A Night On The Cookie

A Night On The Cookie

Story by Brian

"BRIAN - GO UP THE GULLY, I'M STUCK, GO UP THE GULLY..........................."

Earlier in the day I had met this guy (Matthew Priestman, from Edinborough) while doing something at Sunnyside Bench. My climbing lately had been suffering. My regular partner had a job as a maid, and my other partner worked in the Mountain Shop. It was August and hot as hell so my motivation was also down.

Meeting Matthew was perfect - it seemed at the time. He was on Holiday, as they say in Great Britan, and needed a partner for a few days before his friend Adam from Scotland showed up. Another friend, Paul Newman from Nottingham, was also to show up soon. Quite late in the day we decided to drive down to the Cookie Cliff and do some 5.9 climb called the Enigma.

Now I've never been one to unrope on a climb...

As usual, things were going fine until I took the lead. I'm always slow, but it took something like the third pitch of this fine climb, to really bring it out in me. It was 5.9 and close enough to my limit to make me want good protection. The problem was that it was such a long pitch, most of my gear was used up early on. It wasn't that hard but it caused my to take my time and burn up precious daylight. As it was, I finished my lead and brought Matthew on up. It was late in the day, but with only a chimney/gully left (and then a short 5.10 pitch) we still had ample time.

Now I've never been one to unrope on a climb. Matthew had other ideas. He untied at the belay - a large tree - and went off around a corner to do some "exploring". Why he was exploring unroped and right before dark I hadn't a clue. After a bit of time I began to hear some unusual shuffling sounds and finally Matthew shouting that he was stuck. He wanted me to go up the gully.

Having no choice, I got my self safe by tying into the tree so I wouldn't hit the ground if I fell. I didn't like climbing a whole pitch without protection, but it really was quite easy so up I went. By the time I got the rope to him, Matthew he was really getting quite excited. It was now dark and sitting down was all he wanted to do. We thought about rappeling down but there were too many places the rope could get stuck. A veteran of unplanned Bivy's, I liked where I was compared to hanging in some slot with a stuck rope. As it was too dark for the 5.10 short finish, we decided to sit it out. Prepared as always,

I was wearing long pants and a tee shirt, and Matthew had shorts and a long sleeve shirt. We had about three smokes and a sip of water. It was going to be cold!

I decided that I would burn the bush.

After spending several relatively warm hours in conversation; Matthew curled up and went to sleep. I couldn't believe it. It was now at lease 1 or 2 AM and cold as hell. I had no chance for sleep. Not liking to be cold, I decided that I would burn the bush that shared the area with us. I did this deed and woke up Matthew in the process. It was a small bush and didn't burn well at all. At least Matthew was up for a while and I got to see him suffering like me. My next plan was to get some rope and and go after some nearby tree/shrub.

It was Manzanita and would burn real good. I fought with that beast the rest of the night without ever getting it to come out of the ground. No fire warmed my bones, but at least the exercise kept me in pretty good shape. I re-woke Matthew at the first hint of light so he could share in the joy of a freezing sunrise.

We hustled back to camp as a few people had known I was going climbing somewhere and would be getting worried. Nobody had ever heard of a bivy on the Cookie. It was the kind of "first" nobody really needs. It was, however, quite in character with my climbing career, in general. It was also the start of a very good friendship with a group of three Brits and others at the end of Camp 4. It was August, 1979.

Brian (avajane@aol.com)