Mar 12 , 2005

Another trip to Pinnacles, this time on a lighter note. I head over with my (almost) 3-year old daughter on Friday evening to meet my father. Dad's 70 years old now. He climbs with me some, but his passion is birding. He wants to see a condor in the wild.

The plan for Saturday is for Trish, Dad and me to hike into the High Peaks to a clump of smaller pinnacles that don't seem to have been climbed. Later, my wife, Vicki, and my 9-year old daughter, Katie, will join us when they arrive and so too will Chuck, Carol, Jim, Jaime, Allan and Mei.

Dad, Trish and I get an early start since we want to allow time for Trish to hike all by herself to the High Peaks. Dad wanders with his binoculars watching birds. Trish and I hike steadily, stopping for water and to look at flowers. We generally keep a loose, but sure focus on the hike. After less than two hours hiking, we arrive at what I am calling "The Playground." Dad and Trish sit down for hard boiled eggs, cheese and nuts while I scout out the intended climb.

Having been in the area before, I had a specific 35-foot high pinnacle in mind. It is not accessible by any means other than 5th class climbing. The uphill face looks like an obvious line. While Dad and Trish finish lunch, I climb halfway up the pinnacle, find good rock and start placing a protection bolt. Allan and Mei then arrive. After the bolt and lunch are finished, the rest of our party arrives, including Vicki and Katie.

Most of what I've done with my Dad is mountaineering. (Last year, we did the mountaineer's route on Whitney in a day and a half.) He needs to re-learn how to belay, so I show him how to put on his harness and re-instruct him and he gets it very quickly.

With Dad belaying, I start climbing and quickly reach the bolt. The obvious crux of the climb is right above. Typical of a new pinnacles climb, the rock is a little loose. A short pause and then several moves of 5.6 (including a high step) quickly put me 5 feet above the bolt where the angle eases. I decide that a second protection bolt is not necessary. I run the climb to the summit.

Once on the summit, I take off my shirt to enjoy the nearly 80-degree weather. It takes some time to drill the summit anchors, but I'm pleased once they're done. Eight inches of chain on one and a Fixe ring hanger on the other, in good rock and perfectly equalized. Now it's Dad's turn.

Dad puts on his shoes which are tight. He hasn't worn them since I took him up Snake Dike several years ago. I have no idea how Dad will do since he has never done any steep climbing. Although the just-established route is "only" 5.6, the crux involves a bulge which is steep, at least relative to anything Dad has done.

It is actually amusing to watch Dad climb because he completely trusts the rock. Actually, the rock is fairly sound. But, we are, after all, climbing at Pinnacles. I wince as Dad steps on some of the larger knobs with no care or concern. He has none of the innate knowledge of Pinnacles rock which is shared by veteran climbers; no caution at all.

At first, Dad climbs awkwardly, but after a few moves, he starts to remember the hang of things. Quickly, he is up at the bolt which he unclips. The bolt is on a bit of a headwall and the crux is getting beyond and over the headwall. He is not quite sure what to do since he hasn't made moves like these on any other climbs. I ask him if he wants me to give him some beta. "What's beta?" "Coaching." "Sure, of course." I tell him that he's got to move over the headwall by moving his left foot high onto a lower angle section of rock. He needs to look out for the rock quality and carefully place his foot. The hard part will be getting his body weight over his foot, but, once he does, he should be able to move up from there. Quickly, he's clear on the moves, although I'm not sure he has the necessary flexibility. But, I'm wrong. He's a little hesitant doing the moves, but once he has done them, he continues up, reaches the lower angle section and quickly gains the summit. Dad is a little nervous about standing on the summit and so he poses for photos sitting down. We are both tickled that he climbed without falling.

Two generations down, one to go.

Katie is a little reluctant. She is having fun with Jaime. But, Dad and I want her to do the route, hopefully without falling. This would make a perfect three-generation first ascent. Also, although Katie has climbed a fair amount, she has a strong fear of heights and sometimes gets nervous. We use a little bribery, and Katie puts on her harness and shoes. My daughter, Katie, is not only drop-dead beautiful, she is also thin and limber. She is a competitive gymnast. She has flexibility that I can only envy. However, she is only 4 foot 10 and so sometimes reach can be an issue.

We put Katie on belay and she also quickly climbs up to the height of the bolt. Here, Katie hesitates a bit. She sees what moves she has to do, but she is very nervous. She starts to freeze up a little bit, but the whole crowd encourages her. Because of her height, Katie has to figure out her own way to do the moves. Several times, she starts upward and then moves back down. Eventually she puts her left foot up to the same height as her shoulder and then gradually stands up on it. Several more moves bring her to the slab section of the climb and then she reaches the summit. She's done it - and with no falls. Like Dad, Katie is a little nervous about standing on the summit so we are satisfied with photos with her sitting.

After our ascent, our friends do various combinations of leads and top ropes of the route. Consensus is 5.6. Dad, Katie and I discuss a name and eventually come up with: Young Generations. It fits. Three generations from the same family on the first ascent. Maybe a first in Pinnacles climbing history. No falls. It's not 5.11, but we've had lots of fun.

Brad Young