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esallen
Mar 15, 2005, 5:08 AM
Post #1 of 18
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Registered: Jul 11, 2004
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The Thumb, Never Again
Well, Tristan (mrtristan) and I had talked about doing it a long time ago, and decided last Saturday that this weekend(3/6/05) would be perfect. Weather was supposed to be good, temperatures moderate, and it was finally late enough in the winter season that we actually had climbable light until after 5pm if we ended up needing it.
The Thumb is faintly visible above me and to the left in this picture which I took of it last summer:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=38643
The Thumb IV 5.7 is Little Cottonwood’s longest route and one of the most committed according to the guide-book. Besides the warnings about this route’s adventurous nature, we figured it would be nothing more than a simple 5.7 stroll up friendly granite cracks at the top of which we’d be privileged to incredible views atop the canyon’s largest formation, take a few cool pictures, and then hike down the gulley of our choice back to the road below; although the guidebook called for a full-day, we intended to finish by 2pm and call other friends (Sam and girlfriend) to join us for a few late-afternoon routes on Gate Buttress and maybe some bouldering at the Cabbage Patch.
After picking up Tristan, we drove from Provo, UT to Little Cottonwood Canyon just southeast of Salt Lake City; we arrived at our pullout around 8:30am and started throwing together a rack. As planned, Tristan had left his rack behind except for his #4 Camalot which we intended to use on the “Trough” pitch along with my Metolius Powercam #10 and my #4.5 Camalot. We decided to leave behind the #5 Camalot I’d purchased earlier that week (I’m glad we did). We decided to take doubles in the small-med sized cams, and just a single piece in each size bigger than 2.5 inches. We took a quad-cam and TCU in each of the smaller sizes. We topped it all off with the usual crap-load of slings, spare biners, and nuts.
Here is the rack we took- exclude the #5 camalot, 1 set of nuts, the stick-clip, and add in a #4 camalot:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=50247
The half-hour approach had me sweating bullets in no time. It was still cold out, but we realized early that we’d brought too much stuff. In addition to our rack and rope, we had a backpack full of other miscellaneous stuff: food, first aid, sunscreen, camera, helmets and climbing shoes, 2-way radios and cell-phone, warmer clothing, TONS of water, etc. The 30 minute approach consisted mostly of scrambling up a boulder/talus slope and then zigzagging up a steep narrow brush-filled trail to the base of the Thumb area. On the way we passed several awesome-looking crack routes that we swore we’d climb when we were done. In retrospect, I wish we’d have scrapped the whole Thumb idea and just ticked off a bunch of these sweet lines.
Here is one sweet crack we passed during our approach:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=50253
The Thumb, a giant thumb-looking block, is perched atop Little Cottonwood’s largest cliff. Depending on how you work things, you’re in for between 7 and 10 pitches before you reach the thumb/summit block. I think most people probably do it in 8. We reached the start of the first pitch a little after 9am and began racking up. We stuffed all the big cams in the backpack with our other miscellaneous stuff and Tristan started up the first pitch.
Tristan ready for pitch 1:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=50239
The most direct option for pitch-one was unavailable to us because the pre-spring runoff had filled the best crack with water and mud. Tristan climbed up and right in secondary cracks, made friction moves to the left, and was finally able to make it through the crux-slot and set up a belay above. I then started up the 2nd pitch following the Indecent Exposure variation in order to avoid several groveling gully pitches. After the initial steep crack system, the pitch consisted of a low-angle dirt-filled crack interrupted frequently by bushes, piles of wet leaves, and dead tree-branches; it really sucked. What made it bearable, however, was finding a stopper! We figured that climbers got it stuck last fall and the freeze-thaw process over the winter loosened it up for us; hurrah for booty! :D Accidentally missing the belay-slings I unintentionally stole Tristan’s next pitch by continuing upward into awesome more-vertical granite cracks with fun exposure and ending with a sweet under-cling move. My only problem was that because I’d accidentally decided to combine pitches 2 and 3, I was quickly running out of med and large gear and had some annoying rope-drag in addition. Being about 180 feet above Tristan’s belay now, he radioed that I had probably less than 20 feet left. After I found a secure rest hold, Tristan left his belay and crept up against the wall giving me a few extra feet. I ran out the last section, placing only one marginal Metolius Powercam in the last 30 feet. With only 1 ½ feet left, I grabbed the lunch-ledge chains and radioed “off-belay.”
