Netters Rendezvous at Seneca - trip report
si...@vms.cis.pitt.edu
our rec.climbing communications. -- It's long. I enjoyed being
there, and enjoyed the remeniscences as I wrote this. Hope you enjoy
reading it.
Phil
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TRIP REPORT: NETTERS RENDEZVOUS AT SENECA -- August 12-14, 1994
by Phil Sidel
It all started in early summer. Inez Drixelius, having seen some of my
postings about climbing at Seneca, emailed me looking for beta and
partners for her planned visit to West Virginia in August. What a
glorious opportunity! I was delighted at the prospect of meeting and
maybe climbing with Inez. I was also eager to enlist the participation
of other climbers -- more up to Inez's climbing level than myself -- to
ensure that she would have an enjoyable and challenging climbing
experience there. I talked it up with Greg Opland, Mark Kochte and
other netters with whom I had climbed, and the plan snowballed.
Everyone was enthusiastic. The date was set, travel plans were made,
camping arrangements were discussed -- the email bandwidth was well used.
THE CAST OF CLIMBERS --
Inez Drixelius -- Vivacious, auburn haired climber out of Berkeley.
Really loves climbing -- especially the tough climbs.
Inez spent some of her first years in this country
in West Virginia, and a visit with friends from that
time (Eddie & Dianne) was the occasion for this trip.
Greg Opland -- Big strong guy from Phoenix who accumulates frequent
flyer miles enroute to great climbing spots around
the country. Seneca is included (partly because
it is in driving distance from his friend Melissa's
home in Pittsburgh).
Dale Watring -- Dale works for NASA in Alabama. A just-recently-out-of-
the-gym climber, he remembered camping and fishing at
Seneca during his youth as a West By God Virginia
Hillbilly, and knew it would be a great place to get
into multi-pitch climbing. Inez recognized his surname
immediately; her former husband was from the West Virginia
Watrings, and it turns out that Dale and Inez' daughter
are not-very-distant cousins.
Mark Kochte -- Baltimore astronomer and sinewy Seneca veteran. Puts a
lot of fast miles driving to climbing areas in his brown
torpedo automobile. Keep tuned for "Indy" Mark's
colorful report of this trip.
Hubert Shen -- Out of Toronto, Hubert is currently based in Charlottes-
ville, VA. Hubert's Trooper Wagon is permanently loaded
with gear, and he is ready to climb at every time and
every place.
Mike Varlotta -- Out of Pittsburgh and recently returned from Costa Rica,
Mike was probably the Seneca hard man of this trip. He
is working on doing all the "starred" 5.8's and 5.9's
in the Guide and starting on the 5.10's and is within
a few trips of achieving his goal.
Phil Sidel -- Long on experience if short on high numbered climb
credits, your yellow-helmeted reporter has enjoyed
Seneca since the days when he cleaned pitons following
Jane Showacre up the outer corner (now fallen away) of
the old Thais column.
Chuck & Dennis -- Netter Chuck Wilde came in from Columbus with his partner
Dennis. They camped near our group Friday night and
got an early start Saturday morning. Unfortunately, I did
not get a chance to meet them.
Sharleen & Dave - Sharleen and Dave are friends of several of us. They were
down from Pittsburgh for the weekend and Mark Kochte
climbed with them on Sunday.
Hugh Shinn -- Hugh was feeling under the weather when it was time to
start the drive to Seneca Saturday morning, so he bagged
it. Fortunately, we just left him a note at the parking
lot and did not wait for him. When I called Sunday night,
he was working on a big construction project so I guess
he was feeling better. Sorry you missed a good trip, Hugh.
ACT I - EARLY ARRIVALS - FRIDAY OVERTURE
Inez, Greg, and Dale arrived early enough on Friday to meet, set up camp
at Seneca Shadows, scout the area and do a climb. They wisely chose
Ecstasy, a Seneca classic that is easy to get to, beautiful to climb,
and ends near an easy walk-down. I didn't get many details about the
climb, except that they enjoyed it, and Dale climbed very smoothly on
his first multi-pitch.
Chuck and Dennis also arrived on Friday, and (I believe) got some climbing
in on Friday.
Hubert and Mark drove in somewhat later Friday afternoon. They had less
time for climbing, but did get up the first pitch of Prune.
We eagerly await more detailed reports on Friday's climbs and the Friday
night carousing from our net friends who participated.
