Trip Report
A visit to Calaveras Dome/Hidden Wall (Pics)

by Eric McAuliffe
Friday June 5, 2009 1:58pm
I live here in Bear Valley, about a 45 min drive to the top of Cal dome on the forest roads. I have never been there before and decided to go for a recon mission yesterday and have a looksie. WOW that thing is cool looking. HIdden wall is something to aspire too as well, super STEEP!

The roads in to the top are clear of snow now, but i have not drove from the Winton Rd side. If anyone wants to climb there in the next few weeks and need a partner let me know i'm SUPER eager to get out there. Here are some pictures:


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Forest Road 7N09


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Back side of Cal Dome from the top of Hidden Wall


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HIdden wall


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STEEEEEEEPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!


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Sky Daisies


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Summit of Calaveras Dome


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Snow Plant on 7N09



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Eric McAuliffe 		About the Author
Eric McAuliffe is a trad climber from Alpine County, CA.

Comments
The Alpine

climber
The Sea
  Jun 5, 2009 - 02:07pm PT
How many routes are on that orange streaked wall? How hard is that left facing corner?
Eric McAuliffe

Trad climber
Alpine County, CA
Author's Reply  Jun 5, 2009 - 02:16pm PT
Dont think that corner is a route, at least not on this topo, but they are all .12-.13, a few .11's but mainly burley methinks.



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Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
  Jun 5, 2009 - 03:07pm PT
Cool. Any sign of peregrines up there?
Chris2

Trad climber
  Jun 5, 2009 - 03:12pm PT
Nastiest peregrines I have ever been around.
Ragz

climber
Tartarus, black hole of the internet
  Jun 5, 2009 - 03:16pm PT
I'm guessing your the same Eric I ran into bouldering at Hells's Kitchen? If you wanna climb some of that Shee'it. Lemme' know. Was just over there week ago Saturday. Next week or so...

we can rap in from the top, climb back out, or drive down

Rick
Eric McAuliffe

Trad climber
Alpine County, CA
Author's Reply  Jun 5, 2009 - 05:38pm PT
Ragz-If this was like 2-3 weeks ago yes, im really bad with names but i believe you are right. I would love to climb Sands of Times first, im getting solid on IV .9's and sounds like you have done the routes before. IM DOWN to climb as soon as this bunk weather is outa here!

Clint-The Falcons are there for sure, saw a few fly to near where you have the "nests" listed on the topo so hold off for now. Whats the story with the super spliter 2p or so SPLITTER on rattlesnake butt.??


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Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
  Jun 5, 2009 - 06:22pm PT
Eric,

As I recall the splitter is Thin Lizzie 5.10+:

Hidden Wall - West Buttress ("Rattlesnake Buttress")

138. Finders Keepers 5.11, steep chimney system on L side of West Buttress.
One pitch of face to a pyramid type block that sits at the bottom of a
nice hand crack to ow. Belay under a giant roof that actually turns to
left and forms a ow undercling. The lower section is probably 5.9.
The undercling is in the 5.11 range.
139. Thin Lizzy 5.10+, in center of NE face of West Buttress. One pitch.
[Edit:] Direct start. Has some thin sections, but also dikes to rest on.

FA info:

138. Finders Keepers FA: Ron Felton, 96/97
FFA: unknown
139. Thin Lizzy FA: Rick Hooven, ___, 77 or 78 [Edited]

The McConachies did some routes up there, but Jim doesn't remember them real well. We had a vague plan to go up there and jog his memory, but we haven't gotten to it.
Eric McAuliffe

Trad climber
Alpine County, CA
Author's Reply  Jun 5, 2009 - 06:37pm PT
sweet clint thanks, thats what i thought it was. The crack lookes bottomed from the ground for maybe the first 30 feet, then sweet fingers? anyways if you are ever headed out that way drop me a line i would love to see some of that stuff climbed! Looks WILD. Also, is some of that stuff aidable? looks like good pratice but dont want to bash free climbs, has anyone clean aided any of that stuff becides the arch?



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Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
  Jun 5, 2009 - 07:07pm PT
Originally aided (not sure if clean aid or not):

115. Loaded for Bear FA(p1): 80s
121. Golden Medallion FA("Watcher in the Skies"): 80s
128. Falcon Gods FA(p1-2): James McConachie, _ McConachie, _ McConachie, mid 80s
hooblie

climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
  Jun 5, 2009 - 07:15pm PT
no, i'll take credit for thin lizzie, rick hooven
the mystery will persist, with who?, in '77?
first visit, rolled in, scanned with the bino's and knew where we were headed in the morning.
first pitch was a lichen fest, cleaning on the go, but i knew the second pitch would be worth it.
if there's a way to traverse into the stance, i wouldn't know. but yes there are dance moves to get under the goody.
then it felt like a bit of nabisco for the b team, just over with too soon.
i've been 98% prepared to learn what the rest of the world had named it, so it literally shocked me to read it here.
did some slabby thing across the way with smith and crawford, it must be due to them that the name persists.
lizzie will be proud, which indeed she was when she was her kind of thin
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
  Jun 5, 2009 - 07:32pm PT
Awesome! I can't believe I never got down there when I was living in Nevada City! Great pics, by the way!
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
  Jun 5, 2009 - 08:30pm PT
Thanks Rick - info updated!
Salamanizer

Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
  Jun 5, 2009 - 09:30pm PT
I've done some stuff over on Hidden Wall, all of it was pretty good. That Thin Lizzie is one bad ass splitter. Too bad Hidden is a PITA to get too. Seems like everything there is steep and hard, even over on the west buttress.

