keenwesh Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Trip: Upper Town Wall - Green Dragon Date: 4/30/2011 Trip Report: Mark and I spent last weekend slowly plodding up our first real aid route. I think I'd done 2 aid pitches before this, mark had similar experience. I owe a big thanks to ScottP who was generous enough to lend me his ledge for the weekend. it made the night on the wall downright cozy. I packed up all my shit after school friday and hit the road by 4. Major traffic and other bullshit slowed my progress but managed to pick up the ledge and mark and still reach Index before dark. cooked up a quick dinner and passed out. The hike up was pretty shitty. Carrying tons of crap in a old river drybag with no hipbelt hurt. I flopped down at the base and threw Mark on belay. I'm taking a film lit class (2nd semester senior, really don't give a fuck about any form of academic rigor) And our current assignment is to make a documentary of some kind, I'm not sure I didn't really read the assignment sheet. anyway I figured I'd do some filming and narrating during the climb, so periodically I would pull out the cmaera and mumble some shit about how the piece I was on was scaring me, or how beautiful the weather was. Mark climbed the first pitch as it rained and hauled our shit up to the P1 ledge with the basic "haul system" I had devised, a pulley and a prussik. I jugged and cleaned the pitch as the sun came out and then wasted more time eating and filming. Eventually I got my stuff together and headed up P2. man those fixed pins in the seeping crack flex! I slowly trudged upward, soaking and covering the left side of my body in slime all the while. this skyhook was fun! it only took me 2 hours to get here! I continued on up the slime free and wider flake until forced to head back left, got a few bomber pieces and just went for it. 2 hook moves and many small RP's later I reached high and got a bomber 1/2 offset TCU in the pinscar right at the lip of the corner. I had fumbled the skyhook into the dirt at the base by this pint so I had to bathook the flake to reach the bolt just before the anchors. whooooo!!! No pics for this section, just lots of video. I'll post it after I put together my "documentary". Mark said I moved way faster through the thin section at the top then I did lower down. I guess I was too scared to mess around much. I hauled up my gear and set up the ledge while mark jugged, then threw him on belay for him to fire up the last pitch in only an hour and a half or so! he fixed the lead line and rapped past me down to spend the night on top of pitch one. I gave him the stove to cook up some hot food while I decided to just eat a can of pineapple and watch the sun set. I called both our mothers to let them know that we were alive. As mark was too far away for conversation I tried to impress a girl texting her about my big wall climbing prowess. she wasn't that into it, chicks don't dig climbing. I gave up on that conversation and zipped up my bivisack to get away from the drips. all tucked and ready for bed! the sun hit Index first mark got up and jugged past me, then i dismantled the ledge (with some difficulty) and followed up. Hanging belays are clusterfucks, especially with tons of aid gear. I was feeling like a pussy so I offered the P4 roof to mark, he jumped on the offer and headed off with much cursing from both of us, as was were kinda hanging together under a constant drip with all our shit tangled together. I hung out for a few hours while mark steadily but slowly cruised on up. Mark took a break from cruising for a photo We seem to be around the same speed aiding but he doesn't whimper as much on sketchy gear. He did a great job and I had fun jugging up the steep corner with considerable air under my ass. kneepads were key for me we had a short cluster at the hanging belay and I was off! The end of the bolt ladder is a fixed circlehead that scared the shit out of me cause like i said I'm a big puss. I bounce tested it for a while before gingerly stepping up. it's good I guess and even if it did blow theres a big old bolt 4 feet down. after the ladder it got wet and grovelly. some free climbing up wet stuff with aiders and shit getting caught on gear, a 15 or so foot mossy traverse that I stupidly let cause a ton of drag (maybe this is why it's the green drag-on?) then a wet 20 foot crack to the belay. mark jugged up and I ran up to the top of the wall. we topped out at 4 and quickly packed up and headed down Lovin' Arms and D/H. The last pitch of Lovin' Arms looks sketch! has anyone blown it going to the bolt? is it really not that hard? anyway we made 6 raps down to the ground packed up our shit and trudged down. Gear Notes: the kitchen sink, lots of small nuts and cams, doubles up to BD #2 and a #3. camhooks and a skyhook. maybe a bathook too? I'm sure mark will chime in on what he used. Approach Notes: not too bad. only took us 40 minutes. I was delirious from malnutrition and dehydration on the way down so I have no idea how long it took to deproach, but faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtveld Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Nice work for a 'first real aid climb'. Managing hanging belays, hook moves, and all, while hauling overnight gear - damn! Great ambiance with the snowy peaks under his butt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 careful there, lest you get sucked in and spend the rest of yer climbing