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[TR] Index - Green Drag-on 5.13- 7/22/2010

Wallstein

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Wallstein

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Trip: Index - Green Drag-on 5.13-

 

Date: 7/22/2010

 

Trip Report:

Is Index the best granite crag on the west coast or what??? I sure think so.

 

During last weeks cold spell I hiked to the top and rapped in on the upper two pitches, which are the free climbing cruxes, and gave them a go on mini-traxion. After a bit of work the intricate cruxes came together.

 

Due to the slabby nature of the pitches I knew that this route would be fairly condition dependent and another cold day would be quite help full for a free ascent. I also didn't want to have a repeat experience of my day on Town Crier where temps were in the 90's and my feet wouldn't stick to anything forcing me to try way to hard...

 

With temps in the low 60's on Thursday it was the day to go up and give Green Drag-on a try. I've got a buddy, Sean, who visiting for a couple weeks and he was game to go check it out. I was setting my expectations fairly low as I figured it would take me a couple days of work before the redpoint.

 

 

The first hard pitch is pitch 2, which starts off with some cool stemming and faces moves and then an amazing layback flake. QUALITY! The business is a short flare with a pin scar tips crack in the back that is 12a. Sean went up first and cruised up to the flare but had to hang a couple times to clean some dirt out of the crack and figure out the moves. He doesn't fall very often on 5.12 and found this pitch to be pretty hard. This was a classic Index pitch with sequential compact moves. Luckily I was able to follow fairly easily as it suited my small stature well.

 

This was followed by a varied 5.11- pitch that had tricky face climbing section at the end. Below the last bolt on this pitch I made a step left on face holds that brought me to a shallow seam with improving holds and the anchor. Another amazing and engaging pitch!

 

Pitch 4 takes a proud line up a STEEP exposed 5.10 corner with good jamming and laybacking. We were both amazed with the position and quality of this section. We opted to belay at a good stance at the end of the corner just below the 12c crux section as this would make working the crux a lot more friendly. Sean went up first and almost got the onsight. He quickly figured out the large move to the left and sent his next go. After working on this section last week I wasn't to nervous about it and opted to try and climb it in my old comfy shoes but that didn't go so good. I blew off on my first go and had to change into the tight shoes which made all the difference. There is a beautiful sculpted pocket on the move that is one of the coolest granite holds I've ever grabbed onto! Just perfect rock.

 

The last pitch is the crux which checks in at 5.13- (or so..) It follows a line of slabby pockets and slopping edges to final crux deadpoint to a perfect jug/rail. Granite face climbing doesn't get much better in my opinion. My first go I quickly aided up the initial 5 bolts which would be the crux and lowered back down to work a couple of the moves before I gave it a redpoint go. The moves came together much quicker than anticipated. I came back to the belay and let Sean have a go on toprope. To my utter amazement he fell off the last hold going to the jug. A very impressive first attempt. He worked out a couple moves on his way down and then turned over the lead to me.

 

I pulled the rope and set off using my beta that involved stepping way down and right to a series of shallow pockets and high steps. This way proved to be not that efficient and over complicated. I fell off fairly quickly. Not exactly sure what to do I made a decision to change my beta up and try a more direct approach up and right, similar to what Sean had done. This made all the difference, saving me 4 strenuous and powerful moves. The crux holds felt much bigger and positive this go and I knew I was in there. It was nice to be climbing with confidence and a little bit of power to spare. I made the final deadpoint with relative ease and quickly high stepped and reached the 5.10 jugs. Cruiser 5.10 climbing lead to the chains.

 

Redpointing that final pitch marked completion of a long time goal of mine. Years ago I came up with a goal of free climbing arguably the 5 most classic aid climbs of Washington, City Park, Town Crier, Green Drag-on, Thin Red Line, and Liberty Crack.

 

 

So needless to say I've got a grin ear to ear today and am so excited to wrap a project that I won't soon forget. I'm still amazed at the quality of granite rock climbing washington has to offer. No need to drive north to Squamish, its all right here....

 

 

 

Here's some more exact beta for some of the pitches, hope it helps motivate some others to go check this amazing line out.

 

 

First off here's a topo I found from Justin Sjong who initially freed the line with Ben Gilkinson

 

 

 

 

 

Green_Drag_on.jpg

(hope Justin doesn't mind a repost of his topo)

 

Justin's rack beta is fairly good, except you don't really need a #2 and #3 Camalot. The only spot they are maybe needed is the 5.10 corner pitch but other gear is available.

 

If I were to go up there again, I would change where I belayed. If following the standard aid belays you end up at fairly crappy stances. This can be improved if you go another 30 feet on past the belay on top of pitch 2. This better stance is on top of the big flakes. Belay would take #1 C3's and small stoppers be good to take two extra small pieces just for this belay.

 

You would then link the remaining bit of pitch 3 with the 5.10 portion of pitch 4 and belay at a good pedestal with a bolt and spot for a #1 C4. This would make communication easier while trying the crux 12c section that is right above this belay spot. It is a much much better hang then underneath the 5.10 corner. This also makes the 12c pitch fairly short which will help with the redpoint.

 

As far as grades go, I pretty much agree with Justin's ratings. Though I did find this to actually be an easier redpoint than it next door neighbor Town Crier (5.12+) and overall about the same difficulty. Once the beta is figured out for the last pitch it felt pretty solid though it would be real hard to onsight.

 

 

Someone else should go up there while it's cleaned and chalked!!!!

 

 

 

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