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Moosedog Tower
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Chossy Choad 
Direct South Face 
Half Time 
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Racing The Sun (aka Lucky Charms) 
Third Time's A Charm 
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Wanderin' into Lichtenstein 

Racing The Sun (aka Lucky Charms) 

5.7

   

FA: Wendell Smith, John Falcon 11/73
Type: Trad
Consensus: 5.7 [details]
Length: 2 pitches, 180 feet
Views: 558 page views

Submitted By: The Gray Tradster on Nov 1, 2005


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At the crux of Racing the Sun


Description 

The 1970 Wolfe guide book only had a handfull of routes outside of HVCG. The only climbs in Indian Cove mentioned were "a short practice wall" and The California Crack A3, F6. There was also a sentence that led some of us to assume that the rock wasn't very good here. One evening I talked John into taking a detour on the way home to check it out.

In our "altered" state, the second we saw Moosedog we had to get to the top of it. The most impressive line (Tranquility) was out of the question as we had only about an hour of daylight left. I spoted a shorter line up the draw and off we went. The first pitch went fast, and we were soon at the belay, (where 3rd Times A Charm Intersects). I couldn't get a good pin placement at the crux, but I had been experimenting with these things the Brit's called chocks and got a home made nut in. (I think it was the first one I placed because I had to).

We walked across the top just as night fell, looking for rappel anchors. Astonishingly a block at the summit was festooned with rap slings, some many years old. We rappelled into the blackness and headed for home, jazzed that we had done it tempered with the disappointment that we weren't the first ones on top.

Description:Start at a ramp about 50' below the notch. Go up a left facing book. Just above where 3rd Times A Charm intersects is the crux. This climb can proabably be done as one long pitch with a 60M rope, but the rope drag and communication problems make it best done as two short pitches.


Protection 

Standard trad rack



Add Photo Photos of Racing The Sun (aka Lucky Charms)
Moosedog Tower - SW Face

BETA PHOTO: Moosedog Tower - SW Face

Copied this pic from the "Half Time" description (nice pic!) and marked it up to show our attempt to follow the description of "Racing the Sun" (green dots). 1st half of our 1st pitch is below the picture.

BETA PHOTO: Copied this pic from the "Half Time" description (...


Add Comment Comments on Racing The Sun (aka Lucky Charms)
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By Bill Lawry
Apr 16, 2007

The route description needs some grooming. My partner and I thought the crux was within the first 15 feet off the ground. Contrary to the description, the climbing around and above the intersection with "Third Times A Charm" is not more than 5.6 climbing and perhaps less. Also, regarding the description's picture titled "At the crux of Racing the Sun" - this picture is not at all on "Racing the Sun".

Note that the above comments are based on this route as shown in the beta photo titled "Moosedog Tower - SW Face."

Enjoyed the route as an end-of-the-day climb to an enjoyable view.

By The Gray Tradster
Apr 21, 2007

If you didn't go the same way as the "Princess" is in the photo,

you didn't do the route.

By Bill Lawry
Apr 22, 2007

Perhaps. We started in an alcove against Moosedog which opened and steeply dropped off to the climber's right. One can enter it from a smaller opening to the climber's left. It could hold a few folks. Does that sound like the start of Racing the Sun?

By Bill Lawry
May 27, 2007

For those who have done "Racing the Sun", please see beta photo with the caption "Copied this pic from the ...." I marked it with our route including middle and top belay stations. The mark at the very bottom of the pic, i.e. the mark below the "route hidden" section, is roughly half way up our 1st pitch.

Any comments on whether this is "Racing the Sun"? I think the question is whether or not our 1st pitch was on route (as much as can be seen in the photo).

By The Gray Tradster
Nov 25, 2007

Where you broke left on the easy ramp you should have gone up the dihedral.

First pitch was more or less correct. Original line maybe a little left using the big flake.

By Bill Lawry
Dec 20, 2007

Okay. I think I see the issue so I removed my scores for the route.

While Racing The Sun and Third Times A Charm intersect, they do not otherwise overlap. Yes? This appears to contradict the photo submitted by Mike M (10/26/2003) - the beta photo that shows various routes on Moosedog Tower which I mentioned in my first comment.

I updated our route markings (green dots) with a yellow arrow showing what I think is the correct finish. Let me know if it is not close.

By Ryan Kelly
May 7, 2008

Yeah, that's it, it continues past TTaC and up the dihedral on the right as Tradster says. However, I don't know how serious I would take the "if you didn't do it my way, you didn't do it comment". The ending isn't anything special. Perhaps on hemp rope with homemade gear it feels a bit different, but at modern day standards it's just another 5.7. TTaC, which is a great route, felt it ok to go up the ramp...

And it can easily be done in 1 pitch. Just have your belayer scramble up to the big platform.