tieton royal columns and the bend - 5.4 to 5.11b 5/24/2008
Trip: tieton royal columns and the bend - 5.4 to 5.11b
Date: 5/24/2008
Trip Report:Fletch, Christine and I had a great Memorial day trip to Tieton. We climbed nothing but cracks for 3 days in great weather, though we did have rain one night, and a short shower one day that dried immediately.
Christine wanted to put some dents in her shiny new rack. I loved climbing on new gear instead of my antique stuff, gotta' get me some of that. Fletch and Christine are both professionals in the medical field, wow, so much integrity...and Fletch brought his guitar. I had my blues harp...fun times around the campfire!
This is me starting up inca roads, a 5.9 crack at royal columns. The crack starts out with a 5 inch offwidth which narrows down to 5.9 finger locks at the top.
Now that I know where the rests are I'd like to try it again without the hand dogging.
This is Christine starting up a 5.6 called twin cracks. When I cleaned it for her I was amazed at the run outs between some of the pieces up in the fist jam section at the top. When I asked her about it, she said she'd run out of large stuff and decided to go for it. At the very top exit move, her protection was a tied off baseball sized chockstone...nice work Christine!
This gal was from Seattle. Despite being short, she cruised the roof move. This is a 5.8 route called render us weightless. Fletch calls this the "move of the future".
Fletch leading the roof.
I think this is a self portrait.
Fletch leading Orange Sunshine, 10b. It was a desperate series of vertical fingerlocks, with very thin feet. We couldn't believe he led it without hanging. After this climb we started calling him our ropegun.
Me cleaning Orange Sunshine. Those were razor sharp fingerlocks. That's a grimace of pain...sweet route!
This is Fletch cleaning Ed's Jam, 5.8, a beautiful 200 foot handjam crack. It's similar to Karate in the quality of the jams, but much easier...a stellar cruiser.
This is ropegun Fletch leading an eleven something at the Bend. It was another desperate fingerlock fest. I have no idea how he can lead these things while placing pro. It was desperately hard to hang on while toproping...fun stuff! Christine found that her smaller fingers gave her a distinct advantage in the thin fingerlocks. She cruised up it in excellent style while pulling gear.
Can't wait to go back again!
Gear Notes:one quarter inch stoppers up to a 6 inch cam, including a number 2 big bro if you like the offwidths (inca roads)
