Tricks of the Tramp ("Tricks") 

Cool photos! Isn't the name of this route "Tricks of the Trade"??

I'm not sure if the route was originally named "Tricks of the Trade" or "Tricks of the Tramp", but I have commonly seen it referred to as "Tricks of the Tramp". Most people simply call it "Tricks". I forgot to mention in the route description that the last 2 pitches go at 5.7 and 5.10+/5.11a, respectively.

No big deal on the name, but it apparently is "Tricks of the Trade". Check out Middendorf's web site www.bigwalls.net/climb/Ziongen.html

"Note: this route has mistakenly been called Tricks of the Tramp (taken from a preliminary topo)"

So, how was the hauling on that route?

Hauling was the most work for me, considering I only weigh in at 125 pounds. Generally, hauling was straightforward, although the bag needed a little help in the chimneys and especially up the slabs, where hauling was more like having a wrestling match with a dead overweight pig.

This may be my favorite route of any I've been on.

I'd also like to comment that my partner on Tricks was the late Ryan Sayers. His passion for chimneys ad offwidths found a home on this route. By request, he led all the offwidths (which was fine by me!) and champed out every one. Truly a desert rat, I'll miss him.

I wrote up a trip report about our attempt, which can be found here...

www.coloradospringsclimbing.com/reports/tricks/tricksofthetr>>>

Wanted to get some firsthand information from people that have done Tricks. We're hoping to do it in a couple of weeks. I have heard conflicting information about number of big cams to bring. On this site it says "a #5 Camalot." But, I've heard from others that you should bring 3-4 each of #4-1/2 and #5 Camalots. So, what's the story? Thanks for your help.

I've only been to the top of the aid pitch, but the wide stuff is pretty much over at that point so hopefully I can help.

We took only one #5, and had doubles of everything else. We brought a couple big bros as well but never used them. P1 was the longest and most sustained offwidth, but only took up to a #4. P2 had a bolt or two in spots and was kind of short, but wide. Don't remember the gear there. P3-4 were chimneys, and as such provide intermittent smaller placements. The Santa Claus chimney would probably take a big bro somewhere, but was a little too big for a #5 as I recall. You can get a #4(?) or something at the end of that pitch, when the chimney squuezes you out. On P5, the Calvinator pitch, I remember lots of #2 to #4 or so, wider near the end where you come around the roofy thing. I was leading it in the dark, so I may not have seen everything. The offwidth at the start of the upper headwall (after the Ledges) widens to #5's, but the wideness is only 30 feet or something. You could place multiple #4's and #5's here, depending on how well protected you like your offwidths. If you feel strong here I'd just place a good #5 and lieback quickly through the tough spot.

I don't know about the upper pitches firsthand, but from what I gather the offwidths are over. You can definitely get away with a single #5, but two won't kill you. All depends on how much you'll want to place.

Good luck, those chimney and offwidth pitches were among the best I've ever done! So fun the whole way!

Michael: More simply stated, you only need a single No. 5 Camalot or equivalent as listed in the gear description above. Most of what Dan said is correct, note that there is only one bolt on Pitch 2.

Anyone know the current anchor situation on the headwall? I would like to rap the route but I hear there's some single bolt anchors.

So, what is the best strategy for descending this route? Is it to take a bolt kit (for anchor reinforcement) and go over the top? Is it to only haul to the bivi ledge and then rap the route? What is the best way down???

Second, I was under the impression that cam hooks were not good for the rock in Zion. What gear are others using to negotiate the aid section of the headwall?

Thanks,

WC

You can now rappel the entire route. All of the anchors are double bolt so no bolt kit is needed. The original descent was into the gully between Isaac and Moroni and sounded epic. We only hauled to the bivy ledge and then rapped the route. I felt like this was a good way to do it because it breaks the route into two nice blocks.

On the aid pitch I used small HB offset nuts, ball nuts, and offset aliens.

Have fun.

