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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : Albion Basin : Cecret Lake : ... : Momentary Relapse (5.11a)
By: John Steiger When: Aug 1, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Greg, I'm pretty sure the line we climbed is not the line you cleaned. I knocked off a hundred-plus pound flake that would have made a sweet but deadly layback/undercling, and spent a good deal of time brushing moss. At top, our route veers maybe 10 feet right to your anchors, so I suspect the line you've worked on is to the right, and remains unbolted.
I have to add, though, that I've never heard of an area ethic where someone can claim a section of crag by putting anchors at the top, or whe... more >>
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Location: International : Canada : British Columbia : Mt. Slesse : Northeast Buttress (5.9)
By: John Steiger When: Sep 3, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: A topo for this also can be found in Jim Nelson’s and Peter Potterfield’s “Selected Climbs in the Cascades” (vol. 1), although it doesn’t show the direct start. We (Allen Sanderson and I) found the Nelson/Potterfield topo adequate for our August 3-4, 2008, ascent, although its lack of info for the direct start resulted in us doing some fairly stiff climbing that was probably unnecessary. After scurrying up the lower angle rock between the occasionally calving pocket (or “bypass” glacier) on th... more >>
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Big Cottonwood Canyon : Storm Mountain Picnic Area : Storm Mountain Island : Thin Slice of Time (5.10c)
By: John Steiger When: Sep 1, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Full value trad climbing, particularly if you traverse right as soon as possible to gain the face above Big In Japan (rather than staying in the loose stuff and later stepping right to the finishing cracks). Ruckmans' guide says to take micronuts and small TCUs; I only needed one of each in the section immediately above Big in Japan. An optional descent is to rap of Encore to the left.
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : Waterfront, The : Mantels to Mazatlan (5.10d)
By: John Steiger When: Sep 1, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: I'm getting soft in my old age, but this is arguably an "R." There is potential for about a 20' swinging fall past a likely ankle-snapping knob when stepping up to clip the 3rd bolt. You might miss it, but then again.... Seemed more risky than Paranoia Streak to me.
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Big Cottonwood Canyon : JHCOB Wall : Second East Face (5.7)
By: John Steiger When: Jun 20, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: The 3rd pitch arete variation is reminiscent of the last pitch on Steorts' Ridge, although a bit more difficult and not as exposed. It was my and my 10-year-old partner's favorite pitch. To do it, include on the rack brass/steel nuts (e.g., BD microstoppers) to protect the crux moves 5-6 feet above the pin and microcams to protect the final blocky headwall (look for horizontal placements). Also, consider not leaving your kit at the base of the route, but continuing up and over the top to the O... more >>
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : Crescent Crack Buttress : C.P.O.S. (5.11b)
By: John Steiger When: Jun 16, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Worthwhile route -- varied, burly climbing, well protected. Maybe not worth a full two stars, but I'll give it that to offset Stymingersfink's bomb. Didn't find any loose rock of consequence, and the holds didn't seem greasy to us (despite very warm mid-June temps). Goes into the shade by at least 1pm.
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : Hellgate Cliffs : Tower 2 : Insane in the Brain (5.11b/c)
By: John Steiger When: May 26, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Not to pick a scab off an old wound, but I'm compelled to admit that I added the bolt on Reality Check and did the FFA last September. Sorry for the ruckus.
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Location: AZ : Mount Lemmon : Big Pine Towers : The Sloth (5.11)
By: John Steiger When: May 26, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is sort-a-like a virtual beanfest. The original "The Sloth" is a route I did with Mike Strassman on Troll Wall in the early 80s, so technically you're both wrong. EFR, as the man with pen and paper, shouldn't you be policing this stuff?
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : Kermits Wall and Perhaps Ar... : Perhaps Not (5.11c)
By: John Steiger When: May 24, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Not R-rated in light of the bolts, and doubtful it's 11c if treated as a sport route, i.e., don't get hunkered down in the corner (11a?). On the other hand, not using the bolts would make it harder and very necky. The throwback he is, Allen Sanderson led this sans clipping the bolts some years back.
