Indian Creek, Moses 4/1-8/06 Debby Wallach, SAC [partial report - many details and climbs still to fill in - 4/9/06] 3/31 pm - flew to Salt Lake City (via Las Vegas) on Southwest Air. Nancy gave us a much needed ride to the airport on a rather rainy day. Our checked bags arrived before we did, and one of the five was missing. It was already 11:30pm, and the airline offered to put us up at a local hotel. Hopefully the bag would arrive on the morning flight from Las Vegas. Picked up our rental car. 4/1 - Had a good breakfast at the hotel, did our grocery shopping, and back to the airport at 9am. Still no sign of the bag. It was Debby's bag with her rope, rain jacket, etc. Fortunately I had brought 2 ropes, so there was nothing fully essential in it, so we headed for Moab and kept checking with Southwest over the next several days. (still no sign of the bag as of 4/9). It was cloudy with some rain between Moab and Indian Creek. 2:30pm - arrived at Supercrack Buttress parking lot and saw Jared's car. Also met Joe Johnson and Hadley who arrived at the same time. Put up a note on the bulletin board for Jared, Alexander and Hristo. Headed up the trail to Supercrack Buttress. 1. Nuclear Waste 5.10 - We chose this, on the far right end of the buttress. Alexander came by and found us, and then Jared and Jeremy showed up soon after. I led it, feeling a bit challenged on the initial thin hands corner section, but otherwise it was fairly comfy. Debby followed easily; so did Jeremy and Jared. 2. Wild Works of Fire (short) 5.10b - I led the 50' version of this climb to the chain anchors. Debby followed in the fading light; Jeremy followed with very little light. It had a long hand crack; I brought 3 #3 Friends but wished I had 4; fortunately cramming in a #3.5 was enough to get by. climbs by other folks: - several short climbs - Jared, Jeremy - Incredible Hand Crack 5.10b - Hristo, Alexander - 3AM Crack 5.10b - Hristo, Alexander, Jared We set up camp in the same spot near Newspaper Rock where Debby and Alexander had camped last Memorial Day. 4/2 - much improved sunny weather; we all headed to the Fin Wall. 1. Walkin', Talkin' Bob 5.10- - Debby led, I followed. From the ground, I thought the crux steep splitter crack was #2 Friend size, but Debby was wiser and took 2 #3s (one more would have been nice as well). Jared also led and Jeremy followed. 2. Crappucino 5.10 - I led with some aid, Debby, Jeremy, Jared followed. We almost couldn't find this route. It is 200' left of Fintastic - around the corner on the west face. It has a nice straight hand crack section, then an easy part to a 1" hard section, then a 1/2" hard section without a good rest in between. I had left the 1/2" TCUs off the rack; had to build an anchor there and bring them up; then I aided a couple moves until it got easier. Also hard to reach up to clip the chains. 3. Nagasaki 5.10d+ - Alexander led, Hristo, Clint, Debby, Jeremy, Jared followed. Debby had one fall/brief hang in the top section of this sustained climb when she was running out of gas. climbs by other folks: - Fintastic 5.10 - Alexander + Hristo, Jared + Jeremy - Skid Row 5.12a - Hristo led - 5.9 route - Jared, Jeremy - Demolition 5.11d - Hristo + Alexander, a bit dirty due to recent rain We then hurried down the trail and back to the campsite in Jared's car. Jared and Jeremy then drove back to Durango (end of Stanford spring break), while Debby and I drove to Moab on an extremely low gas tank. In the rush on Saturday to meet Jared, we had failed to fill our gas tank at Moab, and then drained it further on Saturday night trying to contact Southwest Air about Debby's missing bag (first going out on Beef Basin Road to try for cell phone reception - no luck, and finally to the pay phone at the Canyonlands NP Visitor Center). On our Sunday night drive to Moab, the fuel light was on almost the whole way, but Debby somehow managed to make it to Moab anyway (45 miles or so). We pulled into the first gas station and filled the tank. Then on to the grocery store for a little more food, and the Moab Diner for some dinner before leaving town at 10pm. Our goal was to drive down into Taylor Canyon, in hopes of doing Moses on Monday. Our rental car (Chevy Malibu) had average clearance, so we were hoping the recent storms had not rendered the rough road in Taylor Canyon impassible. Debby drove to the start of the dirt Horsethief Trail, then I drove it to the rim and down the switchbacks to Mineral Bottom. This was all friendly like last year when Jared and I drove in. The White Rim Trail to Taylor Canyon was also pretty easy, and Taylor Canyon was also about the same as last year - some ruts, a few sandy sections, and some occasional larger rocks which I stopped and tossed off the road. We arrived at the end of the road a little before midnight and did our minimum impact camping (sleeping on the tarp in the parking lot). Fortunately it did not rain on us as it had on Jared and I last year. 4/3 - up early and racked for Moses (we took: triple sets of cams to #3 Friend, 2*#3.5, 1*#4, 1 set nuts; a 3rd #3.5 and perhaps a 4th #1.5 would have been nice). A van from the nearby campsite drove up and the two guys mentioned they were hoping to climb the same route as us (Primrose Dihedrals). I figured there was time for all of us to do it, so no problem. We left the parking lot about 15 minutes before they did. I took the trail under the South Face, like I did last year when Jared and I looked at the Direct Start. Unfortunately I then saw the approach to the Traverse Start was on the North side. By the time we had hiked around the east end of Moses, we saw the other 2 climbers (Charles and _____ from Boulder) were already there. They did not seem to be in a big rush and offered to let us go first, so we started it. 1. Traverse Start 5.8, I led this and most pitches; Debby followed with the pack (water, extra clothes). The weather was great - not too hot or too windy. 