Sun Beam Wall - Empire in the Sun
Sun Beam Wall - Empire in the Sun
Climbed this route on Saturday and it is very good.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41284976@N ... 9/sizes/l/
I would highly recommend it for busy weekends like the one we just had, not one climber around, although the trail up was another story. Cheif trail is popular!!!
The route is bolted well, and clean although some traffic would help with some of the gritty sections
Hike up the chief trail towards second peak, pass the turnoff to peak 1 and soon the peak 2 trail starts switch backing up the valley towards the view point at the gully. As the trail heads up you will see the wall on the left, some dead tree branches on the ground and the start of the route, obvious.
Its pretty close to the trail but interestingly enough most hikers have their heads down and dont notice you, however leaving a pack here would be unwise due to theft and you would have to hike back up to retrieve it. Rapping off would be fine for the first 3 pitches but after that probably no point. The anchors are just bolts so someone should bring some rap rings and tat. Approach is about 30 min.
Pitch 1 short 10b, three bolts up a short steep bulge get you to a ramp with glacier polish, easy climbing on the ramp but a nut or a yellow tcu would be nice to have since its slick, plenty of places for pro here. A little wetness at the first bolt but I just yarded to the next hold and was no problems.
Pitch 2 10b/c Awesome awesome dike climbing gets you to a big fat ledge, bolted well and cleaned pretty good.
Pitch 3 10b more awesome dike climbing oh so good, this takes you to a crack that you just use for pro, .75 camalot, then the dike continues through a roof and although the dike quality deteriorates just a bit, the holds are massive and two fat bolts make it super friendly. This is a very good pitch 7-8 bolts.
A short scramble to a tree above with a sling then you can take the rope off and walk climbers right for 50m or so to a big friendly flat topped moss covered blouder right below a beautiful 5.8/9 corner crack. Perfect place for lunch.
Pitch 4 5.9 A great pitch and very obvious, the corner crack is fat though maybe 3/3.5 camalot for 10-15 m. I didnt have one so I managed to stem between a tree and the wall to put a sling as high as possible on a nearby tree then I just ran it out to the halfway ledge. From there its 7m or so of thin finger 5.9, so awesome, top out on a big fat ledge and a tree belay.
Pitch 5 crux pitch, 10d, lots of bolts 7-8 and sustained face/slab to a easy crack #1 camalot and then a tree belay, pretty good but I slipped and grabbed a draw.
take off the rope and walk climbers right for 50m or so
Pitch 6, 5.9 more than one route here, take the middle one. Great face climbing up little edges and you top out right on the summit right next to picnicking families, bolt belay.
walk down the regular trail, we brought bullet backs and a set of twins, this allowed us to walk up and down the trail with out all the stupid questions you get when you walk that trail with gear hanging off of you.
"So you guys out rappelling?"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41284976@N ... 9/sizes/l/
I would highly recommend it for busy weekends like the one we just had, not one climber around, although the trail up was another story. Cheif trail is popular!!!
The route is bolted well, and clean although some traffic would help with some of the gritty sections
Hike up the chief trail towards second peak, pass the turnoff to peak 1 and soon the peak 2 trail starts switch backing up the valley towards the view point at the gully. As the trail heads up you will see the wall on the left, some dead tree branches on the ground and the start of the route, obvious.
Its pretty close to the trail but interestingly enough most hikers have their heads down and dont notice you, however leaving a pack here would be unwise due to theft and you would have to hike back up to retrieve it. Rapping off would be fine for the first 3 pitches but after that probably no point. The anchors are just bolts so someone should bring some rap rings and tat. Approach is about 30 min.
Pitch 1 short 10b, three bolts up a short steep bulge get you to a ramp with glacier polish, easy climbing on the ramp but a nut or a yellow tcu would be nice to have since its slick, plenty of places for pro here. A little wetness at the first bolt but I just yarded to the next hold and was no problems.
Pitch 2 10b/c Awesome awesome dike climbing gets you to a big fat ledge, bolted well and cleaned pretty good.
Pitch 3 10b more awesome dike climbing oh so good, this takes you to a crack that you just use for pro, .75 camalot, then the dike continues through a roof and although the dike quality deteriorates just a bit, the holds are massive and two fat bolts make it super friendly. This is a very good pitch 7-8 bolts.
A short scramble to a tree above with a sling then you can take the rope off and walk climbers right for 50m or so to a big friendly flat topped moss covered blouder right below a beautiful 5.8/9 corner crack. Perfect place for lunch.
