[TR] Vantage - Sunshine Wall, Various Routes 9/19/2007

[catbirdseat]

Trip: Vantage - Sunshine Wall, Various Routes

 

Date: 9/19/2007

 

Trip Report:

TeleRoss and I went out to Vantage on a Wednesday when it was kind of gloomy and cold in Seattle. We were the only car in the parking lot and never saw a soul at Sunshine Wall all day. It was partly cloudy at the Coulee and nice and warm with temps in the upper 70's.

 

We climbed Corner Pockets, George and Martha, Elvis's Pharmacist, Red M&M's, Chemically Adjusted Reality, and a link up of Stems and Seeds to the finish on Bob's your Uncle.

 

That link up just wore me out. Just when you're past the difficulties on Stems and Seeds you get to do the crux on Bob's your Uncle. Just about every muscle in my body was in open rebellion.

 

It was a really fun and productive day and Ross is a hell of a lot of fun to climb with. Ordinarily six pitches at Vantage wouldn't be a big day for me, but this is the first time I'd done that many routes at those grades.

 

This was my first time up Red M&M's. It's an interesting route. I can say categorically I am not ready to lead that one! Chemically Adjusted Reality turned out to be very easy for 5.10c, more like 5.10a. It seems to protect just fine, and is not quite as loose as it appears.

 

Returning to the car, there was one other car with a pair of hikers. There was a car at the Feathers and that's it! The trash is all picked up and there is a sign that some climber posted on the kiosk showing how bad it looked and reminding people to pack it all out.

[Jens]

Nice climbing guys.

 

I must say that "Elvis' Pharmacist" is probably the best route name of all time.

[catbirdseat]

Why do you think that?

 

Interesting thing about it is that the first time I top roped that route, I used the arete of the column on the left a lot. This time I might have used it once.

 

There is a crux on that route that's a real head scratcher. There is a funky pod that looks like a flared hand or fist jam, but there are also some face features. So you're there going, "do I jam this, side pull it, undercling it, crimp it, or what?" I don't even remember what the hell I did.

[racsom]

Catbirdseat, was there a need for a permit to park at vantage?

[sobo]

There is always a need for a permit to park there. The $66 ticket doesn't go away when hunting/fishing season does.

[high_on_rock]

actually been a couple years since i have actually seen tickets being written, but no promises. Anyone see tickets being written in the past year?

 

[catbirdseat]

To me it's not worth it wondering whether I'll get a ticket or not. I just buy the pass. I am told you can buy it online and print it out on your computer's printer. What could be easier?

[builder206]

It appears that the home-printing option is a thing of the past. Guess Billy Joe Bob couldn't answer the technological challenge of the 'print' button. But, the parking permits are still crazy easy to get.

[Jens]

I saw em' writing tickets about a year ago.

[goatboy]

I think george and martha is one of the best routes there! Very sustained and well protected and steep and good....

[TeleRoss]

for some reason George and Martha has become the area "classic" 5.10

I think there are so many more that are way better.

Corner Pockets, Air Guitar, Sensemilla, Crack Master Lambada, Bob Dylan, Elvis' Pharmacist...etc...

 

 

[selkirk]

to G&M. Very good route.

Air Guitar is just fun.

Sinsemilla Also very cool and well protected.

 

Crack Master Lambada Unless my perception at the time was truly warped, I remember solid 10 climbing interspersed with truly shitty pro! Granted my perception of small gear has changed a bit since then but.....

[TeleRoss]

small pro is still pro

I certainly wouldn't call it shitty at all. There's pro wherever you need it and the placements all tend to be bomber.

And the climbing is just super fun

 

[catbirdseat]

Hey we didn't do that one! Let's go back and climbing it! And this time we're going to top rope Blue Autumn, too.

[TeleRoss]

Yeah, want to head out there on Thursday?