An Herbst And A Half | chossclimbers.com

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Saturday

Shirley topping out on pitch 2 of Burlesque (Jan. 2012).

After a series of gym wanking weekends, Shirley & I headed to Red Rocks for a quick reality check session on a couple of short but very Herbst routes. On Saturday morning (following our long standing tradition of only hitting up stuff in Icebox Canyon in the dead of winter), we headed for the Frigid Air Buttress and the tiny 1970’s gem called Burlesque (courtesy of Joe Herbst and friends). Been meaning to check this one out since taking a looksee at it 5 or 6 or was it 7 years ago while coming off the Frigid Air Buttress route. A pitch of 5.6 bushwhacking and a nice pitch of 5.8 corner crack climbing put us at the base of the money pitch: a pretty looking off-width crack stretching upwards for 50 feet and ultimately disappearing in a dark chimney formed by a huge flake. One #6 C4 went in for the anchor & one came with me for the wide. The OW was slick and pretty true to the name. I placed my #5 Friend fully tipped out and heard it fall down and out as soon as I moved past it. My joy ended once I got up into the chimney and looked up. What you miss out on when looking up from the belay is the fact that the flake-side wall has an inverted step-constriction. Not clear what I mean? Just go see for yourself. Fat man’s misery. I sucked in here, tightened there, cursed a bit, cried much and ultimately could not get through. Came down and we bailed. Do not get excited here at the prospect of booty-ing my #6 C4…it ain’t there.

Sunday

Leading the money pitch (#2) of Black Widow Hollow (5.9). Mostly good pro with some loose/hollow sounding rock (Jan. 2012).

Sunday saw us waking up late (again) and doing the quick hike into Pine Creek Canyon where another Herbst wide horror show beckoned to us. Shirley led the first pitch of Black Widow Hollow and I did the 2nd. After the Burlesque struggle the day before we did not really encounter any true squeeze chimney sections here. We did hit some slightly loose & quite hollow sounding rock in places (pitch 2). The rope drag became horrendous about 160’ up pitch 2 and so I belayed at a stance below the huge ledge. Funny how even what is advertised as a “hand crack” pitch 3 (our #4) had a wide slot on it which Shirley did not care for & so I had the pleasure. We finished the route, rapped Cat In The Hat and were home later that night with a few bruises in some astonishing places and bit of skin missing.

Photos

Burlesque

Gearing up for Burlesque in Icebox Canyon (Jan. 2012).

Shirley topping out on pitch 1 (our pitch 2) of Burlesque (Jan. 2012).

Starting up the nice pitch 2 of Burlesque - up the dihedral and then a leftward traverse on a sloping ledge (Jan. 2012).

Leading pitch 2 of Burlesque belayed by Shirley (Jan. 2012).

Shirley topping out on pitch 2 of Burlesque (Jan. 2012).

Leading the money pitch (#3) of Burlesque - a 5.9 OW to a sqeeeeeze chimney. The tipped out #5 Friend fell out after I climbed past it (Jan. 2012).

Into the squeeze of pitch 3 of Burlesque. Could not force my way through & bailed from there. It's narrower than it looks from below...there's a surprise lip/constriction on the flake side that proved too tight for my petite frame (Jan. 2012).

Shirley hiking (bushwhacking) down from the base of Burlesque route on Frigid Air Buttress in Icebox Canyon (Jan. 2012).

Black Widow Hollow

Shirley leading pitch 1 of Black Widow Hollow on Mescalito (Jan. 2012).

Leading the money pitch (#2) of Black Widow Hollow (5.9). Mostly good pro with some loose/hollow sounding rock (Jan. 2012).

Leading pitch 2 of Black Widow Hollow belayed by Shirley. This is where you leave the funness of the chimney and venture out onto the face (Jan. 2012).

Shirley following the second pitch of Black Widow Hollow (Jan. 2012).

When the chimney constricts it naturally forces you onto the face on the left (Jan. 2012).

Shirley topping out on pitch 2 of Black Widow Hollow. We did not continue the pitch for the full 220' (bad rope drag) but stopped on a sloping ledge about 150' up (Jan. 2012).

Shirley leading pitch 3 of Black Widow Hollow - a tricky mantle & wide crack start (Jan. 2012).

Shirley (red jacket) leading our pitch 3 of Black Widow Hollow belayed by yours truly (green jacket; Jan. 2012).

Shirley starting the 3rd pitch (our 4th) of Black Widow Hollow...she did not like the wide slot section above & gave me the lead (Jan. 2012).

Leading pitch 3 (our #4) of Black Widow Hollow (Jan. 2012).

Pitch 3 of Black Widow Hollow (Jan. 2012).

View of Community Pillar on Magic Mountain from the top of Black Widow Hollow route on Mescalito (Jan. 2012).

Shirley topping out on Black Widow Hollow (Jan. 2012).

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