Jubilant Song

October 18, 2003

I was in L.A. to teach a class on Friday and the students were so talented that we concluded the tutorial by noon. I hit the road for Las Vegas to meet up with Mad Dog, Opedia, and Inez. I had never met Inez before, but we go way back on rec.climbing. She was tight with Opedia and the Dog from many previous climbing trips. We were meeting up at the Bonnie Springs Hotel near the Red Rocks Canyons Recreation Area. I arrived by 5 p.m. and Mad Dog and Opedia and I went out for some dinner. Later that night, while watching a Yosemite DVD on Opie’s computer, Inez arrived. We dickered over what route to do and settled on Jubilant Song (7 pitches, 5.8) on Windy Peak. Inez had done it before and said it was great fun. Opie was in as well, but Mad Dog was off to climb with his other friends.

After racking and packing, we hit the sack around 11:30 p.m. with a 5:30 p.m. wake-up call. A few minutes later Inez calls us and says she’s heading into Vegas to party a bit at the male strip joints. She said she’d be picking up some tennies at Wal-Mart’s on the way back as well since she forgot to bring any. Nutty, German chick…

When Opie, ever the opportunist, heard Inez’s plans he immediately called for thirty minutes more sleep. The next morning we headed for Windy Peak in the dark. After one false start, we found a reasonable place to park and started hoofing it across the desert toward our canyon. Having been there before, Inez made sure not to give us any hints on the approach so that we could experience it like first timers. I scouted out ahead up a steep hill at one point, but when Opie and Inez topped the hill a bit later I could see the pure joy of physical exertion spread out across Opie’s face. I knew we’d be having a great day.

Photo 1: Inez leads Opie to the base of the route.

At the base of the route, Inez announced that she’d be leading the first and last pitches because they were the most dangerous and she wanted to protect her boys. Opie and I were very grateful. We put Opie in the middle so that we could belay him from both sides on any scary traverses we’d encounter, particularly the giant, trademark roof traverse on the fifth pitch. Opie breathed a visible sigh of relief.

Photo 3: Whiskey Peak. The red line indicates the route Jubilant Song.

Inez scampered up the first pitch, placing one or two pieces of protection and put Opie on belay. I shouldered a small Camelback with some food and water and started up last. I took over the leading on the second pitch and had lots of fun going up a corner system with a wide crack in the back. The weather was perfect. It was sunny and warm, but not too hot. We all climbed in shorts and short sleeves.

Photo 4: Opie nearing the top of the second pitch.

While Opie belayed Inez up the second pitch, I took off up the third pitch. This was only 5.5 terrain and not very continuous. I was careful and soloed up the next two pitches to the base of the big roof traverse. I put Opie on belay and brought him up. When Inez arrived, she critiqued my belay anchor and said it would never pass the rigorous scrutiny of rec.climbing. I endeavored to do better on the next anchor.

Inez and Opie graciously offered me the lead of the big roof and I had fun deciphering its secrets. I placed as much protection as I could along the traverse, but it still wasn’t that much. Near the end of the roof, Inez calls up to me, “Are you going to go back up and left before turning it?” I said, “I was thinking of just standing up on this prow here and pulling over.”

“No, that won’t work. You can’t do that, Bill.”

“Really? It looks like it would be fine.”

“Nope.”

I did it anyway and it was fine. Later, after Inez followed it the same way, she said it was an easier way to do it. Maybe I missed the crux of the route completely. Oh well. Inez gave me improved marks on my belay anchor but didn’t like how my equalized anchor could be shock-loaded if a piece pulled. I need a lesson in the proper use of a cordalette. Of course, for that lesson to do any good I’ll have carry a cordalette.

Photo 5: Looking down on the roof traverse pitch. In the center of the photo is Inez and Opie.

Inez fired up the last pitch, placing a couple of pieces of gear after running out the wide chimney and passing the “gross” cactus. She made tricky moves up a corner and then left across a face to a big ledge. One last scrambling pitch put us on easy ground and we unroped. We all scampered up to the summit and read the summit log for Windy Peak. Apparently this is a popular hiking destination. One guy logged each of his ascents and he had recently done his 30^th ascent.

I led the way on the descent, but no one followed me. Heck, I didn’t know where I was going. Inez was the expert. Hence, I had a nice siesta back at the packs waiting for Opie and Inez. It seems the real descent is much more scenic. I just followed the cairns down from the hiking route. We shouldered our packs and headed out to the car. This time Opie and Inez followed me and the pressure was intense. I couldn’t make a mistake and strand the party. Doubts hung thick in the air right up until we arrived at the giant cargo van (the only vehicle they have left for me in L.A).

We headed back to the hotel for showers. Opie, Inez, and I went out to dinner at a fru-fru (or is it fu-fu?) Mexican place where you can only get Eggplant-Shrimp enchiladas and they nearly hurl and look visibly pained if you ask for beef enchiladas. Afterwards we headed over to the theater and saw “Runaway Jury” because “Kill Bill” wasn’t showing. This was a good flick and a fun night.

The next morning I was up early and headed for the pavement and smog of L.A. en route to home, my wife, and kids. This was a great little side trip.