ACT II - SATURDAY MASS ASSEMBLY
We had planned to all meet in the parking lot between 9:30 and 10:00. Mike
and I started from the Highland Park section of Pittsburgh about 5:45 to
make it in that time frame. The conversation was so interesting on the way
that I was able to drive straight through without rest break or need to
switch drivers, and we arrived at 9:30 on the dot. Everyone was there already
except, Chuck and Dennis who had gone to the rocks earlier, and Hugh Shinn,
who had not yet arrived. We all introduced ourselves around. We even met
the non-climbers who had come in for the event, Greg's friend Melissa and two
friends who had come in to spend part of the day with her, and Inez' friends,
Eddie and Dianne who came over from Spencer W.Va. to join us for some of
the fun and to take some photos.
Two climbers from the Pitt Outdoors Club were also there. Gerry Myers was
there with his friend Kathy. Gerry had been to Seneca with me in mid-July,
and gotten in some multi-pitch experience and even started leading (he
led Isadora's Run - 5.3). Kathy is a beginner, just recovered from a broken
leg that she suffered a Krahlick's Rocks on her first rock-climbing outing.
Plucky girl.
After introductions came the more difficult task of organizing into climbing
parties. We all wanted to climb with everybody -- get to know all the
climbers. But we also wanted to move fast and do lots of good climbs, so
small parties of 2 or 3 were the way to go. It all worked out fairly quickly.
Sharleen and Dave had planned to climb together from the start, and they were
on the way before the rest of us started talking about it. Inez was eager to
do Triple S (5.8 - recommended to her by Tom Cecil and several other Seneca
locals); Greg had led Triple S on his last visit and was more than happy to go
up it again, and then to the 5.9 Marshall's Madness that goes up a few meters
to the left on the Face of a Thousand Pitons. Mark was ready for those two
climbs and eager to climb with Greg and Inez, so he made a third on that
party and off they went.
I mentioned that I was interested in leading some of Ecstasy (a 5.7 Seneca
classic) and Hubert said he would love to join me on that. Mike and Dale
were left, and they paired off to head for Tomato (5.8) and later some
climbs on the lower slabs. Gerry and Kathy indicated that they would follow
us and see what we were doing. I explained to them that we couldn't do this
one as a party of four, nor with anyone who didn't have some multi-pitch
experience. They understood that.
I grabbed my helmet, a rope, and my pack which I had set up on Thursday night.
Hubert selected some gear and slings from the back of his well-stocked Trooper.
Would we need a second rope, he asked. We might, I replied. After we finish
Ecstasy, we might climb something that ends at a long "grand rappel". Besides,
Hubert's second rope was a 9 mm -- much lighter than the second ropes I usually
carried. And we were off -- Hubert and I were the last team in our party
to leave the parking lot. Hugh Shinn had still not shown up, so I left notes
on both windshields of my car telling where we had gone. We were on our way
by 10:15, which is better than I usually do.
There was a bit of a wait at the base of Ecstasy. Another pair was just
up the first pitch when we arrived. They planned to do the first pitch, then
cut over to Ecstasy Junior. While waiting I unpacked my pack and got my gear
out. Damn! No water. I thought I had put a water bottle in the pack on
Thursday, but now I remembered that I had changed my mind so I could fill it
with fresh water before starting Saturday. And it was a hot, steamy day.
I asked Hubert if I could share some of his, and he said, "yes"; so I decided
to play camel as much as possible and avoid the trip back to the parking lot.
I really wanted to get started up the climb.
Another unpleasant surprise. I had way too many slings -- too much weight.
I almost always end up wishing I had more slings, so I had packed a ton of
them this time. Well, it was clear that there would be a big surplus this
trip.
We decided that Hubert would lead the first pitch, and I would lead the
second. I stacked the rope; Hubert put on his shoes and we were ready
to start. Hubert led nicely. I had just done this route a few weeks
earlier, but I was still uncertain where the first belay was to be. But
as Hubert got up there, it looked familiar, and I was able to tell him
for sure that was the spot. He put me on belay, and at 11:30 I was on
my way up. As I started, I checked down by Roy Gap road, but there was
no sign of Hugh, so I kept the second rope coiled in my pack.
The first pitch is fairly easy, and when I got to the belay ledge there
was plenty to clip into. We straightened our gear, I borrowed a few of
Hubert's cams, and I led off to the right. I was momentarily unsure if
we were on the right belay ledge. I remembered more of a ledge off to
the right, but when I got on it and looked down, I could tell I was in
exactly the right spot. I headed off to the right and then started
climbing up and right. It is not a difficult route, but there is some
uncertainty about just where it goes. There is chalk and there are
pitons, but the chalk seems to follow a variety of routes, and I only
found a couple of pitons (I'm sure that I missed some). From the
ground, earlier, I had seen people on the second belay stance but it was
around a corner and now I was just moving right and up and hoping I
would get to the right spot.