The first two can be combined w/a 60. You can leave the pig at p2 do 2 pitches of chimney and then rap and haul out of the chimney. We hauled at a anchor on the arete but I think, humm...pretty sure can get. Well if you do haul on the arete you can haul the next two in one. Between santa and calvin there is a no rope passage but the pig doesn't fit. The base of calvinator is a good bivy. If you make it up to the sand slope area there are some bivy's in the dirt but where the rock starts again there is a flat wonderful looking spot around left.

It goes clean. My partner is a short guy and did it with just rps.

p14/15 is pretty casual if you can climb at the creek, and a beautiful link up. Beyond this I don't know, we rapped.

Go light, but some big cams are nice a #6 works in the clause chimney.

A. Everhart

Rack: 1-2 sets HB offset nuts1 set nuts, 2x Aliens blue-yellow2x Camalots .5 - .753x Camalots #1 - #32x Camalots #3.5 - #4.5#5 Camalotcamhook

Santa Klaus really is a death chimney. If hauling, make sure you move the pig up to the base of Calvinator.

The bivy at the Second Ledges is merely OK.

Can leave the big gear at the base of the aid pitch -- only need to #4 thereafter.

Aid pitch had only 10 feet of C2, then was bomber C1 to the belay. Used couple green HB offset nuts, a camhook.

P16 is weird -- go up the chimney then traverse out horizontally and step out on to the face to a belay.

Plan on 2-4 hours to rap the route, depending on if you have a pig.

Do you need 2 ropes to rap the route or would one 70M work??

Yes you need 2 ropes. I posted some video at

Nope. You need 2 ropes

A friend and I just climbed "Tricks" over the course of three days in early Nov. I had a few comments I wanted to make for future parties.

The route is great as a whole, though it does have some awkward, loose, and sandy sections. My partner and I went into it with the misconception that it was a trade route a la Touchstone or Moonlight. After encountering much faded webbing and sandy chimneys on the route, we made a point of asking the NPS backcountry folks how many parties had regestered for a permit to do the route this year. We were surprised to find that the number was a mere five. This route is a serious undertaking but also a lot of fun.

Another thing that surprised us on the ascent was that a large number of the "bolted anchors" actually consisted of one good bolt and a "drilled piton." This was quite a shock to us after having climbed a lot in Yosemite, where I can't say I've ever seen such a thing done. Also, two or three of the anchors had a good bolt w/ hanger, a drilled piton, and another 3/8" bolt with no hanger! If future parties are looking for ways to beef up the belay/rappel anchors, bring some bomber hangers and some 3/8" nuts. Definitely also bring a good amount of 11/16" or thicker webbing for the rappels. We brought something like 40' of 1" webbing and ended up leaving it all, along with 4-5 leaver 'biners and quicklinks, during the rappels. The majority of the anchors above the second pitch do not have chains or quicklinks, so come prepared.

Some other random recollections: The "Clause Chimney" is not difficult for someone used to squeeze chimneys, but it really won't take gear until the business is pretty much over. We had an old school BD #5 cam (equivalent to a new school #6, I think) and it went in solid near the mouth of the Clause just before one pulls out of the squeeze and moves to easier ground above. Without this cam I would have been very wigged out! The pseudo #6 also went in on the 5.10+ off-width pitch right off the ledges. It's a large cam to lug along, but we were very thankful for it more than once.

Finally, as this is NOT a trade route, we encountered a good number of large loose blocks that had to be dealt with daintily. The first pitch of the Mines of Mordor begins with some climbing/chimneying over a stack of apparently solid blocks. I pulled one the size of my torso off into my lap (not on lead, luckily) and only managed to free myself by rolling it off into the abyss of the Mines. Several other pitches demanded delicate tip-toeing around some pretty large, pretty ominous blocks.

All that said, this is a very fun route with some really memorable pitches, great natural bivvy spots, and few crowds. Enjoy!

Hi, Is there a on-line topo available for this route? thanks

yep, here's one

Not to take anything away from Rocco and his 2002 clean ascent, but I climbed Tricks clean in 1998, used only 20 or so feet of aid, and it was done with an rp and small aliens. No cam hook required. Also the descent is a b*tch as described here. You can rap the route, but there is one one bolt belay on the headwall, all the other anchors had 2 bolts. The Dr.

