Right Wing - bolts are back

[Optimally-Primed]

I rapped in and reinstalled the bolted belay in the middle of the Filibuster of Right Wing, along with 1 protection bolt just above it to protect the belay. This splits the pitch into 25m-10b then 30m-10c.

Having deliberated over the matter for 4 years, considered good arguments both for and against a bolted belay in the middle of the Filibuster, and watched Right Wing not get enough traffic, I finally pulled the trigger today (literally). The new belay is where the original belay of 4 bolts was. (I chopped it in 2007.) There is still no stance. Bringing a belay seat or extra slings to stand in would be smart. A major advantage of the new situation is that you need only a standard Squamish rack (to 4") for the climb. (Doubles to 1" or 2" wouldn't hurt.) But if you have the rack and the steam left, clip the anchor and keep going for the full 55m experience!

To not need 5-6" gear, finish the climb via the right variation (10c fingers).

Breaking the pitches up this way arguably drops the grade to 10c. But it may still have a 10d move or two.

Here's an updated topo

[Sang]

Looks awesome, can't wait to try it and get a potential beat down in the long corner. Does this one take a little longer to dry? This week?

[Optimally-Primed]

The pitch was 98% dry yesterday. By July 5, it will be dry. It's not affected by rain any more than other routes. The wetness is from the crack, and is almost entirely gone. Good to go! The gear is all good. The moves are all there. But, as The Rock once said, Just Bring It!

[Optimally-Primed]

Climbed Right Wing yesterday... and was to find it licheny. A friend and I rapped in today and gave Right Wing another quick scrub down. It's all in great shape now. Nice and dry. So, people, let's see some chalk up there! This climb is 5-stars for sure. If you can climb well-protected 5.10c/d, you can get up it... you'll be glad you did. It's an incredible adventure. To inspire some more traffic, here's some beta.

rack: doubles to #2 camalot, #3, #4.

Pitch 1: 5.8. 60m. climb Eagle's Domain to the bolted belay on the left.
Pitch 2: 5.2. 10m. Move up then right to the base of the Right Wing corner.
Pitch 3: 10c. 12m. 4 bolts. Well protected face moves lead to the crux at the third bolt. Crux beta: at the bolt, step left into a stem, then 2 layback moves to a jug.
Pitch 4: 10b. 25m. Looks wide but almost all the gear is in the regular sized crack on the left wall. Crux is at 10m, off a small ledge. Place gear high in the chimney, long draw, downclimb to the ledge, then layback around it till you can get gear in the left wall. Some good stem rests---milk them.
Pitch 5: 10c/d. 30m. 1 bolt. Layback past the bolt then swing into the cracks inside the chimney. Fingers and hand jamming to where the chimney ends at a bulge (crux). bomber #1 camalot, handjam, them layback then handjam again. Keep going for another 2m to restful feet. Now, 20m of 10a juggy laybacking with some good feet remain to the chains. When you get a small rest, milk it.
Pitch 6: 10d. 20m. Up an easy crack to a tree stump. Stem/starfish high above the tree stump... place a good piece in the left crack on a double length sling. Leave the stem/starfish at the highest possible spot, when your right foot is on a fin. Transfer rightward into the crack. Steep finger locking up with good feet usually. Last move up the corner is a boulder problem crux (layback onto a high left foot to reach a jug). Then an enduro crux: handcrack rail going rightward for the top. Go for it!

[BlahMatt]

Planning on heading up there tomorrow! Been psyched to get back on this since we had to bail 2 weeks ago due to wetness (day after it showered at night).

Thanks for the scrub.

[Sang]

I was so pumped to give er a burn after your first post....then I broke my heel. D'oh, next year i guess. Hope she's still clean! Thanks for all the hard work.

[BK]

Jer, are you aware that Scott flavelle and Joe Buzowski freed right wing back in the eighties? I asked scott about it and he said it was filthy at the time. I only mention this as I think the idea of freeing that beast in an unscrubbed state is remarkable.

Also, did you consider re positioning the halfway anchor at a stance, up by the flake chimney maybe, rather than leaving it as a hanger?

[Optimally-Primed]

Bruce, Don McPherson and Rich Suddaby freed it first in 1983. And it would have been equally dirty. Wow. Really impressive. I spent 20 minutes looking around for the best spot to install the belay before drilling. For the life of me, I couldn't find anything resembling a stance. It's a hanger now... but not at the same time.

After 4 years of getting shut down on the route, I decided to work it this year. It's coming together. Pitches 5 and 6 are the crux for me. I think I'm getting close to sending...

[Optimally-Primed]

Blogging about the Right Wing sessions...

[Optimally-Primed]

Equipped/installed a rap route off Right Wing today. From anywhere on the route, you can get off with a single 60m rope. (Pitch 5 needs directionals.) Three parties on Right Wing on Saturday. Great to see...

[BlahMatt]

Headed up the route the weekend before last and had a hell of a time getting up it. Up to the base of the corner went well enough with a little difficulty at the wet streak.

Then it really started. Laybacking forever. Taking on gear. Layback. Take. Layback. Take. For 2 full on pitches that absolutely destroyed my arms. The last pitch was fantastic though I wish I could have done it with arms that could hold on to anything. Still managed to get up it and got thoroughly worked. Met Jeremy and friends at the top (nice to meet you guys).

All in all a fun and worthwhile route. Unique and sustained. Plans are already in the works to go back now that we know what to expect!

[Fish Boy]

Are the tick marks cleaned off?

[Optimally-Primed]

I suspect that the rain of yesterday will have erased the tick marks

[Fre]

Man, I'm dying to try this route... and just now I burned my car's clutch and have trouble nailing down a date with a partner that has a car or can climb this thing... grrrr

[curvenut]

Are the tick marks cleaned off?

Why people put ticks marks ? We dont need that !