[TR] Index - Senseless Thoughts of Paranoia

[matt_m]

So Sunday 3/22 was an amazingly nice day to climb. My partner and I, kicking off the training season for an attempt at HDIAD later this year decided to log some milage @ Index. Plan was to do Davis Holland to Lovin Arms twice and burn laps on the lower wall with whatever time we had left. I'd never done the route before (new to WA) but the day was awesome and the rock was dry so we fired it up. First 3 pitches were great - 1st was a little damp but nothing a little chalk couldn't fix. I topped out on #3 and my partner joined me. He says " ok, we go right here following those bolts." I look at him and say "are you sure? I thought you went up the chimney a ways and then traversed past a single bolt." "Nah, last time I did it I went left and then up - we'll meet up with the dike don't worry." So off he goes clipping bolts and looking like he's working pretty hard for mostly .10 stuff. Then he hits the biz and peels 4 times trying to make this high-step rock over move. "Hey, there's another bail biner up here - that's two of them. " he says, at which point I respond " I'd like to enter into the record that I think we're on the wrong route - no bid deal as this one looks good too." He makes the move soon enough and I'm off following the pitch. Damn hard and slopey granite edges challenge me but I almost, climb it clean. Slimed off the hardest move but got it second try. I get to the belay and say - "man - that was the hardest 11b I've done in a while." I looked out left and saw the bolt from the REAL 11b traverse and knew something was amiss. There's a thin crack that leads straight above us for about 60 feet before it turns into face climbing with 2 bolts. I start off on the lead still not sure if we've met back up with lovin arms or if we're off to the right somewhere. Found out soon enough as I try and pull though the crux part of the pitch. Moves very similar to the first hard 11 section on p1 of Japanese Gardens (layback crack with bad feet) send me on a 15 foot ride when my finger locks blow out (crack was a little dirty) Slammed a good little hole in my knee and lowered so my partner could take a stab at it (knee was killing me at that point) HE got it 3rd try and ran the pitch to the top of the wall past the ledge anchors. I followed passing the hard crach section into some hard face climbing past the bolts. The finishing .9+ up the headwall was spectacular. Topped out and compared punctures (he had a nice hole in his shin) Rapped down on our 70m (the rope of choice at index because there seem to be lots of 34m pitches) Got out the book and looked in the back to see if there were any new routes - Sure enough - new route to the right of lovin arms. Senseless Thoughts of Paranoia. 5.11b/c To quote the book - "these pitches are sustained for index" My crack pitch was 11a and not knowing it- was damn near my first 11a onsight. The climb is great and with a little cleaning of the cracks up high would be stellar. Shinny new bolts everywhere so the fixed pro is good. Small cams and nuts a good idea as well. Best part is we both need to go back and do Lovin Arms - Damn, more good climbing.

Finished off the day running a few laps to the mid anchors on p1 Jap Gardens - good burn.

[matt_m]

hey - it's even on the route update link - i need to read up on stuff more often

 

anyone done Heavens Gate?

[forrest_m]

click me heaven's gate thread from last year