eldiente

Trip: Incredible Hulk - Positive Vibrations/Red Dihedral (sort of) Date: 9/6/2009 Trip Report: Over Labor Day Micha and I climbed The Incredible Hulk outside of Bridgeport CA. I've been wanting to get on Positive Vibrations for a long time, often claimed as being the best multi pitch crack route in America. We met two locals down there that thought Positive Vibrations was better than Astroman or the Rostrum. Full pics here Unfortunately my dreams were crushed by poor weather. We climbed the first 5 pitches of of Positive Vibes before high winds forced us to traverse 3 pitches over and join up with the classic Red Dihedral and then to the summit. I was bummed to have missed out on the upper part of Positive Vibes, but we got to climb half of two really good routes in a amazing setting. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfYbsKBEsI/AAAAAAAAGkQ/BYahL6AehZw/s640/P1000599.JPG[/img] The Hulk from base camp. Positive vibe goes up the prow on the left side. Looks awful huh? [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfYMXjj_3I/AAAAAAAAGjg/29ixkTfGrvk/s640/P1000590.JPG[/img] We hike in Saturday night and settled in for a cold bivy near the base of the route. The wind was already really strong at camp, small tasks became painful with frozen hands. Already I'm thinking were going to bail, climbing sustained finger cracks in this weather does not seem possible. Oh well, a scenic bivy. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfYr4-d08I/AAAAAAAAGlo/S4vl8pxbmq8/s512/P1000611.JPG[/img] Sunday we wake up to more wind and more cold, we stay in our bags till 10:00AM before getting motivated enough to rack-up and hike to base of the route. I'm wearing 4 layers on top and still cold. Damn! [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfY4m5tAyI/AAAAAAAAGmg/4nXPIasVY6g/s640/P1000623.JPG[/img] Micah leads the firs pitch, crux is a steep layback bulge to gain a hand-crack. ST rates this 5.10 but I'll go with 5.10b/c. I take the lead for the second pitch and find stiff .10+ or 5.11 boulder section right at the belay. Tips fingers right here with glass for feet. This pitch gets better with more crux fingers in a layback slot to gain a huge belay ledge. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfZLKmM-AI/AAAAAAAAGno/6UZorsvPqWQ/s640/P1000631.JPG[/img] Micha following the 3rd pitch about to launch into the 5.11 change-over. The locals tell me this is the crux of the whole route, not too bad but really exciting! After a bunch of mellow 5.8/5.9 cracks your forced out right under a roof to change cracks. A yellow alien goes in low on a flexing flake and then it is go time across a smooth face with nothing for the feet (look for smear dish) and inverted crimper things under the roof. Committing to the moves is hard, once I'm on the face there is no going back. Thankfully a huge #2 jam welcomes me at the end of this. Amazing way to finish the pitch! (Note you can't aid or sew up this part) [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfZVq6a32I/AAAAAAAAGoE/O2BNwow_hd8/s640/P1000636.JPG[/img] Henry Leading pitch 3 right before the face climbing moves. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfZX_EfhlI/AAAAAAAAGoQ/x_xXeKIg8ks/s640/P1000637.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfZcsCiy2I/AAAAAAAAGoY/k4H-KiBLfyE/s640/P1000638.JPG[/img] Micha leads pitch 4. Wild bridge and stem problem. A long pitch with two roof bulges. 5.10C. Micha styles this pitch. I lead a short double finger crack that makes up pitch 5 (5.10+ish left side) that takes us out of the protection of the corner system were in and onto the exposed arete that makes up the upper half of the route. Were now getting hammered by the full force of the wind, talking even at arms length is difficult and I can feel my body being pushed around while tied into the belay. Doh! We decide to bail which is not possible as we only have one rope. The topo indicates that is it possible to escape from Positive Vibes to the easier Red Dihedral by traversing right across the wall. Of course the topo doesn't actually tell us anything more then that, just move right. This is really our only option so with a bit of sadness I leave Positive Vibes and lead right into no mans land. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfZo000XaI/AAAAAAAAGpA/vLCtOTTixF0/s640/P1000643.JPG[/img] All roads lead to Rome? Looking up some of the features on the traverse between Positive Vibes and Red Dihedral. At this point I have no idea where were supposed to be going or where were at, somewhere on this nice rock I guess. I lead a long 5.10 pitch only to have it dead-end and have to down climb the whole pitch. I repeat this process several times before forcing a flared corner and face climbing. to the right. This part of wall is covered in features but for some odd reason the cracks are more like rounded dykes and refuse gear and jams, I get 3 pieces of gear in 200 feet of climbing and jig a belay with a slung horn. Thankfully after that mess I'm able to move right from this stance and get into a nice chimney system, a long stretch of back to wall and and Bam! Pop out right on a nice crack system. As best we can tell, were somewhere around pitch 5 of the Red Dihedral and out of the wind and on route. Yeah! The race is on to make the summit before sunset Beta alert: Directions for traversing from PV to RD. Move right and slightly down on a foot ramp for 180 feet to bolted belay. From bolted belay down climb 20 feet to ledge system, then up on a variety of cracks and slab moving right when in doubt. Gear is sparse here on 5.9/5.10 terrain for 200 feet. Belay just left and below of a chimney. Climb 5.8 chimney aiming for a chockstone that is on the ridge crest, this is where the RD pitch 5 joins. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfZrloM10I/AAAAAAAAGpg/kU1UhtLBWoc/s640/P1000649.JPG[/img] Leading up pitch 7, a long bit of perfect tight-hands is right above me. The sun is setting and were flying up clean granite cracks and flakes with everything bathed in a pink alpine glow. Amazing. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfZzowtqhI/AAAAAAAAGqI/7oAz0_fsUUw/s640/P1000657.JPG[/img] We lose the race with the sun and top-out in the dark. We have one headlamp and wander around for several hours trying to locate the rap anchors. The anchors are hard to find and guarded by a few hundred feet of exposed 4th class down climbing. Ugh! Thankfully I can't see anything so the exposures is non-issue, just feels like a bunch of boulder problems going the wrong way. With much relief we find the anchors, make the rap and do a long scree descent back to camp under a full moon. (Super Topo beta for the descent is useless, really you'd be better off just jumping off the wall. The better beta is to walk down off the back, when your cliffed out reverse your steps and keep moving down till your cliffed out again. Repeat until you find rap anchors.) [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SqfaF3v7VLI/AAAAAAAAGrg/791P6qW3pbI/s640/P1000676.JPG[/img] Lake views from the parking lot, Twin Lakes. Gear Notes: For Positive Vibes we took doubles from Blue Alien up to #3. Triples on #1, .75 and .5. The first 5 pitches eat-up small hands and finger gear. Cold weather gear, route gets no sun till late. I walked off in climbing shoes, painful but doable. Approach Notes: Once your in the basin heading to the Hulk follow the trail right across the stream. ST has has you going up left on this huge scree field, why you would want to do that is unknown but the right variation is a nice trail with easy boulder hopping.

