From: billw@ace.mentorg.com (Bill Wright)
Subject: Trip Report: A Day in Eldorado
Originator: billw@ace
Date: Fri, 06 Nov 1992 01:05:51 GMT
Organization: Mentor Graphics 
Keywords: 
Followup-To: 


Here is another example of the benefits of rec.climbing.

A few months ago we had a massive flame war over the use of chalk.  Actually it
seemed like most everyone else vs. myself.  I don't want to get into that again
and definitely regret the way I handled things during steamy debate.  I wasn't
the only one to get emotional over that issue.  One person threatened me with
physical violence for the things I said.

Anyway that discussion really got heated when I attacked Ron Olsen for some of
his comments.  Things got ugly.  I then tried to keep a low profile for awhile
since I thought most people now thought I was an asshole.  Eventually, I had a
trip to Boulder scheduled and was looking for climbing partners for one day
while I was there.  I secretly hoped that Ron would respond but thought he only
had disdain for me now.  To his great credit, he responded to my note.  I
apologized for the manner in which I said some things and he graciously accepted
my offer to buy him a beer. 

We made plans to climb despite his injured finger.  George Scott and Wayne Trzyna 
also responded and we all made plans to meet in Eldorado Springs Canyon at the 
base of the ultra-classic Bastille Crack on Sunday morning, Oct. 11th.

Once everyone was assembled that morning we had to decide what to climb and how
to split up.  Ron took control here and assumed we would climb together.
Ideally we wanted to switch off partners, but this wasn't to work out due to our
choice of route and other commitments that George and Wayne had to attend to
later that day.  They ended up climbing the Rover dihedral and finishing up on
Ruper to the upper ramp before descending.

Ron and I decided to do a conglomeration of routes that he calls T1.9.  We did parts
of Touch and Go, Jules Verne, and T2.  Coincidentally avoiding the crux pitches
on all these routes.  Okay, it was no coincidence since I wouldn't stand a
chance on Jules Verne or T2.  Our plan was to do the first pitch of Touch and Go
and then traverse to the left and do the second and third pitches of Jules Verne
to the Upper Ramp and finally finish up on upper T2.  I was familiar with Touch
and Go from my Colorado days, but had never been on the other routes so this
plan suited me just fine.

Ron and I immediately hit it off.  We liked to do the same type of routes and
generally had the same philosophy on climbing despite our previous differences.
The weather was once again perfect (I am on one of the longest good weather
streaks!) and I climbed in shorts and a T-shirt.  When we got to the base of
Touch and Go it was later in the morning and of course there was a party gearing
up to do it.  They said they would be very fast and we were encouraged enough to
wait for the route as it is the only feasible (for us) way to get to Jules
Verne.  The two guys preparing to climb were heading for the very intimidating
Diving Board far above us so I assumed they would be very good.  The leader
flashed the first pitch easily enough, but the second couldn't remove one of the
pieces he had placed.  Later, cleaning this pitch, I didn't have much trouble in
extracting the nut.  Hey!  I think Ron still has that piece...

Ron wanted to lead the first pitch despite his finger troubles saying that he
had this pitch wired and could do it in his sleep.  Sure enough he coasted
through the pitch without showing the least signs of any trouble and was soon
at the belay.  When I started climbing in Colorado, Touch and Go had been a
nemesis of mine.  I had almost taken a grounder on it once.  Eventually I got
the first pitch down and then struggled with the second pitch.  Now it was nine
years since I had been on the climb but the memories came flooding back.  What a
wonderful time of exploration that was. 

I struggled up the initial pitch and joined Ron at the belay.  He gave me the
beta on this next pitch and made sure I stayed on route.  I ended up combining
the next two pitches and made the Upper Ramp in one very long pitch.  This pitch
was really great climbing.  the final section was liebacking up this one wide
crack.  Eldorado rock is so rich in features that it makes for very cerebral
climbing.

Once again Ron cruised up the pitch and I was beginning to wonder what this guy
climbs when he can use both hands.  Actually it worked out perfectly as we
seemed to be well matched ability-wise when he is handicapped with an injury.

We moved up the ramp to the base of upper T2 and Ron led an awkward, balancy
pitch up to a stance.  From here I led out on thin face holds, traversing to my
left to the classic finger crack that is the trademark pitch of T2.  The
climbing was really neat and protected very nicely.  Still, I moved slowly in
trying to decipher the 5.9 moves.  The belay was on a stance with some marginal
protection but there wasn't much chance of Ron falling.  After cleaning the
pitch Ron mentioned that his finger bothered him a bit here.  This isn't
surprising since it is a finger crack and there isn't an alternative way to
climb it.  Nevertheless he wanted the next lead.

Ron moved up the steep hand crack slightly left of me before reaching a ramp and
following it back to the right and setting up a belay at an uncomfortable
stance.  The next pitch proved to be the hardest one for both of us.  It
involves crossing the "rotten band" in the cliff.  Here the rock is broken, very
steep, and all the holds are pointed in the wrong direction.  The protection
leaves a bit to be desired also.  I finally figured out a way to stem across the
crux section but then found I couldn't pull over.  Ron is saying, "Alright, you
got it!" and I am saying, "Not yet!  I can't move over!"  A few anxious moments
later I pulled onto the ledge but I almost came off there.  Ron had a similar
experience following this section.

The rest of the climb was on moderate ground but with nice exposure and some
runouts.  Two pitches later we topped out.  We had climbed 8 pitches to the top
of Tower 2.  It wasn't a speed ascent, but we moved quite efficiently up the
face.  A very successful climb.  Of course, it helped that Ron had been up the
route before.  The descent was uneventful and we were soon back at our packs.

As we tried to recross the footbridge to our cars we were stopped by a park
ranger. "What is going on?" I ask.  "I can't say.  We have a situation and we
need you to follow the trail down this side of the river," he responded.  A
situation, I thought.  Not very descriptive.  My imagination was running wild
with possibilities: someone fell in the river and drowned; a group of nude
sunbathers wouldn't leave; there was a bomb on the bridge; etc.  It turns out
that a women's body was found in the river by some hikers.  The papers told us
the next day that it was some drug dealer that was killed in Five Points (a
vital economic center of the drug trade industry in Denver) the day before and
apparently brought up here for disposal.  Grizzly.  The authorities were
checking everyone's ID as they left the park and even asked what climbing route
I had been on.  He didn't let me escape without making a crack about me being
from California.  Is there an attitude problem towards Californians in Colorado?
I know this problem exists to some extent in the Northwest.

Anyway, Ron and I had a great time climbing together and I hope to climb with
him in the future.  Actually, I was out there interviewing for a job.  I ended
up getting the offer, but turning down the job to go into the oil business with
my brother.  So I will be leaving the net by the end of next week.  This will be
a big disappointment for me as I have really enjoyed being connected to the
people on rec.climbing and the various experts in the other newsgroups.  I hope
to set up a connection to Internet at my new company and if anyone has any ideas
on the easiest and most economical way to connect MSDOS/Windows machines to the
Internet Email and News service I would appreciate you contacting me.

Thanks.  I have really enjoyed it.  I hope to keep in touch with a number of you
and I hope to be back on the net soon.  As an emergency method we can use snail
mail.  I will continue to writeup my adventures and hopefully will be posting
again sometime soon.  I encourage people to keep in touch.

	Bill Wright
	6456 Oberlin Way
	San Jose, CA 95123
	(408) 227-5835



-- 
             Bill Wright / bill_wright@mentorg.com

                  "When in doubt, run it out!"
Newsgroups: rec.climbing