Gaucho Argentino Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Trip: Dragontail - Backbone - Grade IV+ - 5.9 Date: 8/12/2011 Trip Report: I was looking for a partner for the N Ridge of Stuart, when Riley81 (Daniel) contacted me about climbing the Backbone in Dragontail and the Beckey/Stanley route on Prusik in three days. We meet on Friday, load the stuff in his car, and took off. We were at the Colchuck TH around 8.30, and started our way up. Because the idea was to carry over Dragontail our packs for three days (Fri-Sat dragontail, Sunday Prusik), we made an effort to pack really light. So, no crampons. Daniel at least brought his mountaineering boots, but I decided to go with Goretex tennis shoes (but brought a superlight ice axe, mostly for the descent from Dragontail). Well, to get to the base of the climb you hike up to about 50 feet from the top of the ridge-boulder field, and you’ll be in front of the step where you gain the rock. But then we needed to cross a tongue of the Colchuck glacier that was in the shade until like mid-morning or more. Of course we did not have pickets. And if you slide there you’ll go like the Pink Panter glissading all the way to Colchuck Lake. And from some reason, even with temps in the 70s at least, the half closer to the rock was solid ice/snow. From a belay on the rocks of the ridge, the rope was not long enough to cross it, so we girth hitcked my double runners and Daniel crossed the damn thing chopping some steps in the icy part. Sp-icy. Once on the other side, you’ll see the easy ramp going left, then up and right. They look very serious from the approach, but they are class 3-4, although loose and dirty. You end up under a little gully that goes up and right, with a tree at the end that has some slings on it. I lead this part and with the last 5 feet of rope go to the right and you’ll make it to a nice spot below the 5.9 wide crack, from where you can enjoy seeing your partner suffering leading it Daniel took off leading this pitch, left the pack at the base of the crack, and inch by inch went up. He climbed moving a C4 #6 along the crack until he left it about 10 feet from the top, where the climb eases a little. He pulled up his pack, and seeing how it was scratched on the way up, I did not want to do the same with mine. Mistake. I scratched it any way, did not allow me to put my body into the crack, and made going up this damn thing quite the ordeal. But I made it, not without having to take once, so now I need to go back and free this pitch, damn it... I took the third pitch, a fun 5.8 that I stretched the 200’ of the rope, very nice climb. Daniel took the second of the 5.8 pitches on the crest of the ridge, again beautiful climb, nice holds, some lay back moves The 5th pitch took me going on the left and up on easier terrain already. By this time (around 5p) we were looking for bivy spots or snow patches, but after another 200’, nothing. We had about a litter of water each, but it did not seem to be much. Daniel took the 6th, and after 50’ he shouts: “there is a bivy spot right here” … “and there is a second!!” … “and THERE IS SNOW!!!”… Jackpot !! I had never been to the Hilton or the Sheraton, but the Presidential Suite cannot be better than this. Whoever set up those bivy spots, let me know, I’ll invite you a pitcher Daniel at home Me rappelling ~20 feet to get the snow So you don’t know where The Fin or the summit are? Get located The Fin The Summit And the Tail of the Dragon on fire with the last rays of sun… Next morning we simulclimbed-scrambled the 2-3 low class 5 pitches to the base of the fin, where Daniel set up a belay. I got this next 5.9 pitch (#10 in Nelson's book) starting with some face and crack climb for about 20’ until you reach the twin cracks, spectacular… Daniel lead the second 5.9 in The Fin (#11), a thinner and more vertical crack, to a belay under a notch a few feet away of the 5.7 crack traversing below the “boulder” in the corner Finally, I lead the 5.7 traversing crack/ledge, balancing without hands at the beginning, but then steepening and with great holds and pro… Topping the ridge Daniel ready to follow the last one… When we thought everything was done, instead of climbing an easy crack going under the gendarme on the face, we did not see it, and went around the back, sketchy loose crap in the gully, the worst part of the climb. Do not go there. We did a couple more pitches in the very loose dirty gully and scrambled to the summit… The view from there sucks, uhh!!?? It was an amazing climb with a great partner. Many people would say do not go climbing with someone you do not know (and I never meet Daniel before). But if you need a climber partner and want to go to the top safe and fast, join Daniel, you’ll increase your chances of summiting and having a good time on the go. Thanks for the good times, Buddy... Next we went down towards Prusik-Beckey/Bentley, but that story Daniel will tell… Gear Notes: Full rack of C4s up to a #6, double in the smaller size with C3s and for the C4#2. One set of nuts. Plenty enough. Approach Notes: There is really a lot of loose stuff all along the route, we kicked more than once big chunks of rock… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YocumRidge Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Nice work guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRep Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Great TR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riley81 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 It was definetly a sweet trip and a good way to avoid hiking up Asgard. Glad I had a 5 and 6 for the OW. Thanks for the vote of confidence. Couple extra pics for the viewing as well: Great views of the Fin from our bivy spot. Little route map showing the highlights. Go on th farside of the first gendarme at the top of the fin or suffer through choss central. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaskadskyjKozak Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Way to go back and get it done, Nelson. Very impressive work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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