Morrocan Gold
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:29 pm
As anyone who has been involved in an extensive editing process knows that lots of good content gets cut out in order to clarify or shrink down an article.
Well there was one section that I really didn't want to cut out of my article but had do to make space for the pictures (after all that is why I buy the mags too). So I am going to post that section here as bonus writing for those who want a 5 minute disctraction this afternoon.
This subsection might make more sense if you have read the article (Morrocan Gold, Climbing - February Issue - Africa Issue) but should stand on its own as well.
Let me know if you like it.
>>
The Morrocan Walk-Off
Despite the fact that Hassan knew more than anyone else about the area, we discovered the hard way that his beta was not always completely accurate. Having only one rope, we asked Hassan to recommend a short multi-pitch sport route that we could walk off of. Hassan eagerly pointed out a nice looking route that was a mere 300 feet from the hotel along the road and across the river. He assured us it was a great route and claimed it had a ledge system three pitches up. This would allow us to walk a few hundred feet to a notch on the left, leading to a trail system we could walk down.
Skeptically, we looked up at the vague features a few hundred feet off the ground and double-checked with him that we could walk off.
“Walk off, no problem, no problem,” Hassan assured us.
Aside from not clearing the river when I leapt across, the route, a 6b (5.10c) named “Tin-Tin Au Maroc,” was as good as Hassan assured us it would be. The rock was solid and the moves were varied and consistently interesting. He had warned us that it was run out during some easier sections. The thirty-foot distance between a couple of the bolts proved him right and kept me focused.
It was at the top of the last pitch where the problems started. As I belayed Aaron up, I looked around and was unable to see any possible way to walk off. I could see the notch a few hundred feet to our left where the trail system started, but there was no ledge system to be found. After intently studying the features around me, I was certain that there was no walk off anywhere.
Aaron reached the belay and we had a quick discussion. Did we miss the ledge system below us? No. Could the ledge system be above us? No. Could we rappel? Not off of the anchor, as the last pitch had been more than half a rope length.
After running through the options I turned to Aaron, handed him the sport draws and a couple of slings and said, “Your lead.”
Aaron smoothly traversed through a combination of small 4th class sections with stretches of easy 5th class climbing in between. About three-quarters of a rope length out he placed his first piece right as he turned a corner. I could not see if it was good but was immensely relieved that he had something in. Shortly afterwards the rope pulled tight. My relief turned to apprehension when instead of yelling “Secure,” he shouted, “Start simul-climbing.” I had done a fair amount of simul-climbing but never traversing sketchy rock where the best-case scenario was a potential massive pendulum onto a single unknown piece.
I stopped thinking and let instinct and experience take over. The climbing was as easy as Aaron made it look and as I approached the lone piece of gear, he reached the notch and yelled that he was secure.
As I reached the piece of protection, I was staring at a sling wrapped around the inch-thick base of the dead sagebrush plant. I don’t know what I expected him to rig with a rack of quickdraws and a few slings on a barren wall, but this would not even count as mental pro much less hold body weight. I did not let myself dwell on it before I quickly and precisely moved towards the notch.
As we hiked down the trail, I said, “So I guess that is the Moroccan idea of a walk-off.”
Aaron replied, “The lesson we learned today is to never rely on a Moroccan walk-off.”
Well there was one section that I really didn't want to cut out of my article but had do to make space for the pictures (after all that is why I buy the mags too). So I am going to post that section here as bonus writing for those who want a 5 minute disctraction this afternoon.
This subsection might make more sense if you have read the article (Morrocan Gold, Climbing - February Issue - Africa Issue) but should stand on its own as well.
Let me know if you like it.
>>
The Morrocan Walk-Off
Despite the fact that Hassan knew more than anyone else about the area, we discovered the hard way that his beta was not always completely accurate. Having only one rope, we asked Hassan to recommend a short multi-pitch sport route that we could walk off of. Hassan eagerly pointed out a nice looking route that was a mere 300 feet from the hotel along the road and across the river. He assured us it was a great route and claimed it had a ledge system three pitches up. This would allow us to walk a few hundred feet to a notch on the left, leading to a trail system we could walk down.
Skeptically, we looked up at the vague features a few hundred feet off the ground and double-checked with him that we could walk off.
“Walk off, no problem, no problem,” Hassan assured us.
Aside from not clearing the river when I leapt across, the route, a 6b (5.10c) named “Tin-Tin Au Maroc,” was as good as Hassan assured us it would be. The rock was solid and the moves were varied and consistently interesting. He had warned us that it was run out during some easier sections. The thirty-foot distance between a couple of the bolts proved him right and kept me focused.
It was at the top of the last pitch where the problems started. As I belayed Aaron up, I looked around and was unable to see any possible way to walk off. I could see the notch a few hundred feet to our left where the trail system started, but there was no ledge system to be found. After intently studying the features around me, I was certain that there was no walk off anywhere.
Aaron reached the belay and we had a quick discussion. Did we miss the ledge system below us? No. Could the ledge system be above us? No. Could we rappel? Not off of the anchor, as the last pitch had been more than half a rope length.
After running through the options I turned to Aaron, handed him the sport draws and a couple of slings and said, “Your lead.”
Aaron smoothly traversed through a combination of small 4th class sections with stretches of easy 5th class climbing in between. About three-quarters of a rope length out he placed his first piece right as he turned a corner. I could not see if it was good but was immensely relieved that he had something in. Shortly afterwards the rope pulled tight. My relief turned to apprehension when instead of yelling “Secure,” he shouted, “Start simul-climbing.” I had done a fair amount of simul-climbing but never traversing sketchy rock where the best-case scenario was a potential massive pendulum onto a single unknown piece.
I stopped thinking and let instinct and experience take over. The climbing was as easy as Aaron made it look and as I approached the lone piece of gear, he reached the notch and yelled that he was secure.
As I reached the piece of protection, I was staring at a sling wrapped around the inch-thick base of the dead sagebrush plant. I don’t know what I expected him to rig with a rack of quickdraws and a few slings on a barren wall, but this would not even count as mental pro much less hold body weight. I did not let myself dwell on it before I quickly and precisely moved towards the notch.
As we hiked down the trail, I said, “So I guess that is the Moroccan idea of a walk-off.”
Aaron replied, “The lesson we learned today is to never rely on a Moroccan walk-off.”
