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climberweenie
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 23, 2005 - 11:49pm PT
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Dudes, in our first debacle at finding Via Aqua, we thought the final bit of "3rd class" was too sketchy so we decided to climb "that interesting looking line where we happened to be". We rapped in dark having no idea how far from top we were. As it turns out, we met up with Aqua Mist belay (Aqua Mist follows the large chimney system right below our top belay). We could have walked off or had an easy 5.6 finishing pitch.
The next weekend we did Via Aqua and took this picture of our route (and Aqua Mist to right of our route) from the first pitch of Via Aqua.
So do we get brownie points for no-bolts first ascent 5.9 C1 (still awaiting fairly easy FFA), or did we just flail on an obscure 5.10 freeclimb that has the "nobody climbed here" pebbles all over the wall?
If it's new we dub it "AquaChossy"
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WBraun
climber
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May 24, 2005 - 12:08am PT
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Now this kind of topo I like. Very nice.
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climberweenie
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2005 - 12:23am PT
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such topos are easy to make using only Microsoft Power Point and the original hi-res .jpg image. It helps to have been a marketing geek for a while churning out powerpoints.
Go to Insert->Picture (browse for your photo), then use the line tools and text windows to add what's needed. Select all and group together, right click and "save as picture - jpeg). Whole process takes 5 mins when you figure it out.
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bulgingpuke
Trad climber
cayucos california
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May 24, 2005 - 12:42am PT
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What about that laser cut thin crack to the left?
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climberweenie
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2005 - 01:13am PT
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I think the laser cut line would go free at a reasonable grade (if 5.11 or greater is reasonable for you). It was steeper, and we opted for the path of what appeared to be least resistance and within our stiff 5.9 trad range (didn't know where Aqua Mist was at the time).
So our route starts out easy 5.6 blocks for 20 feet, then an awkard 5.8 hands to offwidth (hard to keep shoulders in so both hands can reach the jams). After that, a strenuous stemming chimney leads to overhanging hand then off-fist crack (WARNING: belayer should have helmet- I had 3" granite flakes coming out of my underwear when I got home; got hit in head with 3" rock but cowboy hat saved me; 8" rock slammed down inches from my feet; constant stream of spray from little pebbles launched by fruitless smearing attempts on the walls). After Commitment+Selaginella earlier in day, we were too burnt to pull through the roof (got one hand to top out, but no juice left to finish). So with bloodied hand after slipping on jam, resorted to pendulum to adjacent crack (off of the 3" cam). After opposing nuts placement and friction traverse, a few super-dicey cams in the next crack system (one blew on my body weight), led to a few walking steps then a 20' unprotected squeeze/offwidth (slightly bigger than heel-toe) with loose pebbles and a super-wide hand pinch on outside flake of the squeeze. Belayed in a squeeze chimney/alcove covered in algae with some running water (chest wedged, feet hanging). Stained my best Hawaiian shirt. My partner led the next roof and surmounting the chockstone, I opted for another pendulum and frictioned up outside slab. Dude, this forum is addicting. I'm trying to finish some work and somehow I keep returning here when I'm not paying attention.
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