Supercrack Leavenworth

[billcoe]

Funny stuff Peter! Actually, Pope and Dwayner already have their own thread right here. LINK

 

Thanks for adding the pics Bigbowsky! Good stuff! I'm reserving judgment on the bolts, as I've never been on it, don't know anyone who has climbed it, and I put in a rap anchor Saturday elsewhere, and like to get down safe as well. Kick assed pics.

[pope]

ocd

 

Hey Peter, D. Cramer, Rock Cop, or whoever/whatever you are. I'm generally in favor of fixed belays. You may recall when RuMr gotta boner when I promoted a fixed belay high on Orbit. But what's with the anchor on ROTC? Assuming you can (or have ever been able to) lug your fat ass up that crack, do you have an opinion on the bolted anchor there?

[DCramer]

Someone must have spilled the beans. Since it's now common knowledge: the new anchors are part of an “enchainment” circuit to get into “Nose In A Day" shape. Its too bad that Midnight is closed during the training season.

 

Here's the idea: Starting on the left and moving right. Climb as follows other variations possible.

 

Yellow Bird, TZ and Notion p1 only. Rap from anchor. Most TR TZ because of the large gear needed. On TR is the crux the lower bolted section and not the funky cracks? Nightengale is way too dirty at this point but I think it would be worth cleaning as the crack is good and there is (was?) fixed gear to aid thru the crux.

 

In Search rap from anchor or if not up for Steven Pass continue to the right. This avoids Black Widow and Easter. If you climb these walk to ROTC anchor to rap. If you're tired consider Widow because you can pull on bolts (Wide crux section) as needed.

 

Stevens or Wild Traverse to anchor. On Stevens it's easy to pull thru face crux on bolts.

 

TC, ROTC rap from anchor.

If honed use Degoba anchor and lead or TR it. Crux can be aided on bolts - not a crack route!

 

Roller Coaster (instead of moving left) move right and rap from anchor. It would be nicer if it were possible to pendo over to the midpoint anchor on Solar/Plumb from the bolt but unfortunatley it's in the wrong spot. So despite being a crack feast the circuit is lacking in pendo training.

 

Solar Flare/Plumbline Rap from anchor. If too tired for

Plumb rap from short anchor.

 

JAM Session is possible but not popular becuase it's a slab. Crux can be aided (bolts) remember to stop short at Plumbline Anchor to rap down.

 

Currently there is no good anchor atop the last pitch of the Wild Traverse (old crappy bolts but no good anchor) so it's best not to climb this route because it's a pain getting to the rap route to Supercrack.

 

Rap to Supercrack anchor and then rap to base. Either TR or lead then rap yet again out to trail.

 

The short overhang routes on the bottom right (eg Frog Suicide and Diamond) are a bit scruffy and although fun routes really don't fit into the NIAD theme. due to their short crux sections.

 

BTW - Send me a PM letting me know who told you.

 

[dbb]

wow! so cool! :tup:

 

nice send & thanks for the anchor J!

[andyf]

Nightengale is way too dirty at this point but I think it would be worth cleaning as the crack is good and there is (was?) fixed gear to aid thru the crux.

 

Has there ever been fixed gear on Nightingale? I've only been on it once--probably circa 1988--but I don't remember anything fixed. What I do remember (distinctly) is that I placed a Metolius slider nut at the crux roof. I remember it because I'd never placed one before and I really didn't trust it, but I proceeded to "test" it a number of times.

 

Nice send and thumbs up on the anchor.

[billcoe]

Cue whining from 2 dudes now....

[DCramer]

Andy -

 

WRT Nightingale: I seem to remember a fixed pin or two but I could be wrong. My last experience with that route was about 25 years ago.

 

I should note that with the exception of the ROTC anchor (I think it is well over 10 years old now) and the Supercrack anchors all the fixed gear I mentioned has been around 20-40 years. The anchor on top if In Search may be gone now.

 

Since the fires the trail off of Midnight has become very eroded and unstable. A rap route off the crag is certainly a good idea that will reduce the environmental impact of climbers.

 

The attachment shows a classic bolt (not mentioned above)on Midnight.

[stillcrankin]

I talked to Pat yesterday about this climb. He had big hexes and an old school #4 Friend. He said that somewhere near where the crack curves, there was a good nubbin inside the crack and he was able to get a nearly maxed out large hex and a maxed out #4 Friend. He ran it out from there to the top.

 

You gotta remember that in those days, Pat was doing a lot of this kind of climbing in Yosemite. Lots of hands to big fists, and Pat has pretty big hands. It didn't hurt that he was STRONGER THAN S#IT!

 

Pat said that someone had asked him about his ascent of Supercrack recently. Maybe it was one of you guys?

 

Anyway, your ascent was PROUD. Great pictures. I always wondered what that crack was all about as I never went up there myself. SWEET!

 

 

 

[matt_warfield]

I dug into this around this original post because of the preposterous notion in early books that it hadn't had a 2nd ascent despite strong climbers like Croft, Herr, Skinner, etc. in the area following Timson's ascent. I found claims of locals such as Yoder and Wilson and perhaps others doing it but as often happens, there remains much mystery.

[Jens]

Tr'd this many years ago. 5.11 climbing to a hard overlapping flare problem. Core intensive. Midnight is awesome.

 

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