Coondog Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 (edited) Climb: Elephants Perch -- Sawtooths, ID: -Myopia & Mtnr's Route Date of Climb: 8/27/2004 Trip Report: First TR from 4 week roadtrip; others will follow as film gets developed. My buddy Ascanio flew in from LA 8/23/04. Weather ruled out Squamish, so turned south for Smiff Rock; warmed up there for a couple days of perfect weather on the classics at Morning Glory (Tammy Baker's Face, Zebra Direct, Gumby) & Dihedrals (Xenolith, Helium Woman, Wartley's Revenge & end-o-day on Heresy). Ascanio redpointed Heinous Cling to prove he wasn't tired from his flight, and we decided to brave the weather and try the Sawtooths. Arrived Stanley late Thurs eve, with fresh snow above 9000' Huh. But, packed our gear and got ready to catch the shuttle boat across Redfish Lake early the next morning. $6 well spent. +Coondog enjoys morning boat-ride Arrived trailhead around 7:30am, and hiked on up to base of Elephant's Perch. +N Face of Elephant's Perch in fog; Mountaineer's Route begins under large 'blank diamond,' then swings left around it. Beckey Route is rightmost of prominent crack/dihedral systems from this view Dropped gear at a campsite amongst boulders on Perch side of lakes, then headed around to N Face of the Perch. Ascanio immediately wanted to head up Beckey Direct (IV, 5.11c, 10-11p) but I thought the dripping wetness in the lower finger cracks looked didn't look too inviting. He headed up anyway, then rapped off the first pitch... I suggested we head around the South side to find something in the sun that'd be dry. Off we went... +Myopia, after the hard stuff I led the first two pansy pitches of Myopia (IV, 5.11a, 11p), then Ascanio took over for the 3rd & crux pitch. This pitch, and the slew of 5.10c/d pitches following were "stout" in our opinion; I fell 3 times on the crux pitch, and pulled on gear to get through a 10d crux pitch (booh). If using the topo's from Mark Weber's article in Climbing #204 please note that the pitches he's shown are rope-stretchers... Topped out Myopia at sunset. +Coondog atop Myoppia after a long day Cooking pasta at altitude sucks btw... Ascanio didn't sleep well that night, and we slept in til 10:00-ish next day. After chowing & filling water, headed to the NA Classic we wanted to tick, the Mountaineer's Route (III, 5.8, 8p?). On route around 11:00, and linked up most pitches so we did in 5 plus simul'g the top scramble. On top around 2:30. +Triple Roof's pitch on Mountaineer's Route Ascanio wanted to try to squeeze another route in that day, but since a) I was fighting off a cold/flu bug, b) we still needed to descend, c) we needed to break camp & pack up, then d) hike out to catch the last return shuttle boat back @ 7:00, I didn't think we had the time to make another grade III/IV route. A grabbed the rope and took off, apparently slightly pissed at my lack of uber-enthusiasm. I surveyed the vista for a few minutes, then packed up rack and headed down. ***Please note: if descending Elephant's Perch via N Face descent route, the cairns on descent are apparently placed primarily for accessing the far-left N Face climbing routes -- Following these cairns on descent will cliff you out... these can be easily rappelled, if you have a rope. Since Ascanio had taken the rope with him, I re-climbed and made my way around to the actual descent hike-off. Back in camp around 4:30-ish. I was packed up in about 20min, and we were on trail out around 5:15. Twisted my ankle trail-running on descent... booh. Made our boat, then decided to puke my guts out in celebratory glee when I tried to pound some water... Stoopid cold bug. Fortunately, Don Patron & improved my condition dramatically. Sawtooths: orange granity goodness & hardly no one else around Gear Notes: Single set nuts & RP's Alien offsets: light-blue to red Camalots: .4 thru 3; doubles in .75 thru 2 Approach Notes: Shuttle boat service from Redfish Lake Lodge is great. (edit -- how could I forget this?) The Patron, & elk steak @ Redfish Lake Lodge are even better; bartender is a climber & gave us some great beta -- he Edited October 1, 2004 by Coondog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriznitch Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 hmmm...the Sawtooth range sounds enticing Nice job and good timing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordop Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 HA! that was the exact day I left the Sawtooths for less foggy more gf friendly climes! Way to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronB Posted October 7, 2004 Share Posted October 7, 2004 The Patron, & elk steak @ Redfish Lake Lodge are even better; bartender is a climber & gave us some great beta -- he Trei? Thats just how he bags the chicks. Unless that was the beta you were talking about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coondog Posted October 19, 2004 Author Share Posted October 19, 2004 Trei? Thats just how he bags the chicks. Unless that was the beta you were talking about Aaron, some beta is mo' betta than other beta... yeah, Trei totally PS to my TR: after consulting several medical types, general conscensus is I hairline fractured my right tibia at its top in a pendulum'ing fall on Myopia; hence the 1/4" bump that is just beginning to subside after 5-6 weeks, and likely why my body said "dude, you're just plain done" and let me puke my guts out when we'd finished our exit from the Perch. Huh, who knew... Thanks for the comments. --cd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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