G-spotter Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 Climb: Inspiration Peek --North Face (3rd Assent) Date of Climb: 8/16/2004 Trip Report: Dumpster Diverr and I climbed the North Face of Inspiration this weekend to beat the lightning. Mikkel_layton descibes it in his other trip report as, "extreme," and, terrifiying," and "unrepeated" so that sounded like a nice adventure to us to do. It is a 500 meters face of Gneiss with some granite enshrinned in the mix. It didn't have ice like the 1st ascent which was climbed by Russian and Lithyanean climber on exchange visit. But nonetheless we took leashells tool and monopoint crampons to try and climb in drytool (d-climbing) style. So Dumpster D. and I decided to all go up as a group with some nice girls we had met at the Exit-38 a week earelier who said they was wanted to climbs mountains and could we show them how. They were going to hike around and climb some Little Mac or somethings. These gals were a riot and cooked up nice meals for Dumpstter and me after our climbs. Couldn't think of a better, funnier, prettier, adventurous, hott, group of galss to spend some serious mountains-time with. There names are Amber and Daisy, do you know of thems? It was almost a re-creation of the 1977 lithuanian exchange team with Bertuulius when they all went in and did northface Inspiratean. This was good route to do 3rd-ascent of. The granite gneioss is like Alps rock but not so smooth and monobloc, there are many good edgfes for drytool. And we placed several good bolts to help with repeat ascents. The hike in was wery chill, except in sun where I sweat out every ounce of water and sweatting. Dark yelloow came out when I had to take piss, this is not good but it makes me lighter and lighht is fast. We camped at col above Azure Lake (awesume view into the lake and can piss down into lake!). I was wide awake at 2am, an hour after alarm. I guess the other oness were too concidering we were all sharing tent and two sleeping bags. Girls werre making us espresso and cakes, we ate quickly not talkings much for today was to be hard-and long-climbing We hiked the ridge to the notch right of Little Mac spire and did single rope rap into the steep snow, downclimbed all way below that following trail of bamboo wands Layton-expedition must have used . Lots of soft and easy ice. I had leasghless tools. DDiver had brought a leash but i made him cut-it off as our ascent was to be free, and redpoint. We worried some when clouds in the socked in lower valleys rose from the sun-rise and totally fogged out the downclimbing but no lightnings was heard. Luckily the fogs floated by the base of the N.Face of McMillian. Daisy and Amber left for make it quickly to their route, the Lttle Mac of Spire. DDiver and I headed over to our route. The "going home" to the actual climb took 3 hours of climbing walking and abseiling. Dumpster and I pieced together a route on a face with very obvious line for most part. We knew we were on the right track when we found a bail sling and Neutrino which might belong to Layten or to Eric Lunger, please PM for story and I will return. DDiver wanted to cheat and use hands but I made him to use tool only for keeping a cool lead head on steep pitches. I don't know if I spoke aloud or kept it to myself, but I'm pretty sure I whispered that thisd route was very solid and well protected for dry tooling with all bolts, is great to find! Climbing was to D5 (N.Am) or UIAA V/V+. We rappel then the south face with our lead rope and a ball of twine. Yes, cord gots stucken in cracks on the raps and it was very steepify. We used all nice webbing rap stations with one bolt placed at every good stance and chain. After few hanging-abseil we were on the upper glacier. Then we did some more similar dowenclimbing on ice again for second time. I think my hand was some sore from holding grip of Ergos so much. Also we dropped down a lot, traversed slabs of the terror-basin, climbed below the s.face of McMillion spires to the ridge and followed it to tent where girls was waiting. The descent took 4 hours. As the fog came back earlier (it fogged over every night) we would call out to girls and they would yell back where tent and was. All told it was a 13 hour day of fast movement and constant concentration on making redpoint. We were never out of food that day, however, and I was totally confident in that we make first free drytool of this face. Girls were "asleep" when we got to the camp. They had fun on their climb, but I don't think were totally impressed with their route as was too short and eassy or so?. Our route was good and high fun. I rate it TD/TDsup. It was full on alpine Love Parade. Girls gave soothing massage anbd we went early into tent that night after red-wine and good dinner while seeing meteor. The next day we fixed pack up camp and hiked out in the thunderstorm with lightnings descending above from sun. All was wet and good not to have on climb day. I amnot taking camera to lighten. DDiver may having some picture. Gear Notes: Leashless tool and monopoint crampon Approach Notes: As for other report on Pickets range. Quote
layton Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 This is a much better TR. Thank you for almost recreating the experience Way to send the gnar bra. You found our bail sling? Shit, secrets out I guess.... Oh, I didn't call it terrifyingly extreme, Nelson did. I said it was 5.fun Quote
JoshK Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 Well, it looks like we have the latest CC.com flavor of the month now...N Face of Inspiration! Soon it will be as crowded as 3Cs was a winter or two ago. My only question is if you actually climbed it, or is this just a damn funny faux TR?? Quote
ashw_justin Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 My only question is if you actually climbed it, oh and if you did, then sorry for the big doodoo pile I left on the summit... didn't want any extra weight on the sketch rap anchors... Quote
chucK Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 If G-spotter climbed it, then I'm an assmonkey! Quote
Juan Posted August 19, 2004 Posted August 19, 2004 ChucK: What is an ass monkey? Is it the same as a butt baboon? Sharp Quote
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