2. Primrose Dihedrals p2 5.10c, several sections of 1" on this, with the first finishing at a wide crack which I had to quickly lieback to reach pro (fortunately my feet were on a slight ramp, so it was not too hard). The second hard bit went around a roof with some good jams. The last hard part was a 1" corner, where I had to move up the last of my #1.5 Friends. A wild and great pitch. I hauled the pack on our 9mm rope and Debby followed quickly. 3. p3 5.10 - this one involves going down a steep 5.8 corner, a short hand traverse left, then up flakes and jams. A couple of times I just reached a good jam when my feet skated off (footholds slightly too far to the left of the jams). I hauled the pack and belayed Debby on both ropes, using the 9mm through a fixed quicklink at the previous belay. We could hear Charles' partner having trouble leading p2 - they had not been climbing much before this trip. Eventually he said he did not want to continue leading it with all the hanging. 4. p4 5.10 - after moving over a short detached flake, this pitch goes up the main corner, first using a finger crack over a roof (fortunately the footing is good below the roof as one wall is less than vertical). After grabbing a chockstone, there is a good hands section to a rest. Then the crack arches up and right, as wide hands (placed a #3.5) to a stance below the right end of the roof. Above this is more wide hands, and I had to move my remaining #3.5 with me on a sling. Fortunately the crack is in a bit of a ramp, so there is good footing and one can lieback a little on the jams instead of pulling straight out on them. Hauled the pack through space and Debby followed smoothly. At about this point we noticed that the Boulder guys had rapped off. 5. p5 5.10 - the corner has a thin crack at this point, often filled with small stones, but also some big face holds. At one place I kept moving the stones to make a place for a #6 Rock, which resulted in a fair amount of dirt coming down onto my taped hands. Further above was steep but easy jamming to a rest under a roof. Then an airy reach/traverse left to a lieback flake. It was way too big for our cams, so I reversed back to the rest and placed a cam in a horizontal pocket (as high as possible). This was much closer to the flake, and liebacking it on my second try did not seem so scary (it was over quickly, with feet on footholds soon). I set up a hanging belay from a drilled angle and the first bolt of the Ear, which had a convenient long cheat sling on it. I hauled the pack and Debby came up quickly. 6. p6 "The Ear" C1 - I led up the bolt ladder fairly easily, using my light aiders. On a couple of the bolts, you grab the edge of the flake so you can topstep to reach the next bolt. At the last bolt (recently replaced; formerly missing and requiring hard free moves), I could reach up to place a #1.5 Friend, which I aided up on, then aided from a #3 shortly above to reach a nice belay ledge with a recently replaced bolt anchor. I slid the aiders down the haul line to Debby and then hauled the pack. She aided up smoothly, remarking how much easier it was to use aiders, versus her aiding experience in Spain without them. We paused for some food and water on the nice belay ledge, with just a few short pitches left to go. 7. p7 5.10 face - I led this, which has the belay anchor and then a 1/4" bolt for pro on an initial steep face to undercling. Here I put in a 1/2" cam, but was not very confident in it. After not finding any more pro and resting at the undercling, I managed to do the face moves, which were not that hard due to the low angle, but a little scary because I didn't trust the cam. It was easy above this, versus how the topo suggested a 5.10 crack. I hauled the pack and Debby followed easily. 8. p8 5.8+ face - Debby led this, on recently replaced bolts. The last move is rather tricky, as the apparent hold is sloping and sandy, but she found a way. I joined her shortly at the chains, and we scrambled up to the summit. After signing the register and a few photos, we rapped down the North Face (Pale Fire). I used the aiders to make the 2 hanging stances comfy, and offered them to Debby as well, but she was fine without them. Soon we were at the base, finishing off our cached water and hiking back to the car. We drove out Taylor Canyon and north on the White Rim Trail to outside the Canyonlands NP boundary. Here I thought we could camp and then drive on the White Rim Trail to do Monster Tower or Washer Woman the next day. But a careful reading of the approach description suggested driving from the other end of the White Rim trail instead, and a look at the map confirmed it would be far too much distance from this end. So we drove back to Moab, then out on the River Road and camped at the Hal Canyon campground below some River Road/Big Bend towers - Dolomite Tower and The Lighthouse. 