Scary Times at Josh

Scary Times at Josh

Story by Rex Pieper

Jean asked for our Tales from the Gripped. Here's one of mine...

This was back in 1989, putting up a first ascent in Joshua Tree, bolting on the lead, ground up (remember those days??)

I found a nice-looking 80 foot face and decided to bolt it. Climbed up a few big, talus-boulders then 20 feet of fairly easy 5.6 and placed a 5/16" buttonhead. I was feeling cheap at the time and decided to leave the hanger off, preferring to save them for the steeper rock ahead. I put a beefy #3 rivet hanger on the stud and continued on.

(FORESHADOWING ALERT) The climbing got progressively harder and I had to do 2 dicy 5.9 moves about 15 feet above the last bolt, then move up another 6 or so feet to a stance.

Prior to this stance, there wasn't really a stopping spot, and nothing to hook (being a 75 degree friction slab w/ no real edges). So essentially I was about 25 feet above my last bolt (which although was about 30 feet off the ground was only 20 feet above some big rocks). Survey says: GROUNDFALL potential. As I reached for my bolt kit, my partner asks me if my stance is a good one. I say it's fair...a bit awkward, but I can stand here for the 10 minutes it will take to drill the bolt. Then he hits me with the news..."Dude, your hanger came off the bolt!"

I looked down...sure enough. I'm fucked. I begin to drill...calves burning. The hole goes really quickly. Soon I'm done and slam in the buttonhead. Two taps and it's in....for those of you who don't know..THAT'S NOT GOOD.

The rock was shit. The bolt was worthless, and there wasn't really any hope in another bolt being good either. So I'm 50 feet off the deck with no pro and the balancy slab moves would be hard to reverse. I can either go for the summit (another 30 feet), but that looks to be around 5.10, downclimb or pray for divine intervention. If I come off, it's going to be messy. The talus sharks begin to circle.

I decide to downclimb. I notice that the bolt is camming in the hole and figure that if a slight, constant pressure is maintained on it during my downclimb, then a slip wouldn't shock load it to the point of vibrating out. Gingerly I reversed the moves eventually reaching the deck. A flick of the rope brought down the top bolt and bail biner.

After a lot of "Whoa Mans" I got my crowbar and pulled the first bolt. My new wife got an extra long hug that night.

I believe the route's still awaiting a FA....Any takers? Wander around near the White Tank Campground and you might find it... Big, blankish face that starts lower angled and gets steep at the top. The only sign of man are two tiny holes from the pulled bolts. Oh and the stains I left when I shit my pants.

Rex "Needless to say, I have left hangers since then" Pieper