[TR] Mt. Garfield- Infinite Bliss 5/15/2004

[Adventurewagen]

Climb: Mt. Garfield-Infinite Bliss

 

Date of Climb: 5/15/2004

 

Trip Report:

Went out yesterday to finish up infinite bliss this time with a bit more beta on pitch 15. All I have to say is "What the Fuck!!!" Why isn't anything bolted??? I would have to agree with my buddies that it is just pure spite, stupidity and meanness by not putting anything in. It was definately done just to keep spanks from getting to the top. Nice work assholes!

 

I give props to the guys who spent the time to bolt the route, thanks. It was a fun route to get on, without the bolts there wouldn't be much way to safely get up something like that at all, but give me a break on the boltless climbing. Bad way to boost your ego.

 

We started off yesterday early and hit the top of 14 in about 3hrs, it was a simul climb marathon. Then between the four of us we sent up two of us two full rope lengths with maybe 3 good pieces of gear on 400ft of rope. Finally found the damned bolt anchors about 60-80ft right of the anchors and 250+ feet up. There is no bush to work off of, there are bushes everywhere. The only thing I can think of to help someone out is that about 400ft up there is a group of tree's at the base of the next face. I also drew up a topo of the entire route. I don't care if the person who set the route doesn't like it Ill give it to you on request. It was irresponsible to bolt a route with that in the middle, best I can see doing is to help you get through it safely. Anyway, the anchors are in line with that grouping of trees that are 130+ feet above it. I guess I wouldn't be so mad about the whole thing, but it's not 4th class scrambling its at least 5th, especialy at that elevation. Soloing was just stupid when there are so many freaking bolts where they don't need to be and then none where there should be. We also got screwed by the weather in which we retreated all 23 pitches in the fog and rain. If anyone gets up there I would appreciate my #3TCU back from pitch 15, its marked with an "EC" and is wedged under a huge slab about 60ft up in the right direction of the anchors which are another 190ft up. We used it to help our fourth person downclimb a bit safer in the waterfalls. Heck, we almost left a rope just to get off that piece safely. None of which is necessary, the whole climb is not worth a pitch like that in the middle. If I ever feel like getting on it again Im gonna bring a bolt gun and some spray paint and make a variation called "the non-stupid ass variation" Its not too bad when its dry, just stupid, but its scary if you have to pull a rope then down climb 50+ ft in chossy, muddy, grassy shit.

 

So much for trip report. More of a complaint. The route is fun. A couple noteworthy pitches to get on. Not fun to rap in the dark. I think it took us 3+hrs to get to 15 which we had done before, then another 4+ to get to the top. Maybe 5 for the top and then 7 to get off in the rain. It was a long long day. A good one, not a super epic but one non the less.

 

Maybe in another day I won't be so pissed off about pitch 15, but it burns me right now just thinking about it.

[Dru]

[John Frieh]

Could it be a possibility that the shortcoming(s) actually do not lie with the route? Just a thought...

[dbb]

I agree in that it would be a pain to do that little bit of downclimbing down the ramp (with no anchor really) in the rain. all it would take to make the whole route rappable is one more anchor there.

 

Anyhow, Pax and I climbed it friday (in the sun no less!), and it was fun. I put up some pictures and a description of the 'wierdness' above p. 14 on my site:

http://www.alpinedave.com/garfield/infinite_bliss.htm

 

It's not bad if you miss the whole deal above p14 as long as you have a little gear with you to just running belay strait up. But this shows it too:

The first dot is the top of pitch 15.

 

This picture is taken from the sharp angle point in the photo above.

[Adventurewagen]

Good pictures AlpineDave, it looks so sunny and nice out. Rapping in the rain and fog was not fun as well as the downclimb in the rain. I agree one more anchor and it would be much safer.

 

As for you NOLSe, why don't you get on it and then let me know what you think. After 13 pitches of super over bolting you let me know what you think about no bolts chossy 5th class downclimbing does for you.

 

I also never said I expected it to be an easy or safe route either. We actually figured it would be more like any other alpine route, but after clipping a million bolts on solid easy climbing and then getting to the uprotected choss you realize it was done on purpose. They also through the anchors way off to the right, its my opinion they could have put them nearly straight up but didn't just to confuse more people.

