dberdinka Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 On Sunday MattP and I went up to Blueberry Hill on the south side of Exfoliation Dome and pretended to be mini-tree loggers 1000 feet off the ground. It was fun to toss bushes and dirt off the cliff and watch them slowly disintegrate on the slabs far below. Then the lightning and wind came and we got real wet for a little while until the sun came out and dried up all the rain. The Granite Sidewalk was still soaked so we had a surprisingly pleasant descent through mostly old-growth forest to the north of the sidewalk. This was followed by beer, mosquitos and eventually corndogs. MattP, Chris Greyell, David Whitelaw and others have invested much time and energy putting in some very fine free climbs on X-Dome. Someday it will be a very popular place. See his website for partial details. http://www.seanet.com/~mattp/Darr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 dberdinka said: Someday it will be a very popular place. I like it just the way it is now. Was up in the beautiful sunshine on the West Butt. on Friday. Suh-weet!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dberdinka Posted June 30, 2003 Author Share Posted June 30, 2003 Greg_W said: I like it just the way it is now. You've got a very good point. The solitude out there is wondeful. With a guidebook coming out in the near? future I wonder how much it will change. How was getting past the now-missing flake 2 or so pitches up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Indeed, I enjoyed the climbing yesterday. We climbed 8 pitches of damn good rock and, even though there are some of the usual DTown flakes and the approach up the sidewalk is mildly gnarly, the side of Blueberry Hill is one very cool place to be in a rainstorm! As the second thunder cloud rolled overhead, the big raindrops had sunlight on them and shown just like Bush Sr's thousand points of light! Here's looking up and down from the "thousand points of light" belay: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Anyone attempted the N.face of Mt. Hugh (i think it's called that, in the green beckey guide, maybe the middle summit?). It's huge and almost dead verticle and nothing mentioned about any routes on it in the new green guide. YOu can see it on the way to where Matt and Darin were climbing. What's the story? did I spill some cats out of their pajamas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 dberdinka said: How was getting past the now-missing flake 2 or so pitches up? Not bad. I'm determined to get it to go sans bolts, so they can be removed. VIVA LA BOLTLESS WEST BUTTRESS!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 I've heard of a Mount Pugh, and I think it is the peak that is fairly prominent as you drive into Darrington, and which has a steep left (north) profile. Where's Mount Hugh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dberdinka Posted July 1, 2003 Author Share Posted July 1, 2003 Greg_W said: Not bad. I'm determined to get it to go sans bolts, so they can be removed. VIVA LA BOLTLESS WEST BUTTRESS!!! Aren't the only bolts the now-hanging-in-space anchor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 dberdinka said: Greg_W said: Not bad. I'm determined to get it to go sans bolts, so they can be removed. VIVA LA BOLTLESS WEST BUTTRESS!!! Aren't the only bolts the now-hanging-in-space anchor? No. Two bolts were placed to protect a few 5.8/5.9 face moves to get up under the buttress flakes and rejoin the regular part of that pitch. Previously, you traversed out right from the bolt belay you mention and get into the buttress fun. I'm hoping that this particular section will take some gear the bolts can be removed. It seems out of character for this climb to have bolts on it. After all, there's a shrub you could sling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 The "hanging in space anchor" should go, as should the rusty old stray bolt above it, and I'd be for removing those two bolts Greg complains of, but I think any reasonable boltless W. Buttress route is probably going to end up in a dihedral about 20 feet to the left at that point. The route remains very good at present - albeit with two protection bolts in the middle of about 8 pitches of boltless climbing. Here's Greg, a few pitches above that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klar404 Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 michael_layton said: Anyone attempted the N.face of Mt. Hugh (i think it's called that, in the green beckey guide, maybe the middle summit?). uh, I think your talking 'bout Mt Higgins? Middle peak? I looked at it, oh 15 years ago before I was a climber. Hey MattP, I climbed the west butt a couple weeks ago with a friend. Long story short we rapped off at the ledge. We didn't go down either Rainman or Dark Rythm. It was four raps and the second to the last one was almost too long for a 60 meter rope! Like clip into the anchor and then hang onto the rope as it goes through your device. Let go of the ropes and your screwed! I was wondering if this is something that Chris from C&S put up? It had the brown two bolt anchor with a chain style I've seen Dave use on Westward Ho for the top station . I guess my questioin is can you see the rap station of Dark Rythm or do I need glasses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Klar, you rapped "Jacob's Ladder," and had you rapped straight down from that chain above the extra long diagonal rappel you would have found a station at a more comfortable ropelength. No, Chris Christianson did not put it up. I did, with the help of about half the active posters on cc.com and a few of my Darrington buddies. No, you cannot see the Dark Rhythm anchors from the ledge -- unless you know where to look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 mattp said: No, you cannot see the Dark Rhythm anchors from the ledge -- unless you know where to look. I'll tell you...for beers. Bwahahahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 mattp said: "Uh, Matt, why you letting go of the rope? Uh, Matt?