I know one particular OW master from the Portland area that just did SS. This guy leads 5.11 OW around here, but claimed the 5.9 pitches on the SS were the hardest thing he's ever done. Yikes!

I wonder if people are aware that there is other routes at Beacon aside from YW? Also note that there are other crags in the world other then Beacon Rock that have good climbing too. Just something to think about.

60M rope gets you down with a small amount of trivial down-climbing. So your both right and wrong depending on what you call the ground. I've done it once so that makes me the expert on the subject. -Nate

The whole grade scale is pointless and needs to go away. The only thing that is useful is how many pitches and how hard are those pitches. If there is other things people ought to know ( Huge hike, no way to bail once on the ridge, ice fall hazard etc etc) put that info in the description.

If you don't mind me asking, why did you have to leave all of the draws behind? As an expert bailer myself, I normally would leave behind a single junk binner and clean the rest on the way down. That's a huge kit to leave hanging up there! Good luck!

IMO. Climbing steep jug hauls is pointless aside from a good warm-up for the larger muscle groups (back, upper arms) When is the last time you climbed a 45 degree wall outside that was rated 5.9? Doesn't happen, unless your in Spain. Actually not even in Spain as the warm-ups are 5.12. Thoughts. 1.) Steep jug hauls at the gym are nothing more than a long set of colored pull-up bars. Do some lat pulls on the machines and work on being able to do pull-ups with a goal of being able to 10 pull-ups on a bar. 2.) Work those abs. Steep climb is all about core strength. Watch good sport wankers climb limestone, they always start the move by tightening their abs and then moving. If your abs are weak, you'll end up cutting your feet and yarding monkey style off your arms. Do your favorite ab workout, (knees to bar, sit-ups etc) 2.) Since you'll almost never climb a route that is so juggey outside, try to climb steep routes in the gym that are thin/crimpy.. Ok a crimp route on a 45 degree wall might be too hard (say 5.12) Cheat and use all of the thin holds on the wall but put your feet on the jugs. The idea is to engage your finger/crimping strength which is more realistic to what you might find outside. 3.) Boulder. PRG has a few walls that are way steep. Do laps on these walls with a goal of being able to do 4 routes in a row without stopping. If you can do 4 routes on the 45 degree boulder wall, you'll have no problem leading 5.10 at the gym. -Nate

Very proud.. I want to do it.

How bad is this rope? I've read some bad reviews and a few good ones. Anyone own this rope want to chime-in. It is hard to pass up a deal like that on a rope. -Nate

11c seems about right.

Trip: Colchuck Balanced Rock - West Face Date: 8/25/2009 Trip Report: I'll add to the long list of TRs for this route, the race is on to see which route gets more TRs, CBR or Stuart? Pictures here. Saturday night we camped on the beach right below the approach gully, one of the better camp spots I've ever had. It was rather cold Sunday morning in the shade and we slept in till about 9:00 AM. The approach turns out to be mellow (but steep) and we moved along well. Made it back to the lake camp by 5:00PM and made a quick dash for the car. The route was dry and really bloody cold, my hands were numb for many pitches. I fell at the 5.12 move but aside from that climbed the route without too much drama. Overall a good route, a bit smaller than I was expecting. We climbed it in a total of 7 pitches (linking P1 and P2) and had a blast. Although sort of a short route, some of those pitches are crazy fun and not to be missed. There is tons of beta already out there, here is a few more thoughts. ( I feel like if you read all of the TRs out there you you can't claim an on sight on your 