Pitch 4 5.9 A great pitch and very obvious, the corner crack is fat though maybe 3/3.5 camalot for 10-15 m. I didnt have one so I managed to stem between a tree and the wall to put a sling as high as possible on a nearby tree then I just ran it out to the halfway ledge. From there its 7m or so of thin finger 5.9, so awesome, top out on a big fat ledge and a tree belay.
Pitch 5 crux pitch, 10d, lots of bolts 7-8 and sustained face/slab to a easy crack #1 camalot and then a tree belay, pretty good but I slipped and grabbed a draw.
take off the rope and walk climbers right for 50m or so
Pitch 6, 5.9 more than one route here, take the middle one. Great face climbing up little edges and you top out right on the summit right next to picnicking families, bolt belay.
walk down the regular trail, we brought bullet backs and a set of twins, this allowed us to walk up and down the trail with out all the stupid questions you get when you walk that trail with gear hanging off of you.
"So you guys out rappelling?"
Re: Sun Beam Wall - Empire in the Sun
We went up this past Sunday (which was a gonger) and didn't see 1 other climber. Overall great and varied climbing. Do it!!
Pitch 1 sucked, but it was wet so...
Pitches 2 & 3 -- super fun dyke climbing soooo good!
Pitch 4 - classic corner styles. we brought two #3s, they were nice to have
Pitch 5 - great climbing with a touch of exposure. my partner and i both found it hard for the suggested grade of 5.10, but there's plenty of bolts.
Put it on your busy weekend list!
Pitch 1 sucked, but it was wet so...
Pitches 2 & 3 -- super fun dyke climbing soooo good!
Pitch 4 - classic corner styles. we brought two #3s, they were nice to have
Pitch 5 - great climbing with a touch of exposure. my partner and i both found it hard for the suggested grade of 5.10, but there's plenty of bolts.
Put it on your busy weekend list!
Re: Sun Beam Wall - Empire in the Sun
Hi Folks:imnotnate wrote:We went up this past Sunday (which was a gonger) and didn't see 1 other climber. Overall great and varied climbing. Do it!!
Pitch 1 sucked, but it was wet so...
Pitches 2 & 3 -- super fun dyke climbing soooo good!
Pitch 4 - classic corner styles. we brought two #3s, they were nice to have
Pitch 5 - great climbing with a touch of exposure. my partner and i both found it hard for the suggested grade of 5.10, but there's plenty of bolts.
Put it on your busy weekend list!
My friend and I climbed Empire in the Sun on Saturday. Great route, no other climbers to be seen. We both found pitch 5 hard for 5.10d. And last pitch felt stiff and a bit runout for 5.9 (I placed a TCU in an overlap partway up this pitch). Dyke pitches are superb. The (new) guidebook underestimates the number of bolts on most pitches, plus on pitch three you want to place one or two pieces in the crack below the roof. And you place a cam in the crack on pitch 5 above all the bolts. Pitch one was dry at start, but collects lots of pine needles and debris on the very polished ramp - be careful there.
Although you hear no highway sounds, there is a lot of hiker-noise (unfortunately for us a party using radios for contact were blaring their way up the 2nd peak trail as we were on pitches 2 and 3
...).Curious if others felt pitches 5 & 6 are a bit sandbagged?
cheers,
Steve
Re: Sun Beam Wall - Empire in the Sun
One more question: has anyone climbed (either of) the two routes to the left of E.i.t.S.? How are they?natsdad wrote: Hi Folks:
My friend and I climbed Empire in the Sun on Saturday. Great route, no other climbers to be seen. We both found pitch 5 hard for 5.10d. And last pitch felt stiff and a bit runout for 5.9 (I placed a TCU in an overlap partway up this pitch). Dyke pitches are superb. The (new) guidebook underestimates the number of bolts on most pitches, plus on pitch three you want to place one or two pieces in the crack below the roof. And you place a cam in the crack on pitch 5 above all the bolts. Pitch one was dry at start, but collects lots of pine needles and debris on the very polished ramp - be careful there.
Although you hear no highway sounds, there is a lot of hiker-noise (unfortunately for us a party using radios for contact were blaring their way up the 2nd peak trail as we were on pitches 2 and 3
Curious if others felt pitches 5 & 6 are a bit sandbagged?
cheers,
Steve
Thx,
Steve
Re: Sun Beam Wall - Empire in the Sun
I went back and got pitch 5 clean, I think its easier than stiff upper lip. If that helps...
Re: Sun Beam Wall - Empire in the Sun
Steve
P1: 5.10b. Good face climbing bring some long runners.
