[TR] NEWS + SEWS - west face + northwest face (Boving route) 9/7/2012

[lunger]

Trip: NEWS + SEWS - west face + northwest face (Boving route)

 

Date: 9/7/2012

 

Trip Report:

Casey and I linked these two last Friday, resulting in a whole lotta quality pitches. We'd intended to climb the harder (Boving) route first, but it was damn cold in the morning, so we opted to begin with NEWS to avoid numb fingers on more difficult pitches.

 

The WF of NEWS is well-covered here, but i note fewer reports on the NW face of SEWS. Below is a bit more info. on the climb. Thankfully Casey was a keen-crusher and led the nominally hardest (.11a) pitches on both climbs.

 

A couple pics from WF of SEWS:

Here's Casey on pitches 2 (short corner) and 4 (crux thin crack).

 

 

 

I drew the superfine 5th pitch (w/ a 70m rope went to the top) that starts w/ a 5.10 move from the small tree and then steadily relents, from fingers to hands. Casey’s photo:

 

Chilled on the summit, then rapped and rolled over to the...

 

NW Face of SEWS:

One observation: the new Supertopo online hints correctly "Some people think the first 5.10c/d pitch is more difficult than the second 5.11 pitch." To me, the first pitch does seem a bit tricky and insecure, definitely more heady than any other pitch we climbed that day. It’s also sustained with several cruxes. Completely do-able, but bring your game face. (CAsey also thought the 1st pitch was harder than the 2nd.) A piece of general route-finding beta: after the .11a bit (v. high quality--if a little flaring--crack in a bright white right-facing corner) of p.2,, we climbed up a cave/chimney then stayed right-ish up somewhat vegetated corners/arêtes to a big bench under the Boving roofs. I believe there are some appealing looking systems off to the left that could lead a person astray. As i recall, the topos are somewhat sketchy re: details, but follow your nose to the roofs and you'll be set.

 

We didn't get a whole lot of good pics, but here's a couple.

I'm starting pitch 1 here (Casey's photo)

 

Me following pitch 2; crux section is near the top, physical!

 

And on the Boving roofs (Casey photo):

 

Super fun day at WApass, thanks bud. a few more pics here: https://picasaweb.google.com/ewehrly/2012_09_07WFNEWSAndNWFSEWS?authuser=0&feat=directlink

[layton]

i threw up red wine on the trailhead, scared a small child on the approach, and watched a dog get gutted by a goat when I did the boving rt. with Eric Wolfe.

[JasonG]

That is so cool! Strong work, both of you! I am looking forward to having Casey ropegun me up something this fall...

[ryanl]

Way to go you two! What a great day. And thanks for the beta $

[lunger]

Thanks fellas. Mike, some story...pics?

 

Didn't see any TR's here for the NW face, so will be glad if the little beta tidbits help.