8.a card. Ha!) P1 and P2 (link) Short pitches, why would you break these into two? Climb short 5.10 crack, and then do a chimney to the base of 5.9 crack. P3 5.9 low angle crack for a full 200 feet, just fun cruising terrain. P4. Scramble Easy 5th to base of the amazing crack under roof. P5.5.11- or 5.10+ish. Yes this crack is a good as everyone says. Maybe the best in WA. From the belay it looks not so steep. Nope, it is actually a tad over-hanging in spots and on you! Some pitches get too much hype but this one deserves all the praise. There is some hard moves (rattly fingers) but after every hard section there is a perfect jam. Move fast past the crappy stuff and place gear from the good jams. Stopping in those bad jams would be pumpy. The finish to the belay is a combo of fun flake jugs and jams to gain the ledge. Belay has two fixed nuts and two old pins. P6. 5.11 roof traverse. Very wild and I thought it was harder than the short 5.12 section higher up. Maybe the position makes it feel harder, very airy. I follow this pitch and end up cutting me feet and campusing through a few moves like an idiot. Tricky stuff as my head is shoved right against the roof make it hard to move, and the feet are slick. Short pitch, 30 feet or so of harshness. P7. Another amazing pitch. Steep 5.9 hands on clean stone leads to the 5.12 roof thingy. Save a #4 for the roof and do the moves. I fall from stupidity at this spot. The problem is that again my head is shoved in the roof and I can't see the hold I'm trying to grab. Doh! It is just a little boulder problem, heel hook out left and punch left for an undercling finger lock and the move is done. Taking off your helmet would help you see around the roof for the move your looking for. A hard move yes, but no sustained at all so easy for the grade at 5.12. P8. 5.9+ OW pitch. Who knows what the actual grade is. The start is indeed tough but it is only about 15 feet of thrashing before it lets up into less desperate thrashing. The start is overhanging wide stuff with a hand crack in the back. I end up putting my leg above me and lock in the knee, this gives me enough reach to yard up on some good jams. Upside down knee jamming? Yep. There is lots of good gear on this pitch so it isn't scary, just a lot of work. Keep #2s and #3s handy for the overhanging section. Scramble to summit. [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SpQOnwHdQ-I/AAAAAAAAF2Y/nyvXMrK523I/s640/P1000505.JPG[/img] Good morning. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SpQOvMOmEfI/AAAAAAAAF2k/svrAT3sLWb8/s640/P1000507.JPG[/img] Stuart looking a bit dry. Global Warming anyone? [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SpQPHRWEVqI/AAAAAAAAF3c/lmLp7FqJmAI/s512/P1000513.JPG[/img] This crack is awful, don't ever climb it. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SpQPI5EsunI/AAAAAAAAF3k/_3Y2LjdfuVo/s512/P1000514.JPG[/img] I just learned how to build anchors the day before, how's this look? [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SpQPJycYxPI/AAAAAAAAF3w/s4qUyhnFtTQ/s640/P1000515.JPG[/img] Under the roof. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SpQPNVmpYkI/AAAAAAAAF4E/g_tWBI0nqqU/s640/P1000518.JPG[/img] 5.12 pitch (er 5.9+) [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SpQPOa9XTzI/AAAAAAAAF4M/WjV1Lt_rAQk/s512/P1000519.JPG[/img] About to pull the 5.12 boulder move. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SpQPQ8Qyq1I/AAAAAAAAF4g/DhbRCx9yAHA/s640/P1000523.JPG[/img] Gear Notes: Doubles from Yellow Alien to #3 BD. Triples on the .75 might be handy for the long crack below the roof. I placed one nut at a belay. Cold weather gear, route gets no sun. If you bring a pack, be prepared to drag it behind you in the OW pitch. Approach Notes: The lake is low right now so we were able to walk up the beach and go straight-up a rock filled gully with no bushwhacking. 1.5-2 hours the base of route.

