R03/R01 TR: Taboose to Dumbbell: Kings Canyon NP Aug 2007

[peninsula]

I once climbed over the Miter from Sky Blue to Iridescent. I broke all of the rules. I did this some 20 years ago when I had little knowledge of basic mountaineering fundamentals. I went over the Miter between the second and third peaks if counted going from south to north. Had I made this effort further North, I'd probably been fine. I instead scooted up a long chimney from Sky Blue. No ropes, all by myself, I ended up stuck on the Iridescent side as the opposite chimney on my descent became too wide and to steep. I made a jump that prohibited my turning back. It was a very foolish move. Soon thereafter, I could no longer safely descend. I was either going to start blowing my whistle and hope someone heard me (I was getting cold and without any additional clothing for protection) or climb out onto a face of vertical granite and try to find unseen hand and footholds to lower myself down. In my panic, I attempted the later, and I ended up taking a fall. Incredibly, I came out with only some bruises and deep abrasions. It was a the nearest I've come to thinking I was going to die! Anyway, I made it. I'll never forget going into the water on the shore of Iridescent and washing off the blood. I started crying. Then I went back to camp and went fishing.

And yes, those two lakes are beautiful. I have yet to make it over to Primrose of Erin Lakes.

[quentinc]

Peninsula, that story sounds eerily familiar (cf. Mt. Russell and the Wall of Death). Unlike you, I don't have the benefit of being able to say it happened 20 years ago. In my favor though, I waited until I got back to my car before I started crying.

[peninsula]

Peninsula, that story sounds eerily familiar (cf. Mt. Russell and the Wall of Death). Unlike you, I don't have the benefit of being able to say it happened 20 years ago. In my favor though, I waited until I got back to my car before I started crying.

Surviving to tell the story has made all of the rest of my trips far safer. I guess living and learning is still the universal school, but I'd done well to have learned and lived in the case of my experience on the Miter! I'd be interested in hearing more about your experience on the Wall of Death.

[giantbrookie]

Peninsula, that story sounds eerily familiar (cf. Mt. Russell and the Wall of Death). Unlike you, I don't have the benefit of being able to say it happened 20 years ago. In my favor though, I waited until I got back to my car before I started crying.

Surviving to tell the story has made all of the rest of my trips far safer. I guess living and learning is still the universal school, but I'd done well to have learned and lived in the case of my experience on the Miter! I'd be interested in hearing more about your experience on the Wall of Death.

Quentin's superb story on the Wall of Death is in the climbing forum. Yeah I wish surviving to tell made things safer, but there is some extent to which some of us push the risk level a bit higher than we should. I had a double "do or fly" experience descending Mt. Abbot in 1977--a blind "let go" or controlled fall, if you will, to a narrow ledge (as the first one down I could then manually provide footholds for my partner--my partner actually thought I was a goner when I let go), followed a half hour later by a flying leap over a black ice chute that ended by crashing into boulders (used my body to cushion the impact for my partner who went second on that one, too). Unfortunately, as an 18-year old, I didn't ease up and make my trips safer. In early 1979 on a snow climb of Mt. Brewer I nearly got killed when I tried to glissade the east ridge headwall and found I couldn't self arrest on soft spring snow (eventually did after going 40% of the distance to the edge of a cliff). Things were pretty good until 1991, when I very nearly got crushed by a huge boulder traversing the toe of a rock glacier at Upper Horton Lake while hypnotized by 20 inch goldens (which I failed to catch)--that was easily the closest call, given that the boulder was so close I actually assumed I was about to die. I have been much more cautious since 1991, though, and even more so since 2002 when my first kid was born. All three incidents were the results of egregious errors in judgement on my part. On Abbot I did two moves that I knew would be trouble coming down (the two flying moves coming down). On Brewer I never should have tried to glissade on 45 degree spring snow, and at Upper Horton I should have not even bothered with that rock glacier toe.

Some folks, of course, never throttle back on the risk level however many close calls they've had (read the autobiography of most great mountaineers and one can see this). I would guess the late Henry Nguyen was one of those, based on what I've read about him. He always seemed to push the envelope, commonly doing class 4 and 5 routes unroped. Sadly it caught up to him a few weeks ago on Isoceles Peak.

[quentinc]

GB, it looks like you're the winner in the "near death experience" sweepstakes. I consider my experience a bit of a fluke, since I don't intentionally seek out risky situations. There are climbs I'm sure I could do that I've passed up because of the "what if" factor.

Still, it certainly makes one appreciate life a lot more. I had a significant health scare over the summer around the same time as my Mt. Russell trip. Having gotten past both (I think!) serves as a reminder that "a good day is any day that you're alive."

[Jeremy]

Great trip report and photos, thanks. This definitely looks like a place I'd like to visit.

[Cloudy]

Very nice trip report and photos. Your "Sierra Weasel" looks like a Pine Marten which I saw once near the Minarets. As an aside about "near-death" experiences, I'll add my .02. While I generally do not do much of the serious off-trail hiking that you folks do, I had followed Cloud Canyon to near it's head and climbed up over the top to descend to Tamarack Lake. I essentially glissaded down the scree near the top until I tripped on a rock. I had a huge 65 lb. unbalanced pack that extended far above my head and it pulled me head over heels so that I somersaulted forward and ended up on my back sliding quickly to a cliff with a drop that would have probably killed me. Fortunately, I had retained hold of my bamboo hiking staff and was able to dig in to arrest my slide not all that far from the edge...

This was many years ago near the start of my backpacking adventures and I took a number of lessons to heart

[peninsula]

Thanks Jeremy and Cloudy.

Cloudy, there's another good reason to have a staff! Bamboo makes for a fine one at that... just like mine. A Pine Marten, thanks for information. I was only speculating when calling it a Sierra Weasel.

And giantbrookie, you were indeed a kamikazi sort in your youth! Man, I'm glad you're still with us.

[Cloudy]

there's another good reason to have a staff! Bamboo makes for a fine one at that... just like mine.

I'll second that. I carried that Black Bamboo staff until it was destroyed by a mule that it happened to be strapped on top of. Fortunately I still carry it's twin which I had picked up at the same time (over 20 years ago). Rattan also makes a pretty good but much heavier staff.

[madeintahoe]

Thank you..Very beautiful pictures and I loved the trip report! What a nice trip it looks like...very cool you saw the weasel..so sweet and cute!
Arrow peak is a beauty!