Sunshine and Whiskey, 5.10c R

Red Rocks & Zion

Wild wilderness Sandstone climbing as i the big S's: Sun, Sand, Snakes and Sweat!

 

First of all, you will need a pair of comfy pair of shoes. Someone tell me just WHY, have Scarpa stopped making these great shoes? the Marathons role'ed the world, actually rocked it!

Even the color is there...

 

 

Sunshine &Whiskey 5.10cR, två repl*** new route at Ginger Buttress, Red Rocks

Great Juniper wall towers, Ginger Buttress

 

Didn't think it was possible to find. But an off route climb became a new line up the vertical slabs at Ginger buttress, Juniper canyon

My plan was to climb the 2star rout of Power Failure. A plan that came to a fact since the original route planned was occupied by a traditional team of climbers...say no more...change of planes. And since I was the late one I made it to the base of P F and raced up with the pro I carried with just in case it showed out that I was just that...LATE!

 

A quick look in the topo, 3 straight on pitches, up and a leftward move a bit higher, passing a couple of bolts on the way. Well, could it be more wrong?!

"As I found the told 5.8 pitch was unreasonable ruff and not even the anchors showed up. When finally the crack started to fade out it started to come serious!

Top of pitch 3, moving in tithe anchor of Power Failure

A desperate traverse out left ended in a shallow corner. Dead end!

Back to the crack and nothing else to do then make a belay, rap down and clean. And, realizing that the original pitch went rightwards. Hoppla!!

A bunch of mind making the sharp end headed upwards from the belay, 50m up.

Two good pieces in the crack and then a full 20m run out over close to vertical slabs...to a fixed bolted belay on Power Failure"

1. 5.10b Same start as Power Failure but continue up the crack which fades out. Belay just at/below the top of the crack. One nut in place

2. 5.10cR Place a good pro high up in the crack and continue up the slab on small holds. Loong run out, expect injury if you fall, some 20m runout.

Belay at top of pitch 2 of Power Failure

 

//Between long winters, there is short summers...

 

Skickat via Blogsy

le Petit Charmoz traversée

A great nice and straight forward climb that is possible to reach and climb even with the short opening hours of le CDMTB restricted "opening" at this time of the year
- Even though the great people that work there really tries to hold it for you, super big thanks for holding the door open!!!

A very rainy evening and night meant that the Midi lift didn't open at regular 80:30 hours, so the 09 departure had to work, which we just didn't squeeze into either. Which meant an other 15 min waiting...well instead we got an extra morning espresso, so not to bad in the end

Finally arriving le Plan, we headed off towards the obvious trail to lac Bleu and onwards direction 

glacier Nantillons.Which we decided didn't need neither crampons nor ice axe, a choice that wasn't ... the best maybe but on the other hand the running shoes got to a good use on the return...

A 2h approach took us to the base of Petit Charmozzz, with the glacier Nantillons actually sleeping. Not a single rockfall or chute the glace during the whole day!

The approach is very much indeed an effort anyhow, the terrain is on the move all over sort of, every steep is either one less or one more as the stones and rocks tent to move along as you proceed. Proceeding with you and against you sort of

Once at the base of the climb the initial start is a bit loose but the higher you go the better the rock gets. A few steep steps and the gully looks impossible, the key is to head a little leftwards. A few meters up there is a good belay sling around a big block. And a little higher plus, there is a couple of pitons, not the best but they show the way at least. And its easy to place some own gear. The given grade of 3c is, well its a number. Just forget it and climb the great rock given, a bit of cussing always help...and the climbing is very enjoyable indeed!

The couple of first pitches on the route is the crux ones, and after reading the col the rest is pure pleasure. Some slings and pitons here and there shows the way and finally the "open book" dihedral opens up. An amazing life blasting dihedral which is like an early christmas package, well maybe not that great. But still....nice

Then,we started to think that "maybe that is the summit"? But then there is a little more of traversing and exposed terrain and once your on the real top, you will notice

Reaching the Charmoz, just before aig. L´M col the clouds comes and goes, but tries its best to give us an as always stunning view over the surrounding peaks. A moment in peace with the rest of the world, just us, the chouchas and the plain air...