Finally, I rounded a corner and looked up and there it was -- a comfy
little niche with three - no four - pitons. I stuck in one of Hubert's
cams for good measure, got out my newly purchased too-short (John Long's
recommended 16 feet is not enough) cordelette, and with some additional
slings set up a belay. Climb on, Hubert!
Hubert followed over in good order, but not without some complaints and
disparagement about my canvas navy surplus pack and its weighty contents.
He arrived, clipped in, and we organized our gear again. "Well, Hubert,
the route goes a few meters further to the right, then straight up --
the end is up near that tree you can see from here. Do you want to
lead it or shall I?" The answer was immediate: "I'll lead it," said
Hubert. I suspect the prospect of another pitch carrying my pack would
have made him choose the lead even if it were runout all the way.
Setting up the belay was a little harder than on my previous trip up this
climb. The last time, I was able to sit comfortably braced in the little
niche. With my pack on my back that was impossible. Hubert climbed out
and up, and was soon finished. He brought me up the moderate, but slightly
bulging pitch. It had seemed pretty easy my first trip. With the pack
weighing me down, I felt lucky I didn't fall on the pitch. Quite a
difference.
The big ledge at the top of Ecstasy is really beautiful. Often there is
a nice breeze there (or even a stiff wind). On Saturday it was a nice
haven on a hot, steamy day, but we would have welcomed more breeze. We
ate some lunch, drank some of Hubert's water, and walked over to the
base of Face of a Thousand Pitons. (With my pack and in the heat, it
seemed more of a hike than a walk). On the way we passed Kathy who
was about to climb one of the west facing walls south of and below
Humphry's Head. Gerry was on top, belaying.
At the base of Triple-S our Netter friends were not there, but there was
a group of friends I knew from The Climbing Wall and The Explorers' Club
in Pittsburgh -- Amy and Neil and Vince and Beverly. We chatted with
them for a while, and shortly we heard the voice of Mark Kochte coming
from the North. Mark, Inez, and Greg had finished Triple-S, then done
Marshall's Madness and gone on all the way to the summit. (I never did
get a clear picture of their route, but it sounded like a great time --
I'm eagerly awaiting their write-ups.)
We chatted and ate some more lunch. Inez was kind enough to share some
of her water with me (she had carried up two containers of beverage -
one of water and one of a super good energy restorer -- way better than
gator aid). I no longer had to risk dehydration and heat stroke for my
foolish failure to check what was in my pack.
Now our friends were heading around to the East Side to do Soler and/or
Castor or Pollux. Hubert and I decided to join them. We walked
out luncheon ledge and scrambled around the rocks below Humphry's
Head to the beginning of Broadway Ledge on the east side. Then we
followed Broadway Ledge northward, up the chimneys to Soler, Conn's East,
Castor, Pollux, and Conn's East Direct.
One of the plans was to do one pitch on Conn's East Direct and then top
rope Pollux or Castor. However, there was a group at Conn's East Direct,
so they decided against that project. I thought it looked possible to
get to the belay station going up Conn's East, but Mark assured me that
would not work.
So Greg, Mark, and Inez decided on the classic Soler (5.7*), and started
out -- Greg leading the first pitch, and Inez leading the second. Hubert
and I decided to do the first pitch of Conn's East (5.5), and geared up
to go. Hubert would lead and I would follow, this time leaving the pack
on the ground.
Hubert got to a belay point and started belaying me up. When I was about
half-way up he expressed to me some doubts about where the rap anchor
was and whether we would be able to rap down on a single rope. I had
left the pack, the guide, and the second rope at the base of the climb,
and really didn't feel like climbing back down to retrieve them.
Fortunately, Sharleen and Dave arrived on the ledge below us and Sharleen
read the route description up to us. It sounded like the route continued
rather level to the right from where Hubert was belaying. And Sharleen
assured us there was an arrow on the route photo indicating a rap station
at the end of the long pitch.
I continued up, then led on past Hubert's belay. After a tricky move
from Hubert's belay point, I was on an easy traverse, and I found two
sets of cold shuts for belaying. When I reached the first pair of cold
shuts, I called out that I had found the rap station. Mark looked down
from Soler above me, and said he didn't think that was the right one,
there should be one further ahead. I continued ahead a short way and
soon spotted the second pair. As Mark had suggested, if the rope didn't
reach the ground from there, there was a ledge about 40 feet down and
a little to the north from which we could set up a second rappel. In fact,
that ledge was the belay ledge above Castor and Pollux. And I could spot
cold shuts in the wall right above that shelf.
