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Messages 1 - 14 of total 14 in this topic |
Floyd Hayes
Trad climber
Hidden Valley Lake, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 23, 2014 - 10:07am PT
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I'm unable to find much beta about this climb online, although I do have the new book "Locals Guide to Rock Climbs of Northeast California." What is pitch 4 like? It's described as sustained 5.9+. Is it a balancy or arm-pumping pitch? I'm trying to assess whether I can lead it with some recent elbow tendinitis that has kept me from exercising my arms.
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JakeW
Big Wall climber
CA
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May 23, 2014 - 11:20am PT
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It only has some short steep sections. The "5.9+" is bomber hands and would probly be 5.8 somewhere like yosemite. It's REALLY GOOD. I'd say if 5.9 is hard for you it might seem strenuous, but if you climb a bit harder it should be mellow. Is it "open" again? Last summer i was up there and it appeared to be "closed" according to a sign. However, its physical essence was extremely open and welcoming.
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Floyd Hayes
Trad climber
Hidden Valley Lake, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2014 - 07:10pm PT
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Thanks for the info! As long as there are spots to rest my arms shouldn't get too pumped.
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Floyd Hayes
Trad climber
Hidden Valley Lake, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 27, 2014 - 02:38pm PT
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Well, I climbed the route, and since nobody has posted route descriptions of this or any other climbs on The Plug at Mountainproject.com or Rockclimbing.com, I'll post some beta here for anybody who, like me, would like to find further info about a climb beyond what is published in a guide book.
It's a classic climb! The rock is solid and every pitch is well protected.
Pitch 1 (5.7, 75' high with about 100' of climbing): 5.6 crack, 5.4 traverse right, 5.7 crack over bulge, class 4 traverse left to double-bolt anchor on a big ledge.
Pitch 2 (5.8, about 65' of climbing): Easy 5.6 corner followed by steeper 5.8 corners to a gear belay on a small ledge.
Pitch 3 (5.8, about 55' of climbing): Three potential cracks. The low-angle crack to the left looked like it was the easiest option, but we thought the traverse back to the right might be sketchy. The inside corner with a finger crack directly above the ledge looked a bit steep and intimidating, perhaps harder than 5.8. We chose a finger crack just around the arete to the right, which had a move or two of 5.8 (maybe just 5.7) to a small ledge and then easy 5.4 climbing to a double-bolt anchor on a big ledge.
Pitch 4 (5.9+, 80' with about 90' of climbing): Again there are three potential cracks. Climb the left crack on a steep slab (the two steeper cracks in the alcove to the right looked much harder). Great handholds but not-so-great footholds. Sustained with no two-arm rests for about 50'. The last 10' can be bypassed by traversing left on a 5.7 crack. It's rated 5.9+ in the new guidebook, but for me it was very pumpy and felt like 5.10 (I had to hang a rest a few times). It's definitely easier than pitch 2 of Reed's Pinnacle Direct (5.9) and pitch 2 of Traveler Buttress (5.9), but harder than a lot of trad 5.10a cracks that I've led elsewhere, including Yosemite Valley (e.g., Revival, Church Bowl Tree to chains, and Peruvian Flake).
Protection: I took along 2-3 each of medium-sized (2-3") cams and needed them on pitches 2 and 4. I had two 4" cams and one 5" cam but one of each would have sufficed.
Descent: 80' and 185' rappels (two ropes needed).
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Roxy
Trad climber
CA Central Coast
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May 27, 2014 - 04:38pm PT
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photos?
I just got off a 3 day Sac run - enjoyed the views of Lassen from the Chico / Colusa area and wondered about rock up that way.
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Roxy
Trad climber
CA Central Coast
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May 27, 2014 - 04:50pm PT
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thanks, Clint
looks like pretty good rock in a quiet corner of CA...I like it!
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Floyd Hayes
Trad climber
Hidden Valley Lake, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 3, 2014 - 07:28am PT
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A video of the climb is posted here. It can be viewed at 1080p.
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Roxy
Trad climber
CA Central Coast
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Nice climb...place looks rad. I like the belly button formation.
& hardman pts for carrying up the 2nd rope and not tagging it!
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john bald
climber
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Thanks for the pics. Too much fun up on Lassen.
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Nice, that route looks fun!
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lars johansen
Trad climber
West Marin, CA
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Enjoyed the video Floyd. TFPU Clint.
lars
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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Super cool Floyd. Need to get up there
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Messages 1 - 14 of total 14 in this topic |
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