Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Trip: Le Petit Cheval - Spontaneity Arete

 

Date: 9/1/2007

 

Trip Report:

Last Saturday, Larry Rafferty and I did the Spontaneity Arete on Le Petit Cheval. We got to the TH at 9:30am, and by 10:45 we were at the top of the first static hand line. We were unable to locate the second hand line, so we headed left and up, eventually having to do a "pitch 0" to get over the rock band.

1305524819_05ccc9f98b_b.jpg

The Spontaneity Arete

 

Once above the rock band, we spotted the overhanging roof marking the start of the second pitch, and made our way to the base of the climb, getting there around noon. I led the first pitch up a nice crack, but the pitch quickly flattened out. Larry led the second pitch, placing a couple of #1 cams and then scrambling the rest of the way.

 

We got to the start of the 3rd pitch, and as a consolation prize for the lack of quality climbing on the second pitch, Larry led that one as well, combining it with the fourth. The quality of climbing greatly improved.

 

I combined the fifth and sixth pitches into one lead. Rather than going directly up the corner crack of the left-facing dihedral on pitch 5, I took a crack to the right and then did a slightly spicy (for me) traverse at the top to a sawed-off tree. The crack in the dihedral looked like it needs some serious gardening to clean it out.

1305538677_9ffd0dc60c_b.jpg

Me on the fifth pitch

 

There was a party of three ahead of us on the route. As I was leading pitch 6, they were waiting to rap down. Pitch 7 is a scramble, and we topped out at 6:30.

1306427394_cd0f409f6a_b.jpg

Larry scrambling to the summit on the seventh pitch

 

We spend a few minutes at the summit, then rapped down to the gully and scrambled down to the base of the climb. Larry caught up with the three climbers, who had just finished rapping the entire route. Seems like the gully is the faster descent, even if there is no snow.

1306443086_f94b6d2c85_b.jpg

Me on the summit

 

We made it out to the cars by headlamp a little before 9pm. We lost the trail a little before crossing Early Winters Creek, and had to bushwhack from the creek back to the TH.

 

Seems like you'd do fine to skip the first two pitches, hiking up the gully instead and picking up the route at the base of pitch 3. There's a lot of black lichen on the rock, and a few portable hand holds.

 

Gear Notes:

Cams up to #0.5-4, doubles in #1 and #2, nuts, hexes including the #11 BD cowbell.

 

Approach Notes:

The start of the second hand line is almost straight up from the end of the first hand line, above some steep blocks. Otherwise, the trail is pretty easy to spot and well marked with cairns.

  • Replies 5
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted

I was in the party of three that same day, and a beautiful day it was, we decided on climbing that open book on the right, it was farily exposed to get into the crack and had a nice 5.8+ boulder move at the top, but it was clean and had good protection.

 

pitch_5_crack.jpg

We also climbed a variation out to the left at the last pitch right before the third class scramble finish. It was a 15-20 foot crack that was fun climbing. All in all a great day of climbing.

 

IMG_4545.JPG

Posted

Looks like your route up pitch 5 and mine join up right above where I'm standing.

 

All y'all can disregard my comment about the crack needing gardening then -- I thought the open book was above my stance in the photo, not below it...

  • 2 years later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...