[chucK]

I agree that it is perplexing that there is not a continuous line of rap anchors especially in light of the extent of work done on the rest of the route. And this unexpected feature has already snared quite a few climbers.

 

However, assuming some base motive of the routesetters is not very cool. There are many other possible explanations than what you accused them of. Also, your decision to continue climbing up past the rap gap in threatening weather was not the fault of the routesetters.

 

I think it makes sense that the route takes a jog to the side at that point in terms of alleviating the rockfall hazard to those directly below.

 

Finally a friendly reminder: Don't get on this route without a helmet!

 

Even smarter would be to just turn around and head elsewhere if there's a car in the parking spot already.

[Adventurewagen]

Yes, perplexing in deed. I remember saying, this can't be right, even the 5.1 pitch had one stinkin bolt on it. There were so many on the slab I remember walking past most of them to clip every couple bolts. It just doesn't make sense.

 

I agree the jog to the right could be for alleviating rock fall on the belayer, good point. I will however still accuse them of ego boosting and spite for that pitch. I might not if they would have posted a topo or chimed in on the CC.com about how to get past that pitch, but they didn't. Makes me kinda wonder.

 

As for the weather, we just got screwed. It was sunny up until pitch 19 with a few clouds moving around. Nothing too serious, but you know how quickly the weather can change.

 

I would also agree on the HELMET. A definate must, and turning around if a car is already there. I would turn around at the base, don't even bother with the hike, just take the day off and get up earlier the next day.

[fleblebleb]

I was with Wagen Saturday. I did some mellow skiing yesterday and had a chance to think the route over. I'm don't have any strong negative feelings about it. Here are some thoughts about the route, and about our climb.

 

First, it's a very long route that doesn't really have a consistent character. It feels more like three routes on top of each other. I would climb the first fifteen pitches with my wife, as a relaxing, fun daytrip. The bolts are very close together on the beginning slabs. The steeper pitches are very carefully bolted.

 

The second part of the route, the bolt-free middle part, didn't exactly impress me while we were there. But, I'm much more mellow about it now. The anchors at the start are at the beginning of an obvious right-trending stairway/ramp that reaches a ledge in approximately 50'. That's where we left the TCU, and the next anchors are directly above.

 

I think the third section is a lot harder than anything below. Pitches 3 and 5 counting from the top are long and sustained with fun, hard moves that I was too cold and gimped out to properly pull.

 

Peter and I were two pitches away from the top when it really started to rain, Wagen and his partner had a half-pitch to go. I led another half pitch in the rain and had to huck myself off when I went the wrong way and couldn't reach the right holds. That was pretty fucking exhilarating, with 2000' of air below my ass. I had just gotten back to that bolt when we decided to bail.

 

Before we went I was 90% sure it would rain on the route. I mean, if the west slopes forecast is "30% chance for rain" and you go climbing right smack dab center of the Snoq convergence zone you pretty much know what you're going to get. The clouds closed when we crossed the bolt-free section, that's probably when we should have bailed, but we all wanted to make it go - especially when we found those anchors. We had three ropes, so we knew that if it all became a big waterfall we could always leave one to get past the downclimbing section and rap the rest on the other two ropes.

 

Anyways, I think the route would be nicer if it had an anchor at the ledge on top of the right-trending ramp. Everything else about it is great - I'm very impressed with the route setters, what a shitload of work they did. Sorry Wagen - just a different opinion I guess, and I completely understand where you're coming from. To each their own.

 

The however-many hours of soaking wet raps definitely built enough character to last through the summer, heh. I'll post some funny pictures of us shivering in the rain on this thread, when I get around to it

[John Frieh]

Unlike the gym or sport climbing it sounds like you (awagen) are accustom too (I apologize if I assume incorrectly), it has never been, nor will it ever be the responsibility of the FA party to equip an alpine route such that it is accessible to the lowest common denominator. If this were somehow true; all routes would be nothing more than 5.6/A0 lines.

 

You and only you are responsible for yourself in the mountains.

 

The n. cascades is not smith, rifle or any other place where “climbers” think it’s okay to use tic marks to make up for the short term memory they smoked away the night before. Leave your spray paint at home.

