golden arch - index

[ivan]

took my 1st shot at this last weekend and stopped after p1 - anybody know what the upper pitches are like? seemed like p1 would take sawed angles, but i was able to get around using them w/ hooks and offset cams - does the a3+ pitch require any iron beyond hooks? and p2 looks like the only pro would be sawed angles as well?

[yikes]

Saw your partner post earlier and found some beta on mountain project, http://www.mountainproject.com/v/golden-arch/106793639. Unfortunately, I forgot that I have a grant to write this weekend.

[Wallstein]

I did all the pitches maybe 4 or 5 years ago. I remember maybe placing a pin on p2. Thought it was kinda funky but I didn't really have a full rack for aid trickery. I free climbed all most all of it.

 

The big corner pitch has been done clean but I nailed a few LA's. I was looking at if for the free potential and wanted a few really good pieces in place. bring lots of small offsets nuts. Pitch 4 wasn't so bad, but again I was free climbing a lot. don't remember if I placed any pins though. Doubt I used any sawed angles as I haven't owned any in a long time.

 

not much help....

[counterfeitfake]

Did you do the legit first pitch?

 

I was up there a couple years ago with a friend who'd climbed P1 of the Waterway and then 2 pitches of GA. We went up and replaced the anchor on the big ledge, which I think would be the bottom of P3 of GA.

 

My friend, fenderfour here on CC, thought that P1 was kind of sketchy looking in it's current state, and might need some bolt replacement. He thought the Waterway was a good means to access the rest of GA. If I remember correctly he thought what he climbed of GA was really good, and the parts above that he didn't do also looked good.

 

I thought he did not use a hammer. You might be able to get some info if you contact him.

Edited August 29, 2012 by counterfeitfake

[geoff]

Ol boy was too legit to quit, like I did after seeing the first bolts on P1. They held, but my opinion of the quality did not change-they suck and are waiting to pop.

[dberdinka]

Gene and I did this route 10? years ago.

 

P1 off the big ledge is C1 until the last few moves which were either KBs or LAs (A1).

 

P2 (crux) took a SO off the belay then hooks and cams followed by the long beautiful corner where I definitely used LAs. I'm not sure how you would do this clean unless you had a triple rack of Lowe Balls or something, it's not scars just a long 1/4" wide crack in a corner. Couple crappy heads at the top you might need to replace.

 

I would bring 3-4 KBs, 6-8 LA, a couple SO 1/2" - 3/4" and some heads.

[ivan]

thanks - yeah, we did the legit first pitch and replacing all the bolts would be in order, certainly the first one as that popping would result in a loooong ground fall into the brambles - used a single knifeblade on that pitch, but probably could have avoided in hindsight - using a cliffhanger in a sawed off scar made me feel funny in my bathing areas

 

nice to hear there's a newish anchor up on the big ledge - didn't like having only a tree as the anchor atop p1, even if it looks healthy, and the only pro behind it is a bongo-drum flake...

[genepires]

I still remember that day. that was the day I realized I am not a "real" aid climber.

 

c1 baby and all's good.

[fenderfour]

First pitch of the waterway traverses in from the left and ends on the big ledge to the left of the GA P3 anchor. Bring cam hooks, ballnuts, and a big hook to climb the pitch clean. You can walk along the ledge to get there.

 

CFF and I removed some 1/4 split shanks and replaced them with 1/2 SS 5 piece bolts. The plan was to rap down to replace the bolts of the first pitch of GA, but it was too hot, we were too lazy, we ran out of beer, etc...

 

The arch pitch doesn't need any hammering. Bring cam hooks, ballnuts, and brass.

 

The pitch after the arch involves some sketchy hooking on cornflakes stuck to the wall. Have fun with that.

[keenwesh]

mmmmm, cornflakes.

 

I might have to make a trip back to washington for this route. does golden arch stay dry when the waterway is a waterway?

[fenderfour]

Generally, yes. It only takes one local pissing off the top to make the Waterway Route a waterway.

[counterfeitfake]

It only takes one climber pissing on the arch to make it golden.