This is one of the more serious towers I have climbed. Jay was on his game that year, having done the F.A. of the Terminator (then the worlds hardest ice climb and still a big deal) a few months prior to this. P1 Climb an offwidth to a chimney. There is a crux (old school5.10) down low where a #6 cam and #3 Bigbro will marginally protect (soft rock). After that, run it for perhaps 30 feet in the smooth chimney to your first solid gear. You can get in a #5 and #4 here, plus a solid #11 hex if you still have one. A few more awkward moves, perhaps 12 more feet, get you to an overhanging wide hand crack. Takes #3.5's and #3 for 25 feet, then opens to a #5 again. After that its smooth sailing to the anchor in a 5.9 chimney. ITs 120 feet, overhanging, and very hard. Belay from good ASCA bolts at the sloping stance. P2 climb fingers and hands over loose rock for about 100 feet. The grade is 10+, A1. THere are a few relics to clip on this pitch, but mostly its .4 to 3.5 cams. Lots of loose flakes you need to stand and pull on. THe belayer can hide under and overhang below. Just above the death blocks, which seem to stay when yarded on, there is a pin and then a cruxy (Loose) move. After that its fairly straight forward, though soft just before the anchor. Belay on the ledge off two new ASCA bolts. P3 pull on the old anchor, then do a slab move to the bolt ladder. These old 1/4 inch button heads were replaced with halfies, so they are decent. Do three or four A0 moves, then work your way around the summit cap on very soft rock. Ascend it on the back side. This pitch is A0, 5.6, but a slip from the loose 5.6 would make for a horrific and potentially deadly fall. Rap the route on two 60's. You can do the summit pitch with just one rope and leave the other on The Bride's Bouquet. Two 70's might reach the ground from the Bouquet... watch your knot in the crack.
Location
The climb starts in the obvious chimney on the west face of the Bride.
Protection
2 sets micro cams friends: 2 sets #2, #3, 3 sets #.75-1.5, 3 sets #3.5 and #4, 2 or 3 each of #5 and #6, a large bigbro, a small assortment of nuts. slings and biners, aiders, at least 2 X 60 meter ropes.
By Andy Laakmann Site Landlord From: Jackson Hole, WY Mar 28, 2007
Sam neglected to mention the most important pieces of gear for this climb - balls of steel for the first pitch. Brutually physical climbing with 50+ foot ground fall potential. Sick lead man!
The Bride
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