Powaqqatsi; 5.10d - 7p

[jeh]

I saw the topo for this posted in the "Chief Area" and thought I'd drum up a bit of noise.

Powaqattsi Topo

Seven new pitches in an area of the Chief not many have visited. All cruxes are bolted, but bring a light rack with a couple of hand-sized pieces for the last pitch. A 60m rope is enough to get you down, but watch your ends - some raps are pretty stretched.

The route is still a little scruffy in the middle, but should clean up quickly with traffic. Lots of potential to continue above the terrace...

Check it out before the rains put an end to summer!

J

[t-bone]

So how close to the Mamquam forest road does the 'vague trail' branch off from the South Gully.

Tried to climb this route yesterday but spent 30 minutes thrashing through the temperate rainforest in tropical conditions. Eventually bailed and climbed Mercy Street (which is dry). This climb is really a must do but bring a few #2 and #3 camalots.

[harihari]

Just climbed this route today. Went looking for Koyanisqatsi and found this instead.

It's got some great pitches on it. Bring 1 of everything from .3 to #4 camamlot and some nuts, since only some of the cracks are bolted.

[bradley3297]

FOUND WHAT????

[crazymonkey]

if anyone finds a nice 3.5 camalot in the south gully, in the vicinity of Rock On, let me know

[Brendan]

if anyone finds a nice 3.5 camalot in the south gully, in the vicinity of Rock On, let me know

lol. i was just talking one of my climbing partners today at work, he has found 4-5 Camalots so far THIS YEAR. damn gumbies

[Brendan]

[quote="crazymonkey"]a nice 3.5 camalot

a nice Camalot is right. much better than the new made in CHINA C4's...

[crazymonkey]

sorry, it's a #3 as my partner just reminded me. Sorta hard to tell when I saw it go flying past me. Strange thing was, he wasn't even placing it at the time. It somehow came "de-racked" and made it's own descent to the floor of the gully. Maybe it just wasn't in the mood for climbing...

[harihari]

Sorry, I meant, we found Powaqaatsi instead of Koyaanisqatsi.

It's silly-- two bolts would make an easy 5.8 or so pitch tp get you onto the terrace where K. & P. start (no more insane fixed rope of death). And then you climb the route, and on pitch after pitch, bolts are installed beside perfect gear placements.

[jeh]

It's silly-- two bolts would make an easy 5.8 or so pitch tp get you onto the terrace where K. & P. start (no more insane fixed rope of death). And then you climb the route, and on pitch after pitch, bolts are installed beside perfect gear placements.

Glad you found some great pitches. Was the climbing reasonably clean? How bad was the debris build up following the off-season?

As for the bolts, you want more on the approach but less on the climb? Where exactly did you feel had been excessively bolted?

t-bone - the K/P approach leaves the gully slightly above (and obviously across from) where the Rock On trail enters.

J

[harihari]

Glad you found some great pitches. Was the climbing reasonably clean? How bad was the debris build up following the off-season?

As for the bolts, you want more on the approach but less on the climb? Where exactly did you feel had been excessively bolted?

t-bone - the K/P approach leaves the gully slightly above (and obviously across from) where the Rock On trail enters.

J

Thixs is what I remember. We hauled up a fixed line to get to Koyanisquatsi, and this part could be an easy 5.7 pitch with 2 bolts, no more fixed line. Then we found the start to Powaqatsi and climbed it. When we came down, we rapped off a two-bolt anchor (which di not have any rap rings on it) which was about 30m to climber's rigth of the start of P.

I think more people woudl do the route i a) there was no fixed line-- the one we found was death waiting to happen and b) the trail to the start was better marked. There is also potential for many more routes on this wall. I am going to head up and clean Koyanisqatsi which looks awesome.

There was not too much debris.

P1-- fine
P2-- the cool pod traverse pitch, wow!
P3-- I think every bolt on this pitch could be removed; at least the last two are beside perfect cracks or pods
p4-- cosidering the climbing after the first move is 5.5 or so, the bolting seems excessive, but whatever, it's not beside gear placements.
P5 and up seemd fine

[EnigmaM]

are we talking about the same climb here?

there's a fixed rope on the approach to the climbing that one could easily head up. yes it is sketchy and in need of repair. I agree with Chris that a bolted approach of some kind or the simple replacement of this rope woudl be a good idea.

p1- good. a little run out in places. hard for 10a.
p2- great pitch. well bolted. seems right for 10d.
p3- scruffy 10a. this pitch could be cleaned off. the 2 final bolts on this pitch are warranted considering the loose block of death in the cracks (which should be removed!)
p4/5- linkable with a 70 meter rope.
p6/7- linkable again.

[harihari]

are we talking about the same climb here?

there's a fixed rope on the approach to the climbing that one could easily head up. yes it is sketchy and in need of repair. I agree with Chris that a bolted approach of some kind or the simple replacement of this rope woudl be a good idea.

p1- good. a little run out in places. hard for 10a.
p2- great pitch. well bolted. seems right for 10d.
p3- scruffy 10a. this pitch could be cleaned off. the 2 final bolts on this pitch are warranted considering the loose block of death in the cracks (which should be removed!)
p4/5- linkable with a 70 meter rope.
p6/7- linkable again.

Yea that sound sliek it, we linked p4 and 5. I found one loose place on P3 but the gear was bomber. In one place right at the end, you have a bolt in the middle of a slab of rock and on the right there is a perfect handcrack, nothing loose. Below it on the bolt previous there is somethign loose but there is also perfect gear.

[t-bone]

jeh: Are we all talking about the same climb? Is a fixed rope needed to access Powaqattsi?

I noticed a fixed rope fairly high up the South Gully (pretty much across from the start to RockOn)....is this the start?

[EnigmaM]

forgetting to mention. the approach trail should be marked as it is not entirely obvious.

chris: yeah where the final two bolts on p3 are, there is a loose block that forms that perfect handcrack