[TR] Banks Lake - Trotsky's Folly, Children of the Sun, & Champagne 12/8/2006

[brian_m]

Trip: Banks Lake - Trotsky's Folly, Children of the Sun, & Champagne

 

Date: 12/8/2006

 

Trip Report:

Just a few more pics from our trip to Banks.

 

WeekendClimberz leading lower ramp below Trotsky's Folly Pillar

 

Looking up at pillar.

 

Trogdor on Trotsky's Folly

 

The Burninator climbing up through the fog on Children of the Sun... searching for the ever elusive Cowgirl.

 

Topping out on Children of the Sun

 

MCash on Children of the Sun

 

Trogdor swinging his way up Champagne

 

Brian_m on Champagne

 

Brian_m testing out the new X-Monsters... nice tools!

 

MCash shaking out on Champagne... looks like he likes the xmonsters too.

[Weekend_Climberz]

Sweet dude!! :tup:

 

Good Times!! Good Times!!

[Alpinfox]

Did you guys lead COTS and Champagne or TR them? Was Champagne very wet?

 

Were you there on Friday (the 8th) or Saturday? I was there on Friday and didn't see you guys.

AlpineDave's TR

 

[Weekend_Climberz]

Yeah right! I'm a 'miniwanker' remember

 

Champagne was dripping pretty hard on the back of the pillar, but the ice was still in great conditions. Thanks for the pick holes guys :tup:

 

Both very cool routes

[Weekend_Climberz]

Were you there on Friday (the 8th) or Saturday? I was there on Friday and didn't see you guys.

 

We drove by you guys racking up for TF on Friday afternoon. We hit that an hour or two before you guys and did a lot of driving afterwards to see what else was in.

[selkirk]

I'm so envious!!!!!!

 

 

[Weekend_Climberz]

Dude, we need to go drytool'n!! Kinda silly considering there's all that ice out there. Suppose to be cold this weekend starting on Friday evening. Hope it don't all fall down

[G-spotter]

What's up with Trogdors poons, does he really have heel spurs on

[Weekend_Climberz]

You should see him do a figure-four. Pretty f'n sick

[selkirk]

I got out last week. Itching to lead the M5 now, but of course it's supposed to be wet all week

[TrogdortheBurninator]

No spurs, not sure what is hanging of the poons. Maybe a leaf.

Edited December 11, 2006 by TrogdortheBurninator

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Nice work leading champagne pax. The First tier seemed to be in pretty easy shape, but the second and third looked tough. Trotsky's felt like 4+ until we put some pick holes into it, a pretty far cry from the grade 3 in the book. Does the climb ramp out a lot more when it is fatter? Children of the Sun was by far the highlight of the trip for me. It would have been a heady lead, but on toprope the climbing was just outstanding. Probably the single most fun pitch I've ever toproped on any medium (rock or ice).

[G-spotter]

No spurs, not sure what is hanging of the poons. Maybe a leaf.

 

maybe it's a squashed peasant

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Just its charred ashes.

[Alpinfox]

Nice work leading champagne pax. The First tier seemed to be in pretty easy shape, but the second and third looked tough. Trotsky's felt like 4+ until we put some pick holes into it, a pretty far cry from the grade 3 in the book. Does the climb ramp out a lot more when it is fatter?

 

Thanks! Champagne was great. Always a good idea to have your first ice of the season be (probably) your hardest lead to date.

 

I agree that Trotsky's was in tough shape. Dave did it several years ago and said it really was a three then. This time we all agreed it was four-ish; especially when leading it in the dark.

 

I'd really like to get on COTS.

[Jens]

Nice climbing guys. In your pictures, "Even cowgirls get the blues or children of the sun" looked to be in much harder shape than normal. That is certainly one of the awesomest climbs!

 

 

[MCash]

Pax and Dave,

 

What is the decent off Champagne? 2 double rope raps off of V-threads?

 

Thanks

[dbb]

you can walk off up and right, but we just made one 200ft rap from a small tree. Quick and easy way back to the base.

[ken4ord]

You guys suck! I miss ice climbing, I am freaking jealous.

[dbconlin]

Nice job guys, Children of the Sun looks really sweet. Who's gonna lead that?

[Weekend_Climberz]

That was f'n "A" hard... I was a wus and only lowered about halfway down to just where the thing was detached about 4-5 feet from the rock behind it. It would go on lead, but your pro would be pretty shitty. It gets a lot of sun with it's south-eastern exposure.