Trip: Bugaboos - Sunshine Crack, NE Ridge Bugaboo Spire, Mctech Are Date: 8/18/2009 Trip Report: Did a 4 day stint in the Bugaboos two weeks ago. My first trip up there, I was blown away! Even better than what people tell you. We did well with the weather and went home tired after climbing four days in a row. Full pics are Here . Day 1: Sunshine Crack (lost on approach, rained off higher up) Day 2: Sunshine Crack. Day 3: NE Ridge Bugaboo Spire. (solo) Day 4: Mctech Arete Sunshine Crack. 5.11. 10 pitches We got a late start as there was a lighting storm at dawn and a bit of rain. A great start to the trip. Eventually the rain let-up and we hiked out in socked-in weather. Everyone at the hut was telling us not to go up if the forecast called for rain, I think most of these people were from Souther California. The great thing about Sunshine Crack is the lack of commitment on it. All of the pithes (except one) have bolted belays and you can rap the route as soon as the weather turns foul. A 45 minute walk takes you back to the hut. A good route to do the weather is too foul for any of the bigger routes. They "normal" approach takes you up the Bugaboo Col and then left to the base of the route. Unfortunately the Col is a mess this year, blue ice falling rock and Crevasses. We waste an hour or so before falling rock forces us to turn back and run for cover. Thankfully we find a way to bypass this crap by climbing a few pitches of 5.6 at the base of Snowpatch and traversing far right to gain the base of the Sunshine Crack proper. The climbing on this variation is contrived and bit lose, but it works well and you don't need crampons or an ax to get on the rock. (although it is a little tricky stepping off the snow and onto the rock.) There is also rap stations near this variation allowing you to come back down this way instead of having to go down the Col at the end of the day. You can rap back down this way on slung blocks and bolts. Sunshine crack with 3 approach pitches marked in red. [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHNO45k4zI/AAAAAAAAFKY/b4tYNRz5zYg/s640/P1000339.JPG[/img] Moira Leading the first approach pitch in poor weather. We make it up the first "real" pitch of Sunshine Crack at 2:00PM and it starts to rain. Rap down and bail. Day Two and the weather is a little bit better, no rain just socked in fog and mist. Lovely Weather! We get an early start, hit the approach right and have a good time of it. Pitch by pitch beta in the guidebook is mostly accurate. I felt some of the grades were a bit stiff, but maybe it was climbing in 6 layers of clothing made me feel awkward. A few things that stand out. * The 2nd pitch OW is gnarly and beautiful, 4-5 inches, 5.10+. I was panting hard after the fact. I brought 2x #4s and 1x #4.5. This was about right for me as I was able to walk the 4.5 for a long way before leaving it at my feet for the crux section. A strong OW climber might be able to to get buy with one #4 and one #5. *Many of the pitches involve some wide climbing in the 3-4 inch size. Not too bad, but if that is a bad size for you, be prepared. *The only belay that is not bolted is right below the 5.11 roof. Gear belay takes hand sized cams. * The route gets no sun and is way cold. *Mellow raps right down the face on double ropes. When climbing up check the distances, you can skip a few anchors on the way down if you have 2x 60M ropes. Sunshine Crack is amazing, perhaps one of the better alpine crack routes I've ever done. Every pitch is splitter and every style of crack climbing is well represented. I did find a few wet spots, but aside from that the route feels like someone came through with a brush the night before and polished it. The route is also steeper than it looks, many pitchs over-hang. Double yeah as there isn't any face climbing, just cracks! Someone designed a route just for me. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHNT8THzCI/AAAAAAAAFKk/IQ_qi0qyErs/s640/P1000319.