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jsb
Trad climber
Bay area
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 2, 2008 - 01:48am PT
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From Saturday, August 23 to Sunday, August 31 Wendy and I (Justin) took a climbing vacation up to Idaho and Wyoming. Maybe we met some of you on our trip... if so, speak up! We had originally planned for a trip up to Squamish, BC... but an unrelenting forecast of 10 straight days of rain prompted us to change our plans the day before the flight. We weren't really sure where to go that might have better weather... Smith Rock? (too much lamo sport climbing)... The Sierras? (a change of scenery would be nice)... Indian Creek (too hot). So actually, we called up Clint and he recommended The Elephant's Perch in the Sawtooth Range of Idaho. After a cursory weather check and google image search, we were happily convinced. We hadn't even known that there was any climbing in Idaho at all... but it had to be better than sitting in a tent in the rain in Canada! :) We also scoped out the surrounding areas and saw lots of possibilities: City of Rocks, the Tetons, the Wind River Range, Devil's Tower. In the end, we spent a day climbing Astroelephant (IV, 5.10-) at the Perch, a day attempting the Direct Exum Ridge (IV, 5.7) on the Grand Teton only too be turned by high winds before even breaking out the rope, and 4 days at the Cirque of the Towers in the Wind River Range where we climbed the NorthEast Face of Pingora (IV, 5.9) and the East Ridge of Wolf's Head (III, 5.6).
Late night preparations before the flight.
Here are your protagonists enjoying the first good view of the Sawtooths on the way from Boise.
Ferry boat ride across Redfish lake in the morning. They leave from the dock on demand after 7:00am and return every 2 hours until 7:00pm. If you climb too slowly and want to get back across the lake after that you have to hike an additional 5 miles. (We never had a chance, especially after waking up at about 8am.)
Hiking towards Elephant's perch. There must have been some wildfires in the area as the air was a bit hazy.
After about 4 miles... The Perch! Our route for the day, Astroelephant, goes up the right hand side of this face. I guess some of the features on this face look like Elephant trunks?
Approaching the start of the route.
First pitch crux, 5.10-. Wendy and I swapped leads the whole way up the climb, and I was glad she took the next pitch, also 5.10-, which felt way harder to me.
Wendy following p6, after a wild 5.9+ move where you step around a huge arete, which I guess is one of the elephant trunks. This was the highlight of the route for me!
Pitch 9'ish. We got a bit off-route here after I led up a steep 5.10'ish finger crack that started at a small overhang with a fixed green alien. After about 50ft of great climbing this variation dead-ended at a bail anchor in an alcove with very crumbly rock. We were probably 50ft to the right of the actual route. I penjied over to some blocky ledges on the left and then aided up a hard, right-leaning crack to get above the bail anchor. In this photo, Wendy is climbing some potentially new territory above the bail slings that I had circumnavigated. After this section there was 20ft of a small, flared finger seam (5.7) that led into a few moves of slab (5.8) to turn the headwall.
Saddleback lake far below.
Summit photo. First climb of the trip: success!
Justin and Wendy none-too-pleased about missing the ferry ride back across redfish lake. This adds about 5 miles of hiking ot the original 4 miles from the ferry landing.
The next day we thought about climbing another area classic, the Book (5.8) on the Finger of Fate. Unfortunately, our Hyundai rental car was no match for the approach road where a 4WD is highly recommended. So, to avoid doing too much more hiking we decided to take a rest/driving day and head over to the Grand Tetons.
Our lodging for the evening. Perhaps some of you know the place...
And our objective for the next day: The Direct Exum Ridge.
Unfortunately, after waking up at 3am and then hiking to the saddle in between the Middle and Grand Tetons, we were nearly bowled over by strong winds before we could even break out the rope. Climbing or even hiking the Owen-Spalding route to the top would have been madness. Everyone who had camped at the saddle the night before hoping to climb had already started heading back down. The only two people going up were two Iranians in shorts and t-shirts! These guys were burly. One more reason Bush shouldn't mess with Iran.
Consolation bouldering in the gorge on the hike back down to the trailhead.
At this point, we were feeling a little tired after spending another day doing 12+ miles of hiking, so we spent the next day driving to the Wind River Range in the morning and then hiking the more manageable 9 miles into the Cirque of the Towers, hoping to bag the two area classics: NE Face of Pingora Peak and the East Ridge of Wolf's Head.
Justin, looking like a gumby, at the Big Sandy Trailhead in the Wind River Range.
Wendy heading up towards Jackass Pass.
Our Campsite.
Hiking towards Pingora the next morning.
The base of Pingora, looking up.
Wendy leading up the 2nd pitch - a 5.7 lieback/stemming corner. The route doesn't stray from this crack system for the next 1000 ft! A perfect line.
