc (Sheppard)
did Kitties from Hell 5.10d overhanging hand, Beckey Route/Chimney Spire 5.10b,
and tried Power Crystal 5.11c (off route?) and Plenty Good 5.11 (loose flake/
dangerous first clip).  Sunday, Nancy led Chief Cornerstone 5.10a, while the
boys flailed on Face Down and Spread 'em 5.12a blank dihedral.  Then I cleaned
a crack which widens from #1 Rock to hand in 40' on aid, and we TRed an arete
start which had some loose holds.  Later Joel and I cleaned it some more,
removing flakes inside to uncover fingerlocks, and TRed the direct start 5.11b/
c.  Too late to lead it, but we explored some more and found a nice corner.
Nancy left that afternoon after accompanying Marc and Maura to the Crystal Wall
.  Monday, Joel and I went back to the corner with many TCUS and small Friends,
but it was tips only (#3 Rock).  Nice line, though, 60' tips corner to ledge,
with one wall vertical and the other overhanging.  We needed more wires and #0
Metolius TCUs, plus it's probably 5.12.  Above, the corner goes another 40' but
the crack looks closed.  The arete is notched and may be feasible, but has a
lot of lichen.  A project for the future.  Later we went to Moro Rock and did
Aerial Boundaries 5.10b, supposedly ***, but had too many loose flakes and
lichen on the first pitch.  Upper easier and exposed pitches were nice.  Marc
and Maura climbed at Little Baldy which is not as low-angle as it appears on
the photo.