 

And if you can’t route find (as it sounds like), practice on smaller routes or go on bigger routes with more experienced climbers. Just because you became disoriented on a route for whatever reason doesn’t mean it’s the FA parties fault. Blaming them for not bolting low 5th class terrain is poor form.

 

I applaud the FA parties’ decision to not publish a topo; it only places more responsibility on all who choose to attempt this route (such as yourself).

[eldiente]

Any beta on what type of shoes to wear? Is it worth bringing comfy approach shoes for the low-angle pitches and put on climbing shoes for the "real" climbing? Or is it better to suffer all day in climbing shoes and just try to move real quick like? Any help would be great.Thanks!

[slaphappy]

Yes, perplexing in deed. I remember saying, this can't be right, even the 5.1 pitch had one stinkin bolt on it. There were so many on the slab I remember walking past most of them to clip every couple bolts. It just doesn't make sense.

 

I agree the jog to the right could be for alleviating rock fall on the belayer, good point. I will however still accuse them of ego boosting and spite for that pitch. I might not if they would have posted a topo or chimed in on the CC.com about how to get past that pitch, but they didn't. Makes me kinda wonder.

 

They thought the area in question was 3rd/4th class and didn't require bolts.

 

From your posts, it sounds to me like you might be the one with the ego issues.

 

They may not read the drivel on cc.com, so why should they respond?

 

If you aren't comfortable doing the route without a topo, why did you do it?

 

It has been common knowledge that there are route finding difficulties. Why go up there with that knowledge and then come back and make a big stink about it? If you're not comfortable with it, don't do the route! Can't you come up with something nice to say?

 

 

This is why people will not post new route info on this sight. After all their hard work for others, you're bitchin about their egos. You should re-evaluate your stance.

[John Frieh]

Word.

[Adventurewagen]

Hey NOLSe and SlapHappy, why don't you two just Fuck off. Leave a man to his own opinion, find another thread.

 

Maybe I am the one hoping the people you describe (gym rats) don't just get on it assuming the lead party bolted everything safe for them. I just see people getting hurt, only a matter of time. There are alot of alpine routes out there, but few get mentioned in Rock&ICE as the longest "sport" route; its just a time bomb waiting for an in experienced team to get up there, not know what to do and get really hurt on what they "thought" was just a sport climb. The amount of work put into the route was tremendous but I wanted people to understand its not just a 23 pitch sport climb like at Smith. Too many friends and people I know have been talking about just getting on it because its "bolted" the entire way, too many of which don't know the meaning of multi-pitch let alone alpine.

 

I don't need to be told Im a sport climbing spank or that I can't find a route. You don't know me, my experience, what I climb or where I climb as well as my climbing ethics. If I was that worried about the route I would have brought bolts up yesterday or not gone back, but we just figured probably like the Fa's did and said it's only 3rd class and there are supposed to be anchors somewhere up there.

 

Im entitled to my opinion, maybe I should have waited another day to make a post when I wasn't as grouchy, but I stick to my story. (I give props to the guys who bolted it, the chossy blank section is fucked compared to the rest of the climb and should be fixed or posted for newbies jumping on it unknowingly and that the route was still fun.)

[John Frieh]

Hey NOLSe and SlapHappy, why don't you two just Fuck off. Leave a man to his own opinion, find another thread.

 

Umm… I’m not going to stand by and let you badmouth someone just because you can’t route find. More experienced climbers on this site obviously climbed this route with no problem (ex. Alpinedave, chuck, etc.).

 

All of us this site would greatly prefer that no one get hurt on a route (look at the liberty ridge thread). But like I said before and will say again:

 

You and only you are responsible for yourself in the mountains.

 

I just see people getting hurt, only a matter of time. There are alot of alpine routes out there, but few get mentioned in Rock&ICE as the longest "sport" route; its just a time bomb waiting for an in experienced team to get up there, not know what to do and get really hurt on what they "thought" was just a sport climb. The amount of work put into the route was tremendous but I wanted people to understand its not just a 23 pitch sport climb like at Smith. Too many friends and people I know have been talking about just getting on it because its "bolted" the entire way, too many of which don't know the meaning of multi-pitch let alone alpine.

