[TR] Index - Various 9/23/2007

[rob]

Trip: Index - Various

 

Date: 9/23/2007

 

Trip Report:

Hit up Index yesterday with Lukic. I was hoping to lead my first Index 9, but I'm not quite ready yet. Looks like I gotta do some more following.

 

Lukic warmed us up on Ultrabrutal, and then I led the first pitch of Roger's Corner (super easy). I was tempted to give the 2nd pitch a go (looks easy from below!) but I pussed out and we bailed and hiked over to the Narrow Arrow.

 

Climbed Narrow Arrow Standard -- P1 is super loose. Second half was moss-infested. Crapy climbing, waste of time. Bailed at the top of the arrow. I was hoping to lead Quarry Crack, but we top-roped it and I found it pretty athletic. Maybe a couple more laps and I'll lead it.

 

Went back and did Aries. I led the fist-crack and open-book for the umpteenth time. Half-way up the open-book, my hands were cramping up (dehydrated?) and I sewed that thing up like a surgeon. Lukic lead butt-lips in good style.

 

Somebody slung a huge block at the top of Butt-lips! We were losing daylight so we bailed from there.

 

What a strange place for a bail anchor -- the roof above the chimney is super fun, and easier than the chimney. Someone missed out on the funnest part of Aries!

 

I'll get that 9 lead soon! It's all in my head.

[Crillz]

Is Buttlips the 3rd pitch where you undercling under the roof and kind of traverse climber's left to the arete?

 

[rob]

no, buttlips is that flared chimney below the roof, and above the 5.8 inside corner.

[Sherri]

Nice going, Rob. I've been avoiding leading that "open book" on Aries--I do the Sickle instead--because it seems so thin to me yet. Sounds like your homing in on those .9's!

[Bug]

...and Index 9's.

That will get you honed fast.

[Alex]

If you can get it when its dry, Lower Even Steven to Upper Toxic Shock is a good "Index 9" to gain a little confidence.

 

Other than that, Princely Ambitions p1 is probably the best moderate on the lower wall that isn't too "heady" and protects G. Watch the rope drag though.

[chucK]

One February day I remember hemming and hawing for a half hour at that spot on Princely where you have to cast off from the big flake and head out right on that sequence of polished nubbins. My poor belayer probably froze. I think of that spot as quite heady. The fall would probably be inconsequential(out into space) but the hollow thunks you get when banging on the big flake your pro is behind does not ease the mind.

 

Godzilla's not very heady if you jam the "lieback" flake. Just jam that shit and sew it up!

 

The bottom moves are a bit heady but much easier than 9. Probably best to wait for a day/time when that part is dry. Did the tree removal alleviate the slime problem down there?

[catbirdseat]

Rob, you look pretty strong, you should just go back and do that second pitch of Roger's Corner. It's like climbing in the gym- all big jugs. It's just a matter of hauling yourself up.

[Peter_Puget]

Force yourself NOT to go to the Lower Wall next time. Consider, for example, the first few pitches of the Town Crier route. The Mid Wall. Climbing only at the Lower Wall is like going to the Valley and never leaving the Cookie.

[chucK]

What is there to climb at the Mid Wall beside Plum Pudding (great ) and Robin's Ramp (blech! )?

[RuMR]

Force yourself NOT to go to the Lower Wall next time. Consider, for example, the first few pitches of the Town Crier route. The Mid Wall. Climbing only at the Lower Wall is like going to the Valley and never leaving the Cookie.

i could spend a year at the cookie and never get bored...plus, LTW is the premier mini-crag in WA

[Peter_Puget]

I've gone to the Valley and only climbed at the Cookie. The Coookie is almost as good as LTW but just as there is more to Index than the LTW, the Valley has so many other other great cliffs/routes. eg Arch Rock!

 

This is esp. true if you're looking for 5.8/9 routes.

Edited September 24, 2007 by Peter_Puget

[Bug]

GM is fun.

The 10A pitch at the end (3rd pitch)is probably the easiest 10A crack at index.

Or do the 5.9 pitch through the left squeeze, a few face moves, and traverse back right to the top of the crack.

[curtveld]

...if you're looking for 5.8/9 routes

...give up on Index and go to Squamish, particularly the Smoke Bluffs! Dozens of moderate crack routes with good pro and consistent ratings. Too many classics to list - grab your passport, a guidebook and check em out.

[Alex]

...if you're looking for 5.8/9 routes

...give up on Index and go to Squamish, particularly the Smoke Bluffs! Dozens of moderate crack routes with good pro and consistent ratings. Too many classics to list - grab your passport, a guidebook and check em out.

 

Heresy

[selkirk]

If you can get it when its dry, Lower Even Steven to Upper Toxic Shock is a good "Index 9" to gain a little confidence.

 

Other than that, Princely Ambitions p1 is probably the best moderate on the lower wall that isn't too "heady" and protects G. Watch the rope drag though.

 

 

Will second that! Whatever you do don't try and drag 2 ropes to bring up 2 followers F-in rope drag ! Oh, and for the traverse you'll want a blue TCU or two (depending on how much you like you followers).

 

And Upper Toxic is just fun

[Bug]

...if you're looking for 5.8/9 routes

...give up on Index and go to Squamish, particularly the Smoke Bluffs! Dozens of moderate crack routes with good pro and consistent ratings. Too many classics to list - grab your passport, a guidebook and check em out.

 

Heresy

[Peter_Puget]

Not sure what you mean by consistent but if you consider the Smoke Bluffs ratings to be consistent with Yosemite you’ll surprised by many long established Yosemite moderates.

 

That said the Bluffs do have the best collection of moderates along the west coast with the exception of Lover's leap.

[RuMR]

oh i don't know...one could consider squamish to be consistently overrated compared to index and yos...

 

cue canadian fuckstick (Drool) to chime in...

[RuMR]

Post deleted by RuMR

[Rad]

Rob,

If you're comfortable on Aries you'll be fine on Toxic Shock. Go for it!

[RuMR]

watch out for the shitty placements though...

[catbirdseat]

Rob,

If you're comfortable on Aries you'll be fine on Toxic Shock. Go for it!

Here's a tip. When you go to do that layback, get up to the ledge, place two cams as high as you can reach and then just crank out the layback to the jug without stopping to try to place gear. Just go for it.

[RuMR]

but be sure to line up your cams in the anticipated direction of fall...

 

or, you could just wedge a knot...they are flexible, you know...

[MCash]

Private Idaho is also a good spot to visit for 5.8 / 5.9 routes. Senior Citizens in Space is excellent. Magic Fern and Battered Sandwitch are good too. Istanbul would be nice with some cleaning and pruning.