Castle Rock New Route

[telemarker]

A new bolted route has gone up between Midway pitch one chimney and Winter Solstice pitch one. I'm not being judgmental here, as I have not climbed it yet. It may be a fantastic pitch of climbing. I don't know. But it does seem to be in an odd location, so close to Winter Solstice, you can use the first few bolts of this new route if you climb WS. I'm just a little ambivalent about this new addition, and it does look out of place with the rest of the upper Castle routes.

 

I'm curious who did this one.

Edited June 1, 2017 by telemarker

[dynobelay]

The new route went up a huge moss patch (which was cleaned). Winter Solstice is further right, but it joins it for the last few feet.

I top-roped it. Seemed about 5.9

 

Edited June 10, 2017 by dynobelay

[montypiton]

John-

Mike Steele and I installed this route. We had initially hoped it would go without bolts, and for the creative leader with the right rack, it could. We installed the bolts to encourage more traffic to try it. Have you climbed the finger/hand crack from the top of the bolts to the anchor? It eats gear, goes in the 5.9+ range - we haven't settled on a rating, since when we installed the bolts, only Mike, Ben Stanton, and I had climbed it, and we hoped for a broader consensus than just the three of us. As for odd, I've always thought it odd that no-one had removed that carpet of moss when there was a crack system clearly visible underneath it. Working name for the project is Equinox - halfway from Midway to Solstice.

[telemarker]

Ah! Thanks for the info. I'll have to take a lap on it.

[montypiton]

please do - I'd love to have feedback

[Michael Telstad]

I think I accidentally climbed this last weekend in an attempt to climb Winter solstice. I awkwardly traversed in left from the ledge on winter solstice proper, and climbed the first crack I got to. It had good (dirty) finger locks down low, then opened up to hands, then back down to rattly fingers. If this is your route it was fun, and with a little more traffic it would be a good 5.9ish alternative to both winter solstice and Midway.

[montypiton]

that does sound like the finish crack of "Equinox". yeah, its still a bit dirty -- we got it as clean as we could, and figured traffic would do the rest. hope you liked it.

-Haireball

[viktor]

as clean as you could?

if you're not willing to finish the job, why start?

[num1mc]

as clean as you could?

if you're not willing to finish the job, why start?

 

Is there a special metric of cleanliness that all must abide?

[viktor]

of course not, just my personal opinion

I'm just partial to climbing on clean rock

I think it's weak sauce to expect "traffic to do the rest"

and while we're on the topic, does this make sense?:

"We installed the bolts to encourage more traffic to try it"

[montypiton]

victor - if you've climbed it, I'll take your comments as meaningful feedback. if you haven't, well...

-Haireball

[num1mc]

victor - if you've climbed it, I'll take your comments as meaningful feedback. if you haven't, well...you're weak sauce.

 

Fixed it

 

Edited June 13, 2017 by num1mc

[Kyle_Flick]

It's a good, challenging, fairly clean pitch that in my estimation goes at 5.9+ for a short crux.

[pope]

"We had initially hoped it would go without bolts, and for the creative leader with the right rack, it could. We installed the bolts to encourage more traffic to try it."

 

The last traditional crag in Leavenworth now features a bolted route which, in the opinion of the route's author, could be climbed without bolts. Apparently, creativity and the "right rack" are required. But because routes on Castle need more traffic.....

 

Jeesh. Don't forget to vote green.

[montypiton]

Canary - an ultra-classic on this "last traditional crag", has always, as far as i know, been a bolted route. even though it too can be protected without the bolts (yes, I have), I heard no complaints when it was retrobolted a few years back... context!?

[telemarker]

The new route is verye reminiscent of the lower castle mixed gear/bolted routes like PG Advised and Smut. In fact, it's about as hard as Smut and about the same length.

 

 

[telemarker]

Canary - an ultra-classic on this "last traditional crag", has always, as far as i know, been a bolted route. even though it too can be protected without the bolts (yes, I have), I heard no complaints when it was retrobolted a few years back... context!?

 

It's interesting how some of the routes on upper Castle get upgraded bolts and others don't. Like P2 of Canary, or the bolt on Old Grey Mare, or the bolt just over the roof on Satanic Verses. But on the south face of jello tower still has an ancient bolt.

 

I'm also curious about the two different bolts on the start of Rainbow Connection. The right one is only about 3 years old. The right bolt start is fun climbing if somewhat easier than the left start.

[pope]

Maybe I'm unclear on Canary's history. Yes, pitch 2 protects with one or more bolts which were drilled on the ascent. Drilling on the lead makes it a climb, any other kind of drilling makes for something not in the tradition of most climbs established at Castle Rock. That some old gear gets replaced doesn't bother me. And I don't see the relevance of mentioning Canary can be climbed w/o bolts. I'm sure somebody has down-climbed it without a rope. The point is, the first party to climb it, back when it was a pretty futuristic, bold route, placed a couple of bolts while in ascent mode. How can we be satisfied with a lower standard of adventure today than what was expected 40 or 50 years ago?

[G-spotter]

And when is Dwayner gonna climb 5.13? a decade plus ago he said he could climb any 5.13 with enough time to practice. Is a decade plus enough time or do we have to wait until he's mummified?

[DPS]

And when is Dwayner gonna climb 5.13? a decade plus ago he said he could climb any 5.13 with enough time to practice. Is a decade plus enough time or do we have to wait until he's mummified?

 

I watched Dwayner down solo a thin, slippery 5.10 in flip flops so 5.13 would not surprise me.

[pope]

And when is Dwayner gonna climb 5.13? a decade plus ago he said he could climb any 5.13 with enough time to practice. Is a decade plus enough time or do we have to wait until he's mummified?

 

And when are you finally going to say something interesting? Boring people like you helped this website fade into oblivion. Sport climbers like you helped me decide climbing has evolved into something equivalent to table tennis. Go ahead, bolt the shite out of Castle Rock and have a blast wrecking it some more. Don't forget to vote green.

[G-spotter]

And when is Dwayner gonna climb 5.13? a decade plus ago he said he could climb any 5.13 with enough time to practice. Is a decade plus enough time or do we have to wait until he's mummified?

 

And when are you finally going to say something interesting? Boring people like you helped this website fade into oblivion. Sport climbers like you helped me decide climbing has evolved into something equivalent to table tennis. Go ahead, bolt the shite out of Castle Rock and have a blast wrecking it some more. Don't forget to vote green.

 

KEEPIN' IT REAL BRO!

[JasonG]

Now THAT is pretty interesting. So many questions.

[olyclimber]

And when is Dwayner gonna climb 5.13? a decade plus ago he said he could climb any 5.13 with enough time to practice. Is a decade plus enough time or do we have to wait until he's mummified?

 

And when are you finally going to say something interesting? Boring people like you helped this website fade into oblivion. Sport climbers like you helped me decide climbing has evolved into something equivalent to table tennis. Go ahead, bolt the shite out of Castle Rock and have a blast wrecking it some more. Don't forget to vote green.

 

Fade into oblivion??? We are still here you whiney git. And we are still waiting for you to say something interesting, I'm pretty sure you once did, but now you're just a one trick pony.

 

FYI table tennis is pretty damn fun.

[JasonG]

Pope came up with a great idea! Merging table tennis with climbing. FTTA, First Table Tennis Ascent. Just think of the logistics (and bolts) needed to play on top of Everest!