Fixed Lines

 My blog posting has not kept up with the work Jan and I are doing outside. This summer we have spent time developing top access and cleaning potential routes. Bone Yard is coming but cleaning a 100 foot pitch is harder than a 30 foot slab (Marine Slab). Since August, we have been mostly at Marine Slab which brings me to the point of this post...damaged fixed lines.

It can be difficult to gain access to the top of a face. We have to drag all out gear up. Proper anchor placements need to be found and set before we can rap over the face to start cleaning and/or climbing. Often, these anchor are quite far back. We loose an hour and waste energy before we even get started. 

We leave fixed lines over the faces we are working on to gain fast and safe access. Theses lines are anchored to either natural protection or bolts well above the climbing face and left for several weeks as we work the area. This weekend, we found that are fixed lines had been cut. This was disappointing and concerning. I think it was likely bored teenagers. I am hoping it was not someone from the climbing community. We had to confirm the anchors and what remained of the ropes were still good.

Despite the delay, we bolted 2 new lines on Sunday. They still need to be named and graded but more on that in the next post.

Boneyard will be amazing.

 

Just a quick update. Jan and I have been prepping and cleaning Boneyard and a second face at Marine Slab. We have 4 lines ready to bolt at Marine Slab...but that is for later.

Today was eye opening as we finally got over what looks to be a good trad line. We have placed bolts above the faces to safely gain access, quickly. Time is limited and it sucks setting up a trad anchor.

We rapped down and cleaned as we went. The crack in the picture is near vertical lower and becomes overhanging at the top where the crack closes. At the top of the picture, there is a ledge. That is about half way up the face. 

The second picture is the same line but from the bottom. The crack is hand jam width at the bottom and it gets thinner as it gets higher. To the right there is a corner which may allow feet but I am not sure. The the left around the corner is a near blank vertical face. It is smooth with subtle ledges and features on the corner. This will be a great sport route.

We have also been cleaning a chimney/corner that will probably go around 5.7 except there is an overhanging crux that will push it to 5.9ish. To the right of the corner is a low grade face climb that leads to a pinnacle that allows you to step across the face again. To the right of the corner is a slightly overhanging line that will go around 5.10a/b.

These are high faces. The trad line to the ledge is about 50+ feet with another potential 50 above that. The smooth vertical line is around 70 feet and the 3 lines in the corner are all ~ 100 feet. A 60m rope will be required.

There is some overhanging terrain at height. It is above the grade that Jan and I can develop. If you have the headspace and skillset for this kind of development, get in touch or leave a comment.