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| Messages 1 - 14 of total 14 in this topic |
Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 10, 2011 - 02:21pm PT
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The R and X rated climbs thread got me thinking about this route at Tahquitz that Gib Lewis and Charles Cole did in the early 80's. It is on the South Face and traverses left to meet Flying Circus.
Anyone done it? Darryl, Kevin, Randy?
Maybe Charles or Gib will fill us in on the first ascent story.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Dec 10, 2011 - 11:18pm PT
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On the list along with Flying Circus. Tis the season up in Idyllwild but I'm stuck working in Joliet IL for another week. Any chance of the first pitch of FS going free?
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 11, 2011 - 12:01pm PT
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One should probably never say "never" regarding climbing possibilities, and it's been a long time since I have seen that face up close, but my memory tells me there is no chance.
I recall having to peer at that slightly overhanging wall for a long time, just to locate edges on which to hang a small Logan hook. This went on for a couple body lengths, at least.
But after you do New Wave, hang a top rope on it and let me know if you agree!
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henny
Social climber
The Past
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Dec 12, 2011 - 12:02am PT
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My recollection on the Flying Circus was that it wouldn't go free either. I remember it overhanging (P1 hooking), and although there were some features the prospect looked pretty bleak. The traverse would probably be a problem as well. I would also think the rurp at the top of the short initial crack would make things interesting. I recall a rurp being fixed there, and by now the sling is guaranteed to be worse than useless. Overhanging crimping off a rurp (say it could be replaced with a cabled one) for a couple of body lengths is going to be an attention getter, particularly since that crack is right at the start.
A few years ago KP and I walked over to it with the same question. Then we walked away.
But who knows, as Ricky said, it's risky to say never. The trick would be freeing it without ruining the nature of the aid climbing. What to do about the rurp - upgrading the bolts to 3/8 would probably be a non-issue, adding bolts or replacing the rurp with one would adversely affect the aid. I would second Ricky, TR it after NW (or do the FC 3rd aid ascent), and see what you see. Then if it's doable but needs pro adjustments, run them by the FA.
Ricky - per New Wave, neither KP or myself ever got around to it. Maybe E has done it? E has been everywhere, and done everything...
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 24, 2011 - 06:13pm PT
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I spoke to Gib L. , who led the first ascent of New Wave. He said that he didn’t remember any death fall potential on the route, despite the current X rating. I tried to get him to relate the story here and perhaps he will.
He also told me that he and Charles didn’t continue up Flying Circus when they did the route, so there is an opportunity for a very challenging, first ascent of the NW to FC combination.
John W-You’re just the man to do this.
KP and DH, did you replace the bolts on these routes?
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henny
Social climber
The Past
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Dec 25, 2011 - 09:33pm PT
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I don't think the bolts have been replaced on either route. At least that I know of. Should be done on both though, unless someone else already has.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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The bolts were replaced by Dave Mayville on New Wave and Flying Circus except the first bolt on Flying Circus, which has now been replaced. The two added bolts on FC (one on P1 and one on P2) have been removed.
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GibO
Trad climber
Breckenridge
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OK, here's a New Wave first ascent account.
Flying Circus had been done some time prior. I was aware that much of the Flying Circus first pitch involved difficult aid climbing. Checking out the crag gave me insight to a free approach to the first pitch that avoids the difficult aid. The New Wave route starts to the right of Flying Circus at the base of a pre-existing old (really old now) route (UnChaste) and traverses over to Flying Circus where it is then free. New Wave as I did it intersects Flying Circus below the difficult mantle (into a friction bowl).
New Wave became somewhat of a project for me. I certainly didn't get it the first day that I tried it. Over a period of some time (a year maybe), I would go over now and then and spend say a half a day trying to finally do it. So one day (4/26/80) I finally did it. Charles C. belayed me that day. This was probably my 3 or 4th attempt day.
I remember getting some initial protection in the UnChaste crack and traversing left. That led to getting a Chounard #3 stopper behind a thick flake. That nut was a bomber placement. I was hanging most of my body weight on that flake anyway. The climbing from there led left and up. I remember that things involved following a detailed sequence. One key hand change on a sharp flake involved finger changing one finger at a time. After that I remotely remember placing a bolt or 2. I never made a topo of the route, so I don't have a solid idea of the number of bolts used--it wasn't many (<= 3, but at least 1).
When I got over to Flying Circus, I remember the crux mantle on its first pitch. Wound up taking three pretty good leader falls on it. Since New Wave is an up and left traverse, the leader fall gets some extra slack in the rope making the fall that much more exciting.
The first fall, I think I fell pressing the mantle. The 2nd fall, I pressed the mantle and couldn't figure out how to stand up and undid the mantle to shorten the fall. The 3rd fall (getting pretty tired by then), I pressed it and fell trying to stand up.
By then it seemed like a good time to call it a day. Funny, with all those falls and my screaming, I couldn't get Charles to come up and finish it off. Too bad, I really wanted to make a continuous ascent of New Wave and Flying Circus that day.
This was a time that sticky rubber existed, but it is probable that I did the route in some EBs that had been resoled with green dot work boot soles. These were better for high angle edging.
Note: this post had to be retyped a bit. The Supertopo computer genie caused much of the text to be deleted when I attempted a minor edit.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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tx for the story.
that's a gorgeous looking sweep of rock, and the granite on that side is really good.
it's one of the routes (well, the two together) that looked really amazing on that side. never touched it, and by the time i was interested it was really obscure, so it's nice to see it back on the page here.
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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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New Wave and the Hangover are totally unknown commodities. Some young tiger or tigress needs to go up there and do those routes and report back.
Another one I never did over there was Black Harlots Lawaway. I do remember that Pa de Deux direct was not so hard but exciting but most of that rock over there was too blank for modern routes.
JL
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Ho Man, this is the year. Thy will be done.
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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The bolts added to flying circus on the 2nd ascent were added because the existing bolts were sheit....not to dummy down the route. The one added on the first pitch was to back up a 1/4" bolt that was hanging out and a spinner.....and the one added to the 2nd pitch was a bolt added to the belay;...which was two 1/4" bolts......now that the original bolts have been replaced with 3/8" bolts, and the belay bolts are 3/8".....the "extra" bolts are no longer needed;.....thanks to those who replaced the original bolts, and thanks for removing the back-up bolts. The added bolts DID change the route from it's original condition,....but so does the 3/8" bolts that replaced the sheit 1/4" bolts......guess only Ricky and Robs had the original experience......maybe this summer someone can hop on the thing and tell us all what it's really like....nothing like first hand experiences.....thanks again for fixing the route up......good on ya.....Back up bolts, 1/4" bolts, new 3/8" bolts, no back-up bolts....no matter how you call it;...it's some rad sheit......
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gonzo chemist
climber
Fort Collins, CO
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Pas De Deux IS an interesting climb. I don't think it gets much traffic. A friend led it, and I followed it, last fall. It seemed fairly cerebral, and very good.
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neversummer
Trad climber
30 mins. from suicide USA
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Jan 22, 2013 - 10:36am PT
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Bump..
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| Messages 1 - 14 of total 14 in this topic |
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