I'm completely stumped. I went to Pinch'em Tight on Sunday with a guy who had previously searched this crag for the four documented routes and come up 0 for 4. We thoroughly searched a large swath of cliffline right of the gap three times and could not identify anything that roughly matched the guide book descriptions of any of the four routes. We were definitely at Pinch'em Tight gap.
Anyone here confident that they've identified one or more of the routes? Actually climbed them? Have any details that might help me locate them on a future episode of <boomingvoice>"Lost in the Woods"</boomingvoice>?
Pinch'em Tight Ridge routes
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Jerry Bargo
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2002 4:10 pm
Maybe it will help if I describe what I DID see.
A few hundred feet right (North) of Pinch'em Tight Gap is a tall rock house that I believe is referred to as "the hole" in the guidebook(s). [I was referencing both John's and Martin's guidebooks on this jaunt.]
At the right edge of "the hole" there is an easy (about 5.4) crack system that leads about 40' up to a ledge. On that ledge, right above the easy crack system, there is a block that you can stand upon to reach an offwidth crack at the lip of a roof. Crumbly rock leads 15-20' to what appears to be a small ledge with a tiny pine sapling. A slightly but consistently overhanging face of mediocre rock leads another 80' or so to what appears to be the top of the cliff. There is no obvious line up this face and both the protection and the climbing look unlikely, especially for anything that might be 5.8+ or easier.
Just right of the block is an obvious dihedral. The rock quality is mediocre but a gentle angle on the left face, along with many small features, make the dihedral seem moderate. I bouldered the first third of this and think that the entire corner might go at about 5.6 up to the small ledge with the tiny pine sapling. It seems that this would HAVE to be one of the routes but is just didn't match any of the route descriptions.
If you continue right on the ledge system (past a couple of easy scrambles back to the ground) for about 200', you come to another obvious dihedral. This dihedral is directly above a very easy rhodo-scramble back to the ground. The rock quality of this corner sucked and I can't imagine that anyone would bestow so much as a single star to any "route" that might exist here. There were two manky old retreat slings on this dihedral/flake - one was tied through a jug handle about 20' up and the second was about 40-50' up, as I recall.
The ledge system begins to peter out to the right and dies within 100'. There are no other distinct lines leading up from the ledge system. Back down on the ground, you continue right and immediately go around a corner, pass some short cracks that no one could consider worthy. Within about 100' of the corner is a left facing dihedral with a wide crack. The rock is crappy and the lip of the crack juts out in the form of a flake that I would not want to pull on/off. The dihedral led to a small ledge on the right. From that ledge, it would be possible to move right to the stance/rappel described next. There was no continuation straight above or to the left.
Just ten feet right of that is a sweet hand/fist crack that leads to a fun face and then a stance at the bottom of a dusty squeeze chimney. I climbed the first pitch but did not feel enticed by the second pitch so we rappelled from a tree at that stance. There was an old yellow sling with two steel rap rings that we cut away. The pitch was a fun 60' of climbing. The crux, about 5.8-, was about 10' off the deck. Still didn't match any of the four route descriptions.
About 100' right of that jam crack was a flaring crack that was about 50' long. Looked harder than any of the documented routes.
A little further right you pass around another corner. There is a ledge above that is easily reached via a rhodo-scramble. An obvious (even from the ground) splitter leads from this ledge to some place around a bulge. Doesn't look like it goes far. An old sling was lying at the bottom of that crack (still there - I forgot to grab it to pack it out).
So we saw lots of "climbable" stuff, but none of it matched any of the route descriptions. Most of it was obviously harder than the documented routes and much of it was very poor quality rock.
A few hundred feet right (North) of Pinch'em Tight Gap is a tall rock house that I believe is referred to as "the hole" in the guidebook(s). [I was referencing both John's and Martin's guidebooks on this jaunt.]
At the right edge of "the hole" there is an easy (about 5.4) crack system that leads about 40' up to a ledge. On that ledge, right above the easy crack system, there is a block that you can stand upon to reach an offwidth crack at the lip of a roof. Crumbly rock leads 15-20' to what appears to be a small ledge with a tiny pine sapling. A slightly but consistently overhanging face of mediocre rock leads another 80' or so to what appears to be the top of the cliff. There is no obvious line up this face and both the protection and the climbing look unlikely, especially for anything that might be 5.8+ or easier.
