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Westron Wynde
5.9,
Trad, 400 ft (121 m), 3 pitches,
Avg: 2.9 from 34
votes
FA: Mark Dalen, Mark Leonard 1980
New Mexico
> Albuquerque Area
> Sandia Mountains
> Echo Canyon
> Bush Shark Area
Description
Many consider the (5.9) variation of P3 to be one of the Sandia's best at its grade.
Pitch 1 (5.9) Climb straight up the major weakness. Ignore at least the second of two bolts on the left, unless 5.10 face is your stronger suite compared to the style of climbing that lies ahead: continue up through a short chimney / off width section (5.9, visible from belay). 10 or 20 feet higher, left and up a ramp to belay somewhere below a small roof. About 160 ft.
Pitch 2 (5.8) Surmount a small roof (5.8) working your way to a straight-in corner (5.11 R), most parties step left gaining a serious of small cracks to a ledge and a small fir tree. (5.10 R). Most climbers avoid both above variations and traverse further left beyond the small cracks. This variation climbs a small arete like feature eventually ending on a large ledge above a fir tree (5.8).
Pitch 3 (5.9) Step right from the belay into a right facing corner system. The lower angled corner goes at (5.9). The further, more vertical corner goes at (5.10a). Both corner systems meet at a bulge. After the bulge (5.9) head up to a second roof bypassing it on its left side. Head up through easier terrain to the top of the formation belaying from a well camo'd bolt.
Location
Approx. 100 yards beyond the
Busk Shark Spire. The route starts between the second and third of 3 big fir trees in a narrowing gully on a south facing wall. Look for the first of two bolts protecting delicate face climbing on P1.
Protection
Standard Sandia's rack, doubles especially useful 0.3-#1 camelot. P2 belay requires some larger pieces: #2-3 camelot.
[Hide Photo] Tamara entering the stellar P3 (5.9)corner. The corner system further right is the (5.10a) variation.
[Hide Photo] Mark on the wandering second pitch
[Hide Photo] Approaching the roof on P2- moving slightly left and up towards 11 o'clock
[Hide Photo] Base of the Westron Wynde
[Hide Photo] Stewart at the roof on the 2nd pitch.
[Hide Photo] Photo taken from between the second and third fir trees. The start of WW can be easily identified by the two bolts marked here by white X's.
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