MrBill's Albums - Crystal Crag, September 10, 2024

We make our way down the Class 2 use trail to Crystal Lake.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:49:11 +0000

We make our way down the Class 2 use trail to Crystal Lake. / We make our way down the Class 2 use trail to Crystal Lake. ( l to r): Gerry, Bill, Stella, and Frank. Photo courtesy of Joann Garbarini.

Jo (l in red), Gerry (standing) and Stella briefly rest and recover items left at the base of the climb.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:47:49 +0000

Jo (l in red), Gerry (standing) and Stella briefly rest and recover items left at the base of the climb. / Jo (l in red), Gerry (standing) and Stella briefly rest and recover items left at the base of the climb. Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.

Jo, Bill, and Frank traverse along the base of Crystal Crag to the base of the climb where we had stowed some gear.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:46:57 +0000

Jo, Bill, and Frank traverse along the base of Crystal Crag to the base of the climb where we had stowed some gear. / Jo, Bill, and Frank traverse along the base of Crystal Crag to the base of the climb where we had stowed some gear. Photo courtesy of Joann Garbarini.

Jo descends forward.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:46:16 +0000

Jo descends forward. / Jo descends forward. Photo courtesy of Frank Paysen.

On the Class 3 down-climb.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:45:34 +0000

On the Class 3 down-climb. / On the Class 3 down-climb. I'm at the bottom, Stella in the middle, and Jo at the top, each connected by about 10 feet of rope. I have a hard time seeing how Jo can prevent my pulling Stella off if I take a tumble. I down-climbed carefully to avoid a mishap. Frank and Gerry are on a separate short rope.

Frank and Gerry on the Class 3 down-climb.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:44:51 +0000

Frank and Gerry on the Class 3 down-climb. / Frank and Gerry on the Class 3 down-climb.

Frank on his rappel.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:43:47 +0000

Frank on his rappel. / Frank on his rappel. Gerry stands at the end of the rope while Stella and Bill wait slightly down-slope to the right. Photo courtesy of Joann Garbarini.

Stella on her rappel.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:43:16 +0000

Stella on her rappel. / Stella on her rappel.

Stella on her rappel.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:42:39 +0000

Stella on her rappel. / Stella on her rappel. Gerry holds the end of the rope strands while I wait off to the right. Photo courtesy of Joann Garbarini.

Bill on his rappel.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:42:02 +0000

Bill on his rappel. / Bill on his rappel. Photo courtesy of Joann Garbarini.

Frank and Stella wait for me to start my rappel.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:41:24 +0000

Frank and Stella wait for me to start my rappel. / Frank and Stella wait for me to start my rappel.

Gerry rappels first.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:40:52 +0000

Gerry rappels first. / Gerry rappels first. The entire rappel is about 100 feet over terraced rocks.

I unfurl my prusik and one of my slings to prepare my third hand for the rappel.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:40:08 +0000

I unfurl my prusik and one of my slings to prepare my third hand for the rappel. / I unfurl my prusik and one of my slings to prepare my third hand for the rappel. But due to the extra time required to set this up Gerry talks me out of using third hand. The plan was for him to rappel first and give each of us a Fireman's Belay from below, which functions as a third hand. In hindsight I wish I had talked him into letting me set up my third hand as I think I would have gotten some badly-needed practice with proper rappel technique! Photo courtesy of Joann Garbarini.

Jo, Frank, and Stella wait near the rappel station.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:39:22 +0000

Jo, Frank, and Stella wait near the rappel station. / Jo, Frank, and Stella wait near the rappel station. Photo courtesy of Joann Garbarini.

Bill stops for a photo just before the rappel station.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:38:43 +0000

Bill stops for a photo just before the rappel station. / Bill stops for a photo just before the rappel station. Photo courtesy of Gerry Egbalic.

Gerry waits for me at the rappel station.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:38:20 +0000

Gerry waits for me at the rappel station. / Gerry waits for me at the rappel station. I had wanted to reach the true summit today (in the background), but I could tell that might have been biting off more than I could chew today. That summit will have to wait for us to attempt on a future visit.

Happy climbers enjoy temporary shelter from the wind at the bottom of the first down-climb.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:37:40 +0000

Happy climbers enjoy temporary shelter from the wind at the bottom of the first down-climb. / Happy climbers enjoy temporary shelter from the wind at the bottom of the first down-climb. (l to r) Frank, Stella, and Jo. Photo courtesy of Joann Garbarini.

Bill climbs the slab to the rappel station.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:37:04 +0000

Bill climbs the slab to the rappel station. / Bill climbs the slab to the rappel station. Gerry keeps me on a short rope. Photo courtesy of Joann Garbarini.

Bill climbs to the rappel station.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:36:42 +0000

Bill climbs to the rappel station. / Bill climbs to the rappel station. Frank, Stella, and Jo look on from a distance. Photo courtesy of Gerry Egbalic.

Frank and Stella down-climb carefully.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:36:18 +0000

Frank and Stella down-climb carefully. / Frank and Stella down-climb carefully. Photo courtesy of Joann Garbarini.