Wabbit Ears

[MtnHigh]

Zen Master Tim gave me a copy of his Gorge Classic Climbs guide last fall and I finally had a chance to climb one the routes in his delightful book.

 

The day before I called a friend to get beta on the approach. With the PCT and Table Mtn trails nearby and shit loads of abandoned logging roads in the area, unless you know the area intimately it is a confusing web of trails and roads. My friend's approach beta differed drastically from Tim's recommendation. Hmm, what to do. We decided to go with Tim's beta and it turned out to be just the ticket to avoid miles of misery and bushwacking.

 

Finding the approach gulley at the base of the Ears is no trivial matter. We traversed across it, not knowing that a steep slope of trees and brush that we stared at for minutes but moved on constituted a gulley. We ended up circumnavigating the spire in search of the 'approach gulley'.

 

At the north shoulder of the spire we sketched up rotten class 5 rock to the proper start of the climb. I could tell that nimble cat like climbing was the call for the day.

 

Hoping that the rock would improve the higher we climbed was a fantasy. The first pitch, easy and ledgey, was endless choss. Drew took the 2nd pitch and disappeared around a corner. As I blindly belayed my thoughts were that good rock lay ahead. Following the pitch I was slapped in the face with more choss. Narry a solid hold for 90'. Drew stopped at the notch between the ears and set up an anchor, just 15' from the top.

 

The last 15' to the top of the north ear finally offered solid rock. A nice low 5th class finish. Sunday was a beautiful day and the views of the Gorge from the spire was wonderful.

 

If you are itchin' for some moderate yet sphincter clenching leads the Wabbit awaits your desires.

 

Sorry I don't have an attached photo album. I'm too lazy to carry a camera, let alone take pics.

 

 

[LostCamKenny]

so are you saying that the gorge adventure guide is good and that i should use it rather than roll my smokes with it?

[Cap'n Xenolith]

I made the mistake of traversing over to the left at the notch between the ears, ended up doing something like a 5.8 on wet moss and a small bush for footholds. The second killed the bush so it may be a 5.9 now. Should have read the guide!

[wayne]

Good to hear reports from the the manky heights. That approach gully is the crux.