The Candy Shop  5.10d PG13

649 page views Good page?

Type:  Trad, Alpine, 8 pitches, 1200 feet, Grade IV Consensus:  5.10d [details] FA:  (potential) Drew Thayer, Noah Gostout, Erik Rieger, 2011 New Route:  Yes Submitted By:  Drew Thayer on Aug 12, 2011 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (3) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

nearing the top of the first pitch

Add Photo  Add Comment    Printer View

Description 

"The Candy Shop" is a 5-pitch variation to the NW face of Warrior 1. This route is the result of our attempt to gain the massive, stunning right-facing dihedral on top of the tower while avoiding the 5.11b R traverse that exists on the only route up this aspect in the current Cirque of the Towers guidebook.

We found no evidence of previous climbing, cleaned many loose blocks from the route, and broke many obvious holds, so we believe it is possible that this variation has not been climbed before. We cleaned many precarious blocks but many undoubtedly exist, this is an adventurous route so climb with discretion. Every pitch has quality climbing, and traffic will clean it up!

Approach: Ascend snowfields up the NW edge (right edge when viewed from meadows) of Warrior 1 to a vertical wide crack that is visible from the meadows. This crack goes to the top of a buttress on the right side of Warrior 1.

P1: Begin where snow level allows. We had high snow, and ascended steep parallel cracks in a R-facing corner (30 ft, 5.9) to a small ledge. Follow a strenuous wide crack (4-5") for 30 meters to belay atop the buttress. (45m, 5.10+)

P2: Follow arete past white band, step right over empty space to a clean handcrack, contine up wide crack in large R-facing corner, step right 15 ft to belay on ledge. Loose rock on this pitch. DO NOT continue to thin finger/tips crack on left. (40m, 5.9)

P3: Climb overhung, right-leaning handcrack through a flake system to a roof (5.10). Pull the roof (5.10d) into a broad dihedral. Stem up dihedral into easier terrain, then pull into short chimney on left (5.9+) and up 5" crack to belay on a ledge. (50m, 5.10d)

P4: Follow flared weakness up right, then back left (5.9), climb large R-facing corner to undercling flake (5.10d), pull around flake and exit left to ledge atop a pinnacle. (50m, 5.10d)

P5: Traverse left across diagonal flake systems to massive alcove (5.9 PG 13), exit top of alcove on left, stretch rope out on casual ramps to the base of the massive R-facing corner visible from the meadows. (60m, 5.9 PG 13)

This concludes The Candy Shop. From here, climb the corner.

P6: Climb corner through small roof (5.10b) to large ledge belay. (50m, 5.10b)

P7: Stem up corner, through roof to beautiful hand crack, stretch rope to good ledge beneath chimney. (58m, 5.9)

P8: Burrow through chimney, pull bulge on left via stellar handcrack, follow crack to summit ridge. (40m, 5.9)

Location 

Descent: The guidebook says the true summit of Warrior 1 can be gained via 5.7 climbing along the "gendarmed ridge." We do not know how this is possible.

We rapped into the steep gulley to the N, starting on a large, smooth horn and utilizing many questionable slung blocks and an occasional ancient piton. 4 rappels got us to the snowfield, 4 more rappels off snow bollards and blocks returned us to the start of pitch 1. Bring plenty of bail cord, you may leave up to 6 rap anchors.

Protection 

small and large stoppers, double rack of cams from fingers to #5 Camalot. (You will want 2x #5 Camalot for pitch 1 unless you are comfortable running it out on 5.10 OW. A single #5 is useful on pitches 2 and 3)

Photos of The Candy Shop Slideshow

Add Photo

On the second pitch. The third pitch heads up and ...	the last pitch below the dihedral	The big corner, really high quality
BETA PHOTO: Beta route line with belay stations