[TR] Goose Egg - Spoil ill 7/20/2010

[joepuryear]

Trip: Goose Egg - Spoil ill

 

Date: 7/20/2010

 

Trip Report:

In the early part of this millennium, the Deep Water Horizon was constructed and started drilling for oil throughout the world's oceans. At around the same time, Stoney and I searched for our own spoils on the south face of the Goose Egg. We started several drilling operations and discovered much untapped potential. Several routes were constructed and in 2003 the beginnings of a new project were under way without any plans or regulations. But years of procrastination, underfunding, and lack of oversight went by and the route was left as an unfinished project.

 

On April 20, 2010 when the Deepwater Horizon was terminated, it was about time that our new route was finished as well. We spent days moving up and down our vertical production platform commencing our own clean-up operation and plugging away at the insufferable cliff. But even after the route was finally finished, it was left unclimbed.

 

Finally in mid July of 2010 as the Gulf oil spill was finally capped off, it was time to cap off our route with a proper ground up ascent. And thus Spoil Ill was born.

 

We started early in the morning July 20 to beat the scorching heat of EWA, but an opportune cloud cover kept temps perfect for sending. Overall we found interesting and sustained face climbing on better than average rock for the Goose Egg. This great moderate route makes a fun alternative to Ride the Lightning or The Commandho Pillar. To all you Gooseeggafarians: Enjoy!

 

So here's the beta:

 

The route starts 100' feet to the left of Ride the Lightning. Take 13 draws and a very small rack — .4-2.5". The pitches spill out like this:

 

P1: 130', 5.7, 9 bolts; Excellent and straightforward edgy face climbing with a short crux.

 

P2: 100', 5.8, 7 bolts + gear; More fun face climbing following a seam that occasionally takes pro.

 

P3: 100', 5.10c, 13 bolts + gear; Superb thin and sustained face climbing, very well protected with bolts on a LFC, contains a lower crux. A small roof is avoided by traversing right to a rest stance, then more tweaky face encountered above. Gear is optional in the last 15 feet.

 

P4: 80', 5.9, 4 bolts + gear; Traverses left from the belay toward a small roof. Establishing under the roof and clipping the 2nd bolt is the crux. Easy climbing above leads up and left to a false anchor. Clip this, and continue up the corner 15 feet, then climb out left up a dirty crack with a hidden bolt on the left face. 3 spread-out bolts make the belay.

 

P5: 150', 5.10a, 7 bolts + gear; Climbs out left then up a gully system, out right onto a face, then back left into the gully. One run-out easier section (probably needs another bolt) is encountered.

 

p6: 150', 5.0, gear; a pleasant and easy gully is followed straight up to the top, where it ends in a typical pile of loose blocks. Exit left to intersect the trail down to the rappel route, or continue up to walk off.

 

And here are some pics:

 

Looking up at the first 3.5 pitches of Spoil Ill from the base. Follow the bolts!

 

Me leading the first pitch with really cool roofs above.

 

Stoney setting out on pitch 2.

 

Me leading pitch 3 — the highlight of the route.

 

Looking down from the top of pitch 3. The route comes up the dark gray rock below.

 

Stoney coming up the upper crux of pitch 3.

 

Stoney leading through the roof on pitch 4.

 

Me poking my head over the same roof. The Ride the Lightning dihedral can be seen across the face.

 

Looking down from the top of pitch 5.

 

Top-out views of Kloochman Rock.

 

An overview of the routes on the Egg. Click here for larger version.

[Dirtyleaf]

SICK!!

[sobo]

YEE HAAAAAAAAAAWWWW!!!1 Another GE project falls thanks to JP and SR! Way to get on it, guys! And loved the TR with it's stylistic references to the DW oil spill fiasco. :tup:

[John Frieh]

Hell yes. I remember looking at that line on Lightning wondering what it was. Another one to add to the to do list.

[denalidave]

YEE HAAAAAAAAAAWWWW!!!1 Another GE project falls thanks to JP and SR! Way to get on it, guys! And loved the TR with it's stylistic references to the DW oil spill fiasco. :tup:

Ditto

[pink]

i can understand why a moderator would have removed my post, but if john is chiming in on ur TR u proly climbed something cool. yes john and i have poked fun at each other but it's pretty clear that john is a badass climber and i have really always been okay with this. john will put something up uber sicky someday and it won't be posted here. it will be in the AAJ.

 

 

nice TR, that rock looks super sweet

[andyf]

OK, now I'm going to finally get on Goose Egg! Have to wait for my shoulder to heal.

 

Nice work guys!

Edited July 22, 2010 by andyf

[kevino]

Looks like a fun line. Can't wait to get on it.

 

Joe, do you have anymore info on shock and awe and ignorant bliss? Looking for a topo or something of that nature. Thanks!

[joepuryear]

I think Shock and Awe is in Yoder's Tieton book isn't it? I don't have a copy in front of me.

As for Ignorant Bliss, it goes up the large pillar to the left of the Spoil Ill amphitheater and pretty much stays on the pillar to the top (the first pitch starts in the LFC that forms the left base of the pillar). 1st pitch is the crux (5.10), then many bolted pitches of 5.8-5.9 above. Should be pretty easy to follow. Best to stay off the unbolted and loose last pitch and exit right via Spoil Ill gully or go down the ledge left to Gangsta Rap.

[sobo]

I think Shock and Awe is in Yoder's Tieton book isn't it? I don't have a copy in front of me.

Yes, it is, Andy.

Kevin, go drop some coin for the book. You're out of skewl now, ain'cha?

[erica]

Thanks for the response Joe. Look forward to climbing these routes when the temperatures become reasonable again.

 

As for Shock and Awe, the only reason I asked is its the only route without a topo in the book. Guess I'll just go climb it and find out for myself.

 

And yes Paul, I own the book! Heard you ran into one of my co-workers recently too.

 

By the way, this is Kevin posting from my roommates computer.

[Off_White]

Heard you ran into one of my co-workers recently too.

 

Wow, I hope no one was hurt!

[sobo]

And yes Paul... Heard you ran into one of my co-workers recently too.

Who might that have been? I'm

[kevino]

Ben. He said you were with Justin and others.

[sobo]

Ah yes! Ben and Emily at Bob's Keg & Cork last Tuesday night. How could I have forgotten so quickly? Nice folks, both of them. It was me, Justin, and Matt, after the mountain rescue meeting.

WTF were you, eh???

[joepuryear]

Kevin - I didn't realize there wasn't a topo in there. The route is on the right wall of the Dirty Sanchez arete. Head up a nondescript pitch of class 4 in the big bowl to a set of bolt anchors near the wall. The real climbing starts with the 'Shock' pitch - 5.10a (all bolts)- that goes up the wall, then traverses left to a ledge. Next is the 'Awe' pitch - 5.10c - a 180' crack (variable size), to another set of anchors. A short easy crack leads back up onto Dirty Sanchez at the base of the short bolted face. Take gear to 3" and don't be surprised to find a bit of typical Goose Egg nastiness...

[mountainsloth]

cool stuff! goose egg rules!

[jshamster]

climbed this rig yesterday. fun times!

first time on Goose Egg. kinda looser than i'm used to, but fun climbing.

that 3rd pitch corner is hard!

 

cheers

jimbo