first ascent [TR] Salish Peak & Roan Wall linkup - 17 pitches 5.10+ 6/20/2007

[tyree]

Darin- that new helmet makes your butt look big. I thought that you should know...

Oh yeah, nice job looks sick!

[mmonson]

Is there any topos available for these routes?

[mmonson]

does anyone have any information on topos for these routes?

[shapp]

What guide book are these routes in?

[dberdinka]

They're not in any guidebook, no topos either. Between Blakes photos and the approach description I posted you've got all the information you need to climb them.

[Off_White]

Yup, this thread is several orders of magnitude more information than has been readily available before.

 

Get any death threats yet Darin or Blake?

[catbirdseat]

It's my belief that CG wants these routes to be climbed. He and his partner put in a lot of very hard work. Take it for what it's worth, but he says these are "world class". On the other hand, one of his buddies tells me that he says that about each and every new project. You got to credit his enthusiasm.

[Weekend_Climberz]

I don't think he would have shown a bunch of photo's at the picnic if he didn't want people knowing about it. The 3 hour approach discourages many, so I don't think it's going to become a crowded area. The climbs are pretty nice looking though :tup:

[lancegranite]

Wow, nice to see some great looking rock!

Good job guys.

Anyone ever climbed up on the Squire creek wall?

I spoke to crazy Chris C. many years back, never been up there though.

[mattp]

No doubt our buddies who did those climbs have other good climbs to their credit. I'm sure the Roan and Salish routes are worthy.

 

Did somebody say Squire Creek Wall? I've been up there a few times and would like to go back. It is not a "user friendly" place, but it sure is fantastic rock!

 

Darrington in general deserves more attention. Roadway access is shaky at best concerning the present Forest Service maintenance budget and the Squire Creek road was obliterated several years ago, though I don't know if more loss of access is imminent there. However, the Clear Creek road washes out a lot but is presently driveable. Particularly in the "standard" D-Town climbing area, folks ought to get it while they can! Enthusiasts might also consider showing up at the upcoming planning meeting (see Access Forum), and doing whatever else they can to encourage Congress to send some funding to National Forests. Their budgets have been SLASHED and the gates are going to come down on all of us as a result.

[John_Scurlock]

fwiw:

 

http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/81242176

http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/81242175

http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/81242174

[olyclimber]

I believe you have 3000 words worth there John. You still selling prints?

[Blake]

Yup, this thread is several orders of magnitude more information than has been readily available before.

 

Get any death threats yet Darin or Blake?

 

Chris Greyell was thrilled that we combined his two projects and that they might get more traffic. I don't think we'll be getting any threats.

 

From a map, Darin's approach info, and the above pictures, you'd have all teh info you need to do these two climbs. If you have specific questions feel free to ask Darin or myself.

[Off_White]

That was mostly a joke, but I did hear some grumbling just a few months ago when Darin posted a pic of Roan Wall in some summer stoke thread or other. Thanks for the report, that looks like a swell day out.

[512dude]

Just did Roan Wall today and there are a few things I would add to the above reports:

 

1) two ropes are required to rap Roan Wall (we ended up rapping off single bolts using tie-offs, if you are up there cut off these green colored tie offs as we already pulled our rope thru them)

2) Roan is in the sun all day so bring plenty of H20 and sunscreen or choose an over cast day

3) make sure you get the final watercourse correct otherwise you will do the bushwack from hell

4) the 2nd pitch had no gear so it ends up 5.4X; we went straight up the middle of the face on this pitch

5) this route is well bolted but many hangers are loose and need to be tightened including some at the belays

6) our grading was as follows: .7/.4X/.10b/.9/.8/.9/.11a/.10c/.9/.10b

 

...and thanks to the FA'tionist for not over bolting this route into submission. Cheers!

 

If anyone needs a topo with approach info etc. you can find at:

 

Roan Wall - Center Stage Topo

 

Edited July 9, 2007 by 512dude

[dberdinka]

I sohuld point out that there is a class2/3 walkoff from the top of the climb.

 

Follow the crest west to a deep rock notch. Scramble or rap down the south side of this notch (I haven't done it don't know how tough it is) then scramble down along the base of the Roan Wall.

[512dude]

More greatness comes from the first ascentionist and his pals...got a call from Eric Hirst that they found my camera on the same day as they hiked in for whatever reason.

 

Thanks guys and I owe you all a beer if not two! :brew:

 

CHEERS!

Edited July 7, 2007 by 512dude

[dnt]

That notch is a shortcut to a bad time. Went up it a couple years ago. Once. There's easy passage over the ridgeline farther west of the notch where the rock fades out to heather. Go down through fairly open forest, traverse over toward the base of the upper wings of the wall (passing just below the nasty notch), then angle down weaving through moderate terrain along the base of the wall until you get to the first real pitch of CS. Obviously, going up this route is a quicker way to get to Salish (but less sporting for those of you who can pull of the whole experience in one shot).

