RRC Archives

Way to go Danny! Bet you didn't have to stand in line for this one.
After we did the FA I was somewhat tortured by the issue of what to name it. I thought the climbing was mostly really cool, with only the last chimney being a disappointment. So, on one level I wanted to promote the route, but I hate sandbagging. In the end we decided to go with truth-in-advertising, and thus the name Gold Digger. As for leading the last overhang, did you find some way to TR it?

I thought the thing was damn cool, even the last chimney. The exit into the sun after the long dark runout was birthlike -- my pants were full of afterbirth. I avoided the last overhang by traversing left and up and back over. The rope drag was extreme traversing there because I ran it to there from the ground. I straddled that tree on top of the overhang and belayed. Max managed to pull the overhang directly on top rope. It was mainly a matter of trusting a large hold that looked suspect. He didn't use any of the wide crack to pull it. How did you guys manage the overhang? That route looks so cool and obvious from the ground I couldn't pass it up even though the book said to skip it.

Good for you Danny, glad you trusted your eye rather than the book. I don't remember many details. I lead all the pitches, and seem to remember doing it as a bunch of short ones,in order to avoid rope drag, then the long chimney to finish. Like you said, even the chimney was cool in terms of moves and position. What had me kind of puckered was the thick spongey lichen that covered the somewhat crumbly walls of the final pitch. The lower pitches were just plain dirty fun. It's been a long time but if I had another look at it I bet I could recall the exact line.

Any sign that anybody else has been up there? Any chance you did the second ascent?

There were some slings about 40-50 feet up. I assume that a few have done it up to there. After that is an offwidth section. I doubt if that was the second ascent for the rest but probably in the first 10 or so

It was 1988 when i did that thing . i know we used varation start to the right as stated in the guide book. i lead all the pitchs and i did the easiest finish. i remeber the route being dirty. you can forget alot in 15 years! good job danny! i remember we also did planet waves that day. it is an okay route.

As far as the last overhang goes... If you can stay in the OW, props. If you use the face , pray.
Yes the route is a bit dirty in certain spots, and yes, the rock is questionable under the last overhang (and yes the chimney is velvet-lined), but as a whole Gold Digger is by far one of the most fun climbs i've ever seconded. It has everything, a real royal sampler (plus one of the best belays in the Gorge).
what a time machine. seriously.