Elder North First Ascent

Post by **tekewin** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 4:09 pm

Elder North is a spiky peak with good prominence near Elder Benchmark in Collins Valley. This is deep Anza-Borrego. This was also my second attempt. I missed the summit block the first time because my rope was too short. The starting point is Salvador Canyon, about one hour on jeep trails after leaving the road from Borrego Springs. (If anyone wants to go there, I can provide a GPS track for the jeep trails). High clearance needed for some stream crossings and rocks. After a gentle start in Salvador Canyon, it's a short, steep scramble to the summit area with about 1900' of gain compressed into one mile. Scrambling and route finding were difficult and occasional bushwhacking necessary. Slight differences in route can magnify the effort.

Peaks in Collins Valley. Square Top left, Collins Benchmark the high point in the middle.

Easy going in the canyon

Starting up the ridge

False summit passed on the right

Summit area in view

Palms BM and Elder BM, visited in 2018

Richard Carey and Shelley Rogers placed the register in 2017. No other sigs in it.

I upgraded the container with this ammo box

I flaked out a 40m rope and got a good throw over the summit block on the first try. There is a huge drop off on the other side. There were one or two boulders that might have worked but I found an bomber 6" diameter tree about 90' below the summit block. Back on top, I used two Prusiks to ascend the rope. I'm not sure this block can be climbed without aid because it is basically glued kitty litter, coming apart wherever it was touched. I was delighted to reach the summit and straddle the block. It was only about 2' wide where the rope went over and the weight of the rope on the far side exerted a small tug on me. I didn't want to stand up. The block got a little wider toward the pointy end. I took a few photos with my phone before connecting my belay device to rappel. The return trip was uneventful. It was only a six hour effort, but a big solo achievement for me.

Summit is up there

Going up

Sitting on the block

The anchor side

Ascent side

Elder North has teeth

These people were falling from the sky over Borrego Springs

Post by **dima** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 5:32 pm

Sweet!!! How long did it take you to find a Triplet-like peak where a first ascent like this was possible?

Post by **Sean** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 6:11 pm

Congrats! Glued kitty litter is class 6, right?

Post by **tekewin** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 6:59 pm

dima wrote: Sweet!!! How long did it take you to find a Triplet-like peak where a first ascent like this was possible?

Well, I noticed the peak when I was finishing the San Diego list last year, but I didn't realize no one had reached the summit block until I researched it this summer. It's rare to find something with that much prominence that hasn't been done. There might be one or two more in the cluster of mountains north of San Ysidro East. Some of those peaks don't have names.

Post by **tekewin** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 7:05 pm

Sean wrote: Congrats! Glued kitty litter is class 6, right?

Haha, I think that is the official YDS definition. There was zero traction on the slopers and contours you can see in the block. It was 100% aid climbing.

Tom Kenney · Post by **Tom Kenney** » Tue Nov 26, 2019 12:48 pm

'Class 3' is often used to describe unprotectable Class 5. It's a morbid inside joke of a sort.

headsizeburrito · Post by **headsizeburrito** » Fri Nov 29, 2019 8:41 pm

Great work, sounds like a cool outing and a unique achievement!

jarredorlane · Post by **jarredorlane** » Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:29 pm

Congratulations! That must be a superb hiking experience.