JensHolsten

Great route. I think it might be one of the best for the grade in L-town.

Bump. Keep it in mind ya'll

Hi guys- Thanks for all the positive comments. I am so glad the route is getting the traffic it needs. Way to step up repeaters! One note on the dirt. My goal was to help (wayne started the inspiration by making the best ascent of the route: the first)establish a mountain climb of some technical difficulty. The alpine experience was paramount (for me). The Tempest Wall was cleaned for 2 months, DOE was cleaned for 2 days. DOE may have a harder technical grade that most around the Cascades, but that doesn't mean it's lost that scrappy Cascade's character. I would say DOE is a mountain climb, whereas something like the Tempest is a rock climb. Not sure is that makes sense, but just what I was thinking.

Ground up, no bolts, no pins! Stylee! You guys rock! Nice work, can't wait to climb it.

Just a note- GITM had not been done before, that was a first. It had been climbed on, but was a project never finished. We did eventually learn the history of the route. Also, if you think Acid Baby is loose, well...I don't what to tell you. Pretty damn clean, although of course there are loose rocks in the mountains. Oh, I see Dberdinka...you clarified the GITM thing. Not sure if you are trying to say the original effort was good enough to call a first or what, but in my opinion (I don't really care whether GITM is a first or not) it has not been done unless completed to the summy...that is the standard I hold myself to.

Yeah Leor. You're killing it! You gotta drag me along for one of these.

Thanks Brooke and Mikey for NOT bolting that pitch. There are too many shiny things sticking out of the east face already...It takes a humble person to tackle a grade V free route, admit one pitch is too dangerous, and then climb it in a creative manner that does not harm the rock. You guys rule.

The new Alpine Briefs (http://alpinebriefs.wordpress.com) just hit the net. Kelly and Dougald work hard to bring a unique perspective in this journal...no spray, no bull. Just the facts. I wrote a feature for the Far section about Max and my time in Alaska. Blake wrote a great feature for the Near section about Gorillas in the Mist on Stuart. Check it out! Jens

Nice report. I really like this route.

I have some pics and a video link of this route. Did it maybe two months ago now. We had a lot of fun, found the route finding to be straightforward and the rock good. Watch for falling rocks...a good early season route above the lake.

Sweet Wayne! Thanks for the stoke.

Those topos are works of art...nice work up north. Those towers look dreamy. Guess I'll have to add 'em to the list.

I really like these shots...cool stuff. I will say to potential free solo suitors...Pope's left hand hold in the second shot (a key hold on BB's) is loose as a goose these days. Careful if your up there with no cord...

The 12a pitch on DOE is quite solid...75% of the pitch is on difficult ground...a fight all the way to the end. Something to consider for those who want to do the route, but are not up for the spicy 5.12...Blake and Pete repeated (they did not summit) DOE with a variation that is around the corner and off to the right. Their pitch went at 5.10. Sol and I noticed this variation and I think it will be climbed often. That said, so will the 5.12...it is clean, hard, sustained, and technical, really one of the best pitches in the Enchantments (if not the best). You guys should all go take a lap! let's clean this thing up. Sol and I only had three days for this project so I did a lot of selective cleaning for myself to send...repeat suitors will find a lot of grain that needs to come off still...unless you climb the crux. Beautiful smooth stone on that one.

Thanks for the patience guys...still no pics, but I wrote some thoughts on jensholsten.blogspot.com Hope you enjoy it!

Hopefully I can clear this up...what Blake is saying makes total sense. It is simple: each pitch has been lead free over the last two months. A continous free ascent has not occured. If a climber falls on a pitch, cleans the gear, and red points the pitch, their free ascent can go on. But the roof pitch was not redpointed on the day of the complete ascent. The climber chose not to pull his rope and continued climbing the upper pitches. Although he did not make the official ffa of The Tempest Wall, he gave it his all and was happy with his effort, which is really all that matters. Nice work Tom!! Tom, his partner, Max Hasson, Cole Allen, Ryan Paulsness and I spent a night under the route getting to know each other, working through concerns. In the end our differences in opinion were smoothed out and I look foward to climbing with Tom this summer...talking about this on the net is totally pointless, clearing the issue up face to face under a moonlit CBR was pricless.

Ahhh, ratings...they are so hard to pin down. My experience with ratings in the alpine is that they are a bit soft. Alpine climbing and the difficulty of a certain stretch depends so much on the day's factors. For example, on the 10+ monkey traverse, I gave more effort than I do on sighting 11+ at the crag. The rock was dirty, I didn't know where I was going, the rope drag was heinous, and holds were ripping out in my hands. Technically 10+ yes, but it sure didn't feel like it at the time. As Sol, Blake, and myself walked down from this adventure we discussed all the routes we had done over the years, trying to think of an example of an alpine line with legit ratings. If there were any, they were very few and far between. From Cerro Torre to the North Howser Tower and everything in between, we decided that ratings in the 'pine are indeed on the softer side. I really think that in comparison with local routes and standard setting lines around the world, calling this route 5.11 is much more appropriate than a 5.10 rating.

I really believe John played out his destiny, his role in life...it's dust to dust for everyone, bottom line. I surely feel for Tyrus and cannot even begin to imagine how he feels about all this, but I believe Bachar would have been denying his heart had he not been soloing for the many years he did. If anyone ever should have climbed without a rope, it was him. I will always think of LIFE to the full, not DEATH when I think of Bachar...thank you for the inspiration John. RIP.

Max and I climbed two new pitches around the aid and then tried to continue a much more difficult variation on the SE face. We were turned back by steep, poorly protected rock and made a rappel back down to the top of our second pitch before shooting left (third pitch variation)back onto the SB. Future parties will not need to rappel, the only reason we did was to get back to the route.

Nice work guys...love the route name! A couple of clarifications on John's info. The SB of Burkett Needle went all free at 10+, there is no rappel. Also, we did not beef up any of those anchors you rapped off. Original webbing all the way...nice work again!

Cool writeup Sol! Bulkhead Blues was on the list originally, but all three times I scoped it before the link, it was still seeping hard at the bottom. I really hope some of these great climbs get the attention they deserve.

Where is Dandroof???? Do I call it something else?

Hey Braydon- Seems like your done with the thread, but I just wanted to suggest that you throw all the obvious drive (this will take you far dude!) into climbing EVERY rock, ice, and mountain route you can get your hands on at your given level at the time. Build a solid, solid base...I want to climb high on the world's biggest peaks so badly!! and after many years of devoting everything to climbing I feel like I am closing in (as in the next 10 years!) on an intro level 8,000'er...It takes time, but the climbing journey is a fun one and each step should be cherished. Climb with all your being until Pumori becomes an obvious, natural extension of your skills. You will be there. Good luck homie.

Just wanted to chime in and say Castle Rock is your zone...I did my first leads there and I think it is a perfectly appropriate spot to throw yourself in the game. Have fun!

Thanks guys. Such a great route every time...a true classic in my book. Ade, thanks for the inspiration up at the lake-seeing you guys high on the fin in the fading pink light made us hungry for more. Jens