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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 19, 2007 - 01:40pm PT
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Every time I have attempted a summit bid on the Wedge, we have ended up getting stormed off. Last year, on two separate occasions I got to listen to the bail 'biners hum with electricity as I waited to rap. This attempt, I figured (with my luck) would probably be no different.
We drove in the night before, and camped near the trailhead. The morning came quite quickly, and we made for the trail. The time went pretty quickly and before I knew it we were within viewing distance of the Wedge.
We came in a party of 6 and were the first to arrive. Travis and Pauly opted for Tiny Tim, a sporty bolt line near the left skyline. Brett and Billy went for the classic Mutt & Jeff, which is the obvious crack line cutting right to left under the 'cyclops eye'. Pat really had been wanting to do Gandalf for some time now. Legend has it that the Dirty Sox recruited Pat Callis for this climb after a few different attempts. It had a reputation for being stout and run out, but Pat wanted to drag me up it, I wasn't going to turn down the opportunity.
To get to the Balcony Ledge you have a handful of options. We ended up doing a mix of Spellcaster and Balcony Direct, and made pretty good time.
Out on the ledge, the wind was really whipping. It was pretty crazy. Pat and I discussed our options: Crux pitches in the super-wind, bail, or wait it out.
So we ended up chilling out on the Balcony for an hour or so, waiting for the wind to die down. It didn't. Finally Pat decided just to start up, wind be damned.
The zig back left through the roof is the technical crux. Quite the seam. Pat styled it, placing a number of BD micros.
When I got to the upper belay, Pat was all smiles, and so was I. I was smiling because I could see Travis on the summit peering over and hooting and hollering at us, knowing we would actually summit this time. Pat, I think, was smiling for different reasons. He points out the bail gear above, and reminds me of the run out that is coming up on the final pitch. After that last pitch I had completely forgotten it.
Pat casually climbs up the petering out seam and reaches the bail gear. "Woot! Woot! I guess this is how you score hb offsets now!" Pat hollers down. We laugh, and Pat fiddles in a couple more pieces at the end of the seam, the top of which is capped with a thin plate.
"I can see the bolt up there...watch me"
Pat sets off, reaching high on both side of the plate, mantling into the less than vertical terrain above. His right foot cuts, shooting out behind him, curling like the tail of a scorpion. Somehow he stays on and makes some of the stranger noises I have ever heard from my brother. He gingerly moves up and left, just out of sight, and I feel him make the clip.
"Wooooooooo! Pat Callis is a madman! And it ain't over yet!"
A few long minutes later and Pat tops out to cheers on the summit. I follow behind, and shake my head in disbelief. The terrain above is stout and there is only a single 1/4" bolt protecting the final 50 feet, drilled from the only available stance. Wow, glad I followed this one.....
Some summit shots....
Cheers,
Tom
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Apr 19, 2007 - 01:48pm PT
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sweet! I like the wedge, done a few routes on it myself...
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feelio Babar
Trad climber
Sneaking up behind you...
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Apr 19, 2007 - 01:49pm PT
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Kick as TK. Got rained off the wedge myself!
Can't wait to go back! Great Pics as usual!
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Latitute 33
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Apr 19, 2007 - 01:54pm PT
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Beautiful looking crag and nice TR. Pat Callis was one of the early pioneers of Suicide Rock climbing before moving to MT. Would love to visit your neck of the woods for some climbing sometime.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Apr 19, 2007 - 01:56pm PT
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Wow, nice job. Looks like there are some awesome lines on that rock. Good job and tell Pat he's da-man!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Apr 19, 2007 - 02:13pm PT
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Looks like a most excellent adventure, wind, perfect granite, and all.
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WBraun
climber
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Apr 19, 2007 - 02:17pm PT
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They should have TKingsbury appreciation thread here.
TKingsbury always has awesome TR and lots of different photos of unusual places.
Thanks TKingsbury!
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handsome B
Gym climber
SL,UT
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Apr 19, 2007 - 02:21pm PT
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Great stuff! Being out in the wild puts a whole new spin on the spicy stuff.
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Kartch
climber
belgrade, mt
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Apr 19, 2007 - 02:37pm PT
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Once again another fine TR by TK. Thanks.
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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Apr 19, 2007 - 02:51pm PT
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Great trip report. Excellent series of photos, made me feel like I was there. Look forward to going east this summer!
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mojede
Trad climber
Butte, America
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Apr 19, 2007 - 03:29pm PT
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Good tick Pat on "Gandalf"--it's one of the few Wedge routes that I haven't done yet.
Nice photo of "The Edge", a good 3-pitch 600' 5.8
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 19, 2007 - 04:21pm PT
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Some really kind, unexpected compliments.
Thanks all.
I thought you'd like that shot Hutch...I gotta get on that thing.
Best,
Tom
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Apr 19, 2007 - 04:39pm PT
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Nice photos and TR - thanks for sharing. Pat Callis also climbed in Washington state in the 60s with Fred Beckey and others - he has several early first ascents on Snow Creek Wall in Leavenworth. He also pioneered a lot of ice climbing in Montana.
http://www.firstascentpress.com/pdf/RockandIce_Dirty-Sox.pdf
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darod
Trad climber
South Side Billburg
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Apr 19, 2007 - 04:54pm PT
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thanks for the great TR and photos!
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montanaclimber
Trad climber
Marysville, MT
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Apr 19, 2007 - 05:05pm PT
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Congrats!
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Indianclimber
climber
Las Vegas
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Apr 19, 2007 - 05:11pm PT
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Tom ,thanks .I always look forward to your TR's and pictures and luckily there are lots of them. Congrats
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L
climber
Rolla, Misery
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Apr 19, 2007 - 05:12pm PT
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Hooty Hoot Tom! Great TR and the photos were killer!!!
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Bump...how did I miss this TR? Awesome!
Tom, remember running into you on a trip out from the Wedge. Can't remember if we all got rained off or not...maybe...
Pat was my chemistry professor in 1981...too fun. Still gettin' 'er done up there, methinks.
Cheers!
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