[TR] Banks Lake - Shitting razorblades 12/30/2006

[eric8]

Trip: Banks Lake - Shitting razorblades fa

 

Date: 12/30/2006

 

Trip Report:

Jens, Alex and I yo-yoed the 3rd tier last weekend. We got schooled. Then Thursday photos of my unclimbed project appeared on cc.com. Which was unsettling. I returned to the route today, to climb it with my friend, John Millar, who is visiting from California. The original plan was to climb the direct mixed chimney but it wasn’t looking any better than it was a week ago and I would need a bolt near the crux, bigger balls or more ice on it to lead it. We walked around it.

 

So John lead the second tier a free hanging grade 4 pillar to a belay at the base of the crux, one fix blade from the first attempt. I got the next pitch 30m of vertical and overhanging ice, with a few good rests but very technical and crap screws, a hard 5/5+. Could fill out more and drop down in difficulty. Belayed on a ledge off pins(one fixed). John lead a final grade 4 pitch around roofs that are present at the top of the climb, very cool. You could link the 2nd and 3rd pitches if you want.

 

The name comes from the alkane trio lyrics “shaking like a dog shitting razorblades”. We listened to the trio the whole ride there and back with the exception of the mandatory tool cd. And John got a bad case of elvis legs on both of his pitches.

 

I forgot to recharge my camera battery between attempts so here are photos from the first attempt.

 

The route

 

me on the first attempt

 

Jens near our high point

 

The second tier, it was touching down this time

 

There is a cool looking mixed line to the left of our route which may good on natural gear, may not.

 

Gear Notes:

screws

kb and la for belays

 

Approach Notes:

south of steps to a fifty foot pillar. Park right in front of the no tressapping sign

Edited December 31, 2006 by eric8

[BillA]

Nice, and way to give props to Alkaline Trio, but Tool? Come on!

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Nice work Eric, that is awesome.

[NTM]

phuckin'-a. glad i didn't agree to go or I'd have brown stains on my pants!

[powderhound]

Nice work looks like a sweet line

[Weekend_Climberz]

W00T

 

Sweet Eric.

[Alex]

Sent. Nice work. If it was in similar condition to when we all tried it last week I'd say 5 is pretty underrated (5's have decent pro, after all), more like 5+/6.

[layton]

you gotta call it by the condition it was climbed, not what it could be. Plenty of WI4's are off the hook hard and scary when in piss poor conditions and some WI6/7's are now WI5 trade routes

[eric8]

Its was a little drier than one week ago. But overall in similar shape. I said it was a hard 5 or 5+. There are to many good rests to even consider it a 6.

[kurthicks]

Well done! I was looking at it again today at Banks...mmmm.

[ken4ord]

Very cool looking line. Nice job. :tup:

[capitolp]

You got too many screws in at the start, that saps your strength.

 

[Alex]

Really??? OMG! baa baa baa

 

You got too many screws in at the start, that saps your strength.

[eric8]

[NYC007]

looks like a great line. dig the name and song..

[Paul_detrick]

Nice job, it came in good a few years back should have bag it than. Does not form every year, again nice job.

[Jens]

Eric is da man on the ice!

One of Washington's strongest.

[OrganDonor]

Me's wants to ice climb!!

 

[pu]

Did it with a friend on Super Bowl Sunday. I concur with the solid 5 grade. Didn't do the mixed chimney start. Someone was there before us and left a omega screw as a bailer?!

 

Joe

[eric8]

Cool, way to go.

 

There was never enough ice on the chimney the two times i was there to place a screw. Kinda makes me want to go back but alas I imagine it is to warm now.