After beating his way through the brush-filled 2nd pitch, and the glorious 3rd, Tristan arrived at my belay just after 2 other climbers used our anchors to rap from the top of their 11d over-hanging finger crack (S-Crack); I was honored to share chains with these people, who were obviously unbelievable crack climbers. Our lunch ledge wasn’t as flat as we’d have liked, but we did eat our lunch here. The wind motivated us to eat quickly and get on our way. After the next “pitch,” which was not really a pitch, but a 4th class traverse across the ledge to a belay stance at the ledges end, we roped up and Tristan started up the notorious “trough” pitch. The trough pitch begins with a fun fist crack angling up and left to a small roof. After Tristan plugged in my old #4 Forged Friend, I yelled “Old school! Yea baby!” and Tristan disappeared over the roof into the trough. The nature of this “trough” deserves some discussion. All the guide-books call it “exciting” and “interesting,” and while Tristan enjoyed it on lead, I cursed my way up it with the pack. The trough is 2 feet wide, and about 4 feet deep; it angles upward, meandering like a snake toward the large chimney above. The trough looks basically like a theme-park water-slide made out of granite. There isn’t much opportunity for pro, although he did end up placing the Metolius #10 down low in the groove about half way up the pitch. The palms of my hands are still very tender from squeezing my way up this deep, awkward groove.
Tritan starts up the trough pitch. After the angled hand crack and small roof, the unprotected "trough" feature begins out of sight:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=50244
After the trough pitch, came the large squeeze chimney. Crap, it was my lead! :shock: After starring in horror at the thing for about 5 minutes, I grabbed our big Camalots and eased my way into the chimney. I sat there for another 5 min trying to adjust my cams so they wouldn’t get in the way, puncturing my chest cavity. I wanted to tell Tristan that I was just too tired, but knew it would be worse seconding it with the pack. It was so tight that I had trouble even turning my head.
Me leading the squeeze chimney (pitch 5):
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=50242
After finally discovering a body position that would work, I began inching my way up the thing. :x I placed my #4.5 Camalot deep in the back of the chimney where it narrowed up a bit about 3/4 the way up. After an eternity of pain and suffering, I reached the top.
Topping out on the chimney; you can't see the 4.5 Camalot I placed in way deep:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=50251
Totally missing the belay slings on a near-by tree, I placed Tristan’s #4 Camalot and continued upward though cracks and small trees, eventually finding a set of slings under “the ear,” a large ear-shaped boulder. Well, I’d done it again; I stole another one of Tristan’s pitches on accident. Tristan arrived at my belay with plenty of nasty things to say about the squeeze chimney; I still don’t know how he got up that thing with our enormous pack. We both took time to express our hatred for the pitch while taking time to let our bodies recover somewhat from chimney torture.
Eric (me) near the top:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=50243
Pitch 7/8(?) was an easy scramble up to the base of the thumb where we unroped and took in the killer views. We had finally made it! We were so tired, sore, and worn-out that we didn’t even feel like climbing onto the actual summit block. The summit pitch is a little 15 foot climb protected by an old pin. After consulting the topo and discovering that we would have to rapp from a small bush on the summit block if we got up there, we decided that our climb was over.