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Location: UT : Moab Area : Island In The Sky : Monster Tower : North Ridge (5.11)
By: John Steiger When: May 24, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: We found the SE approach fairly well trod and cairned as of 5/08 -- start by walking up the major drainage on the tower's east side. We accidentally missed the 1st pitch by scrambling up to the notch and over to the base of the 2d pitch; probably a mistake -- 1st pitch looks good. The crux 3rd pitch whipped my 50+ old carcass; had to pull on a few pieces. Seemed solid 5.11 to me (1 1/4" finger stacks or wild laybacking). Did the free finish; agree that it is 11a,... more >>
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Location: AZ : Mount Lemmon : North Fin : The Edge of Da-light (5.10)
By: John Steiger When: May 24, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Ray did the FA of the 5.11- finish in 1985. I did the FA of the original line (with Don) in 1977 -- Steve wasn't involved. (Steve's always out-climbed me, to my endless chagrin; I can't resist bumping him here!)
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Location: AZ : Mount Lemmon : North Fin : Histoplasmosis (5.11+)
By: John Steiger When: May 24, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: I sort of remember this, because at the time (1983) the local climbers were just getting into the exciting realm of 5.12 (or so we thought). Anyway, this first went free in two pitches, the first led by Gary Hervert -- one of Tucson's best early (McKewen-Baker era) climbers -- and the second led by Chip Chace -- who lived in Tucson for a short while but left quite a trail of hard, impressive ascents, particularly in the Dragoons. All I did was eliminate the hanging belay. Also, I think I was ... more >>
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Big Cottonwood Canyon : S-Curve - Lower Wall : Not Much (5.7+)
By: John Steiger When: Apr 19, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: If someone's done this, let me know. This seemed like a pretty obvious line to me, and given the immense popularity of the area, its hard to believe no one has bothered to climb it (or maybe just named it, eh?).
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Big Cottonwood Canyon : S-Curve - Upper Wall : Skyscraper (5.8)
By: John Steiger When: Apr 18, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: One of the pins shown in Ruckmans' guide appears to be missing, but the protection is still there if you look for it. Yeah, a 70 meter rope will allow a rap from good bolts to get down (just). (Mobley, I'm not sure what route you are talking about; maybe you are referring to Glenlivet, but I don't think that is 5.10+ -- maybe you were talking about Bite the Wall?).
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : Hellgate Cliffs : Tower 2 : Big Chill, The (5.10a)
By: John Steiger When: Aug 7, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: The Big Chill must be the route furthest to the left on Tower 2 (see comments for Social Realism). Whatever its true name, I agree that the route furthest to the left is 10b. Also, at least as of 8/5/07, there is a healthy run-out (at least 20 feet) to the chains. I think it would be somewhat traumatic for a leader just breaking into 5.10 sport climbing.
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : Hellgate Cliffs : Tower 2 : Social Realism (5.10a)
By: John Steiger When: Aug 7, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: Ruckmans' 1998 edition shows Social Realism as the furthest left bolted route, but it seems obvious from their route description that Social Realism is in fact the second bolted route from the left. Their description says to use cams or nuts to reach the first bolt; no gear is necessary -- or likely possible -- to get to the first bolt on the farthest left line, which must be The Big Chill.
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Big Cottonwood Canyon : The Dead Snag : Die Another Day (5.8-)
By: John Steiger When: Aug 3, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: A distinct start to Die Another Day (a much better name than "Unknown") may be climbed between the Stoert's Ridge first pitch and the East Dihedrals first pitch. Begin about 10 feet left of the usual Stoert's Ridge start, just right of some trees growing out of the base of the crag. Climb up to the obvious break in the bulge above, maybe 15 feet left of the 5.6 crux bulge of Stoert's Ridge. Turn the bulge (5.7/5/8) and wander up to the "common belay" Allen mentions. Protects with small wires... more >>
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