Nubbin and others

Bob, Tak and I were top roping 'Nubbin' when I took this picture. Tak is climbing and Bob is belaying/bottom anchor. The top rope anchor is set on two bolts which can be reached by carefully traversing right from the Iron Hand Rap Anchor. The second rope is over Candy. I almost have seven routes in this picture.

1 Farewell to Arms 5.11b A difficult trad climb I have never been on.

2 Nubbin 5.10c Trad climb with one bolt protecting the crux.

3 LSTD Project 5.11a/b Just put up this year. Three bolts and a piece of pro.

4 A Few Tense Moments 5.8 Trad climb in the corner. You can exit to the top of Nubbin.

5 Piece of Shit 5.10c/d Jays un-named route. I slashed my finger on it the last time I tried it.

6 Candy 5.7 Easiest sport line on main face. This route allows easy access to the top of Iron Hand and all the above routes.

7 Ivan's Corner 5.6 One of the original trad lines that has not seen much activity.

Hakuna Matata 5.9

Hakuna Matata is a nice moderate sport climb. The first bolt is at shoulder height. This is because of the shifting boulders at the base. It used to be at about 10 feet. It moves up the obvious corner to the roof where it gets interesting.

The 4th bolt is well placed just above the roof. There is a long reach to the first horizontal crack. It feels quite airy because you are just over the roof. Once into the cracks it is quite straight forward. There is a nice crack for gear (blue dot). The anchors are just above.

To the left in the corner is Ivan's Corner (5.7). This is a old trad climb. It shares the same start as Candy with the first bolt of Candy in green.

Iron Hand 5.9+

Iron Hand is one of the earliest established route on Main Face rated as 5.9+. It climbs like a 5.10a/b.

Start in the corner with a mantle on the first ledge. Reach into the corner and work up to the ledge under the ceiling. Traverse left then follow a series of lay backs up to the anchors.

The anchors at the top of Iron Hand were replaced this summer by Jason Wall. Two lengths of SS chain are on bolts and are much better than what was once there.

The top of Iron Hand is easily accessed by walking over the ledge from the top of Candy.

Candy 5.7

Candy is the route in black on the right. It starts in the corner and travels left after the 1st bolt. Just above the 2nd bolt is a nice jug which leads into the horizontal gear crack. Top out after clipping the 3rd bolt onto a nice wide ledge where the top bolts are placed.

The route beside it is un-named and is about 5.10c/d. Jay has the first ascent and therefore the right to name it. I asked him what he was going to call it and his reply was "What...that piece of shit!?!" So by default I guess the name is... Piece of Shit.

I like the Piece of Shit. You start under a small ceiling and reach the first large horizontal ledge. Then you smear both feet onto the bottom of the face and reach for a crimp with the right. With no feet and one crimp you reach left for a vertical crack. This allows you to reposition your feet and gain the next horizontal crack. There are 2 bolts and a gear placement. We are going to place a 3rd bolt above the gear placement to primarily keep the route to the left side of the face. Currently people are just using the last bolt on Candy which is actually off route. Try out the piece of shit for yourself.

Morning Climb

Bob and I are going climbing tomorrow at 6:00am at Main Face (Sat).

Breakfast Club.

First time ever that Bob and I have been on MainFace at 6:00 am and two other climbers show up. Jeff and Matt crawled out of bed so they could climb before Jeff went to work at 12:00. Good on ya guys.

I revisited an old nemesis, Iron Hand. It is a trad climb with a rap anchor at the top. I first climbed it back in 1995 and I haven't been back since. It is graded as a 5.9+ but it feels harder (5.10a/b). You climb up a corner below a roof that requires a mantle and then a tricky reach for a pocket. When you get the pocket, you move to a horizontal crack and work it to the left from under the roof and follow a crack to the top. It feels fairly exposed and there is a good swing it you fall low while on TR.

The feet on the traverse are my problem. I have nothing to stand on so I got worked just hanging on to that ledge. It may be called Iron Hand but at the end it felt more like lead.

TR access is quite easy once you have climbed Candy.

Stolen Gear

Wed Aug 30, 2006...some #$@% stole my climbing gear out of my car trunk. Things that are missing include

1. Bluewater 60 meter 10.3mm climbing rope (only 3 months old).
2. An array of quick draws (14 all together) DB Positron.
3. Orange Mad Rock Climbing Shoe's
4. Rock Empire Harness.
5. Arc'terx Chalk bag
6. Set of DB Camalots (.3 thru to 3)\
7. 6 Petzl locking D's
8. Various slings and 2 cordalettes.
9. 60L pack

*As you can tell, it was a major loss!!!!

The #$@^%$ idiots who took this stuff probably have no idea what it is for and just tossed it. If they are stupid enough to either use it or try to sell it, I am hoping someone spots my gear. It is all marked with purple ID tape. If it is seen, get a hold of me thru Wallnuts Climbing Gym.

Thanks.

Noel

Strange Summer

It has been a strange summer. I thought this summer was going to be HUGE for climbing but quite the opposite. Where is everyone?!? A lot of the regulars are well not regular. In fact they are absent.

For me personally it has been great. I have been out more this year than ever before and I have learned a lot. My secret...mornings!!!

I climb 2x per week in the wee hours of the morning. I usually meet Bob at Tim's at 5:00am on Tuesdays. Same on the weekend, either Sat or Sun, depending on whats going on at home. It is absolutely Awesome being down on MainFace when the sun is rising.

I am also surprised by who is willing to climbing with us at that hour. Jason, Leo and Tak have all come out with us at the crack of dawn.

Next Post...Candy

Time for a Change

I apologize to all those who had great hopes for the Avalon Climbing Club but the interest just wasn't there. I hope someone else may pick up the torch in future but I just don't have the time.

I will continue to publish my own climbing experiences and interesting pictures but nothing in regards to a "club".

Noel