Fowl Play 

FA:  Josh Smith, Ryan Hess, May 2007 New Route:  Yes Type:  Trad, Alpine Consensus:  5.10 [details] Length:  4 pitches, 390 feet, Grade II Views: 139 page views Submitted By: Josh Smith on May 14, 2007 Add Photo  Add Comment

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BETA PHOTO: Fowl Play, right next to Aviary Ort.

Description 

Start exactly the same as Aviary Ort. Head up and right over a flake system for about fifteen feet to the obvious crack system splitting the wall. The crack goes up behind a large pine tree.

The first pitch ends after 100ft at a nice ledge/stance. It's about 5.10a, though after it gets cleaned up a little, it might be easier. Protection is good.

The second pitch goes straight up for about 75 feet to where an offset trends off to the right. Either use the off set or face climb up onto a large ledge. Above is an obvious right facing dihedral. Belay at the base. 100 ft. Protection is good.

Pitch 3 goes straight up the dihedral. Both the climbing and the pro are quite tricky right off the ledge. I went straight up the corner, then stepped right, but it would be possible to go straight up. Either way, the climbing here is definitely PG, and I suspect that a bolt is a good idea because of the ledge fall potential. I hope to put one in sometime this summer. I protected the moves with RPs, TCUs, and a blue Alien. The rest of the dihedral is pretty straight forward, though a bit harder than the first two pitches. I'd say 10+, though this one too may clean up to be a bit easier. It's got quite a lot of lichen in the upper section of the dihedral. We ended the pitch at about 90ft.

Pitch 4 goes to the ridge line very near to the Aviary Ort finish. It's possible to do about three different finishes ranging from 5.5 to 5.7. Like Ort, it's a bit loose on top. 90 feet.

You could clearly mix the pitches up in different ways, or even do the whole route in two rope stretchers.

Recommendation and warning. I think that this route will clean up to be a classic 5.10 nearly on the order of Mountain Momma (though obviously shorter), but right now it's still dirty and quite a few ascents will be required before it gets to that stage. There are a few loose blocks still, though they can be avoided by an alert leader. The first 20 feet of P3 also require care, at least until a pin or bolt is put in.

I'm curious about the line, because it's hard to believe it hasn't been climbed (though it certainly didn't CLIMB as if it had been climbed). However, it's not noted in Mike Hill's book or Mick Schein's, and we ran into David Hammack on the trail and he hadn't heard of anyone climbing it, so perhaps it is indeed an FA. Regardless, it's a worthy addition to the formation.

We called it Fowl Play because it's near Aviary Ort.

Location 

Look up the approach to Aviary Ort. You stack your ropes on the same bit of ground.

Protection 

Doubles to #2 Camalot. 1 #3. Set of nuts and long runners. No bolts were placed, though as noted, one might be needed.