I belayed Hubert over and we set up our rappel. The rope almost reached
the ground directly below us, but just to be safe we angled the rope
over to the ledge above Castor and Pollux. It actually reached the
Broadway Ledge there (the ground and the Broadway Ledge rise pretty fast
as you move north along the east side). He rapped down. I stayed at
the rap station for a while to snap photos of Greg and Inez as they rapped
down from Soler a few meter to the north. Then I rapped down and we coiled
our ropes. I figured we would rap off Broadway Ledge and head out on the
East Side trail. However, Mark had another plan.
We did East Face to Gunsight. Most of the party did it unroped, but a couple
of us took a belay on the scrambly last section into the gunsight. I knew
of people rapping off trees right below the gunsight, but Mark took us to
a tree far down to the north from which we could easily rap on a single
rope down to the easy west side ledges. I rapped down last, and after
coiling Inez' rope, we started down to the trail. When we reached the
marked approach trail near the base of Le Gourmet, I realized the others
had all changed their shoes and I still had my climbing shoes on. I waved
the rest ahead and sat down to change shoes.
Back at the parking lot everyone was gone. No sign of Mike and Dale. I
left a note for them on my car and headed for "The Front Porch" where I
figured folks would be eating. Gerry and Kathy were there -- they had
had a good day on some climbs of there own discovery, and had already
finished eating. Hubert was also there. He said he had some family
obligations and had to head back to Charlottesville, and wouldn't be
staying over for the night. This surprised me since I had figured he would
be with us on Sunday as well. I was actually a bit concerned that he was
leaving because he had had a bellyfull of climbing with me and my over-
loaded pack, but Inez later eased my concern when she told me that Hubert
had told her in the morning that he would be leaving after climbing on
Saturday. I learned that the others had gone for showers and would
turn up later.
Eventually Mark arrived and then Inez, and then Mike and Dale arrived
with their tales of great climbs -- Tomato, Discrepancy, and a 5.11
they got on when they thought they were getting on the 5.9 Warlock --
and booty (slings, biners, and a rope bag).
The pizza was good, but so was the taste of Mike's home-made spaghetti,
that he gave me to try. After dinner we went to the campground, set up
our tent, and built a campfire. It was a great night as we stayed up
under the canopy of stars. We drank some beer and wine (Thanks for the
good wine, Inez. Was it California wine?) and talked until about 1
a.m.. For me it was a sound sleeping night.
ACT III -- FINALE -- SUNDAY
It was cloudy on Sunday morning -- threatening rain. I got my tent down
quickly so it wouldn't get wet. Unlike my usual experience at Seneca
it was warm and dry through the night, and there was no dew to be dried
off the tent in the morning. We breakfasted there, and indeed, while we
were sorting gear and planning our climbs for the day the rains came.
We thought we might have to abort our plans, but decided to go to the
parking lot and if there was no heavy rain we would head for the rocks.
It did rain hard as we were driving out of Seneca Shadows, but was letting
up by the time we got to the visitors' center parking lot. Since Hubert
had left and Greg's plan for the day was to spend it with Melissa, that
left Mark, Inez, Mike, Dale, and myself as the climbers. Mark had made
arrangements to team up with Dave and Sharleen for the day; that left
Mike and Dale and Inez and myself as the two netter teams.
Mike suggested a 5.8 classic, the first three pitches of "Climb and
Punishment" on the southern pillar, for Inez and me. He and Dale would do
"Right Tope" (5.9) a few meters to the left of our route.
This time I had rechecked my selection of gear and slings before starting
out, and was much better prepared. We left our packs at the bottom, and
travelled light on these enticing climbs.
Mike was correct. I found the first pitch of "Climb and Punishment" just
right for me. I worked, worried, had some doubts, but persevered and made
it to the belay ledge. I belayed Inez up, and after some checking and
the placement of one additional anchor, she was on her way leading the
second pitch. She moved up very steadily and effectively over some
obviously hard roofs and bulges, not without some sound effects that
indicated the effort going into it. Inez followed Mike's suggestion
about the route and the location of the next belay point, and she ended
up combining the second and third pitches as a single long pitch
(about 140 feet).
Inez soon had me on belay, and I started up. It was tough. I was working
all-out. There was a lot of lie-backing and some moves on holds that were
rather sloping and thin. One sustained section -- I tried to hang on, but
suddenly found my fingers releasing and down I went. Long soft fall; easy
on the stretchy rope. But Caraj...! now I had to do that whole section
again. Well -- little rest on the rope and up I went again -- made it through
that section this time. Up and over the first of the roofs. Pretty neat!