Justin on P3 happy to be climbing rather than hiking!
Pitch 8'ish or 9'ish... The WendyMsOng variation. Wendy explored a kickass lieback flake and then a steep finger and hand crack maybe 30ft to the right of the most-traveled line.
Booty! Justin cleaned this from somewhere near pitch 7 or 8, right above the pitch where you get to choose between a 5.8 flare or a 5.9 lieback. We did the lieback so we wouldn't have to lug in any big gear... but it was more awkward than fun. Next time I'd go for the flare, for sure.
Yay for auto-shoot. Summit!
Tomorrow's objective: The East Ridge of Wolf's Head, as seen from the summit of Pingora.
This is how it's done, boys and girls... assuming bears can't climb V0 or dyno to about 14ft off the ground.
The approach for Wolf's Head.
The 2ft wide sidewalk slab at the start of the ridge. This is the signature pitch of the climb and you have 500 ft of exposure on both sides.
Traversing around the first tower. One of the most interesting parts of this climb is figuring out how to navigate around a series of four towers that sit on top of the ridge. I think you go South, North, North, South.
Wendy traversing one of the towers. Exposure!
Traversing another tower.
Full view of the ridge from the summit.
Another summit photo.
Last rap-station on a very involved descent/downclimb of the West Face. You get to climb over the continental divide and then back again!
Parting shot of the two classics. The 'lupine' profile of Wolf's Head is especially apparent here.
And lastly, two sweet panorama shots of the Cirque.
The end!
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dogtown
climber
Where I once was,I think?
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Nice TR. I have been wanting to do Pingora for some time now. Maybe next year. Thanks.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Well, that was lovely! Thanks!
I was in the Wind Rivers a few years ago, in a trip highlighted by a long storm. We got right to the start of the sidewalk pitch on Wolf's Ears, and driven off by lightning, hail and rain. Pretty exciting place to be.
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Dick_Lugar
Trad climber
Indiana (the other Mideast)
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Thx. for the report. Great to see some beautiful rock. The Winds are one of my fav places to go. Sounded like a fantastic trip. Good on you both!
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Neat TR.
The Cirque--a mystical place--the parking lot looked
crowded, but it appears you had the routes to yourselves!
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Captain...or Skully
Big Wall climber
up Yonder (someplace else)
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A whole lotta stone out that way.....good shtuff, Maynard!....
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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I'm jealous. Nice TR, nice pix.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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love the Winds... I think the Wolf's Head ridge climb is the best... Matthes Crest is a distant second (IMHO).
Thanks for posting, Idaho is one of those sleeper states...
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cowpoke
climber
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fabulous! looks like you had a grand trip (despite high winds on the grand)! I love that first summit shot -- very sweet.
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TheLittleUnit
climber
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Yes, hard to believe we had both climbs to ourselves each day! Most of the cars in the parking lot belonged to hikers. The Cirque of the Towers is a magical place and didn't feel at all crowded, probably because we were there mid-week. We hiked out just before a front moved in (5"+ snow above 8000 ft) to catch our flight - and because we didn't fancy using climbing tape for toilet paper.
--Wendy
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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Fabulous TR.
You guys scored, the weather looks like it was perfect.
(Not even any afternoon build up?)
Thanks for taking the time to take and post such great pic's,
your TR invokes a flood of fond memories.
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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great TR - thanks. Takes me way back.
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yu-min
Big Wall climber
california, san diego
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nice! great pics guys, good job
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Nice TR, looks like a fun trip! Bump for an actual non political thread!!
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Wow, the Wind Rivers look awesome. I believe Jim Bridger the famous trapper really loved this place as did many of his comrades. Lot's of history there. I'm envious. I've always wanted to go there. Really cool pics. I did the Exum in '79; one of my favorites. Too bad you missedit .It would have made your great TR even better. Cheers.
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jsb
Trad climber
Bay area
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 2, 2008 - 02:15pm PT
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Oh, forgot to mention the only bad part about the trip... 2 speeding tickets in Wyoming!
The highway patrol in Wyoming are ferocious. We both got a ticket for doing low 80's. Yeah, I know, speeding is bad... but Idaho seems way cooler about it b/c they'll actually post reasonable speed limits of 75. The highest we ever saw in Wyoming was probably 65, and the roads are very conducive to going quite a bit faster than that. Bummer.
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jsb
Trad climber
Bay area
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 2, 2008 - 02:20pm PT
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And I didn't know they could do this, but one of the Wyoming cops forced me to follow him to an ATM so I could pay him the fine of 220 bucks on the spot! It was either that or go to jail.
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piquaclimber
Trad climber
Durango
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Very nice!
Love the panos!
Brad
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Very cool.
The Cirques looks a really cool place. I've read about Wolf's Head in a magazine once. Looks cool. Thanks for the pics.
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