 

Most people can’t climb A2: does that mean there should be a bolt ladder up Liberty Crack?

 

People bite off more than they can chew all the time; every once in awhile they pay the ultimate price for it. It sucks, but natural selection happens.

 

The route is not a time bomb if parties such as your self honestly analyze the route requirements prior to and decide whether or not it is in within their ability level. Just because a route is not within your ability level doesn’t mean it should be super bolted to allow you to slide by. You don’t see people bitching at Potterfield for not providing bolt anchors or a topo to Girth pillar in his book, do you?

 

If people are too stupid to be able to discern in between this route and a sport route at smith, they shouldn’t be climbing anyways.

 

You don't know me, my experience, what I climb or where I climb as well as my climbing ethics.

 

You’re right, I don’t know your experience, etc. I didn’t assume to either. But as much as you don’t like people making assumptions about you, why are you making assumptions about the FA parties bolting modivations?

[slaphappy]

I would not recommend "retro bolting" any route without discussing it with the guys who put it up. If a party doesn't have the skills to complete the route, there are chains and they can easily bail, seems safe enough to me.

[Dru]

Most people can’t climb A2

 

even drunken midgets can climb A2!!!!!!

[John Frieh]

Sounds like a lot of people this site need to start drinking more...

[ivan]

ah, now that i can agree to!

[Szyjakowski]

YOU ARE RIGHT! I FEEL WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY BETTER NOW!!!!!!!!!

YO- Adventurewagan-- if this said bolted mountain route bothers you so much, why don't you post a warning at the gyms for all those unsuspecting gymrats.

besides, perhaps leland and co thought the bolts were worthless in said choss anyways...get a grip...

[colt45]

I was very frustrated by the whole situation with the chossy unprotected slab too. I agree with the ideas about not getting in over your head, it's alpine, who says it has to be safe, etc, etc.

 

But--

 

Who reported the route to R&I as "America's Longest Sport Route"? I am assuming that it was the FA. And who reported for the R&I description that "you can rap at any point"? I doubt that the R&I writer just made up all that information on his own.

 

If it was, indeed, the FA's who decided to call up a major climbing magazine and classify their climb as a non-committing sport route, blame is certainly in order.

 

With the current mandatory soloing, and the article in a high-profile magazine calling it a "sport climb" (and having been up on the route myself and seeing the potential danger), I agree that a serious injury or death is almost inevitable.

 

Given that cc.com is one of the most prominent resources for NW climbers, I am more than a little surprised that the first ascenscionists were (presumably) willing to call up R&I and claim the FA of "America's Longest" route of a particular type, but did not bother to log on to the internet and spend a few minutes supplying some beta and information to the local community.

 

Of course I was peeved too by getting shut down on the route, I don't know anything about the FA's, and I am psyched that people are willing to put forth considerable time and expense to establish a long, mostly awesome route close to Seattle. I'm just saying that some responsibility is in order once you call up a mag to spray about your new route.

[slaphappy]

The author of the article was not one of the FA's. Why is it so surprising that they don't read this sight? Most of the people I climb with don't read it either, I often wonder why I do.

[Dru]

I recall the article said prominently how the route was not covenience bolted on one 4th class section....read article not just headline?

[Szyjakowski]

BECAUSE....you are addicted to bullshit spray...and bored.

tee-hee-hee....

[colt45]

I recall the article said prominently how the route was not covenience bolted on one 4th class section....read article not just headline?

 

If we're talking about the same article (March 2004 issue of R&I, page 26), I don't see any such prominent disclaimer. I did notice that the caption for the photo is "Infinite clip-up: multi-pitch sport-routing for every-man, in Washington State".

 

And while the article's author obviously is not one of the FA's, one of the FA's is interviewed--and presumably took the initiative to contact the mag and portray the route in a certain fashion. If it were not called "America's Longest Sport Route" (probably by the FA's), R&I may not have published the route at all.

 

[Dru]

What part of "no one is going to bitch about this thing being overbolted" and "the lower-rated pitches are runout" did you miss

 

although i guess i was remembering the 1 bolt pitch statement on the 5.1 actually