That was a climb...
Jul. 12th, 2012 07:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dagibbsToday, Phil and I drove over to The Weir and climbed Adagio (II 5.8, 80m, 4 pitches). The Weir is an impressive cliff -- 70m or so high, and vertical to more than vertical the whole way up. (Mont King is comparable in total height, but much of Mont King's height comes from easy slabs at the top -- The Weir gives full value the whole way.) I've never climbed there before, but had scrounged some information on the internet. It is mostly hard trad climbing, with 2 easier multi-pitch routes, though again I'd been told, stiff for their grade.
The cliff (and route) looks like this:
(Image links to original source.)
Phil said he didnt want to lead the 5.7 (first) or 5.8 (last) pitch of the climb -- so I started out.
Pitch 1 (5.7) goes up quite consistent at its grade, and without a lot of rest. I found it to be good climbing, but tiring for both head and body. It was a definite relief to make it to the first (bolted) anchor.
Pitch 2 (5.6) is a traverse, and pitch 3 (also 5.6) then goes up a crack and traverses. I suggested Phil link these pitches, as swapping leads tends to be easier for rope management. He got Pitch 2 fine. The anchor is 2 pins and a (probably permanent) nut.
Pitch 3 (5.6) goes up a crack to a roof, then traverses right under the roof to the obvious arrete, with a bolted belay at a lovely platform on the arete. Phil got up the crack to the roof, but couldn't find the moves/pro to do the traverse under the roof. So, he lowered back to the anchor at the end of pitch 2. I followed to there, cleaning, then after passing gear, headed up, reclipping the pieces he'd left. The traverse was technical, and very footwork dependent, but not too bad.
Pitch 4 (5.8) is hard right off the anchor. I stepped up, backed down. Stepped up, placed a piece, stepped back down and shook out. I then, finally, stepped up for real, and actually used a for-real heel hook part way along. It protects with small nuts in small cracks, and has committing moves, with a fall to a big ledge near the start. But, the hard part is over in fairly short order, and then there is an easy walk up to the anchors. (Also bolted.)
The descent is by hiking farther up the rocky slope above the climb, then left and then down an actually fairly decent gully to the left of the face we went up.
The cliff (and route) looks like this:
(Image links to original source.)
Phil said he didnt want to lead the 5.7 (first) or 5.8 (last) pitch of the climb -- so I started out.
Pitch 1 (5.7) goes up quite consistent at its grade, and without a lot of rest. I found it to be good climbing, but tiring for both head and body. It was a definite relief to make it to the first (bolted) anchor.
Pitch 2 (5.6) is a traverse, and pitch 3 (also 5.6) then goes up a crack and traverses. I suggested Phil link these pitches, as swapping leads tends to be easier for rope management. He got Pitch 2 fine. The anchor is 2 pins and a (probably permanent) nut.
Pitch 3 (5.6) goes up a crack to a roof, then traverses right under the roof to the obvious arrete, with a bolted belay at a lovely platform on the arete. Phil got up the crack to the roof, but couldn't find the moves/pro to do the traverse under the roof. So, he lowered back to the anchor at the end of pitch 2. I followed to there, cleaning, then after passing gear, headed up, reclipping the pieces he'd left. The traverse was technical, and very footwork dependent, but not too bad.
Pitch 4 (5.8) is hard right off the anchor. I stepped up, backed down. Stepped up, placed a piece, stepped back down and shook out. I then, finally, stepped up for real, and actually used a for-real heel hook part way along. It protects with small nuts in small cracks, and has committing moves, with a fall to a big ledge near the start. But, the hard part is over in fairly short order, and then there is an easy walk up to the anchors. (Also bolted.)
The descent is by hiking farther up the rocky slope above the climb, then left and then down an actually fairly decent gully to the left of the face we went up.
