WTF did we climb on Beacon Rock??

[layton]

Anyone familiar with Young Warriors on Beacon?

Ivan and I climbed the 1st to pitches to the bolt anchor.

Then we went up the thin open book and did not go left or right for around 150'. On that pitch an old pin was clipped and went into another very thin open book with not much on the faces to either side. This put us below overhangs at the "belay".

Then we went right traversing along steep slabs under overhangs, mantling up, then more right under larger roofs pulling a desperate roof w/no topout holds onto dirt and grass to a shitty stance. Old ring pins all the way. Then another traverse right to the final desperate mantle with no top out holds to a big pine tree with a fairly new (surprise) spectra sling. Then another long 4th/low 5th pitch on the ridge crest to the trail/railing.

 

Any clue?

[sketchfest]

First pitch sounds like "YW", but the second pitch steps left and traverses about 15' and up to some nice dinner plates, then into a giant pocket, from there you join the top of the second pitch of SE corner. I'm not sure about the next pitches that you and Ivan did, but it sounds like you topped out on the 4th & 5th class portion of SE Corner.

[layton]

Yeah we did the 2nd pitch, no doubts on that.

I described the 3rd-6th pitch. The SE buttress route was WAY to the left by this point.

[Crackman]

michael_layton said:

Ivan and I climbed the 1st to pitches to the bolt anchor.

Then we went up the thin open book and did not go left or right for around 150'. On that pitch an old pin was clipped and went into another very thin open book with not much on the faces to either side. This put us below overhangs at the "belay".

 

So far so good (if your're where I think you are -- a nice corner belay ledge with a couple old pins on the right). From that belay, YW steps around LEFT not right and then up for two more pitches.

 

By the way, how did you like that second pitch going through the loose flakes in the alcove?

 

 

[layton]

Ok, so where YW goes left, we went right. What route is that???

 

I love that 2nd pitch with the wild step out and the flakes over the roof!!! Nice crack above too! Done it twice now!

[Crackman]

Yeah love those moves on pitch 2

 

I've seen that variation you guys did but have never tried it. No idea what it is. Maybe the next time. Although pitch 4 on YW is just about as sweet as 2 &3.

[layton]

I would never reccomend the variation we did to anyone unless you like ropedrag, dirt, and sketchy pro .

[billcoe]

michael_layton said:

I would never recommend the variation we did to anyone unless you like ropedrag, dirt, and sketchy pro .

 

I know a little aboout Beacon. Guessing here, other than sounding like classic Beacon: it may have been the "Lost variation" on SE Corner (5.8). (You probably just did the 4th or 5th ascent- just kidding, but it's rarely climbed anymore.)

 

See a manky rusty 1/4 Rawl bolt up there somewhere?

 

Just re-read your post, now I'm unsure really. Sketchfest describes the 2nd pitch accuratly on YW. It is very different than your description. The small book just to the r of the 1st pitch RAP ANCHORS (again, the actual end of P1 is a single bolt 15 feet up and l of the 2 bolt rap station) of YW goes up slightly right above the rap anchors(easy5.5) and steps left (@5.10B) @ 40' up to easy climbing up a ramp leading slightly left which ends at the the 2 bolt 2nd pitch anchors. It makes YW the very best climb out at Beacon IMO. It is an awesome F*en route and pitch. I named that the "Old Fart variation" to the Young Warriors route after Bob McMahon, Dave English and I did it (my lead) but someone chopped our bolts. (Bob is 55, I'm 48 and Dave is 41 years old now).

 

If you were at the Rap anchors (again, the correct end of the first pitch is 15 feet left of the rap anchors on a little ledge with the bolt low, then you pro the crack) and went Left then up the dihedral rigth above the single bolt whicfh marks the real end of the 1st pitch thats @5.10C pretty much straight up but still ends at the 2 bolt 2nd pitch anchors. The 10C goes straight up from the anchor, not right as you describe. The "thin open book" is probably one of those, but sounds like the old fart variation.

 

The variation to SE corner crosses young warriors after the 3rd pitch, and is to the Right of Young Warriors from there continuing higher up. Your description makes it sound harder than 5.8 unless it was wet. It goes up the steep slab where YW cuts left to the 3rd anchors, the pins in the shitty little alcove. None of the 2nd pitches you described (Old fart, 10C, or the real YW going hard left to the butthole crack) are 150" though, not even close.

 

If you were where Tim said you were- you were real close to the 3rd pitch anchors, (which looks different than your description), I think that is in fact the SE Corner-Lost variation, goes straight up instead of hard left like Crackman says.

 

Bill hmmmmmm could be-or not

 

Somebody will now show up flaming me for some reason or another. Lets see. Probably better to not talk about climbing at all, but yammer inane triva and meaningless bullshit like many on this site.

 

 

Sigh... sorry to bring it back to climbing, but sounded like fun anyway, eh Michael?

 

dohhhh: just showed up to flame myself. re-re-read your post. 1st to, you mean 2 TWO. Dohhh. Yeah, Lost Variation, you should go to the diheadral which cuts slightly R @30-40 feet up to be on YW. You missed P2 of YW 2 times. You missed the YW diheadral easing right, then high up should have headed left just like time says. Pretty sure. There are 3 variations off the young warriors 1st belay though. Like Emily Lattila says: nevermind.

 

Jeeeesse.

Edited November 1, 2003 by billcoe

[layton]

Thanks Billcoe. I'm gonna have to re-read this a few times ! By then, I probably won't care anymore, which would solve the problem in a kind of roundabout way .

[billcoe]

Sorry: I need to type slower as I even confuse myself, and now I can't edit the post.

 

1st: from the P2 bolts on YW, you go straight up @30-40 feet where can go straight, or swerve to the right. You went straight, should have swerved to the r. in order to stay on route. So you were off route early in the pitch. BUT Lost Variation crosses YW higher up too, so high up on that pitch, when you were looking up the steep slab with the obvious pins in it, standing on a comfortable grassy little ledge, you had gotten back on route. You should have turned hard left and headed west, but you missed the turn.

see?

 

You missed it twice.

 

Tim or anybody will tell you this too, P4 on YW is an awesome pitch, challenging all the way, fair protection-enough, but not too much of it. You should definately go back again. If it's wet, I'd pass on it except P1 is still OK, I've done it wet and it's fine, as is Rythem Method/Raindance, the bolted 5.7/8 face @ 30 feet around the corner to the North.

 

You should ask Wayne his personal favs, he's been all over this rock big time.

 

Not to insult anyone, but how is it everyone in Oregon thinks Beacon is in Oregon? I've checked the map several times, it's definatly in Wa. - This is in response to this being posted in "Oregon Cascades" section.

 

Regards:

 

Bill