Bat caves questions?

[Sol]

Getting psyched for spring up in bellingham. For some reason I have recently been motivated to start climbing at the chossdome known as the Bat Caves. I've got a couple of questions. How big of gear should i bring for the second pitch of Hanging Loose? Also, any of y'all ever climb the 3 pitch route San Juan Wall? Wondering first, if its worth climbing, and two, does the second or third pitch require any gear? I have heard that it is adventerously bolted on the second pitch, any thoughts?

thanks, sol

[Peter_Puget]

Walk to the top and rap in! Forget p1. One man's opinion.

[Sol]

Walk to the top and rap in! Forget p1. One man's opinion.

is that for san juan wall or hanging loose. why?

[Peter_Puget]

The route to the left of the large left facing corner on left side of wall. Not sure of names. P1 was dirty and wetish if my memory is correct. Getting to the top is easy plus you get to check out the micro crimper short routes along the top as well.

Edited April 1, 2005 by Peter_Puget

[Sol]

Any other info? Somebody has had to climb those routes. Anyone?

[Bill_Simpkins]

I've scoped out the 3-pitcher several times.

Getting gear in would be a nice challenge on the upper pitches. The falls look pretty clean and the bolts look solid. You can scope it out pretty well from a nice ledge just below and right of the top where the short crimpfest routes are.

[Sol]

Getting gear in would be a nice challenge on the upper pitches. The falls look pretty clean and the bolts look solid.

Thanks for the info. In your opinion would one need to place gear or did the bolts appear sufficient?

[Bill_Simpkins]

I don't think you could get any gear in on the last pitch.

It may be a different story when your on it though.

The bolt line is there and the falls look clean. It's an easy hike in, check it out!

BTW I'm taking someone else from this site up there for a hike who just wants to check the place out. Maybe you could join.

[Sol]

thanks for the info. check your pms.

[nalo]

I climbed that bitch! It was way fun. I would totally recommend it. The first pitch is kinda scary, though. After moving up and right throught some easy stuff, easy nut/largish cam protection, you move onto this ~75 degree ramp. If not for all the moss it would be easy, but its scary cause it feels like you could slip off at any moment and protection is very hard won. There's a thin seam on the left side that will poorly accept some largish micronuts or maybe zero cams if you had them ( I don't). After that, your on bolts to the top. Second pitch has a great, comfy belay stance from which to watch in amusement as your partner flails up some fun stemming and then difficult crimping sections. Crux comes in the form of a tough deadpoint about 3/4 of the way up this pitch. Hanging belay above sucks, I'd recommend continuing one bolt higher, making a natural pro/bolt anchor, and belaying from a more comfortable stance. Also, there's kind f some runout after the first bolt on pitch three, with the potential for fall factor >1 falls, so bring some small nuts to stick behind this semi detatched flake. From there, it's just like climbing at the orange wall at mt. erie, and then your done and are rewarded with killer views. PLus, if there are any families up there, they will yell up to you and ask If they need to call someone and get you rescued.

 

good fun

[Norsky]

Are you the Sol of "Jimbo and Sol" fame?

[Sol]

Thanks for the killer beta Nalo. norsky, yeah, that's me. do you know jimbo?

 

[Norsky]

I have actually only met both of you one day. Here goes:

 

My party was topping out on West Crack in 2002. You two were topping out on Crescent Arch. One of you set up an anchor and began taking up the slack until you reached the end of the rope. To this, your reply was "I see how it is" as your partner decided to solo.

 

We met back at the cars where you gave us some hot Coors. We drove off to the store, only to see the two of you blaze by in a wagon with the hatch wide open! Shit was flying out of the car as you waved to us. You later hooked up with my parterns at camp, but I had already taken off.

 

Good times!

[Sol]

oh shit. somehow i knew some story like that was going to come out of this. yeah, cheers. ha ha. we didn't lose anything that day, except out sobriety.

[Bill_Simpkins]

Here are some pictures for those who have never been up there. There are VERY large and detailed versions of these pictures in my gallery.

[Sol]

thanks for the photos. visual motivation.

[Bill_Simpkins]

Oh yeah, almost forgot. I saw some falcons nesting on the cliff.