As usual, she did great despite what I felt were some really sketchy sections with tricky movement. She has an excellent attitude and is one of the best technical adventure partners I've ever had. Probably why she's a Machete Brother. Only the coolest of cool guys can hope to be a beaten, battered, bloody, cursing Machete Brother. 8)
Kimchi Ridge is a dirty, rough, loose ridge with lots of different ways to climb it. Generally I just try to follow the best rock, with an eye towards the best protection. I always find myself on some loose scary business with like a tiny cam in some grungy crack and a crappy fall if I don't make it, hitting random pointy things on the way down. Good stuff for keeping a 'lead head'. Actual adventure.
What I would do next time:
Bring more finger-sized cams (C4 .5's). For whatever reason, I always come across a lot of finger-sized parallel cracks in Sheep Canyon, and I brought a single rack on this day. I brought up to a #4, and found I didn't use anything above a #2. I placed one nut and it fell out when I was well above it and had pro in between myself and the nut. Popped a nut out once on the same section 4 or 5 years ago or whenever.
The route wanders like crazy. More long slings would be a big help. LOOOONG slings.
Some selected pics (taken by Amanda):
Starting up. Wearing La Sportiva Boulder GTX whatever they're called (bigwall sorta boots, waterproof) and gaiters. Makes me think maybe someone should make a light approach shoe that climbs real well like the Five Ten Guide Tennie, and make it waterproof.
Following one of the chimneys. I forgot how much I love chimneying with a pack! The chimneys were steep, loose, with chockstones with loose rock all around and behind them, so one often has to dig to get a good handhold. The rock is usually featured so smearing is easy, except when it's all wet from melting snow. Kept it interesting. Two slings to extend this piece.
Amanda coming up a section. She has to cross a loose class 3 gully to get to the anchor.
Staying out of the snow at the Christmas Belay.
The 'Big Meat Pizza' section, which I had climbed with a buddy a handful of years ago. Kinda crummy pro with some cool moves, a traverse, and the requisite tree wrestling mid-pitch.
Last pitch, looking for the smartest line. We did something like 5-6 pitches total, most of which were probably 150ft long, one or two being 200ish. Hard to tell, with lots of broken ground. This last pitch goes up and has a stiff part and then you're done and on the top.
As long as your belayer is still smiling, you're good to go!
Snowing. Super quiet except for all the people yelling and screaming in Icehouse, which I hear nearly every time I come up here. My informal Korean shouts went unanswered, as did the monkey screams, Tusken Raider calls, and other weird noises.
The cool rock at the end of the technical section.
Super cool view
Lots of tiny hot dogs.
Couple more pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tacodelrio ... 023162824/
Very much looking forward to winter in the San Gabes with all the usual fools!!!! Got some big crap to do. Cheers folks.
