First Big Snow

First snow this weekend. Probably done for the year at the River Crag.

Link-up of South Slab Direct and Banzai via Backdoor

Joel on Pitch 3 of Banzai

Starting to get a little chilly in the shade.

Joel on 5.10 crack line

New 5.10  trad  route on Upper Tier of Elk Park Overlook.
After a foray on Backdoor, we did some nice, sunny cragging on the Upper Tier. Two new crack lines and two new TR on sport lines. The crag is only 40ft high but has excellent rock and a full southern exposure.

Joel on FA South Slab Direct 10/15/2014

South Slab Direct (temporary name)  5.10+/5.11- 2 pitches **** 95m established 10/15/2014 by Austin, Joel and Roger. Excellent! Will have 2-3 more pitches next year through the headwall.
The 2014 new-routing season is coming to a close. 9 new pitches were established this year: Stuck in the Middle 5.10 and The North Face of Elk Park Buttress 5.11b on Elk Park Overlook; Backdoor 5.11b above the third pitch of Banzai; a re-vamped Idefix Dihedral; The 3 pitch Mavericks III 5.11b **** which incorporates a variation to Idefix for it's second pitch. There are now over 45 established pitches and 4 independent multi-pitch lines that ascend the Main Wall. Another incredible year at the River Crag.

The 4 pitch line Mavericks, 5.11b/c established via the new and improved Idefix Dihedral. By Joel and Austin 9/20/14.

First pitch of Mavericks established 5.9 ** 35m. The second pitch needs some cleaning and will traverse in past three bolts to Idéfix.

Two new lines redpointed:



 Stuck in the Middle I, 5.10 20m *** (not shown) and The North Face of Elk Park Buttress I, 5.11+ 30m **** (blue line). New anchors at the cliff top allow two rappels to the base with a single 70m rope.

New line

 

The Elk Park Overlook -Lower Tier. The new line climbs the middle of the polished face right of the skyline.

New Elk Park Route

North Face of Elk Park Buttress

First new route of the season: Backdoor III, 5.11b FFA 6/22/14 with Austin. Adds a final pitch to The Banzai Pipeline through the headwall just right of Joel's route.