On August
9, we climb the Southwest Rib of SEWS. We get a late start. Last night was
frigid. We don't want to get to the base of the route too far ahead of the
sun. We leave the Blue lake Trailhead around 9:30 AM. The base of SEWS is
still in the shade when we arrive (it's about 1h30 approach). We start the
route from the split larch tree at the base of the west face. I start leading
the first pitch. I traverse left on the easy ramp (Class II), to the start
of the steeper, broken corner system of yellow/orange rock. I climb maybe
70 ft up that system to a ledge with a small tree at the base of a small overhang
before setting a belay. I'm almost out of rope and want to bring Eric up before
starting up the steeper section (you can probably belay on the next ledge
if you have a 60m rope or if you simul-climb the easy ramp).
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The
direct SW Rib starts at the split larch tree.
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Lucie
starting the first pitch.
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I
belayed at the small tree just below the overhang.
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From
there, I traversed right into the finger crack just right of the
tree...
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...and
belayed on a good ledge 30 ft below the striking 5.8 crack.
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According
to a TR we've read (and are using as a topo), there are two options here:
either straight up the main crack system (looks like steep 5.8 with good jams),
or up a small off-finger/thin hands crack to the right, followed by a hand
traverse below and around a bulging block. I pick the latter… turns out to
have a couple of very thin 5.9 moves at the end of the hand traverse (with
slippery, slabby feet). Above that, the crack returns to the left and leads
to the large ledge 30 feet below the obvious 5.8 flare.
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Starting
pitch 3.
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The
5.8 crack is one of the most enjoyable pitches.
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Views
from the belay atop pitch 3.
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Eric
leading the 5.10b variation. The normal route follows a 5.5 corner
on the left.
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Liebacking
the crux.
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The next
pitch (#3) is straight up the flare above. Some jamming initially, then creative
OW and arete climbing along the wide flare. No need for very large cams here.
It can be adequately protected with up to #3 Camalots. I have a good time
on this pitch - so much easier than most of the "5.8 offwidths"
we climbed in Yosemite!
This pitch
leads to another ledge at the base of a vertical orange wall. The normal route
here goes up a low angle groove to the left, then turns sharp right and traverses
on black lichened slabs above. Instead, we go for the appealing 5.10b variation,
straight up the orange wall (first crack system you encounter from the belay
ledge). Too hard for me to lead - Eric's turn. It's a very nice, classic finger
crack, with bomber pro, which leads straight up the wall, just left of a hanging
corner, and deposits you on the same black slabs. The rest of the pitch wanders
up the slab with occasional pro to a sketchy, balancy 5.6+ move far above
a slung horn. This is a full-length pitch on 50m ropes (160 ft). Eric is barely
able to reach the belay block on the sloping ledge just right of the base
of the double wide crack (the infamous "bear hug").
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Starting
the bear-hug pitch (pitch 5, 5.7+).
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Bear-hugging...
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...and
traversing left to finish the crux section.
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Belaying
on the first good ledge above and right of the twin cracks.
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Following
pitch 6 (~5.4?).
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Next comes
the "bear hug" pitch. Pretty fun, yet very short. Requires large
cams for pro (nothing smaller available). I place a #4.5 Camalot in the left
hand crack to protect the first move off the belay, then "walk"
it up a bit. I then use a #5 Camalot a bit higher in the RHS crack. You could
probably get by with just with a #4.5, but with these two monster cams, I
feel really well protected. Above the twin OW, I follow a blocky ramp to the
right below an overhang, to a good ledge where I belay Eric up.
Next come
two easy, slabby pitches with meager protection that lead to the "rabbit
ears". From there, you can drop into the gully from slings but it is
best to downclimb into the notch a few tens of feet before reaching the rabbit
ears, using an easy set of cracks and ledges (easy 5th). This is what we end
up doing. I belay Eric from the rabbit ears but he downclimb into the gully
and hikes to the top of it, setting up a belay at the base of the short 5"
crack that leads to the summit of the spire.
The last
pitch is short and sweet. The only pro is a 5" cam, but the climbing is very
easy (~5.2).
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Reaching
the belay.
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Starting
pitch 7 (~5.4?).
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Belaying
at the top of the rabbit ears. You can rap from there (slings)
or better, downclimb into the notch before getting to the small
tree.
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Downclimbing
into the gully (pitch 8).
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Leading
the short pitch (#9, ~5.2?) to the summit.
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We spend
some time on the comfortable summit, taking the usual summit shots, looking
at other climbers on top of Lliberty Bell and getting a bite to eat. The sky
is darkening and soon, we start thinking about getting down. The descent is
a straightforward downclimb of the south arete. Obvious route. Mostly 3rd
and 4th class, but includes an exciting short stretch of hand traversing (low
5th) near the top (but you can also do this "à cheval").
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Summit
views - Liberty Bell.
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Climbers
on top of Liberty Bell.
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Summit
shot.
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Ditto.
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Downclimbing
the gully to the South Arete descent.
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Three
single-rope raps at the bottom, in a low angle chimney of sorts, bring you
back to the col. A short scree hike around the base of the rock (<10 minutes)
gets you back to the split larch so you don't even need to carry your shoes
up the climb. A good route.
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At
the first rap station..
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Happy
squirrel found a cookie (not ours, mind you).
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