Lamplighter at Index (beta?)

[chucK]

So I was looking at this climb in some older Index guidebooks ( Cummins, Brooks and Whitelaw), and saw it described as "mostly free" 4-5 pitches. Now there was an A3 part (scary ) listed in those, but I seem to recall in the newer book (Cramer) that I don't have, that there is a bolted free part (10c?) around that A3 area now.

 

Looking at it from the base last year I remember seeing a very scrubbed looking crack up about a pitch too. with that?

 

Anybody got any current beta for this route, just the bottom free part or the whole thing?

 

Lamplighter, yeh.

 

(And I already did a search on this site, no luck).

[erik]

also chuck i believe there is a new face climb that starts off of lamplighter?? called heavens gate.

 

.11 all bolts. cept for the 1st pitch, in which it shares with lamplighter or danas arch or something...i dunno, i always have a hard time with names.

 

i know for sure someone on this site has all the beta for it!

 

 

 

i have yet to do it, but plan on soon.

[Jerome]

I've done the climb that branches off the first pitch of Lamplighter (Heaven's Gate?). A highly recommendable climb, I thought.

 

Pitch one starts up the obvious, for me rather intimidating, chimney. At the top a ramp is followed to a difficult bolted lieback. This leads to what is essentially a belay move, then a couple pitches of crimpy face topped by a roofy 5.11 bit.

 

The first pitch is the most difficult mentally.

 

Jerome

[forrest_m]

heaven's gate is super fun. the first pitch of lamplighter has a couple of bolts on it, but is mostly gear. 10c, but burly with 2 separate cruxes. from the belay at the top of lamplighter (which continues basically straight up), continue righwards past 2 bolts to another belay at the base of the 2nd pitch. leave the rack here, you only need QDs from here.

 

2nd pitch is 10b (long, like 14 bolts), 3rd is 10c, a lot shorter than the 2nd, 4th is 11a, up through two roofs, all the way to the top of the cliff. PM me if you want beta on the secret handhold.

 

a single 60m rope will get you down, but from the top of the first pitch you will need to rap sideways to the lamplighter belay to get down; a 70 rope (or, obviously 2 ropes) will reach the ground from the bottom of the 2nd pitch of heaven's gate.

 

Dave Gunstone did a really nice job of placing the bolts on this one, every single clip is well thought out.

[chucK]

Whoa! That Lamplighter p1 is sounding intense. Is the 10c you are talking about in the chimney or up past it? I ask because my progression of guidebooks rates the chimney as 5.6 (Brooks and Whitelaw) 5.9+ (Cummins), 5.10b (? Cramer) and now you throw out 10c.

 

Thanks for the beta guys! Is Heaven's Gate in the Cramer guide?

 

[forrest_m]

ok, i think the 10c technical crux is "new", i.e. where the crack splits out right instead of staying in the chimney, but they end up in the same place. for the rest of the chimney, i think we all know that 5.9+ chimney with a FA in the late 70s means at least 10b, usually more.

 

as for 5.6, ??? those old guys were super hard. or maybe it was 5.6 until they broke out the aiders?

[Peter_Puget]

Wow this thread would be perfect for the NEW ROCK CLIMBING FORUM!

 

PP

[melissasendv9]

would we be allowed to talk bouldering in the rock climbing forum or would it need a new forum too?

 

thanks, Melissa

[Peter_Puget]

Of course bouldering is rock climbing! Start agitating for the NEW ROCK CLIMBING FORUM now!

 

PP

[Crack]

chuck -got on it for the second time earlier this week (this time with your buddy Jeff H.)...the first pitch is pretty burly but with good gear, as fun as it looks -definitely the hardest 5.6 i've ever yarded through. the scrubbed crack that you see from the base leaving the chains/belay station is still A1, both times we used 5 pins. the A3 move is just passed it, a hook above two manky fixed pieces...this second pitch (original) is super short and the anchor there is fatty with three new bolts (a double rope rap gets you down). the third pitch looks super fun, but be prepared for some serious vertical bushwacking. i've been considering the idea of cleaning the 3rd and 4th pitches on rappel, as the line is very appealing and it'd be great to have another route on the upper walls to top out on...

[lunger]

i concur w/ Jerome's assessment of Lamplighter/Heaven's Gate. Climbed (mostly!) it yesterday, a fine line . first pitch up chimney and moving right to second anchor is a 5.6 with some 10ish moves on it . very few people around Index yesterday , beautiful day, and that climb sports incredible views. consider trailing a rap line. hit it!

[snoboy]

Peter_Puget said:

Wow this thread would be perfect for the NEW ROCK CLIMBING FORUM!

 

PP

 

It could always go in the "Climber's Board." Oh yeah it's there already...

[chucK]

lunger said:

first pitch up chimney and moving right to second anchor is a 5.6 with some 10ish moves on it .