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Saturday, May 21, 2016

Revenue Village: Upper Manfred's Rock; 3 new routes "Tear Gas Connection" "Un-Thaw" and "The Chickadee Chirp"

This post is mostly for documentation and organizational purposes. Manfred and I had a day to ourselves to make some progress in the Village. We spent a cold but dry day swinging around on ropes, sinking 30 some odd bolts and killing a couple of batteries. I started on the climber's left side of the upper buttress, just continuing my left-to-right development. With so many routes to do, the decision making is easier when you just start on one side and work your way over. The first route done was Tear Gas Connection: mixed 9 bolts plus small gear to chains 30m. Next we have Un-Thaw: mixed SMW gear crack to permanently slung tree to crack to 5 bolts to chains 30m. Lastly we have The Chickadee Chirp: mixed one small cam to bolts, two ways to finish this one; at bolt 5 the route splits left to stay on face (5 more bolts) or goes right to one bolt (protects traverse) to crack to top chains 30m. There should be 3-4 more routes on Upper Manfred's by the time Im done. Its going to be a while before I get to go back out there though. :(
Tear Gas Connection goes up the left side and hugs the upper arete.
Un-Thaw goes up the crack/rope line-ish.
The Chickadee Chirp runs up this face. The route splits about mid way up. You can see the crack variation to the right or the black streak face to the left/middle.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Revenue Village: Manfred's Rock; Climb Day

Lucas, Bailey, Travis, Luke, Manfred and I all spent a colorful Saturday climbing new routes on my latest spire; Manfred's Rock. I finished bolting 'My Favorite Freddy' 5.6 6 bolts and a slung horn to chains 30m while everyone got ready to climb. Bailey, Lucas and I all climbed 'My Favorite Freddy' easily. Lucas and I climbed Manfred's Crack 5.7 all gear to chains 30m. Bailey almost got 'Wrinkles for Days' 5.10c mixed to chains 30m on the first attempt. Then Travis got in to the crux, cleaned a weak hold for us all and took a little fall. After a short hang-dog, he was able to reach the top. I was up next and was able to lead it cleanly. Lucas also climbed it cleanly on top rope. Then I lead 'Basset Friendly' 5.9 (maybe 5.10a) mixed to chains 30m followed by Bailey on TR. Luke and Manfred just spectated. With all four routes climbed, it was time to go back to camp and celebrate. This was Lucas' first visit to the Village in 4ish years so it was a ton of fun to show the original pioneer all the progress I have made over the years. Im pretty sure these four routes put the Village at over 50 routes now!
Travis belaying Lucas up Manfred's Crack. My green static rope is set up over My Favorite Freddy (it starts a little climber's right of photo and trends climber's left). 
Bailey working the crux section of Wrinkles for Days.
Travis plugging gear before the crux face of Wrinkles for Days.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Revenue Village: Manfred's Rock; 3.25 new routes added

A couple of years ago on a Village rock scouting day, Manfred and I found a clean, beautiful chunk of rock that I foresaw atleast 10 routes on. I have been wanting to go back ever since. I decided to start my developing season there. Armed to to teeth with batteries and bolts and beers, a drillin' we did go! Saturday was cold and snowy so I spent most of the day getting the cache moved over from City Limits buttress to Manfred's rock and crack cleaning. By the end of the day I had one new set of anchors, Manfred's Crack cleaned (30m, all gear to chains) and Basset Friendly cleaned and bolted (30m, 5 bolts to a couple of small-medium cams to another bolt and up to the chains). By Sunday afternoon, I finished Wrinkles For Days (30m, 1 bolt then small-large gear to 7 bolts and chains) and started My Favorite Freddy (30m, 2 bolts so far). Im really excited to get back out there and climb these routes as well as add several more to the buttress. Its too bad the hike kinda sucks to get to this one because its going to be one of my favorites in the Village. But I think I have said that about every buttress out there so.......
Manfred's Crack is obvious enough. Basset Friendly runs up the face between the crack and the bush and finished climber's right of the triangular roof. Wrinkles for days starts just climber's left of the photo and goes up to the bush (I added a permanent sling for pro), passes it on the left then takes off up the face to the very faint dead tree on the skyline. My Favorite Freddy is about the right side of the photo but not visible.