Sol
-
Posts
1675 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by Sol
-
-
Based on the conditions you saw, do you think it's insane to do an Enchantments thru-hike this weekend with a group that has (a) very little backpacking experience, and (b) no snow floatation equipment? I know Aasgard Pass would very challenging and probably a no-go for such a group; but that aside, are we going to be postholing the entire way?
YES! Bad idea!
-
-
As for the pitches we climbed on the South side of Grimface, it was only 2 pitches off the "cubby hole" that is described in the Beckey guide. It is on the western aspect of the south face. There is a bunch of stuff that has been climbed in there, but it was difficult to figure out what was what.
We climbed the Left facing corner system in the center of the photo. Moving right onto a large ledge below the upper headwall.
We climbed the squeeze/offwidth, then branched right through a fingers sections, leading to hands and off-hands.
Me branching out in the fingers.
This was a fun outing from camp (moderate lichen to deal with). Worthwhile if you want to do something for a couple hours after the hike in. It is an easy scramble to the summit from the top of these pitches. I would grade it at 5.10+.
-
-
BONE CRUSHER!!!
-
I'd say best practices are for the leader to either leave two draws for the initial lower and any subsequent topropes. Then the final climber cleans the draws and lowers through the fixed anchor, minimizing wear.
Even easier: have the leader clip into the two cold shuts, then add a single biner to either the left or right bolt hanger and clip into that, effectively decreasing the wear on the two cold shuts by taking the load. Last climber simply pulls the single biner and lowers off via the fixed anchor.
-
-
-
L-Town: Zweibles, Rainshadow, Shriek of the Mutilated.
Index: Fifth Force (CLICK) , Bat Skins, Spooner, Natural Log Cabin, P4 Japanese Gardens.
-
They must not fit you or any of your friends.
-
-
So sorry to hear this news. Condolences to yourself and your family Lowell.
-
Aaron's got the beta. Easy and quick secret squirrel descent to the base. No up and over, no top of Aasgard, but you do miss out on the frolicking in the meadows on the plateau.
-
WAsome!
Tim's Flake looks like Pickets stone at its finest! Thus far I nominate you for choss-dawg of the year.
-
I'll sell you a black alien. I'll send you a PM.
-
Sol,
Yeah I saw those entries in the AAJ but none quite fit any of our pitches. Certainly not the first and second pitch which were pretty distinct. Hard to imagine they have not been climbed at some point and just not really documented but who knows. But the thrill of the unknown was there and that's what counts!
Fer sure, it could definetly be a FA or portions thereof, but it seems like every few years someone does a new FA on Prusik which makes me think it's all been climbed before. Nonetheless like you said, it's the experience not the documentation that counts!
-
Nice work! Looks like a great weekend.
I imagine that much of the new route you guys did was climbed in the late 80's by Fred Yakijlic. Fred put up four routes in the Solid Gold vicinity including the likely FA of Solid Gold.
This is what Dberdinka wrote in my original Solid Gold TR :
Here's some interesting writeups out of the AAJ.
The first route referenced seems to be the start of Solid Gold followed by a finish up and right. The second route reference seems to take on the big roof crack just right of the Solid Gold start then finishes with the upper pitches of Solid Gold (beautiful white dihedral by a thin finger crack). So SG is really a combination of two routes done previously.
Then they did two routes on the nice looking wall left of Solid Gold.
1988 AAJ pg 130 must be 1987 route
Prusik Peak, South Face of West Ridge. On August 16, Rich Romano and
I ascended the leftmost crack system on the south face of Prusik. The large
overhang on the second pitch was passed on the right. A short overhanging
hand crack and airy face moves brought us to the west-ridge route. (The climb
is left of the Boving-Christensen route.) (II, 5.10.)
FRED
1989 AAJ pg 142
Prusik Peak, South Face of West Ridge. On August 3, after being stopped the
previous day, Rich Roman0 led through the large overhangs 50 feet to the right
of our 1987 route. A pitch higher in a big alcove, we crossed left of the other
route, then climbed a beautiful white dihedral by a thin finger crack, gaining the
west ridge (II, 5.11+). The following day, we climbed a diagonaling crack
system up and to the right to a belay on the southwest arete and ultimately to the
west ridge (II, 5.11). On August 11, David Goland and I did a route that starts
further left, in a striking right-angle dihedral. After two pitches, we were forced
out of the dihedral by the lack of protection. We entered a curving slot up and
right, which placed us at the base of the now familiar finger crack (II, 5. IO+).
The climbs are named Double Bein, Keep on Belton. and Notley’s Direct.
FRED YACKIJLIC
You shouldn't let that take away from your adventures though. Like Wayne and party on Solid Gold, you can't fake the thrill of climbing into the unknown on lichen covered white granite! Big ups to Mr. Yakijlic for throwing down back in the day!
-
-
-
Impressive work Chelan County Mountain Rescue Assocaition!
-
My buddy Phin forgot his helmet at the summit plateau of Acid Baby. if anybody climbs that route soon and finds it. he will give you beers.
-
Surprising amount of loose rock on that route despite the popularity. There's been a few flakes up above the chamber that have been poised to come down for a few years. Belay beyond psychopath is still cleaning up after being obliterated from natural rockfall a few years back. Lately I've been drawn more and more to obscuriites and in consequence rarely, if ever, do I climb below any other climbers. Definetly a thing to consider..
I'd be interested to hear the details of the rockfall as well. I'll be up that way later this week and could check route condition.
-
I was also going to suggest upper town walls at Index.
If you do get on Thin Red Line, I would do your best to avoid nailing as it is just as popular these days as a free climb. Though roadside, TRL is going to have some alpine characteristics to it that may be right up your alley or might be more then you want to deal with. Snowy approach, possible moat issues, once the "wall" portion of the climb is done a moderate 5th class finish that would be hellish to haul, and a straightforward though alpiney descent. That being said, the views and the environs up on that wall are all time.
Lots of bigger stuff a bit north at Squamish including Uncle Ben's, Cowboys and Indians, etc..
-
I use a Petzl Microcender for my top piece and a Petzl Micro-traxion for the bottom.
I like the Micro-cender as it uses cam instead of teeth. Being the top piece it is the only one that gets waited in falls. Call me old school but I never liked the idea of possibly taking dynamic falls with a toothed device onto a rope. I keep it oriented using the stretchiest thera-bands.
I like the Micro-trax on the bottom because it's light, feeds well, and makes a great hauling pulley for lightweight mini big wall freeclimbing.
[TR] Yosemite Valley - Golden Gate 5/13/2016
in The rest of the US and International.
Posted
Sounds like your back in the game Max, nice work on your rehab!
EPIC adventure up there, WOW!
I've always enjoyed being the friendly local, you end up with lots more friends and six-packs (from loaning your gear, giving beta, offering shower/hottub/places to crash, etc.). Geuss those dudes dont like friends or beer..