Leavenworth: Saber straight up?

[JulieH]

Hey all,

 

Climbing on Castle last week - I started out on Saber (I think!), but the pic in the guidebook shows the FA party veering left on a ramp, about halfway up the main corner.

 

Being a sucker for corners, I stayed in the corner, up through a notch in an overhang (with a ring piton in the notch), then avoided some really loose steep flakes by stepping far right on a ramp that leaned down left. I belayed above that point, then my partner ran it to the top easy ground.

 

Seemed to me the moves at the top of the corner, then through the notch, were several notches harder than 5.5 - thin feet, awkward locks. The rock was pretty clean (even a bit polished), and chalked in places. So, clearly it gets climbed. But - what was it? The guidebook only lists two routes to the right of Saber - a 5.8+ buttress (ie, not a corner), and an under-described 5.9.

 

So, what did I climb? Grade consensus?

 

 

[DPS]

It was 5.4, climbed by Pete Shoening in hobnail boots in 1949. That ring piton was the only piece of protection he placed.

[G-spotter]

Cat Burglar second pitch, 5.6

 

i remember that ring pin from '91

[JulieH]

Found this for Cat Burglar ... definitely not it.

http://www.pbase.com/timr/image/91777578

Cat Burglar is also shown as staying to the left of Saber, in the guidebook topo/picture, and the description doesn't match. The most obvious feature to describe, in a route description, would be the huge left-facing corner.

 

Nope, not 5.4, sorry. I'm a Gunks local, have climbed a bunch in Josh and Tahquitz, so I'm no softy nor a stranger to a sandbag. Also climbed a couple of other pitches in Leavenworth, and ... nope, not 5.4.

[DPS]

It was a joke Julie. And we are all softies compared to Pete.

Edited September 2, 2008 by danielpatricksmith

[G-spotter]

It isn't a joke. The guidebook is wrong; that's where the second pitch of Cat Burglar goes. The photo you linked is the first pitch, below Saber.

[DPS]

My comment was a joke.

 

[G-spotter]

But it was close enough to the truth to be valid anyway.

[Drederek]

Well I've never been sure exactly where I've been around there either, but its all good, no harder than your average JT 5.6. And you can't compare Castle Rock to the rest of Leavenworth, the ratings are quite a bit stiffer on Castle.

[counterfeitfake]

I've always felt like there are no distinct routes on upper upper castle, it all seems like mid-fifth knob grabbing.

[fenderfour]

...it all seems like mid-fifth knob gobbling.

 

I couldn't help it.

 

I know the corner you are talking about. The route goes up those loose looking flakes if you want it to go at 5.4.

 

As you said, the corner feels more like old school 5.8+, but I don't know what it's called.

[Jens]

I've always felt like there are no distinct routes on upper upper castle, it all seems like mid-fifth knob grabbing.

 

Have I got a route or two for you.

[Sol]

doodoo