preview of (re)new route at Shannon

[Optimally-Primed]

I've been working on retroing and adding to a route at Shannon. The existing climb is called Forked Flume, a Dick Culbert vertical bushwhack in 1967. He called it 5.8, A2. I think I can free it... maybe at about 5.8

The purpose of this post is twofold:

onefold: to share some eye candy and help people feel less depressed about the rain. The route has had a once-over, so it's only roughed out.

twofold: to elicit some discussion about the name. Here's the context: Dick Culbert and partner walked around to the top of the 1st pitch, then climbed pitches 2 and 3. They called their route "Forked Flume". I am adding a new first pitch. But I'm also adding a variation to pitch 2 (finger crack on a face), and adding two variations to pitch 3 (both finger cracks on a face). So what do I do about naming? Do I give the area a name then call the historical line "Forked Flume" and offer new names for the variations? Or what? Any thoughts?

The name "Forked Flume" is fitting. It is a natural water course. It'll be a good summer route... not so good after a rain.

Also, does anyone know anything about a route that goes between this one and Magic Carpet Ride? It's listed in the Squamish Select as an unknown route. It has 3/8" stainless Fixe bolts so it can't be that old... anyone know its origin?

Here's the promised eye candy:

the new pitch 1


pitch 2 (corner) and variation (finger crack)


pitch 3 ramp


pitch 3 new variation... crack switch!

[RobWall]

Nice pics - I needed that. Looking Sunny tomorrow - wanna take me and show me....

[Optimally-Primed]

Hey Rob,
I'd love to but I'm unfortunately unavailable for a few days. Maybe next week?
Jeremy

[scrubber]

It looks like with a bit of traffic the groove will self-clean with each rain. I walked up there and was surprised at how low angled it was. Like Diedre steepness.

As for the name, I don't really know what to say. If there were variations to every pitch you could piece together an independent line that just happened to criss-cross Forked Flume a bunch of times. As it stands, the reality will be however the local guidebook authors decide to decypher it. I could see something like this " Pitch one climbs the obvious face cracks. Pitch two (the original start to the route, via a ledge system coming in from the right) climbs the deep groove. A 5.10a variation is possible using finger cracks to the left." etc, etc, blah, blah....

Looks good Jeremy, I hope it dries before August!

Kris

[jipstyle]

I've been staring at snow 'porn' getting stoked for ski season, come here and see this, and now I'm jonesing to climb again.

Thanks.

[Optimally-Primed]

All iced up, here's the start, from standing at the base. The corner turns out to be slammed shut. But the face has nice in-cuts every 3 feet, making for some moderate face climbing off the start. I'm planning on adding 1 bolt at the start (visible)



and onwards...



Klahane Crack, a la Scotland



and Local Boys doesn't get much harder than this

[Optimally-Primed]

Another rainfall warning in effect... Nice to counteract that with some anticipation of what's to come. Been working away in the Shannon area. As it was, Klahane Crack and/or Local Boys was marginally enough impetus to head up there, especially given the expectation of a line up.

The vision is to make the area into a destination, with enough moderate climbing of quality to make it worthy of one's day. Along with the 3p Forked Flume (easiest var = 5.8ish, hardest up to mid 5.10), I'm also cleaning up the Klahane Crack area.

Here's a bit of fruit from some recent labours:



This is the upper part of Dirty Dicky (5.8). The FA was in 2000 but it overgrew quickly. I wasn't sure if it was worthy of a scrub but thought "why not". To me it looks pretty fun. A 45m finger to hand crack. Yes, a few parts are flared. But it's 5.8. Anyways, we'll see.

And just to the right of Klahane Crack (starting as for Urine Too Deep) is this arch that I'm cleaning



It's actually less steep than it looks in the photo. But it looks a bit tricky. Maybe low to mid 5.10. Thanks to the rain warning, the mud on the slab should all be washed off by now.

Prime time cleaning season!

[Optimally-Primed]

update on the Shannon Project...

The Klahane Crack area is as done as I can make it until it's fully dry. I'm hoping to open the new stuff by the end of next week. The new climb in the area---Split Decision---looks like a lot of fun. It starts as for Urine Too Deep, then tackles the left-sweeping arch. Looks technical. I haven't decided on the bolting yet but will soon. (Yes, that's Klahane Crack on the left.)


