[TR] WA Pass - The Hitchiker, Tooth and Claw, The Passenger 7/1/2009

[Sol]

Trip: WA Pass - The Hitchiker, Tooth and Claw, The Passenger

 

Date: 7/1/2009

 

Trip Report:

Tyree and I spent an idyllic 3 days up at washington pass last week. Day 1 saw us climbing The Hitchiker, a newer Burdo route on the S Face of South Early Winter Spire. It's a 9 pitch 11b, the companion to The Passenger. We got a late start and enjoyed cool conditions for most of the face. Overall it's a fun route with some good positions, but is not very sustained, and isn't nearly as classic as the nearby Passneger.

 

Ty at the base of the face, P1(10d) tackles the corner and is harder than it looks:

 

 

 

 

P2 takes a fun slab and crack up to these roofs:

 

 

 

 

Myself seconding:

 

 

 

 

One of the cooler features on the route is this 4-5 inch crack that you easily traverse:

 

 

 

 

Just past the 11a friction crux on P5:

 

 

 

Tyree leading more 11a on P8, this pitch has two aid bolts for the roof in the center, though I was able to free climb this section after cleaning out the jams:

 

 

 

 

I just love the summit and descent on the South Spire:

 

 

 

 

After sleeping in forever, Day 2 saw us venturing onto the proud E faces of the spires. Tooth and Claw on Lexington Tower has been on the list for a while. I'd have to agree with Jim Nelson when he writes that the route:

 

Was a bold and visionary undertaking. A difficult and committng climb... This is a hard climb put up on lead. The first ascent involved an adventure into the unknown on a largely blank slab.

 

Really mind boggling for a climber from the new millenium to imagine putting up this line.

 

Cold conditions would seem mandatory for the climb. The 20 year old bolts aren't getting any newer and the anchors are definetly not the raddest. An old school climb that Ty described as most climbers nightmare.

 

The 11a 2nd pitch keeps shit real, I can see why folks bail here. The first crux comes 4-5 ft over a fixed head, which is 10 ft above the last bolt:

 

 

 

P3 tackles a hard and runout 10c face

 

 

 

P4 is the best on the route, good crack climbing leads to an 11c roof traverse and face:

 

 

 

Here's me topping out on P6, a hard 5.10 pitch. This is the pic in the Nelson guide:

 

 

 

 

The 5.12 friction crux on P6 is cryptic, really really blank slab climbing. An impressive redpoint that i would imagine is harder to tick than the Independence Route.

 

Ty enjoying a very aesthetic roof and arete finish:

 

 

You top out into this giant choss cave with a super manky anchor, classic.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3 saw us back on the S Face for a burn up the ultra-classic Passenger Route. A great way to finish a Burdo Trifecta.

 

Here's P1, a pretty stout 5.10 pitch you start at a tree:

 

 

Ty topping out:

 

 

 

 

 

Embarking on the first of 3 crux sections on P4, 5.11 friction:

 

 

Seconding the pitch:

 

 

 

 

Endless 5.10 finishes the route:

 

 

 

 

 

Overall is was a great 3 days out with a great parnter. Props to Burdo for such fine climbs.

[jshamster]

[Alpinfox]

 

Wow.

 

I trust that my #0.75 camalot was key for sending these routes? When you think about it, it's almost like I was there and climbed those routes too. Blah blah.

 

Thanks for the TR guys. It's inspiring to see what really good and motivated climbers are capable of.

[Dirtyleaf]

Super duper badass! Those are 3 sick looking routes. Nice work.

[Rad]

Fabuloso!

 

BTW, are the bolts placed to allow one to cheat past the 5.11 friction cruxes on Passenger if necessary, or are these mandatory free moves?

 

Great pics too.

[wayne]

One of the all-time link ups, Guys!

[Sol]

Thanks guys! Definetly some mandatory 5.11 on the Passenger.

[tyree]

Great TR Sol. Idylic is the way I would describe the week for sure, perfect weather with NO BUGS, until the last day...

 

The bolts on the passenger are not set up to aid or even frenchy with. I suppose you could try to do some pendulum friction/tension but I think that you would have better luck trying to free it than mess with shenanigans like that.

 

Thanks for all of the stoak!

[mountainmatt]

One hell of a link up there Sol and Tyree!

 

Wow, no bugs for you guys eh? It was hard to inhale yesterday without them coming into your mouth!

[lancegranite]

Very nice!

Sol, you are having a great season!