Some encouragement from above. Thanks Inez. Up more. Another roof.
Awkard with sloping friction holds -- nothing positive to pull over on.
Try! Slip off. Damn. Another fall; this one not as much of a surprise.
Short fall, not so much stretch. Try again. Hold those slopers hard,
left foot out on rough side wall, slips, place it again, stays, right
foot up on the ledge (my legs are straining like mad as I write this --
Goddard & Neumann's "visualization") this time I made it. The rest is
not trivial, but easier.
The belay ledge is small and Inez warns me there is a loose rock in the
spot behind her. I decide to circumvent it and move over to another
spot behind the tree. Tricky going on the sloping bed of loose fir needles.
but works well, and I can put an extra sling on the questionable crooked
tree that is there. There are, if I remember right, welded cold shuts
on the wall above the belay ledge. Inez raps down to the next belay
and ties in. I wave at Mark who is on the belay ledge at the end of
the second pitch of Ecstasy on South End, across the road. Then I inch
my way back around to the belay ledge and get on rappel. Easy rap.
I tie myself in at the lower rap station and we pull the rope down; well
most of the way down. It gets stuck in a small crevice about 30 feet
above us. We flip it and it comes most of the way out. "Don't pull it
there, It'll stick again," warns Inez. Too late, I am pulling and it
sticks.
"Oh well, guess I'll just have to climb up there and free it," says Inez.
I would like to be gallant and say, "No, I'll climb it," but she's the
better climber, so I'll do the belaying. She secures one end in the
rappel ring on the tree below us. Then she ties in and I put on the
belay. She climbs to the crack, frees the rope and is ready to
down climb. "Sometimes downclimbing is even easier than going up."
Inez states. I hope she is observing and not just trying to convince
herself. In any case she is soon down and we are threading the
rope through the rappel ring on our tree.
It is nice after that tough one to be on terra firma. I really
enjoyed it, but I wish I hadn't fallen. Next time "NO FALLS"
Mike led Right Tope with some beta that kept him from getting into a
superhard off-route variation. Dale, I understand, went right up it
with no problems at all. Now they have already finished Right Tope
and we sit around for lunch and snapshots. Nice to rest after the
climb. "We left Right Tope rigged for top-roping," Mike explains, "How
about it?" Inez is eager to get on it. I am feeling pretty weary,
especially in the arms, but always like to give a try. Inez goes up
very smoothly.
I'm next. I'm rested, but the rest served to make me aware how
sore and tired my arms are. I tie in and when on belay I start
climbing. First few moves are easy, as I move up I keep finding
ways to make the next section. I'm getting a lot of encouragment
from my friends below. Makes me feel good and I keep moveing up.
Finally, I'm at the cold shuts through which the rope is suspended;
I've made it. I think I by-passed the crux move, but no one hassles
me on that.
Mike is talking up The Burn (5.8) with Sunshine (5.10) above it. I am
feeling pretty arm-tired, so I rather welcome the rain that is starting
to fall -- looks like we should call it a day. Others express similar
feelings. We are definitely ending on a high note.
We pack up and make the easy walk back to the parking lot. I get to
talk to Dale on the way. He's easy-going and enthusiastic -- a good
combination in climbing. We drive over to Harpers. Inez goes in
Harpers to buy some beer and pretzels; I go in to split the purchase
with her, but before I get to the counter she has paid for them and
refuses to split the cost. I purchase a pepsi for myself. (A beer when
I am that tired will relax me too much for the drive ahead.)
We go over to the Gendarme porch to talk and relax before heading home.
Tom Cecil is there, and I am able to give him copies of the photo I
took of him and his buddies from his high school days up on south
peak summit. Rick Beam also stops by and we get to catch up a bit
since our last meeting. Soon it is time for Mike and me to be heading
for Pittsburgh. Inez and Dale will stay overnight and head for home
on Monday.
The trip home is easy. Good conversation and some good tapes that Mike
brought keep me from getting drousy. I get home with enough time and
energy to unload the car and have a good supper with my wife.
Such a great weekend is worthy of repeat performances. I look forward
to many new occasions to climb with you net friends.
Phil Sidel
Anthony R Bubb
>Here's a trip report about an enjoyable weekend that was built around
>our rec.climbing communications. -- It's long. I enjoyed being
>there, and enjoyed the remeniscences as I wrote this. Hope you enjoy
>reading it.
Actually, I did. It sounds like a blast.
SO... how many net lead-climbers would be interested in spending thanksgiving
in Red River KY??? I'd organize something if there's enough response.
-T.