[TR] Coethedral Oregon "Better Than Sex" 5/27/12

[Plaidman]

Trip: Coethedral - Oregon - "Better Than Sex"

 

Date: 5/27/2012

 

Trip Report:

Good times at Coethedral last weekend. New routes are being worked on. Climbing is being done. Mike my partner and I got on "Better Than Sex", "Rad,Plaid,and Glad", and "Coecoenut Bridge". Knobs have been tested and found to be in good shape.

 

The snow has melted all the way to the parking lot to Coethedral and their is no snow on the cliff bands above the climbs. The rock was dry and it is ready for another fun summer season.

 

I camped right in the parking lot and had the place all to myself from Friday night until Sunday afternoon. The solitude was nice. Glad Mike showed up to do some climbing though.

 

We will be out next Sunday playing and there are a few others that are planning on getting on some of the harder routes. It mostly bolted knobular fun climbing. So many more routes can go up there.

 

Gear Notes:

All you need to bring is quick draws. Bring a lot as some of the routes require 24 or more draws as some of the routes are 55 meters. Bring slings for knobs if you need another piece of pro. There are some routes that need gear. Like the Salathe Highway

 

Approach Notes:

link to directions: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/coethedral/106865073

Edited May 31, 2012 by Plaidman

[shapp]

interesting, just curious how you get 24 or more draws needed for a 55 meter pitch? Is there aid involved on these? Now that I am a lot closer, I need to get up there an check it out.

Edited May 31, 2012 by shapp

[Plaidman]

The routes are closely bolted. No run outs on most of the climbs, as sometimes the knobs pop off and falling and taking a whipper in knob land could be hazardous to you health. So it was decided that closely bolting would be the ethic for "THIS" area. As there are very few cracks or other features in this area, and that you are totally climbing the knobs, the bolts are close so you don't take a tumble and get F-ed up. Once you climb on these routes you will be glad the bolts are there. It really is amazing.

[Plaidman]

interesting, just curious how you get 24 or more draws needed for a 55 meter pitch?

 

Being that 55 meters is close to 180 feet and if there is a bolt every 7 feet that would be 25 bolts. It would be reasonable on a trad climb if you were sewing it up to place a piece at your feet. Especially if you were on uncertain terrain.

[luvshaker]

I climbed a pitch at Red Rocks (Eagle's dare I think) where the whole route except one pitch was pretty solid. For the loose pitch-overhanging 10c- I was SO glad they punched in a bunch of bolts, since falling from snapping holds can lead to some "gravity aided circus stunts".

[ivan]

the only thing gheyer than sport climbing is getting hurt while sport climbing!

 

really looking forward to my first trip here bill - 7 inch bolts, right? that oughta hold me

[shapp]

interesting, just curious how you get 24 or more draws needed for a 55 meter pitch?

 

Being that 55 meters is close to 180 feet and if there is a bolt every 7 feet that would be 25 bolts. It would be reasonable on a trad climb if you were sewing it up to place a piece at your feet. Especially if you were on uncertain terrain.

 

Not arguing the crag is overbolted, just wondering. There are a lot of 50 to 55 meter pitches in darrington on hard slab (not realy friendly to falling either), though solid rock, and the most pro/bolts you might have on a 55 meter pitch would be in the 15 to 17 range, and not really what I would call runout, minus the issue with falling on ledges/and big nobs fing you up on a fall, a bolt every 10 feet or so is not runout to me when climbing at my limit, is it to you? Again not trying to argue about bolts at this crag, yoru nitial reponse was great, the follow up implying the need to space bolts closely just because it is hard seams silly. On a hard climbyou place gear where you can and where you can get a good rest stance, not at your feet, for example it might be safer to power 10 or 12 feet and get to a good stance than to fiddle with gear at a poor stance.

 

Obvioisly we could beat this subject to death, bottom line looks like a very cool area, close bolts spacing seams tomake a lot of sense there, can't wait to g. Ivan, is it time for you and I, and corvallisclimb had a circle jerk up there?

Edited May 31, 2012 by shapp

[Off_White]

I think its apples and oranges Shapp, at Darrington what is required is confidence, verve will see you though and people do come out of long slab falls without serious injury. The explanation regarding breaking knobs and falling down merely vertical knob studded walls made sense to me.

 

 

[Plaidman]

Running it out sometimes is needed. At some crags that would be the case. To run something out requires being a bad ass, stupid, or just a really great climber with nerves of steel. As I am none of those things it is really moot. (I am attempting to be funny. Have I succeeded?).