Just right of the block is an obvious dihedral. The rock quality is mediocre but a gentle angle on the left face, along with many small features, make the dihedral seem moderate. I bouldered the first third of this and think that the entire corner might go at about 5.6 up to the small ledge with the tiny pine sapling. It seems that this would HAVE to be one of the routes but is just didn't match any of the route descriptions.
If you continue right on the ledge system (past a couple of easy scrambles back to the ground) for about 200', you come to another obvious dihedral. This dihedral is directly above a very easy rhodo-scramble back to the ground. The rock quality of this corner sucked and I can't imagine that anyone would bestow so much as a single star to any "route" that might exist here. There were two manky old retreat slings on this dihedral/flake - one was tied through a jug handle about 20' up and the second was about 40-50' up, as I recall.
The ledge system begins to peter out to the right and dies within 100'. There are no other distinct lines leading up from the ledge system. Back down on the ground, you continue right and immediately go around a corner, pass some short cracks that no one could consider worthy. Within about 100' of the corner is a left facing dihedral with a wide crack. The rock is crappy and the lip of the crack juts out in the form of a flake that I would not want to pull on/off. The dihedral led to a small ledge on the right. From that ledge, it would be possible to move right to the stance/rappel described next. There was no continuation straight above or to the left.
Just ten feet right of that is a sweet hand/fist crack that leads to a fun face and then a stance at the bottom of a dusty squeeze chimney. I climbed the first pitch but did not feel enticed by the second pitch so we rappelled from a tree at that stance. There was an old yellow sling with two steel rap rings that we cut away. The pitch was a fun 60' of climbing. The crux, about 5.8-, was about 10' off the deck. Still didn't match any of the four route descriptions.
About 100' right of that jam crack was a flaring crack that was about 50' long. Looked harder than any of the documented routes.
A little further right you pass around another corner. There is a ledge above that is easily reached via a rhodo-scramble. An obvious (even from the ground) splitter leads from this ledge to some place around a bulge. Doesn't look like it goes far. An old sling was lying at the bottom of that crack (still there - I forgot to grab it to pack it out).
So we saw lots of "climbable" stuff, but none of it matched any of the route descriptions. Most of it was obviously harder than the documented routes and much of it was very poor quality rock.
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captain static
- Posts: 2438
- Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 6:05 pm
Hey man, good to see that you are doing some climbing down in the Gorge. Good luck in your Pinch'em Tight quest. Your input into what is happenning in the USFS LAC process would be very helpful. Give me a call or send an e-mail or PM when you get a chance.
"Be responsible for your actions and sensitive to the concerns of other visitors and land managers. ... Your reward is the opportunity to climb in one of the most beautiful areas in this part of the country." John H. Bronaugh
Just right of the block is an obvious dihedral. The rock quality is mediocre but a gentle angle on the left face, along with many small features, make the dihedral seem moderate. I bouldered the first third of this and think that the entire corner might go at about 5.6 up to the small ledge with the tiny pine sapling. It seems that this would HAVE to be one of the routes but is just didn't match any of the route descriptions.
---Sounds like Duke's Day 5.6
If you continue right on the ledge system (past a couple of easy scrambles back to the ground) for about 200', you come to another obvious dihedral. This dihedral is directly above a very easy rhodo-scramble back to the ground. The rock quality of this corner sucked and I can't imagine that anyone would bestow so much as a single star to any "route" that might exist here. There were two manky old retreat slings on this dihedral/flake - one was tied through a jug handle about 20' up and the second was about 40-50' up, as I recall.
----Sounds like Orangutan 5.8+ but the location is off so I'm not sure. Orangutan is located under an overhang that keeps the lower part dry. It's a flakey thing that kind of looks like The Corner at Tower. I recall a jug handle with a sling on the route and old fixed gear up high below the overhang that leads to the upper crack (that looks very hard), so that's why it sounds like the route.
There are a lot of routes on this wall that were done, but the FA'er didn't want me to report them at all, so I didn't. I've been up there a few times, and there is almost nothing worth climbing, although the rock itself is impressive. I recall that Bungle Throught the Jungle didn't look like a route at all in the summer. If you want a better chance of finding it, go when the leaves are off the trees.
I added an okay route a few years ago called It Ain't Easy Being Cheesy 5.9, but it is very far to the right of the Hole. Scramble a short easy crack to a tree covered ledge, move left through shrubs to a handcrack in a right facing dihedral. Up to roof, move left to small ledge, rap from a fixed wire. It's basically straight uphill from the old ford.
