baseline direct

[jefffski]

went up basline direct today which gets to the base of st vitus and vector. it is my third time on it. i had some difficulties which i have not previously experienced. i am looking for suggestions/beta and help.

The first pitch, starts high off the ground, above the 7th bolt of evergreen state. My trouble began after the second bolt.

shortly after the bolt there is an option of going hard left to a steep scoop and teh gently up to the anchors--a long way with no protection or gently right up to where the angle of the slab decreases. i chose right. i have done it this way before but i could not find a way over the hogsback wcich leads to the anchor-- the lichen was simply overwhelming.

we found a convoluted way by anchoring off trees on the far right and doing a tension traverse, but it was messy, unesthetic and time consuming.

i am wondering if moving upo right is the right way to go or if the route does go left after the 2nd bolt.

i am also wondering if someone would like to assist me in :
a) scrubbing off the lichen--i can not get there on my own-- and adding a bolt there to avoid a big fall , or
b) help me add a bolt after the leftward traverse, again to limit huge fall potential. of course we will speak to the fa's before adding any bolts.

thanks

jeff

[XXXX]

I guess I'm confused if this was your third time on it how the runout was not a problem the previous two times?

[mattm]

i am also wondering if someone would like to assist me in :
a) scrubbing off the lichen--i can not get there on my own-- and adding a bolt there to avoid a big fall , or
b) help me add a bolt after the leftward traverse, again to limit huge fall potential. of course we will speak to the fa's before adding any bolts.

thanks

jeff

haven't done the route so I can't help with directions. Scrubbing is fine and a good public service. Why add a bolt? I'm glad you want to ask the FAist BUT this climb has been around for over 10 years - The Apron is known for hard routes with runouts. Leave them be. There are TONS of other routes on the Apron that are more "friendly". Slab climbing is a climbing discipline where run-outs are part of the game to some degree or another. There have been several threads on the net regarding "retro-ing" apron routes - summary: leave them alone and climb some of the newer, tighter bolted lines.

[jefffski]

I guess I'm confused if this was your third time on it how the runout was not a problem the previous two times?

the lichen was not so bad the other times and i was able to find my way across.

in regard to why add a bolt--i don't see the rational behind a potential 60 offt fall. the bolt would not be out of place. other parts of the climb have bolts widely spacedbut all the cruxes are protected, and that's okay but this seems a bit overkill as far as runouts go. actually if you slip just before the anchor the fall would be about 100 feet.

[jefffski]

I guess I'm confused if this was your third time on it how the runout was not a problem the previous two times?

the lichen was not so bad the other times and i was able to find my way across.

in regard to why add a bolt--i don't see the rational behind a potential 60 foot fall. the bolt would not be out of place. other parts of the climb have bolts widely spaced but all the cruxes are protected. so it seems to me that this seems a bit overkill as far as runouts go. actually if you slip just before the anchor the fall would be about 100 feet.

[t-bone]

The first pitch trends left.

Its been a few years since I've done this route but it is definitely not runout. If you had a 100ft runout you were definitely off route (or exagerating). Remember 20 foot runouts (i.e 40ft falls) are commonplace on slab routes, and as Mattm says, part of the attraction.

I think you'll find the overwhelming consensus is NOT to add a bolt.

[jefffski]

thanks for that info. if it trends left after the second bolt, there is absolutely no bolt until the anchor, hence my 100 foot estimate. i'll go back and try the route--again.