rob Posted July 4, 2008 Posted July 4, 2008 Trip: South Early Winters Spire - Southwest Buttress Date: 7/2/2008 Trip Report: After a relaxing morning sleeping in, Scheissami and I left the hairpin and made our way up the scree and snow to the col below SEWS. Rather than traversing over from the huge chockstone to the base of the route, we opted to start at the split-top larch a pitch or so under the 5.8-ish crack pitch obvious from the ground. Scheissami and I swapped leads, with him starting out and leading up and over a small overhang to the next ledge, where I took over and brought us up easy terrain to the base of the 5.8 wide crack (my favorite pitch on the route), which fell to Scheissami. He led it in good style, and I took the next, easy double cracks in the dihedral. I was extremely relieved when the next slab pitch fell to him, and before we knew it we were at the base of the bear-hug cracks. The bear-hug pitch fell to me, and I led up, scoping out the off-width cracks above me. Now, I kind of like off-width, but a #3 and #4 camalot are NOT sufficient to protect this pitch. You can get a #3 or a #4 in around your feet, but the crack widens up quite a bit above that. We had been planning on sliding the #4 up with us on a long sling, but it was obvious to me that once I moved a couple feet higher, the #4 would be too small. I didn't like my odds, so I put the 3 and 4 in at my feet and had Scheissami lower me off. He led the pitch with the #3 at his feet, and was able to make a total bullshit placement with the #4 a bit higher up. The climbing was not hard, but it certainly would require a #5 to protect the ledge-fall. Thanks, dude! As a pennance, I took the next slab pitch. I clipped the bullshit bolt (did that thing come from a car?) and was able to get an alien in at my feet before sketching my way up the unprotectable slab arete. I do NOT like climbing slab, and I'm a bit ashamed to say that I shrieked a little bit on my way up. I didn't know my voice could get that high. But, I stuck it out. Luckily there was nobody else around, and Scheissami promised me that he would destroy the video. We rapped down into the gully between the "rabbit ears" and I was racking up for the easy crack on the summit pitch when we felt the first drop of rain. The thunder hit us at the summit. Downclimbing to the first rap station on the south arete, the hail and wind started. The hail was pretty large, and sounded like marbles hitting my helmet. The wind was blowing our ropes sideways, and the thunder and lightening kept getting closer and closer. While coiling the rope over my nylon-clad shoulders, I could feel hair standing up due to static build-up. I did what anybody else would do: I grabbed my partner's rack to ground myself. About half-way down, the wind and thunder started to pass, and we were greeted by a brilliant double rainbow above us, over the hairpin. Nice touch. The IPA at the car never tasted better. Gear Notes: Salami Bring a big piece for the bear-hug pitch Quote
ivan Posted July 4, 2008 Posted July 4, 2008 nice to see the storms finally did get you bastards! at least you made the summit, my first wa pass climb got the same storm, but only one pitch up... Quote
G-spotter Posted July 4, 2008 Posted July 4, 2008 Gear Notes: Salami Bring a big piece for the bear-hug pitch How big of a piece of salami does this pitch require? Quote
Sherri Posted July 4, 2008 Posted July 4, 2008 Gear Notes: Salami Bring a big piece for the bear-hug pitch How big of a piece of salami does this pitch require? As a general rule, the size of the salami isn't as important as the placement. Nice going, Rob! Quote
scheissami Posted July 4, 2008 Posted July 4, 2008 Thanks for a great trip, dude. Here are some pics of our climb on SEWS. The first belay: Rob contemplating his odds on the bear-hug pitch: The upper slab: We were pretty damn lucky about the storm. Sadly, no pictures were taken of the double rainbow....didn't have time to take a shot what with the hail and impending lightning and all. This route is rad...go get it! Quote
ivan Posted July 4, 2008 Posted July 4, 2008 rob - you'd be happier dude if you were leading w/ no pack! Quote
rob Posted July 4, 2008 Author Posted July 4, 2008 scheissami -- dude, thanks for the rad trip! When are we getting out again? rob - you'd be happier dude if you were leading w/ no pack! But then where would I keep the beer? Quote
ivan Posted July 4, 2008 Posted July 4, 2008 rob - you'd be happier dude if you were leading w/ no pack! But then where would I keep the beer? in yer pardner's pack - duh! Quote
Lukic Posted July 5, 2008 Posted July 5, 2008 The leader should carry the beer ... haven't you seen The Eiger Sanction? Quote
Dechristo Posted July 5, 2008 Posted July 5, 2008 the only time I've brought beer on a climb was in an helicopter Quote
canyondweller Posted July 5, 2008 Posted July 5, 2008 One of my favorites up in that area - great belay ledges, fun climbing, easy descent. One thing, I don't recall rapping into the gully before the last pitch. IIRC, there is a pretty chill downclimb/traverse, if you hit the right spot. Either way, fun times. Way to go. Quote
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