Broughton Bluff - North Face

[froodish]

Did Gandalf's Grip yesterday and finished via Risky Business. There was an odd assortment of gear on the anchor to the right of the Risky Business crack. I'd think someone left it because they were working something, but it didn't look like anyone had been up there in ages. If it's yours, drop me a line and describe the tat and I'll get it back to you.

 

Side note, we gardened the last pitch of Risky Business so it's relatively clean now and I think a much better finish to Gandalf's than the OW crack finish. The move around the arête is really fun and exposed and now that the moss carpet has been removed and the dirt cleaned out of the crack, it's quite enjoyable.

[hemp22]

thanks for doing that - i've been meaning to check out that pitch.

I think the first pitch of reckless driver could be a good approach to that too, at only 5.6, if it were cleaned up & gardened a bit.

 

Question: on the top out of risky business, is there an obvious anchor or belay spot at the edge, or did you go up and belay off the tree? and is there any poison oak on that side?

 

 

(sorry, can't help you get rid of the tat - not mine)

Edited September 30, 2010 by hemp22

[Lodestone]

So do you think the R rating on Risky Business is warranted? Never tried the second pitch. I love the first pitch though, one of the hidden/forgotten gems at Broughton. Anyway, thanks for cleaning up P2.

 

 

Chad

[Lodestone]

thanks for doing that - i've been meaning to check out that pitch.

I think the first pitch of reckless driver could be a good approach to that too, at only 5.6, if it were cleaned up & gardened a bit.

 

 

Agreed, the first pitch of Reckless Driver is an overgrown mess. I brought a saw out there last month with the intention of working on it but didn't get to it before the sun went down.

 

 

Chad

[froodish]

The "book" that forms the sides of that crack narrows as it nears the top and you can step over the blunt aréte to the right to a bolted anchor - two beefy bolts looking to be in pretty good shape. That's the anchor that we found the gear on. From there it's an easy few feet to the rim. You could also just top out and belay from a good sit stance.

 

Not sure what pitch the R rating is attached to, but the gear on the second pitch is fine. If you took a fall going around the aréte from the Gandalf's belay ledge (leading or following) you might take a funny swing, but other than that, there's plenty of gear. The "hidden jug" mentioned in the guide is an honest to goodness jug and once you get it you'd have to work to fall.

 

Didn't see any poison oak in the area but I'll reserve judgment for a week or so ;-)

Edited October 1, 2010 by froodish

[froodish]

Couple of other notes...

 

If you do go up there, bring a brush. We didn't know exactly what was gonna be up there and didn't anticipate the amount of moss and all we had were nut tools. There's a small bush in the crack that we left, but it's easy to avoid it. Could definitely be removed though.

 

There's a small flake/block at the rooflet after you go around the aréte that seemed sound, but I didn't spend a lot of time looking at. Might bear some more gardening and examination before yarding on too hard.

 

Most of the kudos should go to my partner Kendall who was keen to go exploring (as always) and did the initial cleaning on lead while I huddled in the alcove trying to avoid the deluge of moss that he was raining down ;-)

[froodish]

So, about the PO, based on the itchy patch on my forearm today, I'd say there must have been some lurking in the greenery we cleaned out ;-)

 

 

[ivan]

worst i've ever been into oak in my long damn life was out there! zombie flesh, its the shit.

[hemp22]

Yeah, my worst case ever came from up on top of the hanging gardens...the slopes above the cliffs are crawling with the stuff.

I never top out on Gandalf's anymore - I just rap, to avoid getting up into the foliage...

[froodish]

Hanging Gardens, yeah, ugh. My worst case of PO too. I think the "classic" designation of that route in the guidebook is meant to draw unsuspecting souls into a Broughton PO hazing experience.

 

My current case seems to be limited to a smallish streak on my forearm so the Risky Business finish seems to be relatively safe in that regard.

[billcoe]

Froodish: use of an ice axe is great for gardening. The pick gets deep in the cracks, the adze can scrape out dirt pretty good or chop roots, while the length of the shaft helps both the wear on your hands and keeps your arms out of the poison oak or from getting scratched by blackberry bushes.

 

Good on you for cleaning it off. The Poison Oak leaves are dropping off now, and although the potency of the bush diminishes with winter, I've learned that the roots are still remarkably potent all through the winter, so take care if you're not using gloves if you decide to start yanking on roots:-)