We attempted to go to Elk Slabs from the Treasure Lake parking, but there was already a huge church group with guided climbs reserved. We hiked most of the 1 mi. way there just to confirm (see pic 03). The guidebook mentioned Treasure Cove to the left of Elk Slabs so we decided to go there instead. The trail(s) there were very unused and the rocky scramble to the top contained more poison ivy than I bargained for. As I write this six days later, I really really wish I had worn long pants and made a better effort to avoid it. We almost turned back to go visit the Narrows again, but Rick convinced us to stay. I explored the Pyromania area while Mark continued up the long ramp on the right. We decided to stay in the Pyromania area so I lead Pint Sized Goddess (5.8 RN) to get us set up.
[fyi. There are three bolts, but NO anchors. LONG webbing is required to set up a top rope].
Next, I went up Nasty Habits (5.9 RN), which had decent jamming, and belayed Minna to the top. I had to do a lot of downclimbing to clean everything, but I survived without any falls. I don't recommend this area to anyone who doesn't want a crazy bouldery approach. However, besides the poison ivy, my only real regret is not doing Pyromania (5.10c) because we thought it was an aid route. Rick set up his rope as a belay down to the packs. There turned out to be a lot of cactus in the rope's path and the nasty little twills got all in the rope and, from there, in our hands. Despite the destruction of this rope, Minna and Kate did get to claim 2 top-rope first-ascents on the face the rope went down. Minna called hers "Acupuncture" because of the twills and Kate called hers "Modern Medecine" because it was better than Acupuncture and didn't have so many pricking twills.
We stopped at the Prairie Dog preserve by the road on the way back. One appears to bite the other on the ass.
Being obtuse about Prairie Dog rituals, I am uncertain whether this was
get-out-of-my-way play, foreplay, or get-back-in-the-hole play.
|
