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[TR] WA Pass - The Hitchiker, Tooth and Claw, The Passenger 7/1/2009


Sol

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Trip: WA Pass - The Hitchiker, Tooth and Claw, The Passenger

 

Date: 7/1/2009

 

Trip Report:

Tyree and I spent an idyllic 3 days up at washington pass last week. Day 1 saw us climbing The Hitchiker, a newer Burdo route on the S Face of South Early Winter Spire. It's a 9 pitch 11b, the companion to The Passenger. We got a late start and enjoyed cool conditions for most of the face. Overall it's a fun route with some good positions, but is not very sustained, and isn't nearly as classic as the nearby Passneger.

 

Ty at the base of the face, P1(10d) tackles the corner and is harder than it looks:

 

HH1.JPG

 

HH_1_5.JPG

 

 

P2 takes a fun slab and crack up to these roofs:

 

HH1_9.JPG

 

HH1_99.JPG

 

 

Myself seconding:

 

HH_new.jpg

 

HH_newer.jpg

 

 

One of the cooler features on the route is this 4-5 inch crack that you easily traverse:

 

HH2_1.JPG

 

HH_4.JPG

 

 

Just past the 11a friction crux on P5:

 

HH_newest.jpg

 

 

Tyree leading more 11a on P8, this pitch has two aid bolts for the roof in the center, though I was able to free climb this section after cleaning out the jams:

 

HH_5.JPG

 

 

 

I just love the summit and descent on the South Spire:

 

HH6.JPG

 

 

 

After sleeping in forever, Day 2 saw us venturing onto the proud E faces of the spires. Tooth and Claw on Lexington Tower has been on the list for a while. I'd have to agree with Jim Nelson when he writes that the route:

 

Was a bold and visionary undertaking. A difficult and committng climb... This is a hard climb put up on lead. The first ascent involved an adventure into the unknown on a largely blank slab.

 

Really mind boggling for a climber from the new millenium to imagine putting up this line.

 

Cold conditions would seem mandatory for the climb. The 20 year old bolts aren't getting any newer and the anchors are definetly not the raddest. An old school climb that Ty described as most climbers nightmare.

 

The 11a 2nd pitch keeps shit real, I can see why folks bail here. The first crux comes 4-5 ft over a fixed head, which is 10 ft above the last bolt:

 

tc_1_.jpg

 

 

P3 tackles a hard and runout 10c face

 

tc_3_1.JPG

 

 

P4 is the best on the route, good crack climbing leads to an 11c roof traverse and face:

 

tc_2_Copy_.jpg

 

 

Here's me topping out on P6, a hard 5.10 pitch. This is the pic in the Nelson guide:

 

tc3_Copy_.jpg

 

tc4_Copy_.jpg

 

 

The 5.12 friction crux on P6 is cryptic, really really blank slab climbing. An impressive redpoint that i would imagine is harder to tick than the Independence Route.

 

Ty enjoying a very aesthetic roof and arete finish:

 

tc_5.JPG

 

You top out into this giant choss cave with a super manky anchor, classic.

 

tc_6.JPG

 

tc7.JPG

 

 

 

Day 3 saw us back on the S Face for a burn up the ultra-classic Passenger Route. A great way to finish a Burdo Trifecta.

 

Here's P1, a pretty stout 5.10 pitch you start at a tree:

 

Passenger_.jpg

 

Ty topping out:

 

p_1.JPG

 

p_2.JPG

 

 

 

Embarking on the first of 3 crux sections on P4, 5.11 friction:

 

P_4.JPG

 

Seconding the pitch:

 

P_crux_2nd_.jpg

 

P_crux_2_.jpg

 

 

Endless 5.10 finishes the route:

 

P_6.JPG

 

P_5.JPG

 

 

 

Overall is was a great 3 days out with a great parnter. Props to Burdo for such fine climbs.

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Wow.

 

I trust that my #0.75 camalot was key for sending these routes? When you think about it, it's almost like I was there and climbed those routes too. Blah blah.

 

Thanks for the TR guys. It's inspiring to see what really good and motivated climbers are capable of.

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Great TR Sol. Idylic is the way I would describe the week for sure, perfect weather with NO BUGS, until the last day...

 

The bolts on the passenger are not set up to aid or even frenchy with. I suppose you could try to do some pendulum friction/tension but I think that you would have better luck trying to free it than mess with shenanigans like that.

 

Thanks for all of the stoak!

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