first ascent [TR] Baron Falls Tower–Carpal Tunnel (FA) 8/19/06

[John Frieh]

Climb: Baron Falls Tower – Carpal Tunnel (FA)

 

Date of Climb: 8/19/2006

 

Trip Report:

 

Summary: Baron Falls Tower – Carpal Tunnel. 5.11- A0 grade IV. John Frieh and Bryan Schmitz August 19th 2006.

 

SW Face of Baron Falls Tower:

 

Note:Due to foreshortening upper pitches appear to be shorter than lower pitches. All pitches with the exception of 4.5 and 6 were a full 60 meters and in most cases 70 meters. We would recommend (and used) a 70 though a 60 is adequate.

 

Pitch 1: Start in the right of the two chimneys on the sw face. Climb to the top of the chimney and exit left into the left hand chimney. Continue to the top of the chimney until roof flakes force one right and up. Belay at a tree.

 

Pitch 2: Aim for RF dihedral that turns into wide flake. Continue up open book. Belay when rope runs out.

 

Pitch 3: Move up through series of roof to a slab move right into a left facing corner finger crack. Follow up to ledge.

 

Pitch 4: Angle up and right until able to turn corner and down climb 20’ to ledge next to dyke below large chock stone.

 

Pitch 4.5 Walk up dyke until a point where one can find a way to climb up onto the top of the chock stone. Belay here.

 

Pitch 5: Climb onto top of chock stone. Exit chock stone on right and continue up and right. Belay when rope runs out.

 

Pitch 6: Climb short finger crack in left facing dihedral. Top out.

 

Gear Notes:

 

Approach Notes:

[John Frieh]

Blah blah blah… Earlier this summer Bryan and I agreed to do a trip in between his summer internship and the start of fall classes at MSU… We kicked around a few ideas before we settled on the Sawtooths… and why not? Josh Ritter was playing a free show on Sunday anyways…

 

Drive all night to climb all day:

 

 

Oh if only OR and WA were this progressive…

 

Maybe I should become # 101?

 

Carpal Tunnel…

 

Following the climb we caught the Josh Ritter show Sunday :

 

 

Josh: thanks for the awesome show and even more some great music… it has been a silent friend for me the past 6 months… thank you.

 

More drivel:

Bryan’s first alpine FA and second alpine climb ever! Looking forward to many many days in the canyon this winter as well as some more alpine trips d00d!

Post climb

 

For me forgetting the tent poles

 

Bonus points

[scottgg]

Thats a big chockstone! Nice job, looks like stellar climbing!

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Looks like some fine rock over there. Was the route as clean as the photos suggest?

[billcoe]

Holy shit boyz, now thats what the rest of us clownpunchers should be cranking on!

 

 

Hot Damn!

 

Congrats fer sure. And ya got to meet Josh Ritter the man himself too.

 

Damn sweet.

[layton]

Hell yeah John.

[Blake]

wow... 3x Idaho in one month! that looks like a really fun climb John. Did you use the #6?

[ckouba]

Have I told you lately... that I hate you?

 

Great work dude, gettin' stupid jealous.

 

CK

[John Frieh]

Have I told you lately... that I hate you?

 

Great work dude, gettin' stupid jealous.

 

CK

 

 

Hey if we both get the chop in two weeks we should cash out all our stock... between the two of us we should have enough to get a double wide in Stanley...

[DanielHarro]

John -

 

you never seize to amaze me. Good work!! Who led the 5.11? or did you A0 that pitch?

[slothrop]

Sweet. Some of those butt shots are even pretty good.

[powderhound]

Have I told you lately... that I hate you?

 

Great work dude, gettin' stupid jealous.

 

CK

 

 

Hey if we both get the chop in two weeks we should cash out all our stock... between the two of us we should have enough to get a double wide in Stanley...

 

It has to be some of that prime real estate right behind the bakery, to make it worth your while...

breakfast burritos rule...

[dan_forester]

Nice work, John!

[DirtyHarry]

Shit man you are disqualified from significant FA status, cause the rock looks really clean and solid. That, in fact, is cheating, or at the very least, aid.

 

Nice jorb guys!

[marcus]

Right on my man! You're setting to be a regular out there...

[layton]

You're almost a lcoal...do you have extra fingers or gill slits, Nolse?

[Alpinfox]

 

Nice work guys. That's beautiful rock.

[mountainmatt]

Sweet shit man! Way to go

[layton]

gay to Wo fart Smellers, gay to Wo

[G-spotter]

So how come a 6 pitch route is Grade IV? Was there a lot of A0?

[DirtyHarry]

Only 6 pitches! Smells like Grade III.

[Blake]

Dru and Pete, just for an example Nelson calls the West Face of Gunsite a grade III or IV and it was just 5 pitches for us, none of which were over 50m.

[G-spotter]

Nelson's YDS grades are bunk. 5 or 6 pitches can easily be a III but would pretty much have to be all difficult aid to make it a IV ("a long all day climb with the possibility of a bivi")

[DirtyHarry]

I think a lot of times an FA of a grade III feels like a grade IV, because it does take all day, not knowing the way, etc. But its still a grade III. Dru is right, a six pitch route just isn't a grade IV, unless its aid or super difficult or tricky free climbing.

[billcoe]

Shit, from this armchair it looks even easier than that. I think us internet warriors should collectively downgrade it to 5.9 Grade II.

 

No A0 and NO 5.11. In fact lets just call it 5.7, probably not any harder than that.

 

That way it seems easier, and we don't actually have to get on it or even leave town to confirm the actual grade.

 

What say.

 

 

Wait, I'm looking at the pic differently now, I'll have to say that you are all correct, it's 5.9 Grade III with a spot of 5.10 MAYBE....but no aid hey?

 

There, that was easy. Whew.

 

This is a lot less dangerous too, I think they have Grizzlies in Idaho don't they?