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New Route on Pyramid Peak


Jason_Martin

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Polish Bob feels a little unwanted around here, which is understandable since he was banished. However, he sent me this route description and said it was okay for me to post it. So here's the beta for those who are interested:

 

"It Ain't Over Motherfuckers"

Difficulty: D -- Mixed to 90 Degrees

Length: Seven Pitches plus some simul-climbing

First Ascent: Coley Gentzel, Chris Koziarz, and Polish Bob -- February 2003

 

Start on the left side of the N. Face of Pyramid in the big snow gully. Ascend the gully for about four hundred feet or half way up.

 

P1: A shallow groove of ice/neve is the start of the route. Go up the goove (80 degrees at first) to some crapy snow and a ledge under an overhanging wall (about 50 m)

 

P2: Go to the right, up a snow/neve ramp (55M)

 

P3: Simul-climb for about 100M on snow to the fifty degree iced up slab on the left edge of the snowfield. The pro here is crappy.

 

p4: Go up a steep groove (about 75 degrees), traverse slightly left, pull into a small left facing corner (90 degrees) then onto some ice and a 20M snowfield (angle left), 55M.

 

P5: Start on 90 degree thin ice onto a little iced up slab and onto a snow ramp.

 

P5&P6: Follow the ramp right.

 

P7: Angle up and left to the final groove and the summit.

 

Gear: 4 knife blades, medium lost arrow, cams from TCU#2 to 3.5 inch, 2 warthogs, 1 spectra, set of stoppers, 2 screws (10 and 13cm)

 

Bob says of the route, "on the crux pitch I found myself camming the shafts of my tools in a vertical crack and scratching my crampons on quarter inch ice. It was one fo the best pitches I have ever climbed in the mountains, period."

 

Coley, if there's anything you think should be added, please post it here for all of those that are going to run out and try to repeat this in the weekends to come.

 

Unfortunately, this came in to late to put in this edition of the ice guide, so this is the only place you'll be able to find this beta until Alex and I do a second edition of the book some time in the distant future.

 

Thanks to Polish Bob for allowing this to be posted. As this route and some of his other endevors prove, he is one of the stronger climbers in the state and should be respected as such.

 

Jason

Edited by Jason_Martin
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Sandbag for sure I'll bet! Polish Bob called me on the phone last night, said it was fun. He's a very very strong climber, and if he says it's one of the best he's done, I'll buy that. He also mentioned M4 as a grade for the mixed, but then he said there were pitches of verticle.

 

...but I freesoloed it the same day, and due to my elf-like abilities, I didn't make any tracks or leave any sign of passage. moon.gif

 

This route combined w/his route on Colfax would put him in one of the state's best climbers in my book.

 

Word Bob, Coley, and Kris. bigdrink.gif Way to go! pitty.gif

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Thanks for the post Jason. Sounds about right. I dont really have anything to add as far as details go. None of the cruxes on the route are terribly long but they are all serious to say the least. Finding adequate let alone confidence inspiring protection was often the hardest part. Warthogs were the ticket though. I think we used them in four or five of the seven belays. I am kind of wondering if such a route belongs in your book Jason. The cruxes were thin, thin ice but the route in general was not an ice route. Just a thought. The mixed pitch is hard, especially in a river of spindrift. M?

 

As for the Bob thing goes, he is a good guy. As with most people, there are some things about him that might rub people the wrong way, but I repsect him for calling things as he sees them. Sometimes people react badly to an honest opinion especially when their inflated ego are at stake. Bob is a great climber and there is no one that can argue that. Take or leave the personal issues. I have seen content on par with the worst of what Bob has said on this site with little or none of the same flack being sent towards the parties generating it. Sure he is inflammatory but as I have heard here many times we are all free to express our opinions as long as you keep in mind they are just opinions. Bob is a good guy to climb with and I will gladly break trail for his slow hiking ass any time as long I dont have to listen to the same dirty polish jokes over and over.

 

The name of the route is kind of a funny story. After taking a few wrong turns on the descent from the peak, wandering around in the trees after dark, and getting in a car accident at 2am on the drive home and having to get towed, it kind of felt like the day was never going to end.

 

Coley

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Non technical note-

 

It's Chris Koziarz isn't it?... bigdrink.gif Looks like he's making a nice comeback from his injuries a few season's back and I must say that is pretty cool he is now able to climb at this level. Cheers to the other dude's too bigdrink.gif Dont worry about idiots hijacking your report boxing_smiley.gifboxing_smiley.gifwazzup.gif

 

I'd sure like to see some photos of where the line goes if they have any to offer.

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Yes that's me.

Hey, Coley thanks for your part in breaking the trail in front of "Bob's ass". But the fact is: Bob in turn was "dragging our asses" on the climb proper, means he's lead every roped pitch. Enough, no comments.

About the descent: Bob was inclined to take shorter NW gully but I was concerned about the snow resting there at perfect 40-45 angle, while www.nwac.noaa.gov was reporting the danger generally higher on SW & NW slopes (I've once survived the 700ft fall in avalanche and I'm very cautious now). So the long way we came down (as in Beckey's book, all the way back to Colonial Glacier), and I remember Bob pronouncing the route's name the first time on this seemingly endless traverse under the Pinnacle. I would suggest this descend to the others although (or mayme because) they will end up walking in the dark just like us "motherfuckers".

 

Chris.

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Finding adequate let alone confidence inspiring protection was often the hardest part. Warthogs were the ticket though. I think we used them in four or five of the seven belays.

 

Warthogs? Ok, I thought I was old school learning on snargs, but I've never actually used a warthog. I have two I scrounged up somewhere (brand new) but thought they were destined for the museum. Can you explain where/why they are useful ("the ticket") over modern ice stuff?

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Chris. The line about the breaking trail was meant more as a joke for Bob who told me that will be checking in later today under a nice veil of anonimity, not seriously.

 

As for the warthogs, they are pounded into frozen turf or mungy cracks rather than placed in ice of any sort. Spectres work for this stuff too but they lever out if you are not careful.

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Yes that's me.

Hey, Coley thanks for your part in breaking the trail in front of "Bob's ass". But the fact is: Bob in turn was "dragging our asses" on the climb proper, means he's lead every roped pitch. Enough, no comments.

About the descent: Bob was inclined to take shorter NW gully but I was concerned about the snow resting there at perfect 40-45 angle, while www.nwac.noaa.gov was reporting the danger generally higher on SW & NW slopes (I've once survived the 700ft fall in avalanche and I'm very cautious now). So the long way we came down (as in Beckey's book, all the way back to Colonial Glacier), and I remember Bob pronouncing the route's name the first time on this seemingly endless traverse under the Pinnacle. I would suggest this descend to the others although (or mayme because) they will end up walking in the dark just like us "motherfuckers".

 

Chris.

 

Chris here is a personal cheers to you bigdrink.gifcantfocus.gif

 

Man that's an amazing comeback you have made. My hat is off to you. rockband.gif

 

 

Maybe we should note we might have two Crazy Polish badass climbers out there now grin.gif

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Thanks, Caveman.

The fact that I happen to be born in the same country (and even the same city - Krakow) as Crazy Polish Bob is just an incident but helps to understand his jokes.

The other flip of the coin is: in polish Tatra Mountains (where both Bob and myself started our careers) there are lots of more crazy polish climbers who love winter cragging. Last sunday Bob, while hiting the first tool placement, said: "finally it feel like in Tatras!" and I agree. Pyramid in winter is an awesome place that reminds me those Tatra spires, where those crazy polish guys hone. The difference, though, is that Cascades are much more wild (means no crowds above the trails). Feels good to be part of it.

 

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