[TR] Paisano Pinnacle- Rampage 8/27/2006

[W]

Climb: Paisano Pinnacle-Rampage

 

Date of Climb: 8/27/2006

 

Trip Report:

Tim M. and I climbed this route yesterday. This route would be very classic if it was cleaner, but copious lichens and occasional dirt/plant clumps take it down a notch or two. Still, it's a good adventure with some challenging pitches, and hopefully some traffic will lead to it getting cleaned up.

 

P1 is easy with just a short section of 5.6 at the top. Belayed at slings on the highest tree, just under the big corner.

P2 is the best and cleanest on the route, and in fact it's awesome. Begins moderately and gets progressively harder, running a full 50 meters to a stance in the corner about 50' above the prominent white roof. The upper half of this pitch is fairly sustained 5.10 stemming, liebacking, and fingerjams, with good gear (aliens, small stoppers). Watch out for a loose, projecting white flake on the left about half way up- you can stem past this if you have been doing your yoga. There is a creative and fun jamming crux entering the narrow corner next to the white roof, with good edges.

P3: The 11a fingercrack in the dihedral directly above looked pretty dirty and possibly hard to protect. Instead, we took the steep, flaring hand crack on the left wall. This begins with a powerful and technical 10d jamming sequence; this was clean and enjoyable with good gear,unfortunately the quality of the climbing deteriorates quickly due to dirt, lichen, gravel, and plants pervading the otherwise nice hand and finger cracks. This pitch would be awesome if clean; instead it is mediocre at best.

Variation note: About 30' below the start of this pitch, off a small ledge (possible belay) next to the top of the block that forms the white roof, there was another, cleaner 1-2" crack shooting diagonally up the left wall; in retrospect this might have been a higher quality option than what we did, and probably of similar grade.

Back on route: after the climbing eases off, there is a choice of corners: we took the left one, which ascends a short dihedral with a hand crack that narrows to finger size and ends at a triangular roof. It's dirty, but better than it looks, and just below the roof you can step right and around the corner on good holds, gaining the right hand of the two corners mentioned below. This corner looked very grassy from above.

P4: Above, there is an obvious deep corner that leads up to a steep, wide crack. 30' of awesome hand jams in this corner lead to a 15' vertical section of 6-8" crack- Good horns and holds on the left side of the crack's edge would probably have made it a 'go' even without big gear if the whole thing were not plastered with "cornflake" lichens and dirt- and the fall is not so good. So instead, at the entrance to the deep corner (pay no attention to the handjams I mentioned, just avert your gaze) make a couple of steep face moves up onto a big wide ramp to the right. The ramp- which had obvious signs of traffic- is 50 meters long and takes you straight to a blocky exit onto the summit. The climbing isn't difficult- 5.8 at most- but midway, there is a stellar moss hummock mantle into a sand-filled chimney/ow.

 

Overall: It is admittedly a long approach for such a short climb that isn't all that clean. But those looking for something different and challenging and who don't require spotless rock will probably find this worthwhile; and as this route gets more traffic it will only get better. Also, it would be a good linkup with Burgundy Spire.

 

Gear Notes:

Bring a good selection of small to medium stoppers (no RP's needed). Double green and yellow aliens or equivalent, and double #1 and #2 camalots; singles on everything in between. One #3 camalot is sufficient. We had a 3.5 and a 4, they got used, but were not mandatory and I'd leave them behind if I do it again.

 

Approach Notes:

Lots of smoke from nearby fires.