8.25.2011

(New) International Trade Routes




We were going! Mt Bute was on the radar, and for Graham, Scott, and myself, each ebullient with some summits on big trips this year, an expedition to the B.C. Coast Range had us buzzing for months. In early summer, psyche levels were at a 10. Then Graham hurt his shoulder and was out of the picture... Strike one. 



8.10.2011

go climb 'Let it Burn'!

I am in Washington and British Columbia for a summer trip, and recently spent some time in the Enchantments and North Cascades.


At Colchuck Balanced Rock cirque with my friends Garrett and Scott, we climbed the 'West Face', the final 60m of 'The Tempest' and made the likely 2nd ascent of "Let it Burn". Scott and Garrett suggest 5.11a for the (once 5.12a) West Face, but agreed that it's a gem regardless of the letters we define it as.

Let it Burn was established last fall by local granite gurus Jens Holsten and Max Hasson. Their route is one of the very best rock climbs in the Cascades and should get climbed a lot.

Scott and I both onsighted the first 3 pitches (Scott lead the 5.12a) but then I fell above this. I lowered back to the belay after cleaning some funk and sussing out the moves, and since Scott was still sans-slips, he ropegunned the pitch and I followed cleanly. This drama basically repeated itself on the final 5.11c pitch as well. Let it Burn gets about twice as much sun as the rest of CBR, and after hiking up and climbing a bunch the day before and then spending most of the day on Let it Burn, my elbows were cramping with dehydration, making the final 5.11c "wild reachy boulder problem" feel rather cruxy. After a rest and our last sip of water, I at least followed it cleanly, so we (I) didn't onsight, but we did both make a free ascent of the route.

Bring a single #1 and #2 camalot, a single purple TCU/Blue Alien, and doubles from green alien to #1 Camalot, plus many wires.