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Trad
Trad climber
northern CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 7, 2009 - 12:12am PT
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Late Spring 2008 I spotted a couple climbers up on Main Wall in an unfamiliar area.
Later on I ran into Petch and asked about it, and learned that he and a friend (Mark?) were putting up (or repeating? forget the details) a new route: Absolutely Billy (.10d). Then in August 2008 my partner and I accidentally climbed the first 3 pitches when we thought we were on North Country. (My fault - went up straight when I should have gone left.)
Anyway, the first 3 pitches were fun and I've wanted to check out the rest of the route ever since, plus rectify the earlier mistake by posting something under the correct name so here it is. (The other thread is here:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=647218 )
By way of review, the first pitch (.10a) is steep climbing up dikes and some flakes and cracks, with 6 or 7 bolts plus gear. It's quality climbing, and you can do just the one pitch and rap with a 60 m.
The second pitch is .10c and it was interesting to look back at what I wrote last year when I still thought it was the 5.9 second pitch of North Country.
"... a blocky overhang/roof that required scary creative moves I no longer recall but took a long time to accept." At the time it occurred to me that those old-school climbers who rated this only "5.9" were pretty badass!!
2nd pitch view from the first belay:
The 3rd pitch (5.8) starts off in a wide, dirty crack but quickly goes into a thin crack w/balancy moves, and then to a cool corner reminiscent of a short, easy version of Hospital Corner. A very enjoyable pitch.
OK, finally to the new stuff! There's a bolted belay up right of the corner. Last year we went up left to finish on North Diagonal, but for Absolutely Billy you move the belay 15 or 20 feet along the ledge to the right past some loose blocks.
Now, on a good day (sometimes) I can lead .10d trad so I was looking forward to trying the lead on this pitch. It traverses up right (steep hands) and puts you at the base of a vertical crack. Hmmm, looked pretty thin but it IS supposed to be only .10d, right? So how hard can it be?
I made slow unsteady progress until I got a few feet below what looked like a decent stance on the left. Just barely with extended fingertips I pushed a TCU up into the crack as high as I could. Then I started the move but halfway through got scared and yelled TAKE!!!
Well, as soon as Stephen placed tension that TCU popped right out and I watched it slide down the rope. It's "funny" how your attitude can change very quickly sometimes.
DON'T TAKE!.....DOOOONNNNN'TT TTTTAAAAAAKKKKKEEEE!!!!!!!1111111
Somehow I got to the stance but looking up saw only a narrow corner with a thin, moss-filled seam. (Note to future self: next time, re-read Petch's description in the other thread BEFORE leading the pitch.) That was enough for me so I placed a nut and asked to be lowered. Oh well (he says to himself, rationalizing) it's good to seek out your limits now and then.
In my disgruntlement (or technically, state of "poopy-pants" as one of my old climbing partners would call it) I almost convinced Stephen that maybe we were off-route and should bail. He humored me while I untied and pulled the rope. (pause) "Can I give it a shot...?" And of course he proceeded to cruise the pitch. It still didn't look exactly EASY but he certainly led it clean and in fine style. Oh well, at least I managed to follow clean without too much whining.
Basically, once the pro runs out in the crack (i.e. where I lowered) there's a hard move up and onto the face where you can sling a small pine tree, then traverse up and right, then back left, via some flaky underclings. (Earlier I'd asked Mark about that pitch and he said, "You'll want to have your head about you." In retrospect, good beta.)
Here's a couple pictures of Stephen around where he stepped out on the face (sorry about the quality, the sun wasn't cooperating):
And looking down from the 4th belay:
The route tops out via Al Tahoe (5.8 or 5.9, depending on the guide), which is sort of a choss-fest. At one point a small dike edge broke off under my foot, which was unnerving, and then while following Stephen pulled off another small dike that hit him in the helmet. Other than that, it was cautious but uneventful.
Absolutely Billy is a really fun, full-value route, and I'm looking forward to a repeat. Maybe I'll even manage to lead that 4th pitch next time...
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Nice Trad! Good work on the AB.
Nice TR Link to the NC.
Mucci
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there trad, say, whereas i dont always understand all the "lingo" etc, i really understand your neat share here and all the adventure involved...
thanks for the nice share here... very interesging... (pics did not all dowload yet---but i will come back later, as always, when it is not so late)...
nice job...
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msiddens
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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GREAT TR....making my palms sweat an the body ache for a Leap trip.
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Salamanizer
Trad climber
Vacaville Ca,
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Nice TR...
Cant believe no one thought to lead that second pitch already. I mean, you talk about an obvious feature, that things huge.
From my Falcon guide it looks like Abs-Billy links up with Bombs Away then Al Tahoe up higher after the third pitch. Might be a worthwhile venture to replace the bolts on the second pitch of Bombs Away to create a linkup/variation (as well as restore the Bombs Away route). Though the second and third pitches of Abs-billy look like some quality climbing in of themselves.
Now you got me all psyched to climb something outside the "Pork Circus Perimeter" at the leap this weekend.
Need partner - will travel. Who's with me???
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Aug 13, 2009 - 04:16pm PT
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Looks like fun Trad!
Climb on!
Zander
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Aug 13, 2009 - 04:24pm PT
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I really love The Leap....
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Ed H
Trad climber
Santa Rosa, CA
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Jun 16, 2016 - 09:21am PT
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Absolutely Billy is a must do on the Main Ledge
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