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHNUT-oALI/AAAAAAAAFKs/cY7uYrn7Gcw/s512/P1000340.JPG[/img] Looking up at the 2nd pitch OW [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHNgG1OBqI/AAAAAAAAFLc/OpKBDttJpqE/Picture%2010.png[/img] Climbing OW pitch in the fog. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHNgiEXgYI/AAAAAAAAFLw/x02hzqQZQ-A/Picture%207.png[/img] Above a nice 5.9 layback section. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHNkCRFEoI/AAAAAAAAFMA/uVm1seEBiSA/s640/P1000347.JPG[/img] Looking down pitch 5 NE Ridge Bugaboo Spire (Solo) The third day my partner needed a rest day and finally the sun came out. What to climb? The NE Ridge of Bugaboo Spire is the most obvious line up there, standing at the hut the first day I didn't know anything about that route, but was thinking there had to be a good route up there. It begs to be climbed ! [img:center]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHkqPFZmzI/AAAAAAAAFXU/vsEgQBGsdcc/s400/Pic.jpg[/img] Route marked in Red, descent in Green. I left the hut at 9:00AM with a rope and bivy gear. I was expecting a long day but the climbing went by very quickly and I was on the summit 3 hours after I left the hut. It is amazing how much faster you climb when your not belayed. I climbed the 5.9 hands/fist variation and topped out both summits (which is the higher summit?) Truly an amazing route, the position is mind boggling and the climbing is clean fun granite. I pass a few parties en-route and they shoot a few pictures. Maybe one of the best days I've ever had climbing. A few thoughts. *The approach Col/wall thingy is lose. I wore boots in here and wish I had put on my climbing shoes. Mostly low 5th but unstable rock. *The first pitch (5.8) is rad fingers for a 100 feet. Although fun, I thought it was stiff for 5.8 with slick feet. *The summit traverse is insane, I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Don't jump, that glacier is a long damn way down. *Descent is slow but not too bad, I rapped a few times on bolts and down climbed 4th and easy 5th class sections. Don't go skiers left, stay on the ridge high right! Guidebook is useful for this. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHWSVlBh1I/AAAAAAAAFOM/WH6X1natpW8/s640/P1000403.JPG[/img] Looking up at the route from top of the Col. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHWYoloNzI/AAAAAAAAFOg/Ufds_-L9xu4/s512/P1000408.JPG[/img] Another party on the first pitch 5.8 [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHWa0N4rCI/AAAAAAAAFOs/zXr5MI9i48w/s640/P1000412.JPG[/img] Somewhere around pitch 4 [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHWnKmH85I/AAAAAAAAFPU/j8RfhOfOKN0/s640/P1000433.JPG[/img] Ridge Traverse [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHWy_Nl-LI/AAAAAAAAFQE/pRE1wrtPwAU/s640/P1000454.JPG[/img] Summit! Mctech Artete 5.10 6 pitches Another great route to do when the weather is poor. Short hike-in, easy rap down and stupid good climbing. On this day the weather was sunny and downright hot. While only 6 pithes, pitch 2 and 4 could be some of the best granite crack climbing I've ever done. Reminds me a lot of Sierra style granite, smooth white rock. *The second pitch is long, 170 feet with a good long spot of steep finger crack climbing, 5.10. Try not grin too much, you might fall near the end from all the giggling. *Pitch 4 is even better, bring an extra #2 and maybe a #3. Perfect hands for a very long way with a small roof near the bottom. I'm not sure it is possible to design a better pitch. [img:center]http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/500/P1000479.jpg[/img] Belays marked [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHW9fGAg6I/AAAAAAAAFQ4/DpNE60nVoEk/Picture%204.png[/img] Start of Pitch 4. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHXAcRHazI/AAAAAAAAFRI/puTDecD9_i4/s512/P1000476.JPG[/img] Awful weather in the Bugs. Approach Notes: Steep hike into the hut, 2.5 hours with heavy packs.

