Static Point-Online

[scottgg]

The new track on the car stereo startled me awake:

 

Cause I'm a redneck woman...broad...yeehah- Some Gal

 

We (luke and I) had just pulled off highway 2, and were heading north towards Static Point, which was presently eclipsed by deppressingly dark clouds. The thought-provoking lyrics verbalized my mood: aggresive, yet cautious. Corolla (our ride) burned up asphalt, gravel and a sickly looking herd of sheep, hurtling us ever closer to our nemisis.

 

Aaron and I had been here before, but I was uncommited, and had to bypass the crux via a wussy gully to the left. Static Point represents some of the sickest stuff a Washington hardman or woman can aspire to. The route we were attempting was so hard, most people would die just looking at it! Needless to say, we were pumped (read: grovelling in fear).

 

The 23 mile approach, trailhead to climb, took us almost 90 minutes. Way to slow, way to weak. The good new is we both took a 100+ foot fall into an glacier fed river, and climbed out into a field of poison oak.

 

A downpour of biblical proportions let up just as we arrived at the route, neccessitating a break while the rock dried. All of twelve seconds had elapsed before we started gettin real restless. Thankfully, Luke brought along Davids book: Dragonology: History, Powers, and Incantations. He wanted to summon a fire-spewing beast to dry the granite for us, and as he searched the ancient text, I reviled in my tunes...

 

Just as Luke was aligning the moon crystals, crows feet, and orange peels, the clouds broke to reveal the long AWOL sun. We abandoned our seiance, racked up, and Luke offered to take the first lead. I could've cried, but instead tied in and started up before he could stop me. We swapped leads through four pictches, until arriving at the routes crux: a unprotected freakshow of nearly featurless granite. I headed up, clipped the first two bolts, and promplty peeled off the slick rock. The fall jogged my ipod:

 

Pop the ice cold champange, dont act like my neck dont bling! - P-diddy

 

I chalked up, visualized the moves, and fired the remainder of the pitch. Luke led us up the next pitch, and we were on top. The hike out was uneventful, and we spent the drive home discussing our next adventure.! -

[tjmcd]

I visited Static Point on the 4/26 with a friend who shall remain nameless because he called in sick. Fabulous!

 

We stuck to leads below 5.10. The runouts were too scary. We did Lost Charms, the first four pitches of Online and Black Fly.

 

I am a newbie leader and let my partner lead all of Lost Charms. After we did that I felt like I wanted and could handle some leads. So having lead just 2.5 (.5 = a bail off) pitches outside the gym I lead three pitches of Online up to 5.8, placing pro for the first time. The 30 - 40ft runouts were thought provoking to say the least. The only thing the helps is that when you get so far past your last bolt or piece of pro bailing off isn't an option so you realize fear is not going to help and you just suck up and go.

 

We climbed until 8:00PM and stumbled down the trail in the dark.