bbauer Posted February 3, 2014 Posted February 3, 2014 Trip: Monkey Face - West Face Date: 2/2/2014 Trip Report: Soloed the West Face on Sunday (2/2/14). Started at 8:30 summited at 1:30. A few notes... The mantles on pitches 1, 3, and 4 are scary while soloing but 1 and 3 can be mostly negated via a small nut on 1 and a #1 Camalot at the top of 3. Off the mid pitch anchors on pitch #3, a hook to a bomber #00 master cam gets you to the first bolt with minimal effort. I also used a hook to reach another bolt on pitch 3. First bolt off the anchors on pitch 4 is flexing... Gear Notes: 1 #1, 1 #.75, doubles to .33 with offsets. HB Brass offsets, 1 talon, 1 cliffhanger. Approach Notes: Misery Ridge sucks worse on the way back Quote
ivan Posted February 3, 2014 Posted February 3, 2014 you must not be a heavy-drinker if'n you could get all the way out there n' action-suited up for blast-off by 830! seem's like its always crack'a'noon for me nice hat Quote
bbauer Posted February 4, 2014 Author Posted February 4, 2014 I had to get an early start so I could go watch that puppy fall in love with a horse... Quote
bbauer Posted February 4, 2014 Author Posted February 4, 2014 Hmmm, I realize this wasn't super in depth, but I thought it might help someone. I'd love to know what the inspiration was behind the one star rating. You can write me direct at brianebauer@gmail.com if you like. Thanks. Quote
ivan Posted February 4, 2014 Posted February 4, 2014 hey, at least you didn't mention setting shit on fire in the cave like some other clowns 'roudn here; that woulda earned you an immediate negative 10 stars and ultimate tr-bannination! Quote
shapp Posted February 5, 2014 Posted February 5, 2014 (edited) It was way more fun in the early 1990s when you could pull out every other bolt, inspect, then re-insert, and when half the belay bolts were no good, kind of overshadowed the mantles then. However, the mantles weren't that fun "with" a belayer Edited February 5, 2014 by shapp Quote
tvashtarkatena Posted February 5, 2014 Posted February 5, 2014 Diluting the hate, one star at a time. Quote
bbauer Posted February 7, 2014 Author Posted February 7, 2014 Shapp, I've heard the route was slightly more spicy back in the day . Also, I only mention the mantles because I'm kind of a pansy... Quote
Crickette Posted February 10, 2014 Posted February 10, 2014 I also used a hook to reach another bolt on pitch 3. Nice job on the solo. So, are both reachy/hook moves located after the P3 mid belay anchor? Also, can P2 + P3 really be combined with a 60m (w/partner)? Thanks. Quote
bbauer Posted February 10, 2014 Author Posted February 10, 2014 There is a hook move right off the ground to reach the first bolt which I didn't mention. The second is to the left of the mid pitch 3 anchors and the 3rd is a bit higher up. Both could be free climbed instead of using hooks (I just hate free climbing while soloing...see pansy reference above). The 3rd can also be done hookless with a strenuous top step, but I found it more efficient to just throw the hook in real quick and move through it. I've never linked those pitches before. I'm not sure I'd recommend it though. You'd need a shit ton of draws for it...or you'd need back clean a ton and piss your partner off... Quote
ivan Posted February 10, 2014 Posted February 10, 2014 you can clip the first bolt of p1 by either a) being 6'7 or b) stacking several convenient rocks on top of each other for a step i've never used a hook anywhere on route, though i do usually use a mini-cheater stick to get to the high bolt past the third anchor p2 and 3 combine neatly w/a 60 meter rope and is the recommended way - you don't need to leave draws but on every 3 bolts or so to keep it reasonably easy for the second to clean - i do recommend either a rope protector at the lip into the cave or to just fix the rope for the 2nd at the bolt below the lip (with the line then back up to the anchor in the cave of course) - i sawed through half my rope there once Quote
ivan Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 great idea actually - stack enough up n' you don't even have to climb shit, plus you can have the mother of all bonfires way up there in the sky Quote
bbauer Posted February 18, 2014 Author Posted February 18, 2014 i've never used a hook anywhere on route, though i do usually use a mini-cheater stick to get to the high bolt past the third anchor Why skip through it? That's my favorite part of the route... Quote
rbw1966 Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 i've never used a hook anywhere on route, though i do usually use a mini-cheater stick to get to the high bolt past the third anchor Why skip through it? That's my favorite part of the route... +1 Those hook moves are frankly the most interesting part of the route Quote
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