Big Chief & Sands of Time, Calaveras Dome
October 5-6, 2013
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A busy weekend! On Saturday we went to Big Chief for the first time with friends and enjoyed a warm (maybe even too warm?) day of cragging - cool spot so close to town! After that we went to watch the Shane McConkey film premier at Squaw, which was a great time. After that, we drove down to Calaveras Dome late into the night, and on Sunday we went climbing there.

Because of the &#@!# government shutdown, many climbers who got displaced from Yosemite chose to go to Calaveras Dome, which made it quite crowded (usually the place is near-empty!) There were multiple parties on the popular routes, moving slowly, and the least crowded was Sands of Time - a party was on the 3rd pitch when we arrived, so we started behind them. We ended up catching up to them on pitch 4, and ended up having to pass them, but we had a great time (apart from the stress of passing...). We went to the top of the Tibetan Tower & toproped the crux 5.11 dihedral on Silk Road before rappelling from there. That thing is definitely hard, and the thin ~15-20 foot section would make for an exciting lead (but has a couple of fixed pins). A great day, finished with dinner at Orchid's Thai in South Lake before continuing home!

  Running around Prosser Lake Running with Rebecca around Prosser Lake  
  Running around Prosser Lake Running with Rebecca around Prosser Lake

  Breakfast at the Squeeze In  
  Breakfast at the Squeeze In

  Hiking in to Big Chief South pass Warming up at Big Chief  
  Hiking in to Big Chief South pass Warming up at Big Chief

  Climbing some 5.10d  
  Climbing some 5.10d

   
 

   
 

   
 

   
 

  Starting up some 5.11 with a tough start (stick clip a good idea?)  
  Starting up some 5.11 with a tough start (stick clip a good idea?)

   
 

  Tenaya, who was very friendly and talkative :)  
  Tenaya, who was very friendly and talkative :)

  Center Wall/cave - steep!  
  Center Wall/cave - steep!

  Some tough looking 5.12 A crowd at the center wall  
  Some tough looking 5.12 A crowd at the center wall

  Starting up Flamethrower, a long and sweet 5.10d (with the crux right off the ground)  
  Starting up Flamethrower, a long and sweet 5.10d (with the crux right off the ground)

  #throughglass from Flamethrower So sweet and long!  
  #throughglass from Flamethrower So sweet and long!

  #throughglass #throughglass  
  #throughglass #throughglass

   
 

  Overview showing Sands of Time Starting up Sands of Time at Calaveras Dome  
  Overview showing Sands of Time Starting up Sands of Time at Calaveras Dome

  Another party on Silk Road, so we went on Sands of Time Melissa cranking through the 5.9 bulge on the first (or guidebook 2nd) pitch of Sands of Time. #throughglass  
  Another party on Silk Road, so we went on Sands of Time Melissa cranking through the 5.9 bulge on the first (or guidebook 2nd) pitch of Sands of Time. #throughglass

  5.9 hand/finger crack on the 3rd pitch of Sands of Time. The best climbing on the route!  
  5.9 hand/finger crack on the 3rd pitch of Sands of Time. The best climbing on the route!

  Starting up pitch 4 after waiting for another party for ~30 minutes... Preparing to pass another party on pitch 5 (by taking a face variation) 5.8 finger crack  
  Starting up pitch 4 after waiting for another party for ~30 minutes... Preparing to pass another party on pitch 5 (by taking a face variation) 5.8 finger crack

  Coming up pitch 5 Coming up pitch 6 (runout face)  
  Coming up pitch 5 Coming up pitch 6 (runout face)

  Our pitch 7 to gain the Tibetan Tower Short and dirty pitch to gain the top of the Silk Road  
  Our pitch 7 to gain the Tibetan Tower Short and dirty pitch to gain the top of the Silk Road

  Looking down the crux dihedral of Silk Road. 5.11 stemming / palming - it is STEEP! Melissa coming up the Tibetan Tower high on Calaveras Dome The crux section of the dihedral. Note the pins / thin corner  
  Looking down the crux dihedral of Silk Road. 5.11 stemming / palming - it is STEEP! Melissa coming up the Tibetan Tower high on Calaveras Dome The crux section of the dihedral. Note the pins / thin corner

  Toproping the crux corner of Silk Road. #throughglass Rappelling down after toproping :) Rappelling  
  Toproping the crux corner of Silk Road. #throughglass Rappelling down after toproping :) Rappelling

   
 

   
 

   
 

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