Good luck.
---Sounds like Duke's Day 5.6
If you continue right on the ledge system (past a couple of easy scrambles back to the ground) for about 200', you come to another obvious dihedral. This dihedral is directly above a very easy rhodo-scramble back to the ground. The rock quality of this corner sucked and I can't imagine that anyone would bestow so much as a single star to any "route" that might exist here. There were two manky old retreat slings on this dihedral/flake - one was tied through a jug handle about 20' up and the second was about 40-50' up, as I recall.
----Sounds like Orangutan 5.8+ but the location is off so I'm not sure. Orangutan is located under an overhang that keeps the lower part dry. It's a flakey thing that kind of looks like The Corner at Tower. I recall a jug handle with a sling on the route and old fixed gear up high below the overhang that leads to the upper crack (that looks very hard), so that's why it sounds like the route.
There are a lot of routes on this wall that were done, but the FA'er didn't want me to report them at all, so I didn't. I've been up there a few times, and there is almost nothing worth climbing, although the rock itself is impressive. I recall that Bungle Throught the Jungle didn't look like a route at all in the summer. If you want a better chance of finding it, go when the leaves are off the trees.
I added an okay route a few years ago called It Ain't Easy Being Cheesy 5.9, but it is very far to the right of the Hole. Scramble a short easy crack to a tree covered ledge, move left through shrubs to a handcrack in a right facing dihedral. Up to roof, move left to small ledge, rap from a fixed wire. It's basically straight uphill from the old ford.
Good luck.
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Jerry Bargo
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2002 4:10 pm
Muchos gracias for the info, John.
Why did the FA not want disclosure? I'm curious since I saw no evidence of endangered species or possible archeological sites.
So what about Cold Feet? The info in the book left me with the impression that Cold Feet was a prerequisite (approach) to Bungle Through the Jungle. And I thought a 40' 5.4 would stand out like a sore thumb. I didn't see anything that jived. Do you remember any details?
Thanks again for your help. Any other recollections, vague or vivid, would be further appreciated.
Jerry wrote:Just right of the block is an obvious dihedral. The rock quality is mediocre but a gentle angle on the left face, along with many small features, make the dihedral seem moderate. I bouldered the first third of this and think that the entire corner might go at about 5.6 up to the small ledge with the tiny pine sapling. It seems that this would HAVE to be one of the routes but is just didn't match any of the route descriptions.
OK. It was the nicest looking "route" in the immediate area (but surely not worth 2 stars). I felt confident at the time that we could see enough of the upper half of the climb to rule out ANY possibility of it being 5.6. I guess I'll just have to get on it and see where it goes and how it feels.Johnny wrote:---Sounds like Duke's Day 5.6
Jerry wrote:If you continue right on the ledge system (past a couple of easy scrambles back to the ground) for about 200', you come to another obvious dihedral.
The guide books both say that Orangutan is left of Duke's Day, but this second dihedral that you said sounds like Orangutan was definitely right of the better looking dihedral that you though was Duke's Day. Could this be another case of right vs. left getting confused in writing (a la In Between Wall)?Johnny wrote: ----Sounds like Orangutan 5.8+ but the location is off so I'm not sure. Orangutan is located under an overhang that keeps the lower part dry. It's a flakey thing that kind of looks like The Corner at Tower. I recall a jug handle with a sling on the route and old fixed gear up high below the overhang that leads to the upper crack (that looks very hard), so that's why it sounds like the route.
Johnny wrote:There are a lot of routes on this wall that were done, but the FA'er didn't want me to report them at all, so I didn't.
Why did the FA not want disclosure? I'm curious since I saw no evidence of endangered species or possible archeological sites.
Johnny wrote:I recall that Bungle Throught the Jungle didn't look like a route at all in the summer.
So what about Cold Feet? The info in the book left me with the impression that Cold Feet was a prerequisite (approach) to Bungle Through the Jungle. And I thought a 40' 5.4 would stand out like a sore thumb. I didn't see anything that jived. Do you remember any details?
I saw that line and thought it looked like probably the nicest route at the crag. (Of course I also thought that it would go at 5.7 - story of my life...). Wanted to get on it but my partner's dog would not tolerate being left 30' below the start of the climb.Johnny wrote:I added an okay route a few years ago called It Ain't Easy Being Cheesy 5.9, but it is very far to the right of the Hole. Scramble a short easy crack to a tree covered ledge, move left through shrubs to a handcrack in a right facing dihedral. Up to roof, move left to small ledge, rap from a fixed wire. It's basically straight uphill from the old ford.