Tristan is the man:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=50240
We scrambled onto a ledge below to look for our first set of rapp anchors. After about 3 hours of bush-whacking down steep loose gullies and 7 rappels, we were finally at the boulder field. To make a very long story short, our decent was characterized by much agony and frustration. We made two rapps off of sketchy webbing and then began searching for “Plumbline Gully” which I don’t think really exists. We would scramble down miserable gully after gully only to find ourselves at the top of a freaky cliff with no good rappel options. We finally decided to rapp off a sling that we girth-hitched around a big bush overhanging a steep slab. After that we did some more scrambling until we found anchors above the Waterfront Cliff. Here Tristan found a sweet chalk-bag and biner! Hurrah for more booty! :lol: We made 4 more long rappels down the steep overhanging Waterfront and finally reached the boulder field just minutes away from the car. We arrived at the road just before sun-set, swearing that we might never climb again and calling my wife to reassure her that we were alive and in relatively good condition.
Guess who was waiting at home for me?
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=50249
In conclusion, let me unequivocally state that I will NEVER do this climb again under any circumstances whatsoever! Although several of the pitches were fun and unique, it is just not worth it. I’m glad to have ticked the route off, but you won’t find me on The Thumb again. There are so many more quality routes in the canyon; I won’t waste my time doing anything like that in the future.
If YOU ever decide to climb The Thumb:
1. Take as little stuff as possible: A small rack (no doubles needed), power bars, a topo, and water; that’s it!
2. Spend an hour discussing the decent route with someone who has done it the right way.
3. Be prepared for a variety of climbing including steep dirty cracks, a painful squeeze chimney, the incredibly weird and virtually unprotectable “trough,” and an exhausting and tedious decent.
4. Do enjoy the few good pitches there are, my favorite being the 2nd pitch on the Indecent Exposure variation (pitch 3 overall) consisting of a clean 5.7 crack system, easy pro, and killer views from highly exposed near-vertical granite.
5. Keep your eyes open for booty! Because of its relatively easy grade, novice climbers are bound to make numerous unsuccessful attempts up The Thumb every year, losing truck loads of gear in the process.
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mrtristan
Mar 15, 2005, 7:49 AM
Post #2 of 18
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Registered: Jun 21, 2002
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Yeah... That climb was... Intense. Definitely intense. Not a fan... That chimney pitch alone was enough to make that climb suck beyond all reason. Great report though!
-Tristan
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golsen
Mar 15, 2005, 10:40 AM
Post #3 of 18
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Registered: Mar 1, 2005
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I got a kick out of your TR. Thanks for posting. I also think you have a first. I doubt that anyone has ever carried a stick clip up the thing. I dont think you need that thing anywhere in LCC and maybe not even BCC. For sure dont take it with you on Trad Routes. As far as the chimney, yes following it with a pack really sucks. I got stuck in there about 28 years ago and thought guys like you would be clipping my gear sling for pro in the many years to come.....Dont be discouraged, I went back many times, The S Crack is worth it. Good Job.
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esallen
Mar 15, 2005, 3:20 PM
Post #4 of 18
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Registered: Jul 11, 2004
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Don't worry golsen, we actually left the stick-clip behind, but we did take WAY TOO MUCH stuff for sure. Thanks for your comments and encouragement!
Eric
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edge
Mar 15, 2005, 3:41 PM
Post #5 of 18
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Registered: Apr 14, 2003
Posts: 9120
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Nice TR!
I got a real kick out of the picture of your rack. I only recently bought my first two cams smaller than a #1 Friend (about 7/8"). It looks like you have a boatload of the smaller cams, and a very small selection of passive gear. I typically carry three times as many wired stoppers and a couple small wired hexes for the same size range. Lighter and cheaper, but I guess that just shows my age...
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billcoe_
Mar 15, 2005, 6:23 PM
Post #6 of 18
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Registered: Jun 30, 2002
Posts: 4694
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Now thats what a TR is SUPPOSED to be!
Damn sweet, great descritions, honest and ice pics too! Thanks for sharing.
Bill
(by the way, what edge said goes for me too)
Regards:
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over_the_hill
Mar 15, 2005, 6:55 PM
Post #7 of 18
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Registered: Feb 6, 2004
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Here is a couple of thoughts for you guys:
1: There is a point on your climb where you can step over into the last pitch of the "S" crack. This is an amazing pitch to do, and usually very clean.
2: Never do the trough pitch! Get good with your friction skills and enjoy the S direct. It is a classic, and no chimney!!!