4/4 - The Lighthouse - Lonely Vigil 5.10 We approached directly from the highway, and Debby led the loose 5.7 approach pitch to the notch. p1 - starts with a short overhanging section with hand jams, then another overhang which opens into a squeeze. I struggled here for awhile before committing to some reachy holds and stepping up into the crack. Debby found a nice way to face climb it. p2 - easy thin hands, then move right into a short calcite squeeze chimney, thankfully with a chockstone to stand on. Then the real business starts - a super wide stem and reachy face climbing up and left. Decent pro; no fixed pro. p3 - short but blank corner (5.10) - Debby led, continuing over left and up the 5.9 slab with pro at a loose block/flake. p4 - up the 5.8 summit block. There is pro halfway up (cam). Late in the day we drove out to Grandview Point (Canyonlands NP), hoping to catch a glimpse of Monster Tower and Washer Woman. They do not appear to be visible from the road in spite of our attempts. However, we did get a good view of the Shafer Trail, which was very well graded, so it looked quite feasible for our car. We also saw Standing Rock from Grandview, but the light was fairly faint because of all the clouds. We drove back to the Newspaper Rock camp that night, where Marshall and Polly had arrived, and we caught up with what Alexander and Hristo had been climbing. I set up the tent for Debby, using stakes for the fly with rocks to hopefully hold them down. It was a bit windy and looked like it might rain. I set up the blue tarp for myself, low between 2 trees. I used many of the sand stakes to hold down the edges of the tarp against the wind. At 3:30am that night, a big gust of wind picked up the tent and turned it upside down! Debby managed to escape, deflate the tent, and spent the rest of the night in the car. 4/5 - It was raining and hailing a little, so we all took a rest day. We drove out to Moab (with Marshall and Polly in our car), where it was sunny. Then on to Arches NP, where everyone but me hiked to Delicate Arch (while I read my book). During the hike a big purple cloud came over, which yielded a lot of rain and hail plus high winds. The hikers survived and we warmed up driving back to Moab, hanging out at the Mondo Cafe, etc. We drove out on Kane Creek Road to check out the Tombstones, which looked very nice. We also went further up the road and saw the short Ice Cream Parlor wall and The Predator tower. On the way back we checked out the Anasazi chimney ladder at Moonflower Canyon, but could not find any obvious cut stone steps nearby. Polly got a shower at the hostel as the weather turned cold/wet again, and we had dinner at the Moab Brewery, before driving back to Newspaper Rock in a fair amount of snow. This time we anchored the tent very securely using a tree and fenceposts, with slings and my aiders. No more flipovers! 4/6 - Continued cold and windy. At first we drove in to Sacred Cow, considering hiking to it without gear. But the brightening sky suggested possible climbing. We then headed to the Power Wall, where Alexander and Hristo had a stuck rappel rope from Tuesday, plus other cracks they had not been able to try that day. I led Flower Power 5.10, to retrieve Alexander's rope, and Debby followed. Debby led a steep and wavy 5.8 hand crack. [more details later] The Albuquerque crew arrived at the campsite that night: Dan Amy, John, Walt, Mark Aaron and Lee (not sure how to spell) Mike and Tony Ian 4/7 - Finally a great weather day - Battle of the Bulge buttress. Debby and I climbed many classics with Steve from Jackson, Wyoming. 1. Railroad Tracks 5.10-, Debby led 2. Swedin-Ringle 5.12a, Marshall led with a hang, Debby had several hangs toproping; I didn't try it 3. Battle of the Bulge 5.11c, Steve led all the rest of the routes. He took a leader fall on this, and I had a hang toproping; Debby toproped it free. 4. Black Corner 5.11b 5. Ruins Crack 5.11+, I had a hang toproping 6. Jane Fonda Total Body Workout 5.11b, perfect hand size for Debby and I! 7. The Last Battle 5.11, Steve had a fall at the start when he stepped on a TCU sling by mistake and slipped. Debby had a brief hang toproping Wow, what a day of perfect weather, and a "guided tour" of the classics courtesy of Steve! [more details later] 4/8 - another great day - Sunflower Tower - East Face p1 - brief flare with hand crack to short steep hand crack, then chimney with hand crack p2 - traverse in chimney to 5.10d thin hand corner, a rest, then a 5.10c thin hand corner. A fall/brief hang for Debby following. p3 - traverse on west face to sandy wide crack (reachy 5.8) Tired from the previous day's cragging, we were pretty challenged on this route! On the way down, I spent some time "fishing" for a TCU which Debby had spotted down inside the crack on p1. Snagged it after about 10 tries! [more details later] We drove back towards Salt Lake City that night, after first reacquainting ourselves with civilization with some nice long showers at the hostel. We drove through Price and camped in the Unita NF, about an hour from Salt Lake City (7 miles east of the 89 x 6 junction). 4/9 - drove to Salt Lake City and flew home. Nancy picked us up from the airport and now we can unpack and rest!