 

The bolts are not there for the hardness or stiffness of the route. They are just for protection just as stated.

 

I think anyone will be well pleased after giving this place a go.

[JosephH]

interesting, just curious how you get 24 or more draws needed for a 55 meter pitch?

Being that 55 meters is close to 180 feet and if there is a bolt every 7 feet that would be 25 bolts. It would be reasonable on a trad climb if you were sewing it up to place a piece at your feet. Especially if you were on uncertain terrain.

I think its apples and oranges Shapp, at Darrington what is required is confidence, verve will see you though and people do come out of long slab falls without serious injury. The explanation regarding breaking knobs and falling down merely vertical knob studded walls made sense to me.

I would agree somewhat with Off relative to it's very dependent on the rock, but as some sort of generalized justification vis-a-vis 'sewn-up' trad climbing? Absolutely not. On multiple full-rope length trad pitches you are not 'sewing it up' to the tune of a piece per body length unless you are carrying more gear than I can almost imagine for free climbing.

 

No matter how you look at it that's bolting to gym specifications. Now, as Off is saying, you may very well be able to justify it on the basis of rock / fall quality, but justifying it on the basis of 'sewn-up' trad over a rope length just doesn't fly - or at least I've never experienced it.

 

[ P.S. If these are big, honking, Coe-like SS bolts then I sure hope the route is worthy of the expense involved with that bolt spacing... ]

[Plaidman]

Being that most trad climbs are more in the range of 80 to 100 feet(25 to 30 meters) you could certainly have enough gear with a standard rack of a set of nuts and a double set of cams from .3 to #3 size Camalots, to sew up a route. Most do not carry that much gear but when I was taught, that was the standard fare unless you know the route by heart and know where and when you are placing gear. As I love adventure climbing and getting on stuff that is not climbed often and considering my vertical disadvantage(being that I am 5'7") I place a lot of gear:

1)because I can

2)because I like to

3)I like to have the right piece for the right placement.

4)I don't mind the extra weight.

5)and because that is how I climb.

 

Comments are closed now.

[JosephH]

Being that most trad climbs are more in the range of 80 to 100 feet(25 to 30 meters)...

Well, that's another poor generalization. You still have pretty limited experience in climbing to be making either of these generalizations. In this case, your numbered explanations serve your case far better than your attempts to generalize.

[Tyson.g]

Being that most trad climbs are more in the range of 80 to 100 feet(25 to 30 meters)...

Well, that's another poor generalization. You still have pretty limited experience in climbing to be making either of these generalizations. In this case, your numbered explanations serve your case far better than your attempts to generalize.

 

I would have to agree with Joseph's comment.

And that your personal reasons are the best reasons because they are your preference.

[Plaidman]

Well, that's another poor generalization. You still have pretty limited experience in climbing to be making either of these generalizations. In this case, your numbered explanations serve your case far better than your attempts to generalize.

Nice. I guess I will be a forever newby. My generalization is based on the fact that most routes that are set on trad climbs are generally set up to be climbed with a 50 to 60 meter rope and that would facilitate being able to rap the route with one rope. It has been my experience in the past, having had climbed at several crags all over the western US. I'll just mention the different States, Oregon, Washington, California, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and B.C. Canada

It sure doesn't make me an expert but is has been enough to form my own opinion over the last 8 years.

 

[Plaidman]

One other way you could look at the way I climb is:

Murder of the Possible!

[Tyson.g]

I guess I will be a forever newby.

 

 

You and me both brother!

 

Edited June 1, 2012 by Tyson.g

[JosephH]

Well, that's another poor generalization. You still have pretty limited experience in climbing to be making either of these generalizations. In this case, your numbered explanations serve your case far better than your attempts to generalize.

Nice. I guess I will be a forever newby. My generalization is based on the fact that most routes that are set on trad climbs are generally set up to be climbed with a 50 to 60 meter rope and that would facilitate being able to rap the route with one rope. It has been my experience in the past, having had climbed at several crags all over the western US. I'll just mention the different States, Oregon, Washington, California, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and B.C. Canada

 

It sure doesn't make me an expert but is has been enough to form my own opinion over the last 8 years.

Plaid, there are no shortage of multipitch crags around the US where you have to have two ropes to rap. That you haven't been on many such routes is a different matter. Also, routes aren't "set" on trad climbs - they're just there. Look, don't get me wrong, I love your enthusiasm for climbing, and you've been getting more experience over the past couple of years, but I'd still recommend foregoing the generalizations in your media ventures.

[Plaidman]

I'd still recommend foregoing the generalizations in your media ventures.

