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Josh Higgins
Trad climber
San Diego
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Feb 20, 2014 - 02:53pm PT
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Luke,
You have "Tricks" on Isaac as 5.11+. I believe it's 5.11-, but C2. There is only about 50' of direct aid, and a single pendulum in an otherwise adventurous and very long free route. It would be a challenge to do the route in a day, due to the length and amount of offwidth, but well within your ability. It's certainly more "adventure" than "classic", and Middendorf is totally full of sh#t about the "800' overhanging hand crack" through the headwall. There's probably less than 400' of hand crack on the route, and the headwall is so chossy that I wished I had goggles to keep the sand out of my eyes as I jammed up high.
Completely unforgettable was the Santa Claus Chimney, "5.7" on the topo. Sweet Jesus... It's more like 5.9 XXXXX. I remember walking to the back of a ledge, heading up a corner, and casting off into a traverse out a bombay chimney under a huge roof. There is NO GEAR. It's holdless flare, and the only thing that got me through it without freaking out was the confidence of having pounded out countless laps on Woodson's Big Grunt, although the Grunt flares upward and securely, instead of downward and deathy... The chimney flares closed so gradually, that if you try to set gear your head/body can't get any higher and you're swinging the cam just out of reach of the placement. I climbed all the way out the roof, and established liebacking the crack and/or on face holds where the roof ends before I could set my first piece where the crack pinches down. I probably got 1-2 pieces in on that pitch. Good times.
Also unforgettable was this is the first (and only?) route that I bested Scotty on an offwidth. He couldn't figure one of the sections out, so I took over the lead, read it a little different, and hiked on through it. I felt like a king. I'm sure I looked like a tool relative to him on all the other offwidth we've ever done together though! Ha!
I remember that rappelling the route we replaced almost all the tat anchors with new webbing, and that the halfway ledges could have used one rappel anchor, which I might have missed. I probably did the sketchiest rappel of my life on that route, half weighting the rope, and half downclimbing, because I was too scared to commit to either.
Good old Zion!
Josh
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Josh Higgins
Trad climber
San Diego
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Feb 20, 2014 - 03:03pm PT
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I don't have a guidebook in front of me, but Ball and Chain looks like it's on Angel's Landing left of Moonlight near the Lowe Route. I haven't climbed in Zion a ton, and I'm bad at knowing where everything is off memory, but I think that this area closed due to raptors during the Springtime. The closure area seems huge, and quite draconian relative to the raptor species, and this is something I might have to start working on next time I head out there. Perhaps a new project for ACSD!?
Josh
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crackfiend
climber
Springdale, Utah
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Feb 21, 2014 - 11:28am PT
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Good list there,
We put the Omen up right before the guidebook went to print so it wasnt included. It is a great route and I am glad to see people are hearing about it. The 2nd pitch hand crack is as good as any. I included my hand drawn topo. Let me know if you want some more beta.
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Jay Hack
Trad climber
Detroit, Michigan
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Feb 21, 2014 - 11:59am PT
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I remember hearing that Wind Sand and Stars in Kolob (IV 5.12) was a pretty spectacular route. Both established and freed by the man himself, Jeff Lowe.
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Grippa
Trad climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Feb 21, 2014 - 06:15pm PT
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Leaving for Zion in 30 minutes. PSYCHED!!!!!
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crackfiend
climber
Springdale, Utah
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Feb 22, 2014 - 11:19am PT
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Here is a little Zion stoke for you all. this is a new route I just finished tuesday. its in the same neighborhood as "the omen". This has been on my radar for 5 years and finally got back to send it. Yes that handcrack is as good as it looks, and no you cannot get there without doing some serious OW.
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Byran
climber
San Jose, CA
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Feb 22, 2014 - 10:27pm PT
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Nice pics. I bought the Supertopo when it came out some years back and poured over the glossy photos of all the classic free climbs. In those years I've logged a measly 2.5 days cragging and 1 day hiking in the park. I really need to make it back, especially now that I've gotten a little more comfortable with the idea of tackling 5.11 cracks. It's one of my favorite areas and I've hardly been.
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trevorl
Trad climber
SLC
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Feb 24, 2014 - 03:27pm PT
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you might like the finger crack on lovelace...~180 feet 5.12
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Grippa
Trad climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Feb 24, 2014 - 06:34pm PT
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F*#kinA it's on down there right now. Just got done with Tricks in 11 hr's and got smash mouth clean the following day. I'm worked right now, but PSYCHEDD!!!!!!
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kk1982
Trad climber
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hey guys nice to see some Zion psyche! I moved to the cedar city area from PA some months ago and need a climbing buddy for some of these routes!!! grippa? others? email me I'm off work mar 8-16
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Grippa
Trad climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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I've heard great things about "Holy Roller" on Mt. Spry 5.11 so you should add that to your list Luke. It's listed as 5 pitches in the Bird guide, but goes in fewer or so I'm told.
and I think Tricks will go free. There's a variation we scoped that is like blue tcu's and the like directly under the pendulum. The c2 pitch will be hard, but that's what the kids like these days I guess.
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streetshoes
Social climber
Tucson
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Jan 12, 2015 - 09:22pm PT
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My two cents:
Lovelace, East Temple - superb
Vigil, Watchman - superb
Silmaril, Watchman - superb (suggest party frees original line; my guess is that it will go)
Rites of Passage just left of Shune's - great (bring a plastic brush)
Dancing with Zully, Mt Spry - superb 5 pitch route
Gems that people don't know about:
Hello Marylou, Angelino Wall
Golden Years, Kolob
Gatekeeper Crack, Gatekeeper Wall (my guess is that it can be freed at 5.13+ if someone is studly and patient enough.
Wrath or Rhah, Temple of Sinawava (can probably go free at 5.12+)
have fun
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cultureshock
Trad climber
Mountain View
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 13, 2015 - 09:30pm PT
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I'm back in Zion for a few days. Bump for more stories!
Also, does anyone have access to Brian McCray's old website? Lots of great info and psych on there.
Luke
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SuperTopo on the Web
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Luke
Let us know!