As I come upon the one year mark of living in Ojai, the seasons roll into one another, just as I remember it.
The summer heat smoothly blends into the warm fall days, which then turns into the incredible winter days this area is known for. It’s not quite winter time yet, but I am yearning for a contrast in seasons. Here in Ojai, we have to drive to obtain the seasons.
Four hours of driving time, taking my “shortest” route out of town straight out to Hwy. 395 proves to be our answer and escape once again. We spent a few our alternating “weekends” in the mountains on the east side this summer developing a new multi-pitch route we are dubbing Little Pillar. Having had an incredible experience out there guaranteed us a trip back.
As the moons, stars, and planets, right at the perfect moment collided, and both of us ended up with five full days off of work.
No discussion was made on where we were going to spend those five days off. We both knew. The Sierras. We planned and packed accordingly for the mountain conditions. Unlike here in cozy little Ojai, the weather at any high altitude changes quick this time of year. Rain here= snow there.
Prepared and stoked to enjoy the cold we headed north out of Ojai!
Our objective for our five days off: to add at least two more quality pitches to our existing route, enjoy the solitude of the mountains, tinker around at camp, and to enjoy and love life up there.
First Day: Driving and Hiking In
It all begins with the hike in. We arrive at our “trail head”, pack last minute details, and head out. A few uphill sections here and there, but with no sun hitting you from the west, and the evening temps provided us with cool fall conditions…the hike in was no problem, went quickly, and definitely not as grooling as it was during the summer.
Just before dark we arrived at the watering hole on the trail. This is our last stop for water until the base of the wall. Cold as snot down in the canopy of the trees at water level, we sat and filtered water. Matt and I ponder the availability of water at this location, convinced that it has to be an annual spring, not just snow melt. Lucky to have this reliable water source so close to camp we fill up our two liter bottles and finish up the hike to the base of the wall in the dark. The days are getting shorter and the nights long. With every step uphill I’m looking forward to my long good night’s sleep in the crisp cold air.
Second Day: Sleeping In, Sort Of
The morning came after an incredible night sleep! We both invested into the Marmot Lithium EQ sleeping bag. Cozy, and light to carry amounted into total and complete relaxation during the night!
“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight…red sky at morning, sailor take warning”
Matt was full blown sick, and I was surviving by shear reluctance not to succumb to his illness. This prompted Matt and I to take in a few more hours of snooze time just after this picture above was taken in the early morning. We both awoke to blustery winds that eventually brought us the “silver sky” . One moment there is sun, gone the next. Motivated, we packed up, and hiked the 10 minutes to the base of the route.
Jugging the lines, was kind of gripper…haven’t been on them in over three months. It had us checking the condition of the ropes and anchors, which were all in stellar condition, just as I remember them. As we ascended we pulled static lines to move them higher up on the wall. After a day of moving ropes around, we rapped down to base camp in the frigid evening wind, got cozy, ate hot food, and discussed our options on where our route goes from here…
Third Day: Base Camp Route
Loud howling winds whipped about us in our sheltered nook of a camp, all night long. Winds came racing down the wall then bouncing off the land and rock, spinning about the 12-14,000 ft. mountains that surrounded us. These incredible wind sounds kept me tossing around most of the night. Greeted in the morning once again by “silver sky” led us into another chilly morning with barley any sun…sounds like a good day to spend in camp!
Making hot coffee we decided to preview the cliff at base camp for climbing possibilities. While walking, talking, sipping, and scoping the morning began to get increasingly colder. We soon found a stellar single pitch to start a new multi-pitch route only a hop, skip and jump away from camp. Perfect!
As we make it back to camp to gather up our climbing gear, make more hot coffee it begins to snow! Since it is snow (yeah! no rain!) and the wind is blowing the rock remained dry for rock climbing… except it was stinking cold as heck for the toes and hands. Gloved up and booted up Matt and I both free climbed the crack portion of the new pitch- around 70 ft. (5.10b) that we dubbed Base Camp Route.
We could see that the pitch continued on to a ledge with a small portion (20ft. +/-) of face to navigate, so Matt aided up a bit on the face a placed a lead bolt. Heck it was snowing and super windy…great time to hang in aiders, right?
To cold to face climb, especially with boots and gloves on, we opted to climb the route hopefully in entirety on the last day. Bring on the sunny blue sierra skies!
Fourth Day: Orange Face
No wind, and a very still night brought us the coldest morning yet. The blue skies did return with the intense bright morning light but with little warmth. Gear packed, breakfast in the belly, and of course the morning coffee in the sun to warm the bones, then we were off to jug lines to the large ledge about 600 ft. up where we stashed our ropes, and extra gear.
Matt and I decided instead of heading towards the left side of the formation, to go ahead and focus our route, Little Pillar towards the large left facing dihedral out right.
Having done two different pitches to get to the base of the orange face, those pitches led us to a primo small belay ledge on the left side of the orange face. Climbing off the small belay ledge, climbing bomber orange/green rock laced with incipient cracks that bear perfect gear placements was a stunning find. These incipient cracks running perfectly through this face left to right felt felt as if it was meant to be climbed. So we did!
This new orange face pitch was well is over 150 ft. long and traversed up and right to the huge left facing dihedral. You can see our black static line fixed across in the inset picture above. If you can’t see it a larger image is linked to the picture. By the time bolts were drilled, climbing was completed it was getting dark quick and increasingly colder, so we called it a success and rappelled to the ground for hot food!
Fifth and Final Day: Hike Out by Mid-Day
Sorta worked by jumaring, climbing in the cold (not used to it I guess), and trying to fight off the sniffles I woke up fairly sore. Greeted by a beautiful warm morning, I was fired up to try those last face moves on the Base Camp Route, see if I could get to the ledge. Matt is out, sick and tired, literally.
Racked up, I fire through the crack portion (did I say super stellar finger crack!?) and work my way to the chossy crack/gear part, I place gear and I fall. Gear held! That’s inspiring! Get up a few moves past, into the stem clip the bolt and move out onto the face. Bunch of crispies, but which ones are more solid? I grab a few, they pop, I fall. I grab and step on a few more, they pop too, I fall! Yikes! Finally I was able to find the holds, and especially foot holds, they don’t revel themselves readily. I try again- from the bolt. I start up move my feet into the stem, then to the face. And bam! I find the key holds and bam! Off again! My foot slipped!
I realize then- now is not the time, I’m tired, it’s time to go home. I realize I can come back to it anytime and I love the fact that I can come back to it anytime. Like our new route the Little Pillar, no matter how much time passes before I arrive back at the base, the time seems to stand still. It will be there.
All the beautiful and infinite amount of intricate details I love so much about climbing in this area, they will be in all the right places when I return. That is what I’ll be looking forward to when I return.
Everything, just as I remember it.