Note taken.

[shapp]

you just can't fix stupid, I guess I should have never posted.

 

Dude, I said it looks like the close bolts at this crag seam like a good idea.

 

There are tons tons tons of places that have trad climbs stretching a full rope. I almost always climb with doubles these days due to long pitches we climb and the need to have 2 ropes to rap.

 

On most long routes you aint taking enough gear to put in 24+ draws. Hell, I don't even own that many.

 

Game over, looks like a cool place!

[Plaidman]

No prob Shapp. I guess that is a generalization as to 100 to 80 foot pitches. I have led a few that are full rope lengths and I have a 70 meter rope so I do a lot of climbing a full rope length and combining pitches when I can. If is is reasonable. I carry such a huge rack I rarely ever run out of gear. Although I have been practicing carry a light alpine rack some too. Just to see if I can do that. Single set of nuts and one set of cams on "The Corner" at Beacon Rock.

 

Your comments were not stupid. We all have opinions. It just seems on the web these discussions seem to get to the point of who's opinion is the best and all others suck. I have just really gotten to the point of "I just like to climb". End of story.

 

I hope more people get out to Coethedral this summer. It has to be one of my favorite places.

[shapp]

Carry a normal rack, I bet you will climb harder and way faster with less weight

 

Just think if you put in a piece on average every 6 to 7 feet, then get comfortably with putting in pieces say on average 10 to 12 feet. Bam you just lead the pitch way faster, took almost half the gear, second takes half the time to clean, it is a cascading huge effect. This has really got me thinking on what is actually a "runout". See new topic to continue.

Edited June 1, 2012 by shapp

[Plaidman]

You are correct, as gravity is not our friend.

Edited June 1, 2012 by Plaidman

[billcoe]

 

That's me above there...the black spot. Couple weeks ago in Yos on North Dome. Most runout I've been in a while. Got off route. Ujahn says I was 85 feet out from the last bolt and off route. I think both sediments were accurate and it's a function of age where you can't see bolts and anything with the eyes. Maybe it was a tad more than 85 feet. Ujahn backed it off and got back on route. I was going the way I would have led it, but the FA folks didn't go that way or think like me. It sounds long but didn't seem too unreasonable, however, a fall would have been long and cheesgrater ugly ugly ugly. My thought was "How come I didn't wear my helmet again?" The next pitch had 3 bolts in the full pitch. I thought of Kevbone and laughed, but it wasn't unreasonable as it's so smooth up there.

 

Good times! Fun climbing.

 

 

 

[JosephH]

...but the FA folks didn't go that way or think like me.

Nothing worse...

[billcoe]

Off nailed it. Apples and oranges. A short fall out here could and most likely would easily kneecap you. In fact, half way into doing routes here one of the older/bolder (back in the day) wiser "trad" before the term was made climbers clued me in that bolts out here should be closer than we were placing them or we would be screwing over folks that followed us. As it was Ben Priestley's place, and Ben had already suggested that we not do ground up tied off horror show climbs that would screw over future climbers, I listened. Ben wasn't a sport climber, he'd done both El Cap and Half Dome climbs in a day in his previous valley trip. He's wise and a good guy, and I listen to people like those 2.

 

So if you look at dates things got done and want something challenging, much more challenging in my opinion than being off route 85' out from your last bolt in the middle of a 1000' climb that has both cell coverage and YOSAR 30 min away, then start there. If anyone wants more bolts just look at the dates and climb a later one:-). There's some of both and plenty of adventure left everywhere up there. It sort of follows a left to right thing too. Right has lots of bolts, less less....generally. As far as "adventure" goes, many find the routes as they are both fun and adventurous, but there is lots of wild stuff up here still untouched. Some of it you can see, some not. Couple of old guys are finding and climbing hidden pinnacles back in the woods at various spots. Pinnacles that have but a single route, most still as yet not seconded. Some of which are gear routes. If you know Bruce Campbell ask him. A bunch of routes need 2nd and 3rd pitches too. They just go up a bit and stop. Anyone have at it if they want it. The Steeple could have 15 routes and it has but a single one. Unless Scott got another done.

 

I think generally a great location for when it warms up down here. Hot July and August times. I saw that it was 32 degrees up there the other evening. Lot of bolts though. Big honking ones for Ivan, Ben and any other big guys to fall on all day too:-) And every rap on every route is a single 60M rope rap. Don't need 2 ropes.

 

 

Plaidman leading the FA and well bolted "Better Than Sex".

 

Ciao all! Thanks for the report Scott! Any photos? Put em up bra!!!!