Left a cam at Acker Rock on the Peregrine Traverse

[Paul Max]

Beginning of pitch two, in a crack of a fixed boulder on the left before the first bolt on the start of the 5.8 ahead. AKA 15 or 20 feet above the tree that serves as the anchor atop P1. Cam is a #2 Chouinard. Old school thing. Would love to get it back. Name your beer.

 

Thanks!

 

PM

[g orton]

Some beta on the Peregrine Traverse. There has been a lot of confusion added by people's descriptions over the years.

I recommend Acker Rock descriptions in Rock Climbing Western Oregon Vol. 2, Umpqua, 2007

Mtn N' Air Books.

 

Park at the gate to the lookout road. Hike the road a 1/2 mile to the climber's deer trail which takes you into the Sun Bowl (map, pg 43). Over the years someone has cut out most of the down trees that have fallen across the trail, it has been well flagged, and there is now a clear foot trail into the Sun Bowl.

 

Pitch-2 (50+ m) use slings to extend the length of your quick draws and reduce rope drag taking this pitch all the way to the ridge. I don't recommend clipping the belay in the middle of the pitch, it only adds drag. These are the top anchors to Sinister Footwear (.10a, 50m). Once past these anchors continue straight up for two bolts. From here you can continue straight up to the ridge or traverse left passing either below (.7-) or above (.6-) the tree (Topo D, pg 52) using the cracks for protection to the top of the prow out at the very end or the ridge (variation P2c) and one of the most picturesque belays (2 bolts) on the route especially in the fall.

 

Pitch-4 (5.5- with a couple new variations). Once you've made the down-climb into the saddle (Topo E, pg 54) you have three options for accessing the shelf at the base of the headwall of pitch-5 (Topo F, pg 55). Once in the saddle your options are: 1) scramble around the left side and up to the shelf, or

2) as you move around the left side of the corner look for a semi-crack where you can place a cam (Metolius N0. 4?) for a single .7- move with a scramble to the top, or

3) as shown in Topo E take the lower wall head with 2 closely placed bolts protecting a .8- crux then scramble. [WARNING: If you come off your will deck just from the rope stretch. Unless your comfortable on-sighting .8, consider repositioning your belayer to the saddle.]

 

Note: contrary to most uniformed descriptions I've been reading over the years, once you've started pitch-5, unless you really know your way around the rock you are committed until you've reached the base of the chimney on Pitch-9.

 

Pitch-8: down-climbing scramble from the register, down into the saddle, to the base of the dirty chimney. Do not rappel of the punky Doug-fir at the register. For one it is going to go one of this days, there are ants, it is dirty, and there is a much better way to go. Refer to description for Pitch-9 pg 54. From the register (top anchors for Black Magic) scramble out to the end of the ridge approx. 30 to 40 feet, down climb the right side approximately 8 ft to a short trail that contours into the saddle. There have been enough people on this route that it has become a fairly obvious path when you see it. It is possible to place gear on the down-climb.

 

Once at the chimney you can rap off and bushwhack up to the lookout, but I recommend the chimney. People really seem to enjoy it even though begins a little dirty at the bottom. Once on top, belay from the small tree or continue and belay at the final rappel at the end of the ridge. (Disregard the two anchors back in the crevasse from the tree, they are for something else).

 

The final rappel. No matter how many times you do this rappel you'll find yourself whining about it. But there is a trick to it. As you lower yourself over the lip there is a hole for your left foot to step in. Then rappel to the base of the large Doug-fir on your right, NOT FARTHER.

From the base of the Doug-fir pack up then follow the scramble trail up through some madrones and to the lookout. If there are people renting the lookout be sensitive to how they may accept your intrusion into their world. 99% of the time they will be excited to see climbers and will want to visit, but be sensitive to the 1% or less.

 

Note that there is a rare buckwheat that is only found on Acker Rock. It is grayish green in color and you will see it all along the Peregrine Traverse.

 

Also, I have yet to be on the Peregrine Traverse and not see at least one Peregrine. In the spring and summer you will see them shooting up using the updrafts just to the left of Pitch-5, and in the later summer and fall they will usually be seen staying low over the tops of the trees below you. On our climb in November we were able to watch them scrap with a bald eagle.

 

Last note for anyone considering climbing the route with multiple rope teams. In November we added an option at all belays where needed so that teams can work back to back.

 

Edited November 29, 2014 by g orton