life stuck in your etriers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I called both our mothers to let them know that we were alive. As mark was too far away for conversation I tried to impress a girl texting her about my big wall climbing prowess. she wasn't that into it, chicks don't dig climbing. Ha! Sounds like a great climb. Congrats on sending and on some entertaining writing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketparrotlet Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Love the TR Keenan! Such a good trip. I think the most memorable moment for me was when I was straining to pull around that roof, I slotted in a nut, and something started shrieking at me...I think it was a swallow or a bat maybe? I couldn't see the placement very well, but I felt kind of bad for kicking whatever it was out of its nest. I thought I was going to get attacked. As for the rack, we had a bunch of small nuts and cams, 2 cam hooks, 2 sky hooks, a talon hook (unused), a bathook, and some larger nuts and cams. The route is in good condition, except for the occasional grime and slime that must be dug out to put in a piece, especially present on pitch 3 and 5. Awesome trip, I'd love to do some more walls in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counterfeitfake Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 The end of the bolt ladder is a fixed circlehead Really! That is something new, isn't it? I don't remember that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Lewis Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Do work Mark! I'll have to read the rest when I'm not at school. Looks like you guys had fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmatt Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 The end of the bolt ladder is a fixed circlehead Really! That is something new, isn't it? I don't remember that. Was that way when I did it a few years ago (one of the last pitches?) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counterfeitfake Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Ah, nevermind, I jugged that pitch. It was the "free move" I was thinking of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sol Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Nice job you guys!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketparrotlet Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Ah, nevermind, I jugged that pitch. It was the "free move" I was thinking of. Ahhhh, that freaked me out. I thought I had found my way onto Rise and Fall because of how widely-spaced the bolts were on the bolt ladder and figured the free climbing must be hard. I almost tried it but decided to settle for a freaky sky hook move instead. It held...somehow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fultonville Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Nice TR. Last pitch of Lovin Arms goes at Index 5.9. As far as not getting that first clip I've never heard of anyone blowing it but have heard tales of folks getting off route after the clip. You really should go back and get D/H into Lovin Arms. It's one of the classic free routes in the state. Are the chains still on top? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keenwesh Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 yeah shiny bolts on top of each pitch. bomber. I hope to get on it next week if the weather doesn't go to shit like it's forecasted to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fultonville Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 Outstanding. Myself and a climber named Robert Cobb took it upon ourselves in '96-'97 to replace and upgrade a bunch of the bolts on upper and lower town wall and it's good to hear at least some of them are still there. Hope the weather holds out and I wish I was around to go with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ospray Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 You guys do the real first pitch? It seems no on does it any more. My friend and I did it a couple of years ago, and we came up and there where some guys about to get on the TC/DH 5.9 start. I started my way up the real Green Dragon start and they guys yelled over, hey what route are you doing, we said Green Dragon. The guy said "No, WE are doing Green Dragon"... I beat the guy to the ledge by about 45 minnutes, end of story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 You guys do the real first pitch? It seems no on does it any more. My friend and I did it a couple of years ago, and we came up and there where some guys about to get on the TC/DH 5.9 start. I started my way up the real Green Dragon start and they guys yelled over, hey what route are you doing, we said Green Dragon. The guy said "No, WE are doing Green Dragon"... I beat the guy to the ledge by about 45 minnutes, end of story! i've done it (though, for giggles, i think i did it to get to town crier) - it's fun, but then so is the more popular alternative since it's so freeable strange indeed you could do an aid pitch faster than folks doing a free pitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sol Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 strange indeed you could do an aid pitch faster than folks doing a free pitch P1 is one of the easier pitches of the route at 11a (sandbag!) The Green Dragon is a freeroute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ospray Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 (edited) strange indeed you could do an aid pitch faster than folks doing a free pitch P1 is one of the easier pitches of the route at 11a (sandbag!) The Green Dragon is a freeroute! I agree! I tryed to free it at the time, but it was quite dirty back then and I had to garden many placements, I recall pulling up the ladders half way because it was just too much gardening. Edited May 6, 2011 by The Ospray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keenwesh Posted May 6, 2011 Author Share Posted May 6, 2011 we climbed the real first pitch. actually did it twice. we tried to do the whole route in a day a little over a month ago and only managed 2 pitches in 6+ hours. after that we rethought our strategy and went back with overnight gear and loads of shit. I did take two aid falls on the first pitch though. I wanted to try placing camhooks and the rock isn't very high quality, the first one popped a big chunk of rock out that almost nailed mark in the head. it was where the crack does a little jog to the left. the 2nd one was above that jog 2 placements, the hook was good, I stepped up on it, and I had time to see the rock around it start to fracture and say oh fuck before ping! and I took a 15-20 footer. (the cam in the crappy rock below it blew too) P2 being 12a looks like a total sandbag. that upper semioverhanging corner is THIN and you'd have to be placing micro RP's and shit blind. the flare right below it is super thin too. I do want to do the P4 roof. incredible air and position. jugging it was fun, climbing it would be off the hook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevetimetravlr Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 strange indeed you could do an aid pitch faster than folks doing a free pitch P1 is one of the easier pitches of the route at 11a (sandbag!) The Green Dragon is a freeroute! I agree! I tryed to free it at the time, but it was quite dirty back then and I had to garden many placements, I recall pulling up the ladders half way because it was just too much gardening. Someone was already on the 1st pitch of Davis Holland, and you came and started up the 1st pitch of Green Dragon and beat them to the ledge by 45 minutes? Were they aiding the first pitch and total dweebs, because that sounds pretty farfetched......and troll-like... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ospray Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 strange indeed you could do an aid pitch faster than folks doing a free pitch P1 is one of the easier pitches of the route at 11a (sandbag!) The Green Dragon is a freeroute! I agree! I tryed to free it at the time, but it was quite dirty back then and I had to garden many placements, I recall pulling up the ladders half way because it was just too much gardening. Someone was already on the 1st pitch of Davis Holland, and you came and started up the 1st pitch of Green Dragon and beat them to the ledge by 45 minutes? Were they aiding the first pitch and total dweebs, because that sounds pretty farfetched......and troll-like... Since I dont waste time filiming every one of my placements for my next "epic" video, I do just fine. And no I was not wearing a watch. Oh ya we left the portaledge, two haubags and the Boston at home. I think that sped things up a bit as well:fahq: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Puget Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 we climbed the real first pitch. actually did it twice. we tried to do the whole route in a day a little over a month ago and only managed 2 pitches in 6+ hours. after that we rethought our strategy and went back with overnight gear and loads of shit. I did take two aid falls on the first pitch though. I wanted to try placing camhooks and the rock isn't very high quality, the first one popped a big chunk of rock out that almost nailed mark in the head. it was where the crack does a little jog to the left. the 2nd one was above that jog 2 placements, the hook was good, I stepped up on it, and I had time to see the rock around it start to fracture and say oh fuck before ping! and I took a 15-20 footer. (the cam in the crappy rock below it blew too) P2 being 12a looks like a total sandbag. that upper semioverhanging corner is THIN and you'd have to be placing micro RP's and shit blind. the flare right below it is super thin too. I do want to do the P4 roof. incredible air and position. jugging it was fun, climbing it would be off the hook. Probably best not to use cam hooks on free routes with less than stellar rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keenwesh Posted May 6, 2011 Author Share Posted May 6, 2011 after the 2nd one blew I figured as much. P1 and P5 had sections of shitty rock, I didn't lead P3 or 4 but I think they're pretty solid. P2 would be almost impossible to cleanly aid without camhooks however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted May 6, 2011 Share Posted May 6, 2011 P2 would be almost impossible to cleanly aid without camhooks however. being 6'7" apparently was good enough for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keenwesh Posted May 6, 2011 Author Share Posted May 6, 2011 well I'm 6'6", haha I guess you must be a better nutter than me. heres a video I threw together. I filmed all this with a class project in mind so thats why I'm talking to myself like a bumbling idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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