Return To Sender, at The Rincon

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Kris Solem climbing "Return To Sender," a 5.11++ Rincon Classic. The Rincon is a seldom visited area in the lower Kern River Canyon of the Southern Sierra. It is characterized by beautiful white granite faces, warm winter temps, and a burly approach hike.

Photo by Greg Epperson

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Martin Cash

Cool

Voted 10/10

Good profile shot Kris. Where is this at?

Posted Apr 25, 2007 6:58 pm


	ksolem	Re: Cool
	Hasn't voted	The Rincon is a little known climbing area in the Kern River Canyon, California. South of the Needles, and south facing situated in a sheltered bowl, it is ideal in winter. We have about 25 routes, mostly single pitch in the 150 ft range plus a few multi pitch routes. The grades run from 5.8 - 5.12c with a concentration of good 5.11s. The route pictured is .12a. The Rincon boasts a stout approach hike which keeps out the riff raff.
		Posted Apr 26, 2007 12:01 am

Rob

That's a nice shot !!

Voted 10/10

But of course it is...Eppi is one of the best pro climbing photogs ever! That shot catches Kris right in the middle of doing the crux 11+ move. Once he latches that edge the difficulty eases to about 11a for the rest of the climb. That edge actually even has a name...we call it the letterslot!

Kris and I did the first ascent in 1996, just one of many good ones up there!

Btw... Kris, my notes say that Dave Tidwell was in on that fa with us...I think he did the third lead.

Posted May 1, 2007 9:18 pm


	ksolem	Re: That's a nice shot !!
	Hasn't voted	Hi Rob! 1996 eh..? And Eppi got this shot in spring '05 as I recall. That's a tricky sequence there. The objective is to get that good slanting hold in the right foreground. The thin one I am about to latch enables one to do a switcharoo with the feet and reach over to the thin black incut at shoulder hieght halfway across to the good one. Then you match on that, smear the right foot out on zip and pull the big move across to the good edge. Let's be sure we get up there and pull that again next winter..!
		Posted May 2, 2007 12:21 pm