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| Messages 1 - 24 of total 24 in this topic |
David Wilson
climber
CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 29, 2009 - 02:54pm PT
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Isosceles Peak, West Face, Left Side ( II, 5.10a ), The Tangerine
After a long hiatus from new routes in the Sierra, in July 2007 I found myself with a rope in my pack and a willing partner in my son Chase. Fearing incipient cracks, I was hesitant starting up the prominent orange wall that was his choice. Fortunately, what we found on this new route was excellent granite and cracks bristling with fragrant Polemonium.
On the lower left side of the West face of Isosceles peak is a prominent orange wall. This wall lies approximately 50 feet to the left of the central chimney and crack system on the face. Proceed up the orange wall changing cracks from left to right. The rock and protection is surprisingly good and a ledge is reached after a full 60 meter pitch ( 5.10a ). On the second pitch, follow corner systems up and right to a white dihedral with a finger crack ( 5.9 ) to a belay at the central crack system. From this point on the route likely follows the previously ascended central route up one pitch of off width ( 5.7 ) and then out right into blocky exit cracks ( 5.7 )
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jul 29, 2009 - 02:57pm PT
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Looking good!
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Jul 29, 2009 - 03:00pm PT
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Good for you guys. That is a beautiful route in a perfect setting.
I hope to ease my son and daughter into climbing as they grow. My dad taught me to climb when I was 10 up at Williamson Rock near Los Angeles, I'm 42 now and still climbing with my dad on occasion.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jul 29, 2009 - 03:02pm PT
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Stunning David. Glad it turned out to be such a good climb!! I guess this formation is near the Palisades, right? You and Chase are doing your Dad/Granddad Les PROUD!!
best to you,
Peter Haan
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TYeary
climber
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Jul 29, 2009 - 03:08pm PT
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I looked at this very line and thought it to be too loose and discontiuous. Glad you made it go with good style. The Sierra never fails to suprise me. I should jumped on it rather than stair from afar. Good job!
Tony
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland: what's not to love?
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Jul 29, 2009 - 03:10pm PT
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Great!
Any more pictures?
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 29, 2009 - 03:23pm PT
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Peter - Yes, this peak is on the west side of the Palisades in the Dusy basin
No more climbing photos unfortunately. We put the camera away under the rapidly thickening clouds....
Here are a few more of the peak
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jul 29, 2009 - 03:27pm PT
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thx for the post, great pics. keep this puppy near the top.
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Jul 29, 2009 - 03:31pm PT
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Beautiful.
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 29, 2009 - 03:32pm PT
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peter - recent trip to the valley brought chase and i and a friend to the base of the generator crack for a "let the old guy show you how it's done" session. i thought of you as we all humbly received a horse whipping by that polished stone...
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Jul 29, 2009 - 03:34pm PT
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cool TR...
Love the pics
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Jul 29, 2009 - 03:35pm PT
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Very nice line!
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Jul 29, 2009 - 03:43pm PT
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Holy Psychedelic Lichen Batman!!
What great pictures David.
I have never been in there, but now it's on the never ending list, d*mn you!
I hope my son will be rope gunning for me soon!!
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Barbarian
Trad climber
slowly dying in the OC
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Jul 29, 2009 - 04:30pm PT
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I camped under Isosceles for the first time back nearly 40 years ago (on my first long Sierra trip). The peak captured my imagination then, and I have been back many times.
This looks like a fine route on a truly stellar peak. Congrats on a beautiful FA!
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jul 29, 2009 - 06:12pm PT
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Well David, I recall you were a phenomenally talented young climber back in the seventies. It is just a matter of getting the hours in per year, you know.
Remember how if one had not climbed for a month one basically saw oneself as almost a non-climber, clumsy and inept and certainly not set up to lead anything important. A palace eunuch actually (g). The amount of honing required to lead really top end climbing pretty much precludes people with big lives and families, doing upper end routes. But the sense of adventure is what should be guiding us nowadays, since we are older and complicated. Something your dad has never lost sight of. So your Isosceles Peak route is just the deal!! Plus you have Chase to motivate you, a huge plus.
Most people get shut down by Generator Crack, but if you keep visiting it and really get into it, eventually most of what you need will come or come back! It is important to be able to climb it well, though, as it is really representative in many ways of what lies waiting for you just up the road! It is also highly indicative of one's degree of core strength, critical in climbing of any type.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jul 29, 2009 - 06:16pm PT
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Very nice!
Oddly, we have an Isosceles Peak and a Polemonium Ridge just north of Vancouver, in central Garibaldi Park.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jul 29, 2009 - 06:19pm PT
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No MIghty Anders, you couldn't have. You guys take what's left. You only have irregular polygons, from what I am getting from you! All of Canada has been vectorized actually.
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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Jul 29, 2009 - 06:20pm PT
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very nice!
Thanks for posting!
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jul 29, 2009 - 06:25pm PT
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Somewhere in the ladybug thread, there is a picture that shows'our' Polemonium Ridge, and possibly even of Isosceles Peak. Plus pictures of cool things like snow and glaciers and turquoise lakes, which are nice to look at on days like today. They have some cooling effect.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=655919
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland: what's not to love?
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Jul 29, 2009 - 06:49pm PT
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David Wilson, your photos are spectacular, thanks for sharing them.
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powderdan
Social climber
mammoth lakes
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Jul 29, 2009 - 11:55pm PT
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looks loose and dangerous like all the other alpine routes in the sierra.
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Jul 30, 2009 - 12:44am PT
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Hey David,
A first ascent with your son, that is so cool. Thanks for reporting in.
The pics are beautiful.
Zander
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tarek
climber
berkeley
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Jul 30, 2009 - 01:02pm PT
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Nice one, David and Chase! Should have gotten a tow on that line.
For those who haven't seen it, check out David's book, Above All: Mount Whitney and California's Highest Peaks. I was lucky enough to tag along on a few of the trips.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=779966&msg=779966#msg779966
Peter Haan,
David downplays. He may have let his offwidth skills rust, but I just watched him crushing 5.12 knobs in Tuolumne last weekend. At 215 lbs, he could probably shake an orangutan's hand and hold his own, still has laser footwork when he gets on the rock.
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
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Needed to see an image like this one today. Just beautiful.
I'll second Tarek on the Above All book.
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