3: It is possible to rap the entire line of the S direct, and S crack to the ground. Much faster (in my opinion), and a lot cleaner. I think you need 2 ropes, but I would much rather carry the extra line than to bushwack all that distance to your packs.
Thanks for the story, it brought back a lot of memories of climbing the thumb.
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cfmwh
Mar 15, 2005, 7:12 PM
Post #8 of 18
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Registered: Mar 3, 2005
Posts: 107
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Oh, it makes me miss living in Utah. I love LCC, though I've never done that route. Great TR. Nice distraction from work for a few minutes...Thanks!!
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veep23
Mar 15, 2005, 7:27 PM
Post #9 of 18
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Registered: May 15, 2002
Posts: 125
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ohhh come on man.... u loved it! i've wanted to do it for years but have refrained after hearing so many stories of the hellish descent. Still... i cant believe you didn't do the summit pitch! If i squeeze through a chimney like that... I'm definately gaining the summit! Unless of course there is another chimney in my way.
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tenesmus
Mar 15, 2005, 7:57 PM
Post #10 of 18
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Registered: Jul 27, 2004
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In reply to: Here is a couple of thoughts for you guys: 1: There is a point on your climb where you can step over into the last pitch of the "S" crack. This is an amazing pitch to do, and usually very clean. 2: Never do the trough pitch! Get good with your friction skills and enjoy the S direct. It is a classic, and no chimney!!! 3: It is possible to rap the entire line of the S direct, and S crack to the ground. Much faster (in my opinion), and a lot cleaner. I think you need 2 ropes, but I would much rather carry the extra line than to bushwack all that distance to your packs. Thanks for the story, it brought back a lot of memories of climbing the thumb.
don't be so hard on yourselves - you made it up, you did a high variety of climbing and you navigated your way back down. The more of that stuff you do, the better you get - and fast. Besides, its intimidating up there if you've never been. You need to do Pentapitch and Tingey's Torture and Arm and Hammer now.
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cologman
Mar 15, 2005, 9:01 PM
Post #11 of 18
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Registered: Sep 29, 2002
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I know its hard to say but repeat after me......."a rope, a rack and the shirt on my back"
Good job nonetheless. :lol:
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tenesmus
Mar 15, 2005, 9:24 PM
Post #12 of 18
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Registered: Jul 27, 2004
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Oh yeah - the first time I tried to do the thumb I went up in July and it was like 100 degrees.... WTF was I thinking!!!
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braon
Mar 15, 2005, 11:28 PM
Post #13 of 18
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Registered: Sep 4, 2003
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The trough pitch actually protects really well with a couple of offset friends. Whenever I climb this route, I usually do it with a 60m rope in 5 pitches, 2 to lunch ledge, 2 to the slabs up top, and 1 to the summit. I take a couple of offset friends, 3-4 smaller cams, and a set of nuts. Last time my partner and I were back to the car about 4 hours after we left, with no simul-climbing. The decent can be downclimbed entirely once you're familiar with it. Took us about 45 minutes last time. Looking at your pictures, you're way too far in on the squeeze pitch. Try climbing right on the outside of the thing. It goes a lot easier. S Crack and Direct are definately worth going back for.
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ddriver
Mar 15, 2005, 11:33 PM
Post #14 of 18
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Registered: Oct 6, 2003
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People shouldn't be dissuaded from doing this route. I can imagine the first two or three pitchess being dirty this early in the season due to snowmelt, and that may have contributed to the indecent exposure pitch being dirty as well. That pitch is normally fairly clean and the trees can be mostly avoided.
Where you guys screwed up is making the second pitch above the ledge into a squeeze chimney, especially since you were carrying a pack. Stay outside the thing and its actually reasonable stemming, though with little gear.
I think the route is fun and challenging for aspiring alpine climbers. Maybe in a couple years you'll realize that you can do it in better style and go back.
