What a good time of year it is to spend a day at Fossil Falls. I’m just recovering from a cold and relish the ability to be active outdoors again. There’s a chilly wind, but it feels perfect in a windbreaker. We TR some old favorites in the upper canyon, starting with the aptly named Birdshit Crack (5.7). It’s a pleasure to watch Ann’s amazement at herself as she climbs easily what once seemed an impossible climb to her. We also do the 5.9 roof to the left which Ann makes some progress on but doesn’t finish. Then I move the anchor to a short 5.9 hand crack around a corner on the right. Again, Ann surprises herself, makes it up quickly, and I enjoy every minute.
Curtis and Ted have set up in the lower canyon meanwhile and invite us to use one of their ropes. I’m in the middle of setting our rope on a nice 5.10 hand-crack-to-jug-haul route. We decide to leave our rope up and go say hello to Ted & Curtis. That we do, then I fail to repeat Ride of the Valkyries (5.10c) and Ann fails to start Eagle (5.9). It’s a downer. I say hello to Brian, a climber I run into now and then from Bakersfield, and his partner complains about our dog Jezze growling at their dog. We leave grumpy, especially Ann. It almost ends that way, but then Ann graciously offers to rap back into the upper canyon and give me a belay on the jug haul. I have fun, and her mood recovers a bit vicariously, so at least we leave feeling good again.
Also, we missed a good photo op! There was a beautiful big hairy tarantula at the base of Eagle. I don’t know why we didn’t think of getting a picture of it.
16 responses to “Fossil Falls”
we got good pics of a BIG tarantula at New Jack. I’ll send ’em when i get ’em.
Ranny was whinin’ that curtis was messin’ with it. funny stuff.
twas a cold day indeed. glad to get on some routes.
HA! that chic’s dog PINED endlesssly. i wanted to go down there and smash a fukkin’ rock on it’s friggin’ head!! a pining dog is crime against humanity. that whole time down there, all i heard was this shatty wining, mewling, PINING beast. i wanted to beat that thang.
dogs and climbing have for a long time been an issue. at places like The Buttermilks and the Happy/Sad Boulders, you are NOT supposed to bring them. nobody wants them there, there shit, they dig holes, they are under foot, they piss on pads/packs, they walk on them (mud)… it’s been coming up a lot on climbing forums.
Aha — maybe Jezze doesn’t like you because you want her left at home…
huh?
You’re saying we should leave our dog at home when we go climbing…?
hmmmm… let me to re-state what i wrote and see if i can figure out where i say “…leave…” you dog at home.
some places they are actually NOT allowed… has NOTHING to do with me.. i don’t believe that i stated a personal opinion in this thread.
dogs are persistently under foot in bouldering areas. Jezzebel isn’t too bad most of the time. she realizes pads are NOT the place to lay.
anyway, you take your dog to THE BUTTERMILKS or THE HAPPY / SAD BOULDERS and see what you think.
it’s irresponsible owners. the dog will shit on the trail or under a boulder problem then the lazy ass owner will just leave it there (i don’t know what you’d do.. i don’t want to ASSume anything, but i’d like to think you’d move it).
male dogs are pissing on packs and pads. dogs get into packs with food. they dig holes. people are even freaking when they chase God’s creatures! that’s hella instinctive!
seems like you are ASSuming things, based on … i have no idea. in a previous thread you ASSumed i meant someone’s mommy when i was only referencing the “fools” you referred to that had been reading your topics, not anyone specifically.
what is that? conjecture? something… something erroneous and spurious indeed. heeheeeeeeeeeeeeee
so ann said you got some pics of Fossil Falls the other day. are you gonna post ’em?
btw, Red Rocks is going to FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZING COLD this weekend.
Say it!
All quotes from you. I won’t try to interpret them.
oooooooooooooooooooookaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what happenened???????!!!!!!!!!!!!
when in darkness, when i doubt, run in circles, scream and shout!
dude, yer site is lookin’ weird .. i think it’s been hakked.
here’s a recent “dog shitting on trails” / bouldering link http://www.californiabouldering.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=193
don’t look for me on there, i am just lurking (for now).
btw, are you gonna post the pics from Fossil Falls? ann said there was some good ones.
fascinating
better than “Ice Astles”.
or at least easier to understand
Actually a question. How is Fossil falls for top-ropers. We don’t lead trad yet. My domelands guide isn’t really specific about whether you can TR without leading to at least some achors first. Can you let me know,
thanks
Ley
Hi Ley,
Fossil Falls is great for TRs. There are even bolts, but most require some gear backup. Just scope out your route, walk along the canyon rim to the top and build an anchor. The only route I can think of with an anchor midway is Ride of the Valkyries, and it can be TRed without it (but with some rope drag and swingin’ falls).
-dylan-
Thank you very much Dylan! We drove by on our way home from Alabama Hills
and wondered for the nth time…”can you top-rope? Is it a good place?”.
Thanks,
Ley Wilson