Gum Cheese 5.6 at The Red Rock in Draper Utah. This is a neat little climbing area in Draper, supposedly maintained by a Dentist, hence the odd route names.
I drove up after work today to scope it out, walked up the landscaping timber "stairs" and checked it out. Decided to try "Gum Cheese" a simple 5.6 about 35-40' give or take (had a 90' rope folded in half with about 10' left on each end).
That's the top of the route, my rope folded in half and knotted in a figure-eight and hooked on two quickdraws. My finger is actually there on purpose - the sun was shining straight onto the lens and the poor camera couldn't even see the rope, so I shaded it.
At the bottom I had to free the rope (stuck on a little crack/horn) and clipped in my Edelrid Eddy. (seen below at a ledge about 10' from the top). Lest I be found guilty of inspiring anyone into trying this at home (don't) I won't go into any other details about how I set this up. If it's not obvious you shouldn't be doing this.
The start is supposed to be the 5.6 crux, but I found it to be about V0---. The crux for me was a little bit of exposure just above the ledge about 2/3 of the way up. View below is looking up from that ledge. Above is looking below at a slightly overhanging crack that has to be passed to get to the ledge (and that loves to eat rope).
From the ledge there are two ways to go - you can go to the climber's left (my right shoulder in the pic below) into a little notch that has a few other moderate routes (behind me below are the anchors for routes on the other side of the notch, including a 5.11), or straight up to the anchors I used, or slightly right to another set of anchors.
I decided to go slightly left and angle back into the anchors I used to take advantage of an offwidth crack (need to learn that skill). I topped out about 15 minutes after starting (woohoo! I can do a 40' route in about 1/5 that at the Gym)
Looking down on Draper from the top of The Red Rock after my first Rope Solo effort using a self-belayed top-rope.
Called Angie to brag (she's in CO at the Keystone Condo), then ran to IKEA to grab some stuff to stick in the suitcase, including a highchair for the rat, and some gifts for all (surprise surprise).
I drove up after work today to scope it out, walked up the landscaping timber "stairs" and checked it out. Decided to try "Gum Cheese" a simple 5.6 about 35-40' give or take (had a 90' rope folded in half with about 10' left on each end).
That's the top of the route, my rope folded in half and knotted in a figure-eight and hooked on two quickdraws. My finger is actually there on purpose - the sun was shining straight onto the lens and the poor camera couldn't even see the rope, so I shaded it.
At the bottom I had to free the rope (stuck on a little crack/horn) and clipped in my Edelrid Eddy. (seen below at a ledge about 10' from the top). Lest I be found guilty of inspiring anyone into trying this at home (don't) I won't go into any other details about how I set this up. If it's not obvious you shouldn't be doing this.
The start is supposed to be the 5.6 crux, but I found it to be about V0---. The crux for me was a little bit of exposure just above the ledge about 2/3 of the way up. View below is looking up from that ledge. Above is looking below at a slightly overhanging crack that has to be passed to get to the ledge (and that loves to eat rope).
From the ledge there are two ways to go - you can go to the climber's left (my right shoulder in the pic below) into a little notch that has a few other moderate routes (behind me below are the anchors for routes on the other side of the notch, including a 5.11), or straight up to the anchors I used, or slightly right to another set of anchors.
I decided to go slightly left and angle back into the anchors I used to take advantage of an offwidth crack (need to learn that skill). I topped out about 15 minutes after starting (woohoo! I can do a 40' route in about 1/5 that at the Gym)
Looking down on Draper from the top of The Red Rock after my first Rope Solo effort using a self-belayed top-rope.
Called Angie to brag (she's in CO at the Keystone Condo), then ran to IKEA to grab some stuff to stick in the suitcase, including a highchair for the rat, and some gifts for all (surprise surprise).
YEA!!!
ReplyDeleteYou rock baby--literally. I am so proud of you...a solo top top! WOW! You are just so talented and great.
Yea! surprises from Ikea...always fun!
:)