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Frodo Lives

5.9, Sport, 200 ft (61 m), 2 pitches,  Avg: 2.6 from 16 votes
FA: Jim and Christian Knight
Utah > Wasatch Range > Southern Wasatch > Rock Canyon > Trilogy Buttress

Description

Frodo Lives is a wonderfully exhilarating route with exciting exposure, solid holds interspersed with scary, broken quartzite, yet solid, bolted protection.

Start from one of two belay locations: a single bolt if you climbed the 5.7 2nd pitch route, or a double-bolt belay if you climbed the 5.8 2nd pitch route. While on belay, walk across to the base of the upper wall, praying that you don’t do something stupid like trip over your shoelaces and pitch down the gully to your right.

Climb over to, or up to, the first bolt (depending on your start). Clip it and traverse right and slightly up to the second bolt. At this point climbing up from the second bolt would put you on Lord of the Slings. Continue traversing right and slightly up to the third bolt of Frodo Lives. From this point head up to the fourth bolt, then bear left for the left edge of the roof above you (following the right bolt line puts you on Shadow and Flame, 5.10b).

The climbing to the belay anchor (located on a narrow ledge) continues through six more bolts of fairly sustained climbing; surmounting the edge of the roof and a bulge is a bit harder. Don’t forget to look down!

From the belay continue up through three more bolts of thrilling climbing, including probably the most exciting moves: getting over a small roof, well protected by the last bolt (but you still have a lot of that I-really-don’t-want-to-fall feeling because of the exposure). After topping out a two-bolt anchor is located on rock about 10 or 15 feet from the edge and on your left. There is also a shallow crack to the left of the one of the bolts in which I placed a number one BD C3 (because there was only a single bolt at the time).

Location

On the upper wall of Trilogy Buttress the lowest bolt protects the start of all of the routes. For Frodo Lives traverse right after the first bolt for two bolts, then up one more bolt, then bear left and up.

Protection

Pitch 1: 10 bolts, hangers-and-rings anchor. I recommend slinging the first three bolts with double-length (48") runners and the next five with regular (24") runners This will help greatly with rope drag.

Pitch 2: 3 bolts and a two-bolt anchor with supplemental small gear. I used a 24" sling on the second bolt from the belay.

Helmets are a really good idea.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Trilogy Buttress<br> Upper Face<br> 1 [[105853685]] P3 5.9<br> 8 [[107199034]] 5.10c<br> 9 [[106779775]] 5.7<br> 10 [[108390334]] 5.8<br> 11 [[106054941]] 5.9<br> 12 [[106068235]] 5.10b
[Hide Photo] Trilogy Buttress Upper Face 1 Lord of the Slings P3 5.9 8 Gollum's Column 5.10c 9 My Precious 5.7 10 Shards of Narsil 5.8 11 Frodo Lives 5.9 12 Shadow and Flame 5.10b
Bryce pulling the roof at the top of Frodo Lives
[Hide Photo] Bryce pulling the roof at the top of Frodo Lives
Bryce leading Frodo Lives
[Hide Photo] Bryce leading Frodo Lives
Reaching the top of <em>[[106054941]]</em> route.
[Hide Photo] Reaching the top of Frodo Lives route.
The belay ledge on the face of <em>[[105853667]]</em>. From here it is possible to belay the final section of <em>[[105853685]]</em>, <em>[[106054941]]</em>, and <em>[[106068235]]</em> (or climb them in one long pitch).
[Hide Photo] The belay ledge on the face of Trilogy Buttress. From here it is possible to belay the final section of Lord of the Slings, Frodo Lives, and Shadow and Flame (or climb them in one long pitch).
From half way up <em>[[105853667]]</em>, this photo shows the optional belay ledge for <em>[[106054941]]</em> and <em>[[105853685]]</em> (can also be climbed in one long pitch).
[Hide Photo] From half way up Trilogy Buttress, this photo shows the optional belay ledge for Frodo Lives and Lord of the Slings (can also be climbed in one long pitch).
On the left, Skyler Holman is on <em>[[105853685]]</em>, and Perin Blanchard is on <em>[[106054941]]</em>.
[Hide Photo] On the left, Skyler Holman is on Lord of the Slings, and Perin Blanchard is on Frodo Lives.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Tristan Higbee
Pocatello, ID
 
[Hide Comment] One star for the climbing and the rock and one more star for the overall experience. I didn't like the route much. Classic? Different strokes for different folks, I guess... The rock was chossy, the bolts far apart, the rope drag horrible. The movement up and over the few roofs was kinda fun, though, and the exposure was enjoyable. I wouldn't recommend this route if 5.9 is your limit. Sep 8, 2009
Perin Blanchard
Orem, UT
  5.9
[Hide Comment] "...the bolts far apart..."

Jim Knight said, among other things: "I placed the bare minimum of bolts so as to take advantage of the places for pro." Sep 9, 2009
Tristan Higbee
Pocatello, ID
 
[Hide Comment] Duly noted, and I'll keep that in mind next time I head up there. I will say, though, that I feel like in most places where there was distance between bolts, the rock was too shattered for good pro. Maybe I just was in a sport climbing mindset, not a trad one.

EDIT 9/10/09: I want to clarify that if I went up again, I still probably wouldn't take trad gear for these pitches. The bolts are far enough apart where you do certainly have to think before you commit to the moves but not far enough apart to where I think it's really worth hauling trad gear up. I can see the application of Jim's "I bolted it so you could get trad gear in" comment on other pitches but on these two particular pitches I doubt whether that really applies. The route isn't bolted like "Ok, here's a placement so I can skip placing a bolt." The bolts are at pretty much the same distance throughout the pitch. They're just farther apart than one would expect on a normal sport climb.

Anyway, the bolting isn't my main issue with the climb. I'd have given it the same number of stars regardless of how it was bolted. Sep 9, 2009
Christopher Sorensen
Provo, UT
  5.9
[Hide Comment] That is very useful information to have before going up there, I think. Thanks, Perin. Sep 9, 2009
Perin Blanchard
Orem, UT
  5.9
[Hide Comment] I hope no one gets scared off. I personally didn't think supplemental gear was necessary, but the bolt spacing does tend to focus one's mind. There's no shame in taking a small rack along. Sep 10, 2009
Jim Knight
[Hide Comment] Keep in mind, that this was area is not bolted like many sport climbing crags, and I make no excuses.
So.. here's what you can expect:

1. The climbing is generally easier (5.10 & under).
2. The exposure up there has a pucker factor (alpine-like setting) so cowboy up.
3. The bolts are moderately spaced but right where they're needed (back it up with pro if you need to-with no shame (single sizes, fingers to hands) so it's no place for doggers.
4. Expect loose rock (re-read #2) wear a helmet

OK. That said, if you like exposed multi-pitch moderate alpine-ish climbing (like the Tetons) without crowds, queueing up, ponderously long approaches or huge racks, you're going to love this route and this area. If not, stay low, work on your nerve, ability and trad skills until you are up for the challenge. Oct 26, 2009