Dr-"was" a one bolt belay.
All raps are double bolts, or trees now, and can be quite casual.

With a sixty meter rope:
--Link one and two.
--Link three and four. (just barely)
--Link eleven and twelve.
--Link fourteen and fifteen.

Pitches 11 and 12 make an ultra classic long pitch when combined.

We took one #6 Camalot C4. We used it in the Clause Chimney and on pitch 11. On pitch 11, I placed it high and slid it up with me for 3-4 feet. It felt well protected, because soon thereafter pro for green/yellow aliens becomes available in the crack to the right.

Awesome. Exhausting.

Congrats to the Dr. for an early clean ascent. We felt odd that we might have been there 1st. What a great line/pitch. Sorry about the Camhook. I now know better...

This route is easily done in around 11 pitches. I will spray some beta my brotha:

1. start on terra firma, skip first anchor, stop @ 2nd, great ledge. 180', awesome climbing, easy hauling
2. walk back into chimney and belay from here. Climb up into chimney, past anchor on arete, continue to anchor on sandy, death block infested ledge. Don't kill your partner. Easy, fun climbing. 190' Hauling sucks ass. Don't bring big haul bag, opt for 2 small ones if you pack like a girl.
3. Santa Claus Chimney. Super short pitch. Climb into inverted V slot. It's Zion's Ear pitch of the Salathe. Stop at 1st anchor. Hero 5.8 pitch. About 50'. Free hanging hauling until the lip.
4. Another super short 4th class pitch. 60' long. Easy solo while your buddy is hauling the Santa Claus previous pitch. Could possible combine with S.C. pitch, but not recommended.
5. Calvinator. Climbs WAY better and easier than it looks. 180' to first and only anchor to the LEFT! This will make sense when you get up there.

What would be about 3 pitches is you roped it out or 4th class. Follow path of least resistance which occasionally has a 4th++ class move or two. But then again I batmanned a fixed line for the middle section, and soloed the last 150' with a haul bag on so it cant be that bad.

6. OW to 5.10 thin hand crack. 115' Crux free pitch? Pendulum from here. BIG B.A. SWING
7. AID PITCH. 110' real men lead it via headlamp during a snowstorm.
8. LONG free pitch. 190' Pass 2 bolts to good ledge. You'll be stoked when you get to this one.
9. Another Salathe ear like pitch. You will pass an "anchor" (1 bolt) out right, but you will probably not know it. I passed it both up and down. My partner saw it on the rap. 190' The pitch starts out awesome, then the rocks turns softer and climbing get scruffy towards the top. Stay inside the 3rd bombay to your left. Going out right sucks and gets really thin above a bushy ledge.
10. Straight up really, really crappy looking loose rock past 2 bolts. Oh yea, the rock is loose and scrappy. 100' to single bolt belay on sandy area supported by large bush. Yuck. Pick rock, it destroys paper and worked for Ben and I, sorry Bill...
11. Summit pitch up thin fist crack. Your hands will hurt at this point if you don't wear gloves. 80' The summit sandy.

Really good route. Enjoy!

On the calvinator pitch the anchor is on the climbers left. Not right.

I climbed this in a day a while back and I'm a little sad to hear that it has been retrofitted for easy rappelling. I know it makes for convenient climbing, but to me it takes away from the adventure. We were nervous about trying this in a day and we were stoked to pull it off. Now I could just rap off at any point. To me, having bolted anchors at every belay detracts from the nature of this route.

So i got lost in the mines of mordor a few months ago. once you move the anchor back from the 2nd offwidth pitch. I climbed 30 ft or so over a sandy block then walked back and started up a crack. wondering up and around huge blocks. Where are the anchors? Do you work your way to the outside of the crack? If so at what point?

thanks,
Darrell

My memory may be a little vague but I remember slithering up some chimney, kinda reminiscent of the Steck-Salathe, and eventually working out to the outside to find an anchor from which you could use and haul and/or jug on the outside of the crack from. I remember a fairly long bit of climbing before going to the outside. It was also dark, by nature and because the day was coming to an end so it gave a particular ominous feel in the true spirit of the Mines of Mordor. I don't recall placing much or any gear on this pitch.