GRADUATE CLIFF CLIMBS
- Pre Skool - Part 1
- Pre Skool - Part Deux (This Page)
- Walk to School
- Pick Your Poison
SUMMARY HAIKU
It's not meant to be
What the FAIL not once but twice!
This time it's the route
It's not meant to be
What the FAIL not once but twice!
This time it's the route
Pre Skool (part deux)
Climb: Pre Skool (Trad) (5.7)(2 pitches - 260')
Wall: Graduate Cliff
Rope: We used twin 60s and did one big rappel to the base, and then a short rappel to avoid down climbing the exposed low 5th class approach; a 70m will work for two raps.
Good Lead for a New Trad Climber? No.
Conclusion WTF? What the FAIL AGAIN! (See Day 60 - Rick & I finished the climb - P1 What the Feisty, P2 What the Forget About It!)
Wall: Graduate Cliff
Rope: We used twin 60s and did one big rappel to the base, and then a short rappel to avoid down climbing the exposed low 5th class approach; a 70m will work for two raps.
Good Lead for a New Trad Climber? No.
Conclusion WTF? What the FAIL AGAIN! (See Day 60 - Rick & I finished the climb - P1 What the Feisty, P2 What the Forget About It!)
So on Day 26 of the WTF 5.7 Tour, in the depths of winter, Rick and I decided to hit the Graduate Cliff in Willow Springs. We knew the walls at Willow Springs had early morning sun, so we thought it would be a good, warmer choice on a freezing morning. It wasn't and the climbs we were hitting were briefly in the sun and then went shady because of an adjacent pillar. It was painfully freezing. So after pitch 1, frozen hands, me (Stef) getting the screaming barfies, and full body shivering, we bailed.
Now, on Day 46, in the middle of the summer, everything in full sun and getting darn hot, Tony Ferrar joined me to tackle this climb again.
I didn't mention in the previous entry that there is about 10-15 feet of exposed low 5th class climbing and an exposed traverse (to avoid a cactus) to get to the start of the climb (but it is shown in the climb topo image on the previous post)
Now, on Day 46, in the middle of the summer, everything in full sun and getting darn hot, Tony Ferrar joined me to tackle this climb again.
I didn't mention in the previous entry that there is about 10-15 feet of exposed low 5th class climbing and an exposed traverse (to avoid a cactus) to get to the start of the climb (but it is shown in the climb topo image on the previous post)
Pitch 1
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This is the roof pitch. I was wondering what I'd think of the roof when I didn't have freezing hands. It went way better this time (I didn't need to take), but it's no gimmie, and it's not a 5.7. This roof favors the tall, giving them the ability to access some better holds farther back.
The pitch is pretty fun actually and the rock is decent. Climb to a small ledge that is near a large pine tree to the left. That is the pine tree for the rappel if you stop here or if you rappel from the top with a single rope. To access the pine tree from here, you will need to traverse left using protection to get there. Other wise, to continue on pitch two, follow the good sized crack up. |
Tony scoping out the roof on Pitch 1
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Pitch 2
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This pitch is easier than pitch 1, it's pretty fun and has decent protection until the crack ends. Then you are met with hollow, sandy, crumbly, poor quality white rock. The terrain looks featured and easy, but when I scoped out the places where I might put protection, I didn't like it. The rock wasn't just hollow, there were also extensive cracks and fracture points. I just didn't trust it would hold in a fall. And, with poor quality rock, a hold popping (resulting in a fall) is a high probability. It just didn't feel right.
To top it off, based upon the Mountain Project description, supposedly there is only one bolt to rappel from. Since this is a newer climb, I'm assuming the bolt in in good condition, but it's still not ideal. There is still a 5.7 chimney climb (called Walk to School) that needs to be done, And that rock looks way better than the stuff at the top of this pitch. The chimney climb does use the same single bolt for the rappel, so I'll have more beta on it when it's completed. |
Stef at the start of pitch 2. The pitch is good until approximately the last 30 feet, when we bailed.
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Climb Stats to Date
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DATE OF CLIMB: June 21, 2020
WALLS HIT: 1 NUMBER OF CLIMBS TODAY: 1 NUMBER OF PITCHES TODAY: 1.75 NUMBER OF FALLS: 0 NUMBER OF TAKES: 0 VERTICAL FEET CLIMBED TODAY: 230 DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TODAY: 0 START & END TIMES:
TOTAL CLIMBS SO FAR: 107 TOTAL PITCHES SO FAR: 146.75 TOTAL 5.7 VERTICAL FEET ON THE TOUR SO FAR: 12,600' NUMBER OF CLIMBS REMAINING: 130 (out of 237) VERTICAL FEET REMAINING: 38,147' DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TO DATE: 3 |
FALLS SO FAR: 0
TAKES ON LEAD SO FAR:
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