10b4me
Social climber
Lida Junction
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Climbed this way back in July, 1999. I remember the fourth class approach as being wet. The third pitch was fun and airy.
The view from the top was great. The descent was easy.
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Floridaputz
Trad climber
Oakland Park Florida
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I approached Hobbit Book via "Crystal Meth" 5.8 and found this a good way to do it. The 3rd pitch of Hobbit Book was a blast. I found myself wandering around to find the easiest way and encountered just one move that linked the plates through a blank spot at 5.7 The plate hiking was thrilling. The top out and views from the top are the best I've seen in Tuolumne.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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At Tenaya Lake a couple of weeks ago, I spoke to a fellow who had recently fallen 50 feet after breaking a hold near the top of that pitch. He had some ugly scabs on his hands and legs, but otherwise was in good spirits. I think he said that a slung knob had held his fall.
So a fall is not necessarily fatal, at least in one case. Maybe he can be convinced to give a first hand account: it's quite a tale.
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niccast
Sport climber
Portland, OR
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The 3rd pitch run out: I slung a couple of the plates but I doubt they would have held if I'd fallen. I was able to shorten the distance of the run out (which SuperTopo calls 60ft and MountainProject calls 100 ft) by staying toward the right. There are places where you can move all the way to the right and place a piece in the "rarely climbed off-width" described in the SuperTopo book. Also, I'm 5'6" and didn't find it to be too reachy. Nonetheless, you'd better be very solid at the grade.
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Treefrog
Trad climber
Blountstown, FL
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I climbed Hobbit Book back around 1987 or 88, I believe, with Dean Crum. I was never more than a 5.10 climber, and only led a handful of 5.9's in my career. Dean took the more difficult pitches on this one, but I led several, and have seldom had more fun on a climb. With a good leader, a beginning-to-moderate climber can have a blast on this one! Great memories all around.
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Ed H
Trad climber
Santa Rosa, CA
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My new favorite Tuolumne adventure climb!
We did the Euro Trash/Hobbit Book link up - really great moderate day in the meadows - almost as good as Cathedral. Euro Trash is a nice warm up and easily connects you to the base. P1 and P2 are fun and protect well. P3 moves out onto beautiful gold plates, and you can sling some plates for psychological pro (see photos). P4 is a fun crack with an awesome under cling traverse. The views from the top are world class - just go do it!
We missed the 2nd gully/boulder field descent, and came down the 3rd gully in the trees. I think the boulder field would have been shorter with better aesthetics, so keep looking for that granite pillar.
Highly recommend this link up - see you up there!
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
sawatch choss
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If 5.7 is your limit, I would recommend getting someone else to lead that pitch.
I hung slings on those plates, and they stayed on and everything, even held up a carabiner, but counting on that stuff as lead protection is the climbing equivalent of 'you can't get pregnant in a hot tub'.
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Rich the Brit
Trad climber
San Ramon, CA
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The desciption in the 1st supertopo guide of the runout 3rd pitch can scare a lot of people off with talk of "equivialnet to 5.10 gym" and "easier for people over 5ft 10in".
The new guide correctly points out that it is possible to tie off some of the plates using the newish super-skinny slings that are now available.
I used single "shoulder" skinny slings (like the type used in a trippled "Yosemite" quick draw), and I found at least 4 tie offs over the 65 ft of climbing that is after the traverse to the bolt.
No fancy knots - just a figure of 8 tie off, sinched up to provide the maiximum hold on the patina. I clipped in a draw, but I also weigthed the sling with a cam or two for extra security.
Don't expect a bomber tie-off with the sling secured around the entire patina. These are weighted/directional tie-offs, but I reckon they would take a fall, and none of mine flicked off as I climbed.
As the guide states, being taller helps, but with some psycological pro in place, now even the vertically challenged can go for it!
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Mick K
climber
Northern Sierra
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Here are some photos from last weekend. This route is excellent!
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James leaving the 3 belay.
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James on the second pitch.
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The start of the "money pitch."
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Golden knobs on the way to the bolt.
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At the bolt.
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Golden Knobs!
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Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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Just got this beta from Larry Arthur on a direct start to Hobbit Book:
Thought you'd get a kick outa knowin' that my friend Mark Engstrom (deceased) and I put up a "direct start" pitch to The Hobbit Book (p 110) back in 1974 or 75. It starts below and right of the big corner and avoids all the hiking involved with following Charlie and Gordon's original approach. Here's the beta:
Shadow the wall below and right of Oz / Gram Traverse until goin gets steep (ocassional 3rd class chimney and boulder hopping). Rope up when you can easily work up and left on a series of ledges and back right via ramps and low angle cracks (easy 5th class). Smear past and left of an old 1/4" bolt (now not necessary with small cams) 5.8 and over an overlap tending left to a small tree on a ledge. Sling this and step left, traversing along a thin crack ledge to it's end (pro at your feet). Make face moves straight up to blocky ledge at base of Hobbit Book proper.
I reclimbed this summer before last. I really wasn't looking forward to the runout to the old rusty trusty and only spotted it when I was up and left of it some 20 ft. The Complete Hobbit or the Direct Start (as we've called it) makes a fun and easy climb a little longer and a little more fun!
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The route follows a striking left-facing dihedral.Photo: Marshall Minobe
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*What is "Route Beta"?
It's climber slang for information or tips on a route as in, "what's
the beta on that route?" As a service to fellow climbers we ask SuperTopo
guidebook users to post tips and updates to this website if they have relevant
information to share after a climb.
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