Diane Connelly gets started on the steep and pumpy...
Description
At the base of the West Ridge there is a big amphitheater, just up and across the stream. This is seen in the very right hand edge of the attached photo, although the routes are obscured by shadow. The broken rock hanging in the amphitheater makes it look daunting. None the less, there are a few good lines through it; Wingshot is one of them.
Cross the stream and head up the trail until a foot-worn path leads up and right, as for the approach of Allosaur. You will walk and scramble to the slab below the amphitheater. If you arrive at the base of Allosaur, traverse down and right to reach the slab below Wingshot.
At the lower right end of the amphitheater there is a broken overhang that goes to a few underclngs, then to a thin hands and finger crack on the left side of an inset, past a yellow and blue fixed sling on a chockstone, and then up and left past a roof to a fixed anchor with chains. This anchor is above Office Girls Walk the Plank and Blues Power (12a).
Climb the line as described. Lower from the anchors. If you will have a partner follow, please feed the rope directly- use biners & save the anchor.
Shot And Chaser is a great extension and finish to the route, and is considerably easier than the 5.11 grade which it is given in the rossiter book, but is earned on this first pitch.
Protection
Not a handcrack at all. One large cam (#4 Camalot) for the broken area at the base, cams 1" -2" for the long crux sequence (1" crux at the crux move), and a few nuts or small tricams. A 2"-2.5" cam was great in the only placement in the otherwise runout finish to the left.
The blue anchor webbing went in June 2000 - it replaced some nasty chains. I dont know what the best solution is in the long run... a couple of juicy Mailon Rapides?
...The broken hold was right of a little slot which you grabbed with your right hand while lefty was in the thin crack. I thought this made the moves considerably easier. I also talked to a bunch of people who knew about the hold I was talking about. Maybe it doesn't need an upgrade. Still a good route.
I didn't notice any difference in difficulty minus the broken hold, but I've always just jammed the crack. Shot and Chaser is fun, great position, but much easier than Wingshot crux, and so easier than .11b.
I did this route recently. 10/15/07 Although many years past I use to go up to this area a lot to do Blues Power & Office Girls. I didn't remember doing this thing in the past and remember I had kind of scoffed at it thinking it wasn't really worth doing. Well, I got a big surprise today. I know I'm much weaker these days, but this thing sure didn't feel like any 11b today. I did it with Dave Ingersoll & we both felt it was upwards of 5.11c. I would certainly scoff at the 11b rating.... Interesting to see a post that a major hold had broken & no new posts about it since 2003, over four years later. I would be interested to see what other folks who have done this route lately "on sight" think about the rating now.
Please please please don't no-one take this offensively, but related to Bob's comment, what is the difference between 11b and 11c? I mean that is possibly the most frequent grade I climb, and there are many routes I believe to be 11b and many 11c, then there are those that everyone else seems to believe are 11b and they sure feel like 11c or more to me, and vice-versa. Anyhow it seems like picking hairs to me . . thats why I like a three grade system, at least through 5.11: #-, the # grade, and #+. Four levels almost seems too refined given all the different strengths and weaknesses of different people. All that being said I think wingshot is hard and bouldery at its grade, WTF that is . . . and quite fun and worthy. but ALWAYS followed with a shot and a chaser which is just good fun for finishing . . .
Wayne, no offense taken here. I agree it's pinching hairs. Unless those grades are bouncing around towards the top of your scale. I like the 11-, 11, and 11+ rating system better as well. I guess I just found this thing to be more than a "hair" harder than I expected for an Eldo 11b.... And was looking for some validation, to see if some other folks, that had done it recently might concur. Cheers Bro!!
West Ridge - Verschneidung to base
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