Thanks again for your help. Any other recollections, vague or vivid, would be further appreciated.
I really can't remember if the descriptions could be backwards. Orangutan is really the only obvious route in the area, and if you saw that flake with slings and gear that ended at an overhang, that was it. I rapped the entire route once, because I couldn't believe it went to the top. The overhang looked at least 5.10 and the crack obove it was flared, thin, and vegetated. I never bothered to try it.
Bungle through the Jungle was pointed out to me by someone who had climbed it while Martin Hackworth was still around and all I remember was that it was covered with trees and veggies (seems like a large hemlock was in front of it?) and really not worth doing. I don't think I ever ltried to locate Cold Feet and based my directions on Martin's description.
I've done Duke's Day twice, and I remember an easy crack and then a left facing dihedral where you climb easy rails to the left of a wide crack. I recall having to climb the face, then move right to lob in some gear, then move back left to the easier climbing. It's kinda okay, but the rating was based on a 1977 rating when there were "classics" like Good Tang and Groundhog. It's probably one star.
The FAer didn't want to publish his climbs because he liked the seclusion and thought it would invite more climbers there (yeah, right). No other reason really.
I think there are two other good lines to try. Near an arete area a few hundred feet of Cheesy is a vertical crack system (some finger sized) that might go to the top. It looks 5.10 from the ground. I doubt the secret FA'ers were good enough to try it. The other one is just to the right of Cheesy and has a bizzare lightning bolt shaped crack on a creamy colored face. It looks hard and may not have a finish, but it was so cool, I thought I'd return to it someday.
I've hiked around the entire wall and done the walkup approach on the "backside". There's really nothing else there. I think the secret FA'ers worked on some stuff just around the corner to the "left" (north or west) of the the saddle between the island-like crag and the adjacent wall to the south. There is some very clean and dry rock there and I recall some cracks that ended partway up the wall. Most of the northwest side is a big rhodo thrash.
It's good to talk to someone who has the same exploration illness that I suffer from. Might I suggest you spend time wandering around Mariba Fork??
Bungle through the Jungle was pointed out to me by someone who had climbed it while Martin Hackworth was still around and all I remember was that it was covered with trees and veggies (seems like a large hemlock was in front of it?) and really not worth doing. I don't think I ever ltried to locate Cold Feet and based my directions on Martin's description.
I've done Duke's Day twice, and I remember an easy crack and then a left facing dihedral where you climb easy rails to the left of a wide crack. I recall having to climb the face, then move right to lob in some gear, then move back left to the easier climbing. It's kinda okay, but the rating was based on a 1977 rating when there were "classics" like Good Tang and Groundhog. It's probably one star.
The FAer didn't want to publish his climbs because he liked the seclusion and thought it would invite more climbers there (yeah, right). No other reason really.
I think there are two other good lines to try. Near an arete area a few hundred feet of Cheesy is a vertical crack system (some finger sized) that might go to the top. It looks 5.10 from the ground. I doubt the secret FA'ers were good enough to try it. The other one is just to the right of Cheesy and has a bizzare lightning bolt shaped crack on a creamy colored face. It looks hard and may not have a finish, but it was so cool, I thought I'd return to it someday.
I've hiked around the entire wall and done the walkup approach on the "backside". There's really nothing else there. I think the secret FA'ers worked on some stuff just around the corner to the "left" (north or west) of the the saddle between the island-like crag and the adjacent wall to the south. There is some very clean and dry rock there and I recall some cracks that ended partway up the wall. Most of the northwest side is a big rhodo thrash.
It's good to talk to someone who has the same exploration illness that I suffer from. Might I suggest you spend time wandering around Mariba Fork??
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Wicked Tribe
- Posts: 469
- Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:25 pm
Duke's Day is cool if you like climbing lichen covered rock. Very dirty climb. None of the listed routes live up to their stars. Take a spotting scope and a tripod to 715 and scope route potentials from there. There are some really nice (high yeeha factor) routes up high. Lower in from top for some wild top ropes and use edge protection when needed. Just to the right (I think) of Duke's day is a nice jam crack up high. You can't miss it when you are looking at it from the road with a scope.