Page Type Page Type: Trip Report
Date Date Climbed/Hiked: May 6, 2006
Activities Activities: Mountaineering
I swear he had this look in his eye, this look that said “I got him!”

My ass (the left cheek, specifically) was stinging, a quarter-sized red spot that would have a pussy (that’s “puss’y”) head on it by day’s end.

I scratched my head and wondered what to do.


The rewards for climbing obscure and troublesome peaks are often hard to articulate.

A five-hour approach over loose terrain in the May sun to a short pitch of technical climbing on poor rock…followed by a bushwhack to the summit - what’s not to love?

Three hours earlier, following my partner across a catwalk, I put my feet down on a boulder … and it crumbled and fell into the abyss.

“Let’s find another way … around this section.”

The rock was bad, real bad. But what a ridge! Knife edges, towers, trees to climb, steep chutes, chimneys, all with fantastic exposure…with that ever-steepening headwall between you and the top.

It went easy. Somebody had placed a few bolts.

The summit had no views. But an iconic mountain.

We got ready to rap through the crux…


“Should we call for a chopper? They could land it on the mesa.” Well, no, that’s a bit premature…but aren’t these things poisonous? Cut an X and ask my partner to suck out the venom? No…

I took a picture.

Four thousand vertical to descend. With a couple raps, perhaps 3-4 hours. “Let’s just get down…quick.”


Days later…red with a head, but no worse.

I called the park. I google’d.

“…largest species in North America…active and aggressive…virtually harmless.”


That’s the second time something like this has happened to me.

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bobeck

bobeck - Dec 20, 2007 10:14 am - Voted 10/10

I Love It!

Kept me in suspense!? Similarly, a few years back doing sneak into Imlay, was bouldering the wash obstacles. Nest of yellow-jackets found a new nesting spot between my pack and me....bad thing was that it was in the middle of the "crux" and just had to let the little buggers (as in insects) chew me up until I got to the top!

cp0915

cp0915 - Dec 20, 2007 5:52 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: I Love It!

Geeesh. That's way worse than what happened to me!

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