Friday we got up late and got to the Needles parking area
late, about 9:30. The hike in takes about an hour. John and Jack
went off to do "Igor Unchained" ( rated 5.9...Herb sez "it really is
5.9, but it'll feel like 5.11"). Heather and I, feeling less
ambitious, decide to go for the long and easy "Black Magic" (5.7-8).
There's not a lot to describe on this climb. It ascends the lower
shoulder of the Magician Needle (the formation with the lookout tower
on it). The four lower pitches angle up a series of dihedrals to the
crest of the dome. From there the route follows easy friction and
cracks to the top. The weirdest part was literally wondering around
on the face for two pitches looking for any bolts at all. I missed
the only one on the first of those pitches. But I knew I was close to
some sort of belay because Heather called up "5 feet, Dave". The next
belay was easier...a very small tree and a couple of nuts. It was a
walkoff from there.
As we topped out on The Magician, we could see two souls
struggling with Igor Unchained. We met another party who looked over
and said, "Are those two still on that thing? They've been there all
day" Yep. Jack and John. They came back with tales of lowering to
retrieve gear from below to use up higher (because they didn't take
enough of the right sized pro) and generally difficult climbing.
All-in-all though, they had a fun time.
Back in camp that night, Herb's wife Eve had arrived, and so
had Brian Morris and Dustin, but Patrick had left (are you keeping
track of this?). Mexican food was great. I got into a conversation
with 16 year-old Dustin about his day. "Me and Kamps just did some
easy stuff, Lightning's Hand (Bob sez 10d) and some easier 10's". I
said, "You do realize you've spent the day roped in with a true legend
in climbing history." Dustin was aware of Bob Kamps reputation. He'd
read some articles about him. He replied, " Yeah, I liked climbing
with him. Most people think that because I'm just a kid I'll only
want to do 5.7. Kamps doesn't mind doing harder stuff though."
The next day I led the 'Anti-Jello Crack" ( 5.10+) a thin
finger-tips crack keeps you on the rock while your feet skate around
on the face. My feet went to sleep, so I'll never know how good they
were. By that time we were all burnt out. Heather and I watched John
and Jack psyche themselves up The Lightning's Hand, only to be
repelled below the third bolt. After that we all went to Peppermint
campground to soak our feet in the river before the long drive home.
All in all, it was a wonderful trip. John and I decided that
it would help to be climbing a lot stronger the next time we went to
the Needles. Before leaving we made one last stop at the Ponderosa
for ice cream. In walks Bob Kamps (returning from climbing Thin Ice
at the Needles, probably in record time). "What did you do today?",
he asked. "Led the Anti-Jello Crack", I replied. His eyes flashed
slightly bigger. "You led that? Boy that's hard". And that was the
high point of my trip.