P2: Crap-- it is a 15-foot boulder problem that is 5.11b at least; 12a if you are not 9 feet tall; a cheater log is required or aid it, after which head-- mostly by walking-- about 40 meters up and right to the base of a pretty awesome fingers-to-offwidth splitter in a right-facing corner. Easily avoid this short pitch by walking up and right, and doing a 4th class salal move onto the ledge
P3: Awesome 5.10d slightly overhanging corner crack with bomber gear. Single rack to 4" with extra #2 and #3 camalot.
Also did The Red Dozer:
P1: Good right-leaning crack, 5.10a, to a bolted station.
P2: Good: go up a groove past bolt, gear and another bolt. 5.10b
P3: Excellent bolted arete climbing, 5.10a, past a station and up to a big ledge.
From here, walk right to the base of the right-facing 5.9 corner on Empire of the Sun and do the last 2 or 3 (excellent) pitches of that route: 5.9, 5.10D, 5.9.
Did Afficionado's Crack (a good route except P2 which is easily avoided):One more question: has anyone climbed (either of) the two routes to the left of E.i.t.S.? How are they?
Thx,
Steve
P1: 5.10b. Good face climbing bring some long runners.
P2: Crap-- it is a 15-foot boulder problem that is 5.11b at least; 12a if you are not 9 feet tall; a cheater log is required or aid it, after which head-- mostly by walking-- about 40 meters up and right to the base of a pretty awesome fingers-to-offwidth splitter in a right-facing corner. Easily avoid this short pitch by walking up and right, and doing a 4th class salal move onto the ledge
P3: Awesome 5.10d slightly overhanging corner crack with bomber gear. Single rack to 4" with extra #2 and #3 camalot.
Also did The Red Dozer:
P1: Good right-leaning crack, 5.10a, to a bolted station.
P2: Good: go up a groove past bolt, gear and another bolt. 5.10b
P3: Excellent bolted arete climbing, 5.10a, past a station and up to a big ledge.
From here, walk right to the base of the right-facing 5.9 corner on Empire of the Sun and do the last 2 or 3 (excellent) pitches of that route: 5.9, 5.10D, 5.9.
Re: Sun Beam Wall - Empire in the Sun
Thanks, harihari
I'll give those climbs a try.
Steve
I'll give those climbs a try.
Steve
Re: Sun Beam Wall - Empire in the Sun
Did this with largelead today in AM.
Good outing and 3 stars as in the Select guide is appropriate. Route is dry.
We didnt bother link pitches, although you could (esp 2 and 3) as they are short
Took about 2h30 min to climb plus an hour for the hike up/down.
Our thoughts in terms of grade and rack:
P1 - draws, 10b
P2 - draws, 10b
P3 - draws and 0.75 cam, 10b
P4 - a couple of 3s, a red and grey, 9
P5 - draws, 11a
P6 - draws, 9
Good outing and 3 stars as in the Select guide is appropriate. Route is dry.
We didnt bother link pitches, although you could (esp 2 and 3) as they are short
Took about 2h30 min to climb plus an hour for the hike up/down.
Our thoughts in terms of grade and rack:
P1 - draws, 10b
P2 - draws, 10b
P3 - draws and 0.75 cam, 10b
P4 - a couple of 3s, a red and grey, 9
P5 - draws, 11a
P6 - draws, 9
Re: Sun Beam Wall - Empire in the Sun
Climbed this route today....its a good route and I thought the grades on the guide were accurate.
Here is the bolt count per pitch (with the gear I placed, as much for my own recollection should i do it again).
p1: 10b - 3 bolts (+ optional blue tcu).
p2: 10b/c - 5 bolts
p3: 10b - 7 bolts + .75 camalot
p4: 5.9 - two #3 camalots, yellow tcu, blue tcu
p5: 10d - 5 bolts + .75 camalot
p6: 5.9 - 5 bolts
I'm not sure I'd agree with the 11a rating on p5, it didn't seem any harder than the final pitch of Milk Road. That said it felt comparable to p2 of Local Boys so who knows...
I didn't think the last pitch was runout, I suspect the previous posted missed the last bolt (it's just above the so-so gear placement.
Here is the bolt count per pitch (with the gear I placed, as much for my own recollection should i do it again).
p1: 10b - 3 bolts (+ optional blue tcu).
p2: 10b/c - 5 bolts
p3: 10b - 7 bolts + .75 camalot
p4: 5.9 - two #3 camalots, yellow tcu, blue tcu
p5: 10d - 5 bolts + .75 camalot
p6: 5.9 - 5 bolts
I'm not sure I'd agree with the 11a rating on p5, it didn't seem any harder than the final pitch of Milk Road. That said it felt comparable to p2 of Local Boys so who knows...
I didn't think the last pitch was runout, I suspect the previous posted missed the last bolt (it's just above the so-so gear placement.
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