shovelracer's Logbook (6 ascents)

Took my friend and his girl up to today. First time for him to second. My first lead of this route. All little cams 0.4-1 except for a BD # 4 high up in the offwidth section.

The true arete climb is between the two right facing corners, both right of the face wall containing year in the life. To climb the arete route you must not use the popular crack left (5.7) or the corner right (5.5). The route done properly is 5.8. Bailing off the intended route to either side drops it down to 5.6. The tree on the second ledge that is popular for anchoring is starting to look bad. A few equalized cams and nuts will do the trick though.

Easy access, clean climb, bolts up top.

Stopped by for a quickie with the wife. She's pregnant so I solo TR'd it. Nice, clean, short, and fun. Easy with 2 liebacks. Also sent the 5.9 before getting rained out.

By now everyone knows there is poison ivy there. Naturally you will want to wander left toward LSH. Stay right. Pro is OK with solid rock, but used way more larger cams than I had anticipated. A few good sized runouts.

Most are only doing the first pitch only. The gaunlet or second pitch is a whole different story. First pitch is clean and fun. Second pitch is dirty, shallow cracks make pro sorta sketchy down low. Some real bomber places can be found though, especially higher up. Found a super sketchy TR or rappel station slung over large rock chunk a little ways up. Not redundant and was 90% chewed through on the back. I wonder how many used it without ever checking the entire thing. I pulled it down so it could not be used any more. Started raining while I was in the chimney, darn rock gets real slick with just a little moisture. You will find my WC #5 nut stuck in there somewhere. Book says there is a rappel station on the left at the top, but the area is so overgrown that it is hard to get to. Instead I traversed right at the top to an established tree station just right and below a large boulder chunk outcrop containing several newer slings and a cord with rings. Rappelled to TR ledge and again to bottom. Since the second decided to bail due to the wet rock I lead and cleaned on rappel. I am calling this ascent "clean onsight solo".