Austrians in Highball Paradise

Katharina Saurwein of Austria, and former overall lead World Cup champion of 2008 Jorg Verhoeven from the Netherlands (both now living in Innsbruck, Austria), have been out in Bishop since around December 12 and have already completed some impressive ascents. Of particular note was Katha's ascent of This Side of Paradise (v10), the mammoth highball prow at the Bardini Boulders, and Jorg's ascent of Ambrosia at the Peabodies.

I met these guys out in Zillertal, Austria a few years back when Lisa Rands presented a video by Sender Films in which she climbs This Side of Paradise. It was the incredible beauty of the line that really drew Katha's attention, and she made it her mission to give it a try. Unfortunately, after arriving in Bishop about a year ago (shortly before Christmas), heavy snow reduced access across the Buttemilk Country and their highballing plans were put on hold. Undaunted, they returned this time and things went a lot better.

After making the moves on a top rope, Katha went for the ascent and topped out to become only the second woman to do the line. On one try, she took a fall from just below the crux and said her legs were still sore four days later. No surprise, as she only had two pads beneath her!

Katha has also pulled off ascents of Golden Shower (v10 highball at the Pollen Grains), and Xavier's Roof (v11), among others. As for Jorg, he claims not to be feeling so great and spending his time shuffling their two foam mats about while Katha climbs. Even so, he did drag the pads over to Ambrosia to check that one off. Hey, when you only have a pair of pads to use in Bishop, you have to be thankful for such forty-five-foot-tall lines. As Jorg matter-of-factly explains, "The lower part to the hueco you can do with two pads and at the top you can't fall."

It should be noted however, that after renowned soloist Alex Honnold (second ascent) told Jorg it, "probably wouldn't be a good idea," Jorg decided against a ground-up approach and ran a TR on the line first.

"Scary, scary scary," is German for something I guess, and you can read more (all in that language) at Katha's website.  Also, for comments in English, and for some sweet photos, please check out Jorg's blog.

Meanwhile, here's a little vid:



Katha Saurwein and Jorg Verhoeven Highballing in Bishop. 'Ambrosia' V11, 'This side of Paradise' V10 etc from katharina saurwein on Vimeo.

Alex Biale, Rastaman Vibration

This news has been covered elsewhere I know, but I want to give props to Alex Biale for his ascent of Rastaman Vibration (v12) on the Grandpa Peabody on December 15. It is interesting to note that, although this line was first climbed by Jared Roth back in 2002, it had never before been repeated!

Indeed, Rastaman Vibration begins with one of the hardest moves at the 'Milks, a big move from a miserable pinch to gain a tiny right-hand crimp, feet swinging. Most people now know this move from images or video of Paul Robinson's sit-start to the line, Lucid Dreaming (v15/16?). However, not even Paul climbed Rastaman Vibration before completing the sit. After sticking that super-low percentage start, the upper section heads up the wall and super-highball slab (vibration territory) with dicey low-angle smearing and sloping grainy palm-moves twenty feet up. If you were aiming for the sit, would you really want to do that part twice?

There were probably less than half a dozen people who ever seriously considered a repeat, as the opening crux was so hard that almost no-one could do it and the handful of elite that did stick the move didn't feel like completing the line! Even so, we must thank Jared for his Rasta vision: Though proving one of the least popular lines in the Buttermilks, Rastaman Vibration nevertheless pushed bouldering to a new level and was a significant step toward the ultimate challenge that followed.

Breakage at Ice Caves

One of the key holds for many of the climbs on the roof of the Beef Cave in the Ice Caves at the Sad Boulders has broken. The break, which happened at the end of November, was of the good finger-hold that was at the right end of the rail that Beautiful Gecko follows, a hold that also was important for lines Aquatic Hitchhiker, Feels Like a Barnacle, In the Aquarium and Windchill. While all these lines will be harder now, this break will probably have the most impact on Beautiful Gecko. Anyone who has repeated any of these lines since the break please post a comment and let us know what you think! Thanks!

Sonnie Trotter, Luminance and Ambrosia, Alex Honnold Luminance and Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

The handsome Canadian Sonnie Trotter, had a good past couple days of climbing in the Buttermilks. Yesterday he did Ambrosia (V11) the 45 foot Kevin Jorgeson highball/free solo on the west face of Grandpa Peabody boulder. Sonnie, as with all the others to have climbed the line used a different start: Sonnie's start is a mixture of Isaac Calderio's (3rd ascent of the line) and the original beta. Sonnie said although feeling a bit shaky at the hueco, 25 feet up, said the the upper half felt better than it had on his previous top rope rehearsals.

Earlier in the week Sonnie and Alex Honnold went and ticked off Luminance (V10?). The relatively short problem (10 moves--short by 'milks highball standards anyway) is not to be taking lightly due to its bad landing 20+ feet below. After doing a lap or two on the line they both agreed Luminance felt a little easier than previously thought, Alex (though not to be taking too seriously about his grades) said it felt more like V8! Either way, nice work guys!

Alex, who is spending the winter in the Bishop area did what is likely the 3rd or 4th ascent of Sonnie Trotter's line Standing on the Shoulders of Giants (V8 or 9) on the south face of the Golden Boulder. The line, which the name implies, starts about 12 feet up from a shoulder stand and climbs about another 12 feet of reportedly great climbing. There is a potential ground start to the problem (which has been attempted with no success) that will probably check in around V13 or harder and will be one of the last great high, hard lines in the 'milks... Or will it..?

