The direct slab finish on Centerfold?

[jhwhite05]

Hey all....two questions for those of you familiar with the Papoose. Posting here so that others who may search for the info may be able to find it:

1. Did centerfold the other day and didn't bring a topo. Tried the direct finish above the last bolt over the bulge instead of going left of the bolt and slanting up right toward the belay (much easier). What is the direct finish grade?

2. We did the walk off, following semi-mossed over slabs heading south of the papoose and then lost the trail and headed WAY to far south, bushwacking towards the highway. Is there better beta for the Pappose walk-off?

Thanks for any info you can provide

Cheers!

[Dru]

Is there better beta for the Pappose walk-off?

Thanks for any info you can provide

Cheers!

Yes. Walk north, not south, from the top. An actual trail leads back down to the base.

[jhwhite05]

Thanks Dru! Will remember that for next time

Now...anybody for the direct slab finish past the final bolt toward the belay. Grade?

Thanks!

[scrubber]

I thought that finish was somewhere around 11a.

[jhwhite05]

I thought that finish was somewhere around 11a.

It always amazes me what ya'll are able to climb. That direct finish was SUPER HARD for us slab sissys. 11a...wow, hard to believe the slab grade still has LOADS of room to go higher.

Thanks for the reply!

[paulc]

yeah, I did the direct finish due to lack of guidebook/common sense as well. I blame the guidebook author however...

Slandering aside, I thought hard 10d or 11a, and a bit away from the last bolt as well. About the limit of what I find fun for slab climbing.

I climbed the route a few years ago and got the last pitch as my lead. Got up to the large metolious rap hanger bolt and looked up. I hesitated for a good long while a few feet above the pin fondling the holds, testing them all out, totally missing the easy slabs on the L.

So long in fact that my belayer yelled up asking if he could take me off the belay? A bit of frantic yelling ensued on my part to confirm his attendance on the line. That sorted I decide to make the most of what little I have pieced together from the grasping at crystals and rounded nubs of nothing, chalk everywhere, but no progress so far. A step up and ping. I'm off.

You'd think this is where the story gets interesting, I saw pictures of someone who peeled off similar slab moves and chewed their whole arm to shreds. Like a motorcycle accident. Anyhow, no, I run back down the slab, stopping just before the steep bit, but where I can lean back and see my belayer. He looks surprised. I don't really recall the fall itself, but it went as well as any slab fall can. Perhaps a little less shoe rubber, but not a hair out of place on me. I don't think I could repeat it if I tried a 1000 times.

Sacking up again, I head up, again totally missing the fact that I should be on 5.7. I get back to where I fell the first time up. Grab some bad edges that slope to put you on worse feet, pull harder on the hands than they likely allow and pad the feet up. repeat. repeat. I'm getting further from the bolt, now a good 12 or so feet down, plus all the slack in the system since I am up a good long ways from the last anchor.

Desperation gets me to the rounded top, small ledges that I can sink my fingernails into look like salvation. Salvation covered in pine needles... Finger brushing and much blowing later, the needles are just moved around enough to get all over the feet in a minute, but now I have fingers!!

Fingers up ledge by ledge (it sounds impressive, but not really, they are 3 inches apart). Far enough up to commit to getting up, avoid needles and breath deep. Anchor time.

My partner fell on TR. I'm glad I didn't fall higher than I did.

We got followed by some really smooth euros or S Americans that cruised the lower two pitches and while we walked off (and proceeded to get lost on the trail back, it keeps changing back there dammit), they went up, saw all the chalk (I mean really all that chalk, I was up there for 20 mins and there weren't that many holds...), looked at the large rap bolt and decided to rap from there rather than go up the direct slab finish. I believe they thought our ethics and protection style for the climb were crazy.

So hard for slab sissys and euros.

Good times.

P

[jhwhite05]

Great story, paul! Thanks for sharing

[gnarnaphobe]

Anyone heading up centerfold should try out the left facing corner over to the right, some fun moves then you can rappel back to playboy ledge and send the final pitch.

-Luke

[paulc]

Agree the left facing bit is great. I think cruxy right away and then casual to the top with good gear the whole way up. Nice angled slab corner work. Fun and pretty quick to do. P

[Anders Ourom]

The original descent trail was to the south, then back around under the powerlines and along the base. It's probably now overgrown, if not covered in slash.

[MarkR]

The original descent trail was to the south, then back around under the powerlines and along the base. It's probably now overgrown, if not covered in slash.

I tried it last year as it was my first time at the Papoose and both my guidebooks pointed me South. It's a sh*t show down there.