Finders Keepers is a really fun route, wouldn't call that roof 5.11 though, .10c lieback at most. The first pitch is really the glory pitch anyway, and at 5.9 it would be a popular trade route anywhere else more accessible.


Mike peaking out of the upper wide section of Finders Keepers






Anyway, did a route that takes a more or less direct line up the West Buttress just to the left of Finders Keepers.

Sharp Shooter
5 pitches, 5.11c pro to 3"
I'll post a topo later if anyone's interested.

There is a full pitch squeeze chimney, steep, looks hard and a full on flaring O.W. roof crack up there that I know have never been done waiting for someone with a brush and some Neosporin to come around. That's all I'm sayin.
I'll probably knock em off eventually.
mrtropy

Trad climber
Nor Cal
  Jun 5, 2009 - 09:48pm PT
Eric,
Cool shots, I got to get back there. Sorry I missed you Sunday, skiing was awesome and took longer than I thought. I had to get back to the cabin and do some chores( and a nap). I will be up there this weekend but mostly family stuff. May climb on Sunday afternoon. Jeff
Eric McAuliffe

Trad climber
Alpine County, CA
Author's Reply  Jun 5, 2009 - 10:35pm PT
topo of sharp shooter would be sweet. I guess from here its not that bad to get there. 45 min drive on good roads, and the approach isn't that bad. I cut a retied a few of the fixed ropes, they were hanging on by like 3 pieces of core! All the Fixed stuff down there is TAT. Needs to be removed/replaced. Anyone care if the line in the approach gully goes away?


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Salamanizer

Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
  Jun 6, 2009 - 02:35am PT
Here ya go.
hooblie

climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
  Jun 6, 2009 - 09:31am PT
it's great to catch the flavor of the way this area is unfolding for you eric. isn't it fun to poke around in mysterious places? to me that's the full value experience.

a while ago there was a thread called "look up" that made me want to know how to post an image. that'll come. but in the meantime i'm left with trying to explain what i picture as the essence of looking up.

something is going on inside your brain when you can't see around the corner but rely on clues take some time to interperit. i'm guessing the art of witching for water requires an open channel akin to those voyagers out on the sharp end "looking up" scanning for sublties and letting hunches take root. ultimately i think it's while you are in that special state of mind that you are incubating that precious quantity, judgement. take the time to observe yourself growing, enjoy steeping in the dilema.

that's what makes chalkless considerate, and non publishing preservative. there's nothing like traversing out a dubious ledge and being jolted by a discovery that revealed itself by way of it's own intrinsic sense of drama.

hopefully the soundtrack will be primordial, befitting the crags, which are their own definitive expression of place. guidebook cluckers filtering the raw experience are dividing their attention.

of course i'm just speaking up for the contrarian point of view.
i acknowledge massive benefit from the recorded work of others
Eric McAuliffe

Trad climber
Alpine County, CA
Author's Reply  Jun 6, 2009 - 12:27pm PT
THanks salamanizer for that topo, i was having trouble scouting finders keepers but that should help out ALOT! Hooblie-yes i love wandering around looking for stuff to climb, thats kind of the way about things around here in Alpine county, where we only have a few developed crags, there is so much unclimbed stuff around here. "the land of the half pitch", that is what they call Bear Valley! haha Well thanks everyone for the info, hope to run into youguys sometime out there!

Rain, rain, go away come again another day!!! UGH im over this weather

Edit: Hooblie: It tooke me a little while to fully comprehend what you said and that is awesome. im going to remember that....

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jay meezan

Trad climber
sacramento,ca
  Jun 13, 2009 - 12:49am PT
I live in West Point and have been looking around this area for some time. I have been climbing off and on for the past 30 yrs but do not climb to the caliber of you guys. I would still be interested in meet up with you and maybe setting up for some video or pictures. Let me know if you are interested.
Eric McAuliffe

Trad climber
Alpine County, CA
Author's Reply  Jun 13, 2009 - 01:27am PT
Has anyone climbed out here lately?
WHO WANTS TO DO SOMTHING OUT THERE???


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Dumpster Diver

climber
  Jun 13, 2009 - 01:29am PT
Well said hooblie. It's unfortunate that this area will again soon be in print, gone will be another slice of the dwindling adventure pie
Gobie

Trad climber
Northern, Ca.
  Jun 15, 2009 - 01:29pm PT
I used to live in West Point. I was just up at cal dome a couple weeks ago with ragz. I spent a few hours re-scoping a line I had my eye on some years ago on the west side. It may of already been climbed. If one of you guys are in I am free the last weekend of june. The hike up from the bottom isnt that bad. I agree that the roof on finders is probably not .11. Sean Leary knows the guy who freed the roof. I was the one who took him up there but I cant remember his name. I did the FA of the route and named it. I remember how jazzed I was that thing was just sitting there. I have a list of other routes along the reservoir that need to be done as well. Email me or call if youre interested. 209-946-4348
Ron
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