The Action Adventure Blog: Pine River Pile 5.9X

Yesterday, Sunday May 8th Liesel and I went up to the Pine River near Vallecito reservoir for some kickazz clamping. Nuggernaut 5.8 was the goal for the day, instead we put up a new route on the cliffs just south of Tradistan tower.

If choss is your flavor of choice, this route might be perfect for you... For everyone else, skip it... It's dangerous and stressful. Here is a little trip report.

The climb is accessed from the Los Pinos trailhead, which is about 4 miles east of Vallecito Reservoir. Hike up the trail about a mile and then head up the hill on the left. The climb can kinda start here, the approach is about 800-1000 feet of 4th and low 5th class scrambling. Aim for the immaculate looking slabs on the left side of the buttress.

P1 - 5.7R Mostly body dragging through plants and choss for 40 meters, belay on the right.

P2 - 5.9R/X This pitch actually had about 10 meters of really good, protectable climbing. Face climbing to the second roof encounter of the climb, skirt the roof on the left side on VERY fragile holds... I knocked down a truckload of choss coming out of the roof before the good jams. This brings you to a giant ledge... belay here.

P3 - 5.4X Traverse the massive ledge about 45 meters with little to no protection. I found 2 marginal placements to protect Liesel on the traverse, luckily this pitch does not have much in the way of real difficult climbing. If you are bolder than I am you can continue up to the top of the buttress from this belay or from the point 45 meters to the left... I tried 3 times to go straight up with no protection and a LOT of choss tossing.

We rappelled from here in one sketchy 70+ meter rappel, if you only have 2 60s you will have to do two rappels, one long and then a short one from some trees. The following picture is looking up from the end of the rappel, which we rigged with a slung block near the highest tree in the center.