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Re: [microbarn] WPCF:
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climbingpa
Jul 27, 2009, 5:09 AM
Views: 11619
Registered: Apr 4, 2008
Posts: 37
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TRIP REPORT, Went to check out a NEW (to me) crag today. The Pipeline at Stewarton. Rayman, a good buddy of ours, told Laura and I of this super, amazing, wonderful, awesome, overhanging wall that we just had to see. So we three decided to spend a dreary, rest day to go check it out. We hiked 20 minutes or so in a light rain down the train tracks to the gasline. At the gasline we started hiking up the line in about 4' tall dense brush. After about 2 loooong minutes of that nightmare, we decided not seeing out feet in prime rattlesnake habitat was a bad idea and opted to head over and try to make our way up though the woodz. Seemed like a good idea. We made it about 30 yards up the steep, slippery hill when Zap... I got LIT up by a swarm of yellow jackets. After several minutes of less than proud moments, screams of terror and what I'm sure looked like a tribal war dance, I ended up with about 15 to 20 stings. Yep. Oh yeah... I forgot to mention that I'm really not that fond of bees. Ask anyone that's seen me in action... I'm not proud to admit it, but I'm a bee pansy. So now that we're past the bees. on with the story... Up the hill we continue. Making our way through the rain forest, we finally reach the base of super, amazing, wonderful, awesome, overhanging wall. Well lets just say that the slightly hazy memory of our beer swilling buddy Rayman was... how do I say this in a nice way? Horribly wrong! Rayman said and I quote "This is a little smaller than I remember". Standing is front of me is a 25' slightly overhung piece of rock. Seeing that Rayman has spent more time in the "local" woods looking for rock than anyone, I had to cut my buddy some slack... Yeah of course I gave him a hard time for a while, but the story isn't over just yet... To the left of "the amazing wall" really was a cool wall that he had climbed as he says, many years and beers ago. It had 3 cool lines on it that we did. The left line was a cool 5.8+ with a tricky bouldery start that leads you up to an incredible clean corner and crack finish that takes great gear. Such a great climb. To the right side was a line that Ray and Co. worked years ago. It was 5.8 climbing up to an awkward ledge. From there it worked up a classic flaring grit crack to some shallow sloping pockets through the finish. I sent it clean first go. Another very fun line. I'd estimate it to be about 5.11+. In the center of the wall I noticed another line that looked fun. Ray said it had never been tried. The climb went up through 5.10 climbing to a small horizontal break that splits the center of the rock (only gear placement) above this are the last holds before a rather long, blank section. From there make a long reach up to a reasonable hold. This puts you at sloping pockets and a stance. From there do a serious high step up to the same good hold that your hand was on and crank the slopers to the top. Very possible groundfall potential. Attentive running belay recommended. Very cool climbing at 5.12-. After a gloomy start, frantic screaming, approach adventure and a little suffering for what at first seemed like nothing, turned into an amazing day of hanging with great friends, napping and sunshine. I love climbing in SWPA. Hope your day was as miserable as ours !
(This post was edited by climbingpa on Jul 27, 2009, 5:10 AM)
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Edit Log:
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Post edited by climbingpa
() on Jul 27, 2009, 5:10 AM
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