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esallen
Mar 16, 2005, 2:40 AM
Post #15 of 18
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tenesmus said:
In reply to: Overthehill is right - do the s-crack (with out a pack) and you can do the .8 chimney, then aid the .11d part and then free the .8 last pitch - it really is one of the best 5.8's around. S-direct is way cool, I led it again the same day we met you at your belay on the lunch ledge (my friend led coyne and s-crack). S-direct is way runnout, so be sure you are comfortable climbing .10 slabs in lcc. You definitely will have a much better experience if you go back and do it again this way. Also, do the raps overthehill mentioned because they save a ton of time. If you have a 70, you can go from the top of S-direct down in about 4 or 5 raps. I think I was back to my car by 12:15 and we left at like 7:30? Did you approach from the Gate Buttress parking? don't be so hard on yourselves - you made it up, you did a high variety of climbing and you navigated your way back down. The more of that stuff you do, the better you get - and fast. Besides, its intimidating up there if you've never been. You need to do Pentapitch and Tingey's Torture and Arm and Hammer now.
In reply to: Where you guys screwed up is making the second pitch above the ledge into a squeeze chimney, especially since you were carrying a pack. Stay outside the thing and its actually reasonable stemming, though with little gear. I think the route is fun and challenging for aspiring alpine climbers. Maybe in a couple years you'll realize that you can do it in better style and go back.
I really appreciate all the feedback. I wish Tristan and I had talked to you guys before we did the climb. I do have a 70 meter; perhaps if there is a next time for the Thumb, we will bring it along and rap down S-Direct. I must say that the views were totally killer and it sounds like there are WAY better ways to do the climb than we did. I am still getting used to friction granite so I'll have to be careful on that runnout .10 section. I've heard of pentapitch, but I'll have to look up those other routes. I'd really enjoy hearing about any other moderate routes you guys recommend in LCC.
Eric
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coldclimb
Mar 16, 2005, 2:57 AM
Post #16 of 18
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Registered: Jan 14, 2002
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An unfinished route will eat away at you until you can't stand it anymore. Sooner or later you've GOT to go back and send that thing! ;) Don't give it up!
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golsen
Mar 17, 2005, 2:16 AM
Post #17 of 18
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Registered: Mar 1, 2005
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Hi, I couldnt help sending you another response to your TR. AWESOME job and thanks for sharing. Honest adventure is what it describes and I am so happy that adventure still awaits the climber on the Thumb. From my previous post I told you that I did it about 28 years ago. Yes I believe that it was 77 but could have been 78. I wasnt good enough to lead it so enlisted the Rope Gun, Merril Bitter, his brother Kimball and Bret Ruckman (good friend and Guidebook Author) to climb the route. We also did Indecent Exposure. I remember that I was in Mountain Boots and following the trough was scary as could be. I probably felt much the same way that you did upon arriving at the summit (we topped out, cant slow Bitter or Ruckman down). I just wanted to let you know that this type of climbing and adventure and groveling is something you will find on many big routes throughout the country. Over the nearly 3 decades I have been climbing, adventures such as these formed a solid basis for many pitches I did not want to lead but were mandatory on some of the bigger walls in the US. I have groveled on big walls in Colorado, Zion, numerous desert towers and Yosemite. The background of doing things in LCC will serve you well. Also, if you do find yourself traveling to some of the areas I mentioned, you can expect some chimneys, offwidths and generally weird pitches that you wont be seeing at sport climbing areas and that is why going back up there is a worthwhile thing for the aspiring adventure climber. The S Crack next for you? LCC is an awesome climbing area. Oh yes I forgot to add, a real adventure, one where you probably wont find any booty is Perlas Ridge. I climbed that early on and in later years I guided it. That is an untouched adventure. Sorry for the ramblings of someone homesick for their home climbing area and thanks again for sharing.
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ddriver
Mar 17, 2005, 2:58 PM
Post #18 of 18
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Registered: Oct 6, 2003
Posts: 264
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Hey, golsen, just realized that the g means gary. Good to hear from you. Yeah, you had some good rope guns on the Thumb. We shared time on the Elephant's Perch in 2001. Let's see how good your memory is.
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