Here's the crux:


Forked Flume is a month away still. The climb seeps... Having dug out most of the cracks now, expect a lot of finger cracks and some interesting positions. The variations look to be in the 5.10a/b range having played on them a bit. I'm still optimistic that the main route will go at 5.8. The devil will be in the details...

[BK]

Looks pretty nice Jeremy. It also looks like one hell of a lot of work. Pretty much a scorched earth napalm strike eh? The gooks won't be scurrying back anytime soon by the looks of it. But I wonder if Dick culbert will lament the loss of another hammer toss?

As for renaming/ naming ... how about Fork it all anyway, or Fork hu buddy?... Forkin Awesome....Fork it up the poop chute....

The list of possibilities is endless

[BK]

Hey, seeing hows you dragged a 350 excavator up there, surely you won't mind the occasional crampons and picks?

[Optimally-Primed]

Thanks Bruce.

Upon reflection and consultation, I've decided to maintain the name "Forked Flume". It is quite appropriate with pitch 3 looking like a 3-prong fork and pitch 2 looking like a slide.

The 2005 McLane guidebook erroneously indicates that the original line began where the new P1 begins. The more thorough and accurate 1985 Campbell guide correctly indicates that Culbert and Warr walked on to the top of p1 via a ledge system from Gobsmacking. So P1 is entirely new. The original P2 went up what will be one of those 5.10 variations at A2, a finger crack to the left of the main corner. The main finger-crack corner is new for the first half. In other words, the first 50% of the climb is entirely new; the upper half is as per Forked Flume. Variations on p3 will be "Left Prong" and "Right Prong" to K.I.S.S. All of the 3 variations to pitch look like 5-star pitches to me, especially the Left Prong. It's a 45m seam up a slab. Technical, exposed, delicate, very cool. Maybe 10b?

I have been in touch with Dick Culbert, having asked for permission to add protection and anchor bolts as needed to make for an inviting day out.

His response:

I do not have quite so clear a recall of the Forked Flume as far as any climbing details. At the time I figured that climbing on the Shannon Wall would never be very popular due to it being rather grimy and wet much of the time, but if you can spruce it up a bit that would be great. You certainly have my permission to do anything to any of "my" routes.

At one time we were contemplating going straight up Shannon Falls in bathing suits some warm day in the Fall (low water), but never got around to it. (Usually I concentrated on the mountains until snow and bad weather arrived.)

Given how Forked Flume looked before I arrived, I doubt he would have used a hammer toss... it was all bush. My 350 excavator looks like this.


I don't know what I was doing without one of these babies.

[Optimally-Primed]

picks and crampons? Yes, FF does ice up nicely. I think it would be a prime candidate for a mixed line in winter. I think the rock is well-suited to it.

[Optimally-Primed]

update

Klahane Area. All the routes are done. I've pulled the ropes. All are open except for Split Decision (the new arch), which has red tape on the first bolt. I'll open it when the weather next improves. All of Klahane Crack, Dirty Dickey, and Cardhu Crack and open and way fun. All have bolted anchors.

Forked Flume. Spent the day on the left variation to pitch 3 (Left Prong), a 40m splitter finger crack up a slab. Exposed and beautiful. By 6pm, I finally had it fully clean. Got on it with rock shoes for the first time. Wow was it fun. Looks like 5.10+ but it's no harder than 5.9. All the holds were exactly where I wanted them. The moves just flowed together. I generally avoid talking about the quality of the routes that I develop. But this one, in my mind, is clearly a 5-star pitch.

Photo: three bolts through an excellent, positive layback out the alcove. The pitch begins at the block below the corner (you can just make out my pack hanging from an anchor). From here, a full 30m of splitter fingers up the slab remains.


It just goes and goes and goes! Another 15m behind me...


I'm aiming to have it open by May 15th...

[c-plus]

Looks awesome! Thanks for all the hard work and can't wait to get on it!

[gnarnaphobe]

thanks for all work dude! stoked to get on it!