Captain Hook

Monday, October 25 and Roy and I are off on another adventure. The weather is holding a little warmer than I'd like, so I decide to climb in Idyllwild. Of course that's not a bad choice, it's just a little longer day than climbing in Joshua Tree and I was wanting a short day. We had to do our good samaritan work for the week, so we took a young man to Beaumont to his car, not much out of our way. I gave half a thought to go to Big Rock at lake Perris, but decided against it due to the temperature. Not that hot, but warmer than I wanted.

We arrived in Humber Park and checked out the parking lot. It appeared that we could have Suicide Rock all to ourselves, plus the shorter climbs fit in good with my plan for a short day. We started hiking just before 10 and made our way up to the crag. I decided to stay in the sun, since the temperature was about 60 degrees and we went over to the Buttress of Cracks. Roy had heard a lot about this area, but hasn't climbed here much, so we had a little tour, with me pointing out routes and telling stories of my early days on the rock.

After looking around, I decided to climb Captain Hook, 5.7 and one of my first leads. Well, I looked at the start and decided to do the direct start, although over the years I've mostly started with the layback to the far left. The layback is straight forward but strenuous, like most laybacks. The direct start took a false start to work out the footwork and then I was on the climb. After the first few moves I was hoping the climbing would get easy, but it didn't. My memory about this start told me that once in the main chimney that it would still be an awkward move to easy ground and it was. Sloping slick chimney without any positive holds. This wasn't a good sign. I managed to squirm my way up to a good rest and protection. I was out of breath, my mouth dry and I hadn't even climbed 20 feet.

The climbing is not too difficult for the next section, until the chimney becomes vertical and narrower. At this point, technique becomes important. Well, I don't climb chimneys all that often, so I made it up, but it was a work out. I finally reached the bottom of the large chalkstone that gave the climb its name. When I first climbed this route, the bottom of the chockstone had a horn of rock called the Crocodile Snout, that was shaped, like a Crocodile snout. It had a nice lip on the end where the nostrils would be which made for a great handhold and those with confidence would hang on it with their feet dangling free to thrill onlookers below. Well, this feature is gone now and one has to climb a little further to get to the next horn, which isn't as positive, for me anyway. It must have been quite a surprise for the climber that broke off that horn. Thank goodness there is really bomber protection at the base of the chockstone.

Well, after taking another lengthy time I was able to work my way over the chockstone and onto the alcove above. This is the traditional belay and since my mouth was so dry by this time that I was "spitting cotton", I set the belay anchors to bring Roy on up. It had taken a long time and I was tired, Roy made some "encouraging" comments to bolster my confidence and I decided to change my plan. I had decided to walk off a ledge that is just right and above the belay, but with Roy's attitude, I decided he wanted to climb the notorious "Throat" on the second pitch. Of course I should have known it would have a bigger impact on me than Roy.

I started up the pitch, it has an awkward move over a bush onto the ledge I mentioned earlier. Then the climbing goes up a steep crack into the "throat" chimney. Getting up the first few moves involves imaginary footholds, the protection is excellent for an overhanging crack and there are good finger holds, but needless to say, it's strenuous. I got up to the bottom of the chimney and then had to take a rest. Once I had recovered enough to continue, I worked my way on up through the "throat". By the time I got to the top I was exhausted, I was too tired to rest. I felt very similar to how I felt climbing the "mummy crack" on the Long Climb at the beginning of the summer, whipped. I set up the belay and collapsed. I rested in order to generate enough energy to bring up Roy, who just walked up it, of course. Once at the top, Roy was enjoying the views and asking questions about the routes that can be seen from the top of the Buttress of Cracks and then he looked over at me. He quickly got very quiet and said something like "I guess we have to go now."

Soon we were back at the car, had a snack and then it was back home after a very long day for a short climb. Below is the video of the climb.