Ive been coming here ,for I think 4 years, at autumn, so each time its looks the same as it always has. This time there was no snow on the PVR mountain tops though.
Each time Ive been here, Ive gone a different route, and each time its been the same type of features, but it seems to always deliver a solid surprise while being an excellent half-day.
This time, I was looking to get on top of a subpeak on the lower part of a ridge I call punchdrunk. It divides Devils Chair and Punchbowl. And like its companion ridge on the east, it has a upper and lower section.
From the punchbowl area, the only landmark that matters is a 300ft high slab that shoots up into the sky and this subpeak doesnt stand out.
On the east side of the ridge it stands out while driving the road, or from the south. Thats devils punchbowl for you.
I noticed on the maps it looked easier to approach from the south so off I went early morning.
I dont think I gained 100ft before the plan went sideways.It looked like the drainage went straight up so I took a left and ended up cliffed out.I went back down and up the earlier drainage it tossed me onto the east side of the main ridge. From there I saw the sub-peak. It sure didnt look only 400ft higher. I took a direct approach at it and ended up at a the bottom of dome that was I figured was at least 200ft high. So I went around it by dropping into this subpeak's main canyon and then bypassing the 'watercourse' to gain elevation. That got me within 30ft of the top....but it could have been 500 because there was no way I could gain the last part.
Still, the view was excellent for this area and was close to 360. There were a couple of narrow but wide enough slabs that extended off from the ridge, so I dibble-dabbled on those instead of climbing for dear life.
Then it was time for the descent of the eastern canyon, which I now had a good idea of what I was getting into. There were a number of obstacles, but the main feature were 2 short narrow sections. The highest elevation one was a downclimb that widened out at the end, which made for a short push out/swing out move/jump of about 7ft into soft sand. The other narrow one was too narrow for me to slither through so it was easy to stay higher and then wedge down slowly. Eventually the drainage ended into the main devils chair drainage and it was a shortish walk back to the car.
I visited the Abbey too. To see the 'christmas tree', which is a tall rectuangulish pine tree on their property. Nice place and friendly. The tree was is 2 trees, but the main one is still really nice. Disclaimer: its watered.
Beginning dome, in which the lower part of the slabs took me to the east. Only rock climbers can gain these domes/subpeaks typically.
The lower part of the subpeak, in the middle of the photo and the canyon on the left of it. The upper canyon is actually a nice little forested section.
The subpeak. Theres a bit of a chasm between the 2 of us(not that I have any chance of climbing up anyway), or I could worm out on the the super thin edge on the right with a crazy exposure. See last picture.
Start of first narrow section..
Near the end of the canyon
Abbey tree
