[TR] Beacon Rock - Right Gull Vulcan's Variation 10/25/2013

[MrGecko]

Trip: Beacon Rock - Right Gull Vulcan's Variation

 

Date: 10/25/2013

 

Trip Report:

Thanks to Stevetimetrvlr for his suggested line up Right Gull as that is exactly what we did and it was a superb climb.

 

P1 - Started up Little Wing which definitely has a few thinner finger jams for its grade but I'm glad to say I didn't come unstuck from the wall. Linked this with the first proper section of Right Gull and followed the steps up left to the top of the pedestal. At this point I took the short Vulcan's Variation to the next ledge for one long pitch and a gear belay.

 

P2 - Tim fired up the solid and clean hand jam crack to the left of belay for a short pitch. The 3" and 4" cams are most useful here.

 

P3 - A widish crack with a sporty roof section and solid gear pops out at dead? tree on a ledge. We scooted behind the tree and up another series of left trending steps to a final belay for this route. Should have taken Muriel's Memoir 5.9 from the dead? tree ledge straight up, looked much better.

 

P4 - basically move the belay across the ledges and merge with the SE Corner route

 

P5 - follow the standard route up the long right trending ramp

 

P6 - chug along the ridge line to wrap up a great day

 

Columbia River Gorge views from the route

 

 

P2 the short hand crack

 

P6 Looking down the ridge

 

Little Wing to Right Gull Vulcan's Variation to SE Corner

 

Gear Notes:

Full set of nuts & Dbl cams to 2", 1 each 3" and 4" cam

[MrGecko]

Can anyone comment on the 4" off width? It wasn't very clear which option that was, both of the alternative lines looked loose and grungy.

[christophbenells]

In the hand crack photo the dirty fingers is just to climbers right, then about 6 feet right of that is the off width. I'm not sure why anyone would choose it when that hand crack is so nice.

[christophbenells]

It's kind of back around the corner...

[stevetimetravlr]

Great to hear you enjoyed the Right Gul line, and the Little Wing start. Pink, who posts here, has soloed Litttle Wing. Think about that next time you're leading that slippery section.

I bet you wished you would have finished on that finger crack to the Grassy Ledges. it's much easier then it looks and eats the gear. Probably about Beacon 5.6 or 5.7 with good rests and no real crux move. Definitely not 5.9.

Regarding the off width alternative to the second pitch, it's somewhat non-positive, but what I don't like about it is that it climbs a completely detached block hanging there that you are placing gear behind. It's probably not going anywhere soon but that was said of the freshly fallen huge blocks that have come off beneath it lower down. I've never climbed the dirty fingers alternative to the hand crack and off width as its always been so friggin dirty and overgrown. Maybe this fall on rap someone could give it a cleaning?

[MrGecko]

If the other two lines are as described then I agree, why climb them when the hand crack seems to be the better line. That "slippery" section had some thin fingers but the crack does take good nuts.

 

I ran into some local guy named Kenny, we are going to get out sometime soon and explore some other routes. Anyone know him? Is he safe?

[ivan]

kenny's a Verified Mutant, so if that's yer particuliar poison, ya oughta be rightly pleased

 

good luck getting a dry spell to take advantage of 'fore the falcon closure sets in - it was like the whole cliff was hosed down w/ horse-semen yesterday - french freeing on 5.4

[stevetimetravlr]

Whoa, calling Kenny safe is like calling a horse dick "Tiny".