Dan Beall climbing well in the 'milks

Dan Beall has just done what is likely the 3rd ascent of the newest hard link up on the Grandma Peabody boulder, Direct North (V14). The line climbs Direction (V13) to a marginal rest into the tall and insecure Magnetic North (V8 or 9). Below is a link to a clip of Dan falling off the last move on his last try before the send. A week or so prior to his Direct North ascent Dan dispatched, as Zlu Haller says "best line in the world?'', Evilution Direct (V11). Congrats Dan and keep on crushing

Here's a quick vid of one of the attempts:

Direct North from Daniel Beall on Vimeo.

Fall Highball with John Long, November 19

The Fall Highball event organized by the American Alpine Club is once again coming to Bishop with famed stonemaster, climbing pioneer, and raconteur extraordinaire John Long coming to speak at the Mill Creek Station on Saturday night, 7pm. This will be a show worth seeing.

The event is coordinated to coincide with the Access Fund's Adopt-a-crag day, and so, in partnership with the Inyo National Forest and the group Friends of the Inyo, there will also be a Buttermilk clean-up on Saturday morning beginning with a free light breakfast at 8:30am at the parking lot just before the Peabodies.

Please join the folks out there to help keep the area clean and beautiful. Thanks!

See the American Alpine Club website for more details.

Note: Mill Creek Station, a great venue for talks and shows, is about 9 miles from Schat's bakery going toward Mammoth, on the right side of the road. Designated drivers are recommended.

Buttermilk Pit Toilet--Comments Needed

Andrew Schurr of the group Friends of the Inyo wrote to me recently about a proposal from the Forest Service to construct one or two permanent pit toilets with wheelchair accessible paths adjacent to the Buttermilk boulders.

The proposal mentions two locations: 1) the parking/turn-around at the Birthday Boulders, and 2) the gravel pit just before the Peabody Boulders on the right hand side of Buttermilk Road. This latter is an old borrow pit that has become a large parking pullout at the base of an old disused 4-wheel-drive track a hundred yards or so before the Peabody Boulders.

The Forest Service proposal states an intent to build a toilet at the Birthday Boulders either at the end of the summer or early fall this year, and then to build a second one at the gravel pit also known as the "borrow pit" only if needed.

I would prefer not to see a permanent structure placed at the Birthday Boulders as it would be ugly and present other problems. So choosing the borrow pit location as the first, and ideally, the only option would seem like a better approach to me. Here’s why:

Visual problems:

Birthday Boulders Site: Visual impacts would be a disaster here. A permanent toilet would be an eyesore. This area is high on a plain and, as viewed from the boulders, any toilet structure will stand out against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This area is famed for its beauty. Why ruin it?

Borrow Pit Site: This would not ruin the view from the boulders. From nearly all perspectives this location will be unobtrusive. Even a large toilet block here could be made to blend in against the hillside and have little impact.

Camping problems:

Birthday Boulders Site: We really must do what we can to REDUCE camping in and around the Birthday Boulders and the Birthday Boulders parking spots. A toilet placed here would undoubtedly increase camping at this location. This fragile area is not suited as a permanent campsite with all the accompanying erosion and visual impacts of tents, cars, campers, networks of paths etc. I would like to encourage people to camp away from the boulders.

Borrow Pit Site: Increased camping here will have less of an impact as the area is less visible and is already impacted from previous use.

Access problems:

Birthday Boulders Site: This is a site nearly exclusively used by climbers. It is at the end of a spur, off of a small side road that diverges from the only regularly used access road to the Buttermilk area. Climbers specifically choose this place to park for its proximity to the boulders, and on busy days all the parking in this vicinity is taken up by climbers. Few if any other users choose to take this spur road and so this climber-specific location may lessen the value of the toilet for all other groups as well as present a parking problem.

Borrow Pit Site: This site is occasionally used as a parking spot by climbers, but is rarely if ever filled with climbers’ cars. The nearby road is wide and easily accessible by all users of the Buttermilk area. This site is conveniently located beside the only regularly used approach road to the area, taken by virtually everyone.

Winter Access Problems

Birthday Boulders Site: During the winter this site is often inaccessible due to snow, sometimes for weeks.

Borrow Pit Site: Even while the upper area is blocked by snow, the lower site and lower bouldering areas remain in use and nearly always accessible.

Usefulness Problems:

Birthday Boulders Site: Even for many climbers, this site will require a special trip to reach. The site is off of a side road, and along a spur. People approaching the Buttermilks in the morning and intending to climb at any of the lower locations first reached, which is a large proportion of all climbers, could be discouraged from making a special trip to use the facilities. Adding to the discouragement could be a cluster of cars trying to get into and out of this already-crowded turn-around. The roads there are narrow and will get stretched as cars attempt to park and/or pass each other.

Borrow Pit Site: As stated above the location is beside everyone’s approach so there’s no reason not to use it for anyone needing to ”go” as they arrive at the area. The Buttermilk Road is wide at this point and stopping would be relatively easy.

The comment period for this proposal is 30 days and nearly up. In fact those wishing to express their opinion on this only have until July 15 to do so. Please submit comments to Lesley Yen, White Mountain Ranger District, 798 N. Main Street, Bishop, CA 93514; fax 760-873-2563; phone 760-873-2524; email lyen@fs.fed.us. There is a link to proposed actions here. I believe I have expressed the proposal accurately but if you wish to see the two-page pdf from the Forest Service please drop a line to Lesley or me (email at right) and ask for it.

Having spoken to Lesley recently I know that the Forest Service is genuinely interested in people’s opinions and may reconsider the proposal accordingly. If you can drop a line or call Lesley to politely express your thoughts on this, that would be great.