first ascent [TR] Sawtooths: Baron Spire - FA: Deliverance 5.10c A2 III+ 8/13/2008

[powderhound]

Trip: Sawtooths: Baron Spire - FA: Deliverance 5.10c A2 III+

 

Date: 8/13/2008

 

Trip Report:

I first noticed this line two summers ago and put it in the pie in the sky list. The Splitter on the upper shield looked like perfect cupped hands and it was.

 

An improbable and demanding line linking features up to and through the amazing splitter crack on the golden prow. The first three pitches are excellent, with challenging climbing up great rock; the last two pitches are pretty poor, especially the "Bickle Wiggle"...too bad really, otherwise this would be a classic. With some work, most of the aid could be eliminated, but the section getting established into the splitter on pitch 2 doesn't look promising.

 

The Route

 

Pitch 1

free climb as far as you can this pitch may go free except for the small pendulum

Pitch 1: Stem and jam up the shallow right-facing corner until it gets hard and flared near the top, then aid up about 15' and make a small pendulum right into a groove with a moderate crack to a belay stance. 5.10c C1+ 100'

 

Pitch 2

 

Tink Tink, Turn, Tink Tink, Turn

 

Pitch 2: Continue up a handcrack to double finger cracks on good rock (5.9+/.10-). Tension traverse right 10' to a semi-circular flake, clip a bolt and layback up a groove/crack to a small ledge(5.9). Two hook moves, a bad bolt (aid only!), and into the splitter crack which is thin at first and gradually widens with good gear in an airy setting. Semi-hanging stance belay past the second small bush, where the wide handcrack begins. 5.9+ A2 170'

 

This was an impressive lead by my partner, the lead took three hours one day and another three hours the next

 

Pitch 3

 

 

Notice my good luck hat under my helmet

 

Pitch 3: Gorgeous, sustained cupped hands for the whole pitch! Start up a steep zig-zag and then rollover onto splitter goodness up a slab. Set up a hanging belay where the crack ends in a wide horizontal. 5.9+ 90'

 

Pitch 4

No Pics for this shit hole

The "Bickle Wiggle" a truly heinous horizontal traverse along a grungy wide crack/groove with much strenuous, weird and unpleasant climbing. Belay on the arete to the left of the massive upper dihedral system of Tall Boys... Unrated 45'

 

Pitch 5

Pitch 5: Make a cruxy traverse left off the arete into the huge dihedral system and pick the best line up this long corner with much dubious rock. 5.9 180'

Pitch 6: the bolt ladder

 

Gear Notes:

double set through bd#4 and 3-4 BD#3's

hooks and blades

[John Frieh]

[DRep]

Fully sick Bryan!

 

I have to ask due to the name of the route, Did the Bickle Wiggle make you squeel like a pig?

[powderhound]

Bickle is short for "Travis Bickle" the main character of the "Taxi Driver" Bickle became my nickname after various incidents. The wiggle refers to the horizontal squeeze wiggle you preform getting through the pitch.

[billcoe]

Hot damn, this is the first of three TR you put up that I'm reading, you must have been workin (playing ) your ass off.