Greese

quote: Originally posted by pope: Pretty sure you were on route? I've climbed with Fletcher a couple of times....did N. Ridge of Molar Tooth with him....and he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to tell you that a turd smells like a rose. Issue 119 is Fletcher's favorite issue of Oprah Magazine. I've not met Fletcher, but he is likely a straight ahead guy. It sure seemed like we were on route -- Started up behind the pilar in a rubbly gully & the rest of the climbing seemed to match his description pretty well. Perhaps climbing quality stone here in Aspen at Independence Pass has ruined my appreciation for N.Cascade rock. we also thought the N. Ridge of Molar Tooth was a route to recommend

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Avoid this route like the plague . Fletcher Taylor's description in his Climbing mag. May - June '94 article calls the routes on the NE face of the Molar Tooth as "fine, well protected routes" -- Sandbag. On Sept. 6 my wife & I climbed Issue 119 on the Molar Tooth up Cutthroat Cr. We found the route to be runout, easy climbing on poor rock - loose, crumbling exfoliating flakes, lousy protection & overrated: it's more like 5.2R, not 5.7. We did the route with a 60 m. rope which let us run a couple of the pitches together. This is not a route I would care to repeat or recommend. The Bertulis NE Arete looks like is has ok rock. The North Ridge is good stone. the snow/ice gully was 2/3rds melted out.