Decent

2 options, right or left (looking downwards) We took the left one which gives two 25m rappels and a bit of down climbing. There is an quite obvious path leading rightwards toward the gully. Which is descended with mostly scrambling/walking. A couple of rappel anchors on the way as well if needed.

Stay first leftward until half of the gully is descended, then head sharp right over some blocks, a little exposed section again and then there is an other path which leads down/left toward the final ladders backdown to the glacier/base

From here I recommend to just head straight down back to the path that also is called balcon nord, the path between Montanvers/le Plan

About 1 1/2hour return

Equipment

50m rope or 2x25

a small set of midsize nuts

a couple of midsize Camalots as well as a yellow alien

3-6 QD´s

Early in the season crampons/iceaxe

Link to more info at Camp2Camp

//Smärta är också en känsla...

Three great routes at Brevent - Flegere - aiguille Rouges

Three great routes at Brevent - Flegere - aiguille Rouges

Per at ”Tatie Crochue” 6b

 Unfortunately the Brevent/Flegere side lifts are closed for the season at this date. Which now makes the climbs on that red side of the valley a little more difficult to access…

Otherwise the huge amount of climbs makes it perfect for a resting day, or if you pick any of the longer harder ones; a full day out!

The nice thing is also that its possible to find easy long good bolted climbs as well as hard self protected routes

The rock is totally different to the south side granite. This gneiss sort of rock has high friction as well. Shapes more likely what to be found on limestone. And if its wet, look out!

Specially in late winter and spring the climbs here are most enjoyable, with a ski in/ski out access direct from the lift!

And the micro climate on this side of the valley makes its best to dry the rock out to be warm and comfy to climb early in the season. As well as quickly after a heavy rainy night.

I have many favorit climbs here, with the most know the Frison Rouge probably the most known one. After mr Frison, a local Cham guide and journalist

An other frequent climb. But nothing close to the previous is ”ASIA” at l´index lift

Easily reached from the lift with about 15min walk and fully equipped with ”swiss mod. bolts”. Put up by M Piola, who else!?

The hardest move is actually the very first over the first bolt. With that one done, the rest is a nice cruse, well almost. A couple of awkward moves on the third pitch is very much 5c!

 

"Asia" Pitch 3

An other nice variated climb is ”Tatie Crochue” 6b. A 120m climb suited above the pistes from l´index towards lac Blanc 

”Tatie Crochue” 6b

The climbing is variated on good rock. Still it looks quite loose at places, but the holds are there. Its just not frequented that hard. Probably cause the most of the five pitches is self protected. A small rack of midsize nuts and cams from 0.5-3.0 makes its most dupable though. And most of the cruxes has a bolt there anyhow. 

Just take it for what it is, and enjoy that there isn’t chalk all over as on many of the other ones. 

At the start, aim for a glued in bolt a couple of meters up, then head rightwards, probably much more then you would think first. A little strange first pitch, but after that it gets better. The start of the 2nd pitch is most enjoyable with good cracks

And once at the top, the descent is very easy with a fix rope and easy scramble back down to the path that takes you back to l´index lift

Great climbing on ”Tatie Crochue” 6b

The last of the three. But not the last in the maner of quality! "Bodinosaure", a 220m route at 6c is just the route for you that wants to improve your jam technique

Bodinosaure!

Only sad thing is that the whole thing is fully equipped! In a climbers point of view it would have been more of a climb if the bolts would have been left somewhere else on this one

But still, a great climb. And why not bring a set of cams/nuts and really free the thing anyhow!?

Anna on Bodinosaure, 6c

Equipment

Bodinosaure 220m 6c - Fully bolted. 10QD´s, 2x50m rope (1x50 if you walk to the base)

Asia 250m 5b - Fully bolted. 10QD´s, 2x50m rope (1x50 if you walk off, possible out climbers right down the slabs. Easy terrain and quicker then rappelling) For route finding, follow the ”swiss hangers"

Tatie Crochue 120m 6b - Partly bolted. 7-8QD´s, midsize nuts and Cams from 0.5-3.0. 1x50m rope. Easiest to walk off and back to l´index chairlift. Fixed rope out climbers left

Anna on Bodinosaure, 6c

// I vedmodets höstkänning gäller att ge, dela och förlora