RAM
08-07-2012, 01:09 PM
After our epic on Molar Tooth, the next day dawned cloudy, with intermittent
drizzle. Still we rally for a go at Concord Tower. For years, the Cave Route has
intrigued me. A cave on a steep tower? I would like to see that! The rating of
5.8R, with poor protection is why I had still not seen it. But the boy (Happy
Birthday Aaron, 22 today) can handle such things now. I decide to follow him on
up.
After a physical first pitch, with bulges in your face, we end up on the west
face, with a shallow, flaring crack heading up, above our belay. Poor pro
indeed! Aaron gives it a go (and itgoes at 5.8) and we are stunned when we get
to the cave! We enter via the west entry. We were suppose to enter the east
entry! We were off route. Checking about later, we find nothing written about
our line, although we can't be the first to wander out over there. We enjoy the
cave for a bit of time before two more pitches put us on the summit.
We rappel off the steep north face, finding rap anchors just as we reach the end
of our rope. Goats, drizzle and steep scree accompany us down the hill. It is so
unusual for this area to be so empty of folks. We had the place to ourselves.
The benefit of the dodgy weather. Two peaks in 16 hours. We are building some
momentum.
Pictures?
https://picasaweb.google.com/aramv14/ConcordTower
drizzle. Still we rally for a go at Concord Tower. For years, the Cave Route has
intrigued me. A cave on a steep tower? I would like to see that! The rating of
5.8R, with poor protection is why I had still not seen it. But the boy (Happy
Birthday Aaron, 22 today) can handle such things now. I decide to follow him on
up.
After a physical first pitch, with bulges in your face, we end up on the west
face, with a shallow, flaring crack heading up, above our belay. Poor pro
indeed! Aaron gives it a go (and itgoes at 5.8) and we are stunned when we get
to the cave! We enter via the west entry. We were suppose to enter the east
entry! We were off route. Checking about later, we find nothing written about
our line, although we can't be the first to wander out over there. We enjoy the
cave for a bit of time before two more pitches put us on the summit.
We rappel off the steep north face, finding rap anchors just as we reach the end
of our rope. Goats, drizzle and steep scree accompany us down the hill. It is so
unusual for this area to be so empty of folks. We had the place to ourselves.
The benefit of the dodgy weather. Two peaks in 16 hours. We are building some
momentum.
Pictures?
https://picasaweb.google.com/aramv14/ConcordTower