TR: South Pillar Ridge Route- Seneca Rocks
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rental. It only felt like flying until a semi-rig (without a trailer)
pressed up behind me and passed! That driver definitely knew the road
to Seneca Rocks, in the woods of West Virginia. I didn't so I stayed
the limit plus I already just seen sparkling eyes on the sidelines and
I didn't want to hit a deer either. One got me once and after that
I've had so many near misses.
When the truck driver passed me I decided to pick up my pace by
trailing him and let him plow the way. Sure enough within two minutes
he narrowly misses a deer and swerved wildly to avoid it. I used to
think the deer were haunting me from the days I was a hunter-gatherer.
When I would staulk them, that must've freaked them out and now they
are getting back at me as I pass through the mountains on the roads to
the stone. But my buddy says, "Nuh-uh, those are just the ones you
missed, and this is your second chance". Hmm.
A couple hours later and we are settled in a site at Camp Shadows. So
when 8 a.m. came around, the tightly regimented camp host comes up and
booms down to us, "You in the tent, you're in a double site!"
"Huh, wha', hello?" I was wiggin'. Who would mess with someone that
early on a Saturday morning? That ol' bastard Dean that's who. He was
right, I was one off on my number when I made reservations so I had to
slide down one. Yes sir, I'll move over, now go away. He's a great ol'
timer, I love shootin' the gip with the camp hosts, they're usually
pretty cool characters.
That day it rained so we spent the afternoon orienting ourselves and
after scoping the South Pillar, I really liked the looks of the Ridge
Route. I renamed the route since I detest the names of routes after
the individuals who first climbed them, with all due respect. The
climb goes at 5.7+ and would be my first climb at Seneca. Sunday was
clear and sunny which made the perfect day.
The opening moves were fantastic, no gimmee, definitely all of 5.7+,
steep, then it backed off. I threw the belay in the first good spot in
a small notch surrounded by rock. My partner Jessica comes up and is
amazed with the view, as I was. She pulls out her little camera, drops
the case and it floats downward. At least the camera wasn't in it.
The next pitch was exciting with some good cracks. And I don't mean
something you can sink your handjam into either. Well, some of them,
but I'm also talking as is 'fractures', so there was a careful eye out
and continuous testing being done on the holds. There was evidence of
an ancient artifact in the shape of a bong inside a rather nice slot.
This time I stopped just after a vertical run on a flat spot maybe 3'
x 3' with all air on both sides and below. I was starting to feel like
I was in the Eastern Sierras on the Sun Ribbon Arete. Where you might
pull over on a strip of ridge to give a 'saddle-belay'. Exhilirating.
There was a mushroom to climb over for the start of our third pitch
then down climbed into a notch before starting up steep on a gendarme.
Yep, just like the Palisades. I found heaven again in the east in the
form of an alpine climb. Did a little traverse to wrap around the top
of a tower and settled in a big notch the size of a small room. Stuck
the green and orange tri-cams in the custom tailored tri-cam crack
where I slid the units down in the perfect cammed positions and they
fit lovely. Jessica couldn't remove a brown tri-cam on the last
anchor. Which was not surprising, it was set in the extended mode as a
stopper, dropped in a shallow hole perfectly outlined in the shape of
a, brown tri-cam. Someone with a little more experience may get it
out, Ms. Jessica was just a little overwhelmed with exposure, but was
doing great.
On the last pitch, which was the best, there was a steep awkward move.
I thought Jessica could do it easier because she is smaller. She said
she did lose her feet but held on and stuck the move. I rolled up the
side and then finished up by going back onto the face to pull a little
roof onto a huge ledge about 7' wide and 25'long, at the top of a
tower. Excellent. I installed the anchor at the back and extended
myself to the edge to eleminate drag and to watch my partner.
As I'm belaying I'm looking all around me to see if there are any rap
stations, not a one. Eventually I peer over the edge on the east side
and notice two fresh cold shuts, 4' below the edge. It took me a
minute to figure how to transfer Jessica safely from our anchor to the
cold shuts 20' away, 4' below the edge. I get her there and then
myself and upon closer inspection I noticed that one bolt only has the
nut threaded on to its middle, nice.
The amount of foliage growing in this narrow chute reminded me of Asia
or Mexico. Threading our bodies through limbs and leaves I dreaded
pulling that first pull. Couldn't believe it, straight down plop in my
lap. Two more and we were almost right next to our packs. As I peered
around the bend I could see Jessica's camera case had landed right
next to her pack. I said, "Hey, you won't believe this . ." She said,
"Oh I knew it would come down to here". I didn't, I thought it would
get hung up on one of the many nooks and crannies. Then I rummaged in
my pack and pulled out my "extra" brown tri-cam that I just happened
to have and said, "WOW, look it fell out and landed right in my
pack!". Immediately her eyes lit up and excitedly says, "We are SO
LUCKY!", with enough enthusiasm to make me think she was serious. I
cracked up and then she. We're laughing, yes, we ARE so lucky.
Lg
Dawn Alguard
>
> Just past midnight we were flying down the mountain road in the
> rental. It only felt like flying until a semi-rig (without a trailer)
> pressed up behind me and passed! That driver definitely knew the road
> to Seneca Rocks, in the woods of West Virginia. I didn't so I stayed
> the limit plus I already just seen sparkling eyes on the sidelines and
> I didn't want to hit a deer either. One got me once and after that
> I've had so many near misses.
I take it this is a retro TR? You weren't just at Seneca
recently were you?
Dawn
michelle
I think this is a recent TR since Dean is the new camp host at Seneca
Shadows this year. He's a welcomed improvement over previous years'
hosts who have had no qualms about waking you up at 6 a.m. Lg, at
least Dean gave you 'til 8! Dean is a great guy, be nice to the ol'
chap.
Do be careful at the top of the southern pillar. It's easy to
unknowingly knock off one of the plentiful, large rocks (or camera
cases) onto innocent bystanders below while in search of a rap
station.
Michelle
Dawn Alguard <da...@tradgirl.com> wrote in message news:<3CDFC7EB...@tradgirl.com>...
Doyle Tarwater
the other names of your route? Was it Gephardt-Dufty?
Doyle
Lg
> Great TR. Can't wait to try that route. Man I love Seneca. What's
> the other names of your route? Was it Gephardt-Dufty?
>
> Doyle
Thanks Doyle. Yea, I fell in love with Seneca too. Yes, the real name
of the route is the above. I would advise a leader to be solid in the
5.9 range to do this 5.7+ route. There are a couple of spots . .
Yes Dawn, I was just there on the 5th and 6th AND the wkend before
that I was in the Gunks. Sorry to have missed you. Walked right up and
jumped on the Horseman, couldn't have asked for a nicer welcome for my
first climb there. I have a job offer in New Paltz for the fall so I
may be around later this year. I'll be a Gunkey Monkey!
Lg
Lg
> Dawn,
>
> I think this is a recent TR since Dean is the new camp host at Seneca
> Shadows this year. He's a welcomed improvement over previous years'
> hosts who have had no qualms about waking you up at 6 a.m. Lg, at
> least Dean gave you 'til 8! Dean is a great guy, be nice to the ol'
> chap.
Yea, for sure, he's my buddy. He kept asking for us to come back. One
day we came back from camp and there were wild flowers on the table!
"So you'll be back in 6 weeks, right?" "Yes Dean, we'll be back soon."
"You better."
But for now . .
Lg- home sweet-Sierra home.