Trad Master or Mythos are stiff

Alpine? You mean I can't go and get $5 hot and ready pizza when I come down? Why would you want to climb somewhere without a Starbucks? I don't know, a few days later I went to try out this "alpine" crag you speak of and was very upset by the lack of $5 hot and ready pizza. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHWy_Nl-LI/AAAAAAAAFQE/pRE1wrtPwAU/s640/P1000454.JPG[/img]

The traffic in Squamish is very sad, I find it depressing. If there was ever a place where a train made sense, Squamish would be it. That 50 mile long parking lot filled with cars driving from Vancouver to Whistler could be replaced with a rail system going right up to Whistler with a stop at Squish. There is already freight trains that go into Squamish. That was the worst part of climbing on the Chief, endless noise from all the traffic at the base of the wall.

I'm going to argue the opposite here. I was thinking of a story a few years ago about a guy freeing a pitch on El Cap and he took a huge whipper when 8 nuts in row failed. (Anyone recall anymore details about this accident) Given a choice, I always like to make my first piece or two cams, they can rotate around and get jerked upward and not fail Sure, a well-set nut can do the same thing, but too often when I fall I see nuts that I placed at the bottom of the pitch fall out and hit my belayer. As for Smith Rock, yes nut seem to be a better choice out there (unless were talking the Gorge) I have all kinds of problems getting good cam placements to stay put in tuff. -Nate

