June Lake Loop conditions + development
|
Conditions first: |
|
Development next: |
|
Sharon and I have explored some more easy routes near the right end of the lower Silver Lake crags. Also installed some more two-bolt anchors for TR. Also installed intermediate bolts on four pitches for |
|
Fire this morning. |
|
Fire out + done except for one whisp higher up. Helicopter making trips up there to finish it off. |
|
the Rush granite crag (SE of Grant Lake) is now accessible by the log snag crossing. But still muddy getting to the snag. And rather buggy by the crossing because of remaining pools of water. |
|
Sharon and I explored some more Top-Rope pitches on the right side of the Silver Lake crag, so they've been linked from the area pages for sector Melchsee and sector Miroir. Includes the first pitch on this crag as hard as 5.9 (with a 10b variation), also additional fun easy routes. Sport Lead - (seems like much harder work) - Bolted two or three more pitches in sector Miroir. The new bolted routes (5.4 and 5.7) are on the left side. I was motivated by how they finish up to the obvious "peak" at the left top of the sector (and the nice climbing sequences). And they connect a bit more closely with the Sport Lead route below in sector Melchsee to make a multi-pitch sport route. Convenience . . . Ken |
|
Silver Lake crag ... Added two more top anchors to sector Melchsee. Also a mid-height anchor to reduce the problem of rope stretch when Top-Roping if climber falls near the bottom. So far bolts and hangers only, no connect between bolts, no rappel or lower-off. Checked loose hanger in anchor at top of P1 / bottom of P2 in route Mittellegi Ridge sector Gimmelwald. Cannot be tightened because nut and bolt just spin together, I assume due to damaged bolt thread. So I tested it: Got the teeth of a 12-inch crowbar under the hanger, also under the bolt -- pried with as much strength and weight as I could put on the crowbar, but nothing in the bolt-nut-hanger hardware moved a bit. Looked for Howard's route with old piton, and photo of interesting crack (unsorted route in sector Gimmelwald), but couldn't find it. Ken |
|
New route by somebody else . . . When we arrived at the left (north) side of Cosmiques, we saw a bolt line (which we had not installed), so decided to try climbing it. Variety of interesing moves up to a 2-bolt anchor with 2 rappel rings. Noticed that the bolt hangers were Metolius EN959, which a web search afterward showed were composed of extra-corrosion-resistance 316 Stainless steel. Pretty tough stuff for the dry Eastside environment -- honoring the interesting fun featured granite of Rush by building for eternity. Afterward I put a description and photos of route up on MP: Then we saw lots of interesting rock nearby, so used that shiny 2-bolt anchor (with some directionals) to try Top-Roping other lines to either side -- found lots more fun climbing: I'd love to know who did that nice work of bolting, to give them credit for First Ascent, and so they could give their name for this route. Ken |
|
Silver Lake Sharon + I found yet more fun easy routes there today at sector 9 Lavorgo - [ see Photo ] - and last week on the central slab of sector 7 Melchsee - [ see Photo ] - Wednesday + Friday planning to do some bolting in these sectors. If might want to join, please send a message to my MP account with your email and phone. Ken |
|
No new routes, but I did post description of a crag previously not on MountainProject: with photos and driving instructions and GPS. Close to and highly visible from the main loop road, about a mile SW from Gull Lake. Quartzite rock, said to be sufficiently hard to rapidly render drill bits dull. Perhaps someone who knows better can draw some topo lines on the photos to show the routes. Ken |
|
Haha, yep that rock is haaaaard. I started a couple of routes above the ball field, sector Gunter Glieben, Quartzite and Marble, 2 trips with a fresh battery each trip got me 4 bolts total. |
|
Thanks for the work -- hope I get to use those bolts for climbing (easier if you post more details on MP). Sounds like harder rock than most of Silver Lake crag. But couple of weeks ago I wanted to install a directional bolt in blank dull gray plate -- wrecked two drill bits in less than half an hour before I got smart and gave up. Ken |
|
I don't tend to post routes until they are done. At the rate I am going it will be a while, cant afford the drill bits and the time right now. There is an anchor though that works for 2 climbs, a 5.8 and an 11+/12-, but it is a bit of work getting to it. |
|
Thanks for any help, Ken |