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klar404 Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Thanks for the info.... I guess I've gotta go climb Dark Rythm and see for my self! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 okay, i mean Mt Higgins Middle Peak. anyone checked it out? Looks long n' steep! Photo right there in the green beckey guide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Sweet looking stuf Matt. I will take you up on your offer ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 Sorry you missed it, Wayne. On Saturday, July 5, I went back to see if some gym-honed climbers could have their way with it. Low and behold, they did. Up to this point, various talented climbers from cc.com have managed to climb the crux pitch after taking a fall or a hang, but the famed Jason Gunderson flashed the crux moves for the first sporto on-sight redpoint ascent and the even more famous Rod Fox managed to hesitate and match feet right in the middle of the crux step-up move! They get the glory, not you. Their secret? It's all about energy and freeing the inner climber within. Here's Rod, visualizing success prior to starting up pitch 3. Here's the obligatory buttshot of Jason on the crux. And here's a picture looking down at Rod in the same location. I lead the next pitch with only a momentary shake (not quite skechveg McRichter) (camera tilted for effect). In true sporto style, we continued on to the top of the seventh pitch before electing to forgo the last (too easy) pitch and rap off to find our friends and some cold beer left in a pool down below. Don't worry, Wayne, there's still some fun to be had up there. I'm going back to continue tinkering with the route and you're welcome to join me for a tour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodFox Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 Wow. Now that's a thick description and I think I need to puke now... Being famous is really tough on a guy. So many expectations... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwalling Posted July 11, 2003 Share Posted July 11, 2003 Matt, what route is that of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted July 11, 2003 Share Posted July 11, 2003 Jacob's Ladder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodFox Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 BTW: For anybody who likes to climb really good long slab routes, Jacob's Ladder on Blueberry Hill is a really fine climb. Kudos to Matt Perkins and friends for all of the work that they've done out there! Additionally, I'm trying to get a good topo together of my climb to the left of Jacob's Ladder. It's called Sundried Tomatoes (12a, 11b, 10b, and 11c) and essentially free climbs the old 23rd Psalm aid route. I'll post a topo as soon as it's done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fence_Sitter Posted July 12, 2003 Share Posted July 12, 2003 nice guys! thanks for all you work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 I should add a footnote to Rod's comment about Jacob's Ladder: it is a "slab" climb as compared to World Wall I or something, but don't expect it to be like the climbs at Static Point. Five pitches of Jacob's ladder are over 60 degrees and you will probably want some edging shoes... web page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted July 17, 2003 Share Posted July 17, 2003 Toast and I were out there today. We got a late start as a result of navigation errors, but we found the mountain and were roped up by 12:30 pm. We think we free climbed the first pitch or part of it. By virtue of running out a 60 meter rope to its end each pitch we topped out in only 5 belayed pitches. The 5.9 move came in our second pitch which was my lead. There is a good cam placement immediately before the first bolt, so that one is really pretty redundant. The second bolt may need to stay. I don't remember any good pro near it. I do remember the rock was rather dirty in that section, which made it seem harder. When we got to Blueberry Terrace, it was 4 pm and we decided it was too late in the day to push onto the summit so we set about getting down. We walked down to the left but couldn't find anything other than a large tree with two ancient slings on it. After tying on two new ones and a rappel ring we went down and found a series of old two bolt anchors with cold shuts and a third new bolt above. Each one had a single green 9/16" sling hanging from the new bolt. We added slings to take advantage of the unused bolts, even if they were old. The rap route goes straight down the steepest part of the face and avoids all the flakes, trees and loose rocks. Plus it gets you down in only four double rope rappels instead of six or seven. From the "sloping terrace", you do have to do some downclimbing on slabs to get back to the base of the climb, but it was not bad. The granite sidewalk sure is hard on the knees. It might have been better had we just gone slower and taken our time more. I noticed a fair amount of litter up there. I found an empty aluminum can of Guiness Stout on the third pitch and a bottle of Mountain Dew down at the bottom of the Granite Sidewalk. What's up with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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