 

Note: On second approach pitch, go up right side of the feature (to now obvious start) where it's easy and protectable, traverse left to anchors as you reach even easier ground.

Note: Bolts were tightened Sat. Winter weather,sloughing ice, water, etc. can move and loosen hardware (has even flattened hangers on Blueberry Hill (and Mt.Garfield?)).

Enjoy!

[layton]

Teleross and I climbed both routes on Sunday.

Thanks to the FA party for the hard work.

I would not call the 1st two pitches part of the route. The 1st is a contrived start, and the 2nd is certainly not 5.4x, more like 4th class with cracks all over.

 

The Roan wall is VERY good rock and the line chosen up the wall is pretty good. It only takes a couple hours up it, and the climbing gets kinda old by the last pitch (p.8) if you're not waaaaay into slab climbing. But the rock is awesome and the bolts are solid. Definately no run-outs. 3/5 stars.

 

Salish peak is, as Darin said, amazing granite. The line chosen up it, however, is not. There are a couple good pitches, but on the whole it's a VERY forced line and way way way way overbolted. I clipped MANY bolts that were either right next to a crack, or a crack very nearby. The line chosen does not follow the natural crack systems, but rather splits off randomly. I had a good time, Ross was a lot more vocal about the contrivence of the line and the over-bolted nature. That said, I didn't put it up and was happy to get out climbing on a peak I probably would never have thought to climb on. It's a pretty area on great rock. 2/5 stars.

 

Flame away, just my $0.02

 

 

[hanman]

Turn_One and myself climbed Centerstage on Sunday as well- Hi Mike and TeleRoss

 

Fortunately, I happen to love slab climbing, so the upper pitches of this outing were very much fun and quite recommended if you are into that sort of thing. Great to see the effort of doing both Roan and Salish in a day . Did you rap CS or walk off?

 

MH

 

 

[layton]

Yeah, the Roan Wall is a great slab climb, I'll bump my opinion up to 4/5! Salish...not so much. Still, I didn't do anything but show up and climb it so I really can't complain. Still, a better line awaits, and some bolts NEED to be chopped on the current route.

[dberdinka]

Before Mike sprays to the world that Salish is "contrived" or doesn't follow "natural crack lines" maybe he could instead lead by example and establish a route that does. I think the reality of doing so may be a bit more difficult than he imagines while wanking at his keyboard.

 

The granite on Salish is very compact and crack lines are generally tight seams or discontinuous flakes. The line of Flight of the Falcon is pretty damn ingenious in that it pieces together fun!, relatively moderate climbing up a very steep wall that lacks any sort of continuous, natural, climbable systems.

 

As for bolting, yes there are plenty of bolts (drilled by hand) and through the cruxes there are certainly a few more than some/most people might find necessary.

 

However I certainly don't recall any bolts next to reasonably good gear placements. That is simply bullshit.

 

I think most people would find it to be an amazing climb, on great rock in a beautiful area.

 

It certainly won't satiate the ego of a "hardman", perhaps resulting in the need to bash it online. Mike you do a disservice to everyone but casually throwing out comments like "some bolts NEED to be chopped". Thats not constructive thats just dumb.

 

If well protected, moderate climbing on slabby granite is too dull for you two, maybe you should just stick to putting up chossy routes on the kitty litter granite of WA Pass. I’m sure no one will mind.

 

Edited July 10, 2007 by dberdinka

[TeleRoss]

I'll toss out my 0.02$ here also. The rock is impeccable, on both routes. Roan Wall is an excellent slab climb on perfect granite...a very enjoyable route, althogh my feet and toes might argue with that...

Salish Peak also is comprised of some amazing granite. Yes it is compact, but there are many protectable features. I don't think Mike's assessment is off base at all...and it certainly has nothing to do with being a "hardman", for I certainly am far from being one and I felt the same way, if not much stronger than Mike did about it.

The first thing that I really thought about the route, was that it followed such a contrived line, that it created the necessity of placing bolts very near the belays to serve as a sort of guide as to where the next pitch was going. There was one belay, that had the two belay bolts, and then three other bolts all within 5 feet of where I was standing.

On several pitches there were bolts next to protectable features, mind you, the cracks were thin, and would need small gear to protect, but small gear would certainly do the job.

On the last pitch I didn't clip a single bolt, a .5 and a #1 camalot go into the crack right next to the bolts.

This being said, the climbing is fun. And I suppose this is what creates the dilemma. The desire to put up a route on a peak which otherwise would require very difficult climbing to follow a more natural line. The feeling I have though is that this is a bad trend. Anyone out there can grab a drill head up to some rock and bolt out a moderate line that wanders and weaves its way all over the place with no regard for features or aesthetics of the line. And in my opinion at least this is not the direction that putting up new routes ought to take.

 

[layton]

Darin, it's almost impossible to critque something without sounding like an asshole on the internet. I just gave my opinion on Salish, I'm not saying it was easy - I found the cruxes quite difficult. And the last pitch is a bolted crack....sorry, it just is.

[layton]

and I'm anything but a hardman these days