Sick and Pumped at the Dump

I woke up sick, Saturday the first, at Fire Station 33 and had doubts about going to North Carolina to climb for what was left of Labor Day weekend. I hadn't climbed outside for two weeks. I was craving rock!

Three and a half hours later I was at the Dump

I made the three and a half hour drive feeling miserable the whole way up but I was still excited to be visiting an area I hadn't been to before. The drive was surprisingly shorter than I thought it was going to be.

The hike into the Dump can't be called a hike in. Seriously, you can see the parking area from the first wall that has the route Son Of White Trash on it. I could hear Marvin and Garrett from the parking area. A couple of steps up the trail and I could see them. It's a nice change from the hike at Crowders but  the downside was that I didn't have a full body warm up. I managed to snag a couple of pictures of Marvin as he was leading the sport route Son Of White Trash(5.8), which can be led traditionally with a run out.

Marvin Dawson leads Son Of White Trash (5.8)sport

Because I made the drive after being relieved at the station, I only managed to climb Son Of White Trash and  White Trash before the rain drizzle began. Undeterred, I decided to lead Dimpsty Dumpster but I underestimated the rain. By the time I reached the third bolt it was wet from there to the top. I tried to climb straight up the face but found it difficult to pull down on wet sloped crimps so I down climbed. After a quick shake off on dry rock, I attacked the arete finding it easier to lieback on wet rock. At one point I felt like blaming it on the rain and quitting but something kept me going. I don't know what but I just went with it and surprised myself when I topped out. Although it was a short route, it gave me a glimpse of what is achievable on wet rock and taught me to trust in my instinct.

While Marvin and Garrett finished climbing Dimpsty, I scoped out a route under a roof that was keeping me and my belongings dry. I looked looked at two routes. One was a traditional route that I later found out is call Warpin Endorphine (5.11+) X Top Rope. I was really considering leading it but the wet was creeping in on the last part of the route. I didn't have a guide book on me and I thought it looked do-able but in the end I decided to lead a sport route in the middle of the overhang that was not going to get wet unless the winds changed direction.

The route I was scoping out looked easy to the first bolt and then I could tell the second bolt would be a bit of a challenge. The third bolt looked to have a huge ledge right underneath it but then the fourth and fifth bolt looked like a strength endurance haul. This was my first impression while I gather beta (information) from the ground. I surprised myself in getting as far as I did. I've climbed (5.12) before but I don't do it frequently and as of lately I've been chilling in the lower traditional grades finishing up my ticklist at Crowders Mountain State Park.

After deciding that I could use a bail carabiner if I didn't make it to the anchors, I laced up my shoes, racked my quickdraws and set forth into the unknown. My favorite thing about climbing something new is that you don't know whats going to happen, you don't know the moves, you are burning up energy trying to solve the puzzle as you climb! I break the route up into small sections of climbing in between the bolts. It is hard to stay opened minded in the middle of the action so I come up with different ways of doing a section while I read the route from the ground. It all come together when my feet leave the ground.

I thought the first bolt would be easily attainable and I was correct. A series of small ledges deposited me right on top of the first bolt (if you bring a boulder pad you can try a sick boulder start).

First bolt at my waist and eyeballin' the next section towards the second bolt of Unwritten Law(5.12b/c)

I was also correct when I thought the second bolt would be a challenge. It was not only small as I had perceived but it was also  a bit of a reach for me at 5'5". I did have to down climb and feel around before I found a positive crimp to hold while I clipped my quickdraw into the bolt's hanger.

Fingerlock

Reach!

Clip

I was tempted to follow the chalk that led out cliff left but I decided to go for a direct approach to what looked to be a big ledge under the third bolt. It turns out it was a big ledge, only with a downward sloping angle. I managed to grip the ledge from a small throw and after stabilizing myself I proceeded to the third bolt.

Throw

Go

Oh no (slopey ledge) 

Third bolt

From the third bolt I got a bit confused because there was a camouflaged bolt hanger that I hadn't seen from the ground. Garrett, Marvin, and I talked it over while I depumped on the ledge. I chose to go cliff right with what seemed to be the line. The section between the third and fourth bolt took be a couple of attempts between resting on the ledge and a trying to decipher which way was going to be the easiest for me. Finally, after several ideas, I found one I decided to commit to. I reached up high to an undercling and pushed hard on a small foothold to propel myself up. From here I clipped the fourth bolt and tried to move swiftly into the next section.

Nope not this way...

First rest

Not this way either...

Getting a better rest

Good hand, bad foot

So, did I mention there is a really good ledge to rest on?

That's the right combination (look at that stacked foot and hand, right in line)

Made it at last! Now where is the next ledge? What do you mean there are no more rests!?!?

I was shut down quickly. The holds got small in between the fourth and fifth bolt and the steepness of the wall got greater. Unfortunately, I didn't have a ledge to down climb to and decipher this section so I had to take a seat on the rope. This section was also very much a reach for a person of my stature. I eventually settled on throwing hard to what looked to be a big hold with a tick mark (chalk). When I finally stuck the move, I barely caught it with three fingers, I moved swiftly because I had talked over what I was going to do if I did manage to grab the hold with Garrett and Marvin. I managed to clip the fifth and last bolt but again I was shut down going from the fifth bolt to the bolted chain anchor.

I hung on the rope shortly after this and had to dissect this section of this route.

Trying to reach statically... not enough  reach.

Had to throw for it!

The last throw was on the smallest crimps yet and close to none-existing feet. I tried to work the last move but eventually gave up due to exhaustion. I clipped into the wall and sent some rope down. Garrett clove hitched a stick to my rope. With the sick and some tape I keep in my chalk-bag pouch, I fashioned a stick-clip and clipped the anchors so that I didn't have to use a bail biner.

The throw to the top was a show stopper for me. Serious crimps and a serious dyno make for a serious crux!

Marvin surprised himself and got to second bolt on his top rope bid. He had never tried to climb a 5.12 and was stoked to have led Son Of White Trash. He did a fabulous job of keeping his weight on his feet and using his extension. Marvin came off the wall grinning saying that his fingers were shot but that he appreciated the experience.

Garrett cruised this route all the way to the section between the third and fourth bolt. He was 'smooth like butta' but taking the summer off from climbing and focusing on work while in Washington state he lost a lot of his endurance. He also came of the wall grinning.

Although we only got four routes in, we all agreed that we were exhausted and that it was a fun short lived trip. I know that if it was dry I wouldn't have tried climbing Unwritten Law and we would have done a lot more routes in the (5.10) range. In a way I'm thankful because I was pushed out of my comfort zone. I'm used to gauging the group and climbing routes that everyone will have a good time on. I usually don't climb projects while in new areas, I try to climb things that I can onsight. I gained valuable experience on this route because it allowed me to climb at my limits.

Garrett had plans and had to get to Columbia quick, but Marvin and I headed to Boone and had some Mexican food. As the evening progressed I felt worse and worse. I planned on climbing on Monday the third (Labor Day) but I decided to drive home with a nasty fever instead. I sure was bummed too because Robert Hutchins, Wade Parker, and I were going to go to Moore's Wall. Traditional climbing paradise! But you can't always get what you want. Instead I got to sleep in and have a full day of rest before my shift at the fire station the next day.

Until next climb!