Beyond Lunacy (Reed's Pinnacle) and Arrowhead Arete
April 28-29, 2012
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On Saturday we climbed Beyond Lunacy - a climb that continues the classic Lunatic Fringe and was super awesome - I think it rivals Serenity/Sons for the best long 5.10 in the valley! The second pitch has fun stemming with plentiful protection (despite initial appearance). Pitch 3 romps up 5.8 cracks (wet for us, made them trickier). Pitch 4 had thin face crux with nice bolts, followed by super fun knob climbing. Pitch 5 had more of the same, with a couple of small roofs that were tricky. We rappelled before the 5.11c pitch because it was completely running with water (but can be aided at 5.10c supposedly easily). We had some time after that and did Reed's Direct - a test piece 5.9, to completely deserve our pizza.

On Sunday, we climbed Arrowhead Arete - super awesome adventure climb. The approach took us less than 1h 30min, a pleasant surprise given the guidebook "2-3 hours" - but the descent took us a very long time... from the top of the climb to the car, almost 4 hours! Including staggering down a loose gully with some scrambling, and a few wild rappels over giant chockstones... memorable to say the least. Beta: bring a #4 camalot or equivalent, we placed it on every pitch! I need to get one, I appreciated Karen's!

It is mostly climbing up broken rock (occasionally loose) with a few excellent short cracks to keep you grinning - but really, the exposure and position are what make the climb so awesome and memorable, not the sustained quality of the climbing. Worth doing, for sure, though! Watch for ticks. And tick carriers (deer) on the drive home...

  Starting Lunatic Fringe Past the thin hand crack on Lunatic Fringe, by far the crux for me, quite hard! Karen coming up Lunatic Fringe, pretty sustained!  
  Starting Lunatic Fringe Past the thin hand crack on Lunatic Fringe, by far the crux for me, quite hard! Karen coming up Lunatic Fringe, pretty sustained!

  Great handjams here Pitch 2: 5.10c stemming, super fun! I'm past the crux there Pitch 4 of Beyond Lunacy: 5.10c knobby face  
  Great handjams here Pitch 2: 5.10c stemming, super fun! I'm past the crux there Pitch 4 of Beyond Lunacy: 5.10c knobby face

  Looking down pitch 4 of Beyond Lunacy Pitch 5: tricky little couple of roofs!  
  Looking down pitch 4 of Beyond Lunacy Pitch 5: tricky little couple of roofs!

  Over the roof! Starting up Arrowhead Arete (we skipped the spire due to our 11am start...)  
  Over the roof! Starting up Arrowhead Arete (we skipped the spire due to our 11am start...)

  Our pitch 2 (we combined 2 & 3) - 5.8 fists to start! Top of pitch 3 (the 5.9 crux bulge is 15 feet below that) Arrowhead Spire in the background  
  Our pitch 2 (we combined 2 & 3) - 5.8 fists to start! Top of pitch 3 (the 5.9 crux bulge is 15 feet below that) Arrowhead Spire in the background

  Starting pitch 4 Beautiful views! Arrowhead Spire makes for a cool backdrop  
  Starting pitch 4 Beautiful views! Arrowhead Spire makes for a cool backdrop

  Pitch 4 is a fun one too! Looking down from the pitch 4 belay ledge. Yosemite village is so close, yet so far away! Pitch 5 starts with an airy 5.8 traverse  
  Pitch 4 is a fun one too! Looking down from the pitch 4 belay ledge. Yosemite village is so close, yet so far away! Pitch 5 starts with an airy 5.8 traverse

  Looking down the arete - this is the “5.6 awesome” in the topo - indeed! Topping out Sweet belay spot. Huge drops on both sides, hard to capture in a photo :)  
  Looking down the arete - this is the “5.6 awesome” in the topo - indeed! Topping out Sweet belay spot. Huge drops on both sides, hard to capture in a photo :)

  Half Dome looks beautiful! Airy ridge traverse ends the climb, then the exhausting descent begins... You downclimb this spike of the ridge (5.7) - harder for the follower. Awesome position...  
  Half Dome looks beautiful! Airy ridge traverse ends the climb, then the exhausting descent begins... You downclimb this spike of the ridge (5.7) - harder for the follower. Awesome position...

  Bye, Half Dome - we are dropping off the other side :) How does this tree survive here!? Motivational poster in real life. The descent is crazy, this is one of the highlights - rappelling over an insane  
  Bye, Half Dome - we are dropping off the other side :) How does this tree survive here!? Motivational poster in real life. The descent is crazy, this is one of the highlights - rappelling over an insane "chockstone"

  Another And the third!  
  Another "chockstone" to rappel over! And the third!

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