Trip: Squamish - Millennium Falcon 5.11B 14 pitches Date: 8/13/2009 Trip Report: I haven't seen a TR for this route yet, so I'll add mine in. Two week ago Jaime and I climbed this route in route in hot and humid conditions, I think we both went through a full bag of chalk without even trying. We got the onsight without too much fuss aside from some friction problems on the slab pitches. The route is not quite as clean and splitter as the Grand Wall, but it has a lot of fun pitches and no aid climbing There is a lot of hard pitches stacked together but most of the "hard" stuff is short lived and followed by good rests. I get the impression that this route doesn't see a lot of traffic, I didn't see many tick marks and nobody was on the route when we were up there. [img:center]http://www.squamishrockguides.com/pictures/millenium.jpg[/img] Route Overview courtesy of Squamish Rock Guides. Using the pitch count from Summit Post we had very little difficulty following the route. The guidebook helps too. Here is few things that come to mind. P1. Hard to find. Solo up 100 feet of dirt with steps cut in for your feet, your looking for a very obvious chimney that marks the start of P1. We went 30 feet to the right of the chimney and climbed a dirty hand-crack to the bolted belay on top of P1 P2: Maybe the best pitch on the route. 10.c or 10.d for 180 feet. Bring lots of small gear for this pitch. The anchors are high and very far right, don't be tempted to stop at the bush and belay. Move right and up of bush. I was pouring sweat after leading this pitch and it was only 7:00AM. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHbP60adDI/AAAAAAAAFS0/5RbP1Sbu740/s512/IMG_0182.JPG[/img] Start of P2 [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHbQ_QuKlI/AAAAAAAAFTE/sSsHkUqDYrQ/s640/IMG_0187.JPG[/img] Higher up P2 P3:10D. Getting off the belay is crux, then doing this whacky hands-free foot-match from the crack left is tricky. Use a long runner on the crack before stepping over to the bolt to the left. Move looks harder than it is and the bolt is at your waist for the hardest move. Upper Crack is a thank-god hands crack on steep terrain. P4: Sporty bolted arete thing. 5.11ish. Very technical hand slaps and tiny feet. Really fun boulder problems followed by rests stances. I was glad to have my Murias for this pitch. P5 and P6. Link these up, use long runners near the end or have drag. Mellow. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHbSclow5I/AAAAAAAAFTc/-j63wq5r8iI/s640/IMG_0193.JPG[/img] P7. Hard! Jaime gets lured way left on a hand rail, (your supposed to mantel this hand rail and walk on it with your feet, not your hands.) Poor Jaime gets 30 feet left of the bolt and spends a long time contemplating a nasty fall before committing to the harsh slab moves. Yuck. Don't go that way. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHbS5xFsDI/AAAAAAAAFTk/NKz6qPoh7UA/s512/IMG_0195.JPG[/img] Looking down at slab pich P8. I get there and think "no way is this .10D, looks like 5.9" Wrong! This short little crack packs a punch. After a few mellow moves it goes overhanging and 4 inches. To save the whip I desperately try to stem the tree branch out out to the right. My first attempt fails as the branch isn't strong enough and wobbles while I'm standing on it. Damn! I move a bit higher on bad fist jams and am finally able to reach a strong branch with my leg. A few more grunts and I dyno for the main tree trunk and cut my feet. Hey this is Squamish right? Trees are "on." A few sap covered campus moves and I'm at a dirty ledge and belay. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHbVXmvGbI/AAAAAAAAFUI/7euAdNyU5Ec/s512/IMG_0201.JPG[/img] Before the crack got hard. [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHbWhf1U4I/AAAAAAAAFUc/URljQYWoGRQ/s512/IMG_0205.JPG[/img] After climbing the magic tree. p9-p10. Link. Jaime gets lured inside the OW and suffers. Go outside and layback this section, it works and there is two bolts to keep it safe. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHbYPrNf8I/AAAAAAAAFU0/VLz94HrOz7Y/s640/IMG_0209.JPG[/img] Jaime checks the topo. P11-14. The nature of climb changes drastically. No more cracks or corners, mostly bolted slabs and in direct sun. Hot! Although we get cooked, the position is amazing above Bellygood. P 11 is as great as the guidebook says, one of the better bolted 5.10 sport pitches I've ever done and in a very airy setting. (Sorry no more pics, too damn hot to operate camera) [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHbYroKM5I/AAAAAAAAFU8/1rQqO-D4YCk/s512/IMG_0211.JPG[/img] Walking across Bellygood. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_XNueStDVX8c/SoHbUP2KbgI/AAAAAAAAFT4/AIvR6oyaxLM/s512/IMG_0199.JPG[/img] Gear Notes: Doubles on the small stuff, maybe even triple of yellow Alien. Singles of #3 and #4. Approach Notes: Walk straight behind boulders at base of Chief. Be prepared to solo 100 feet of 5th class dirt to start route.

I was there last week and could the Bug/Snowpatch Col scary. The big problems we had with the Col was falling rock ( we saw several car size blocks run right past us) and the blue ice. The ice was so hard that no amount of kicking would get purchase. Nice work up there, we were in the Hut too but I'm not sure if we saw you up there. -Nate

Mark, 1.) Just go out with your Dad and lead all of the pitches yourself. Leading is way more fun and you'll have a blast. Seriously, those routes are trivial and anyone that has the fitness to walk to the base will have no problem leading these routes. Do all 5 in a day and be stoked. 2.) Solo. Why not? Again those routes are piss easy and low-angle. Self Belay if you really have to. Waiting on others to tick routes like this is going to leave you bummed. The best hand to help yourself is one attached to the end of your arm. Use it. -Nate

So what's the big secret here? Speak-up? Did someone actually free all of the pitches? Were any new bolts placed? Someone on here must know a bit more, why not fill in the details. -Nate

I hope you didn't step into the hole I made when a snow-bridge collapsed on me. The hole is about a 29 waist and 20' deep.

That route is indeed soft. Although there is one move in there that might stump you on the first try. Unless of course your belayer is spraying beta for it.

We came down Sherpa early Sunday. Looks like you guys hit it better, we walked down wet slabs and were forced to do a few raps at the very end to get onto the boulders.

I prefer calling any of that stuff low 5th class.

SE Corner isn't an actual climb, it is a variation on the hiker trail to the summit.