This beautiful route takes the center line straight out the middle of the right side of the Spray Wall proper. This is pristine crimp pulling at its finest. Start with a slab move that is quite a bit harder than it looks (5.12-) then head straight up to the body jam no-hands rest at the break before busting out the main headwall. This route is super continuous, and ultra technical, with very satisfying moves the entire way. It's really amazing on this route what you can pull off of on this climb. The crux hits right around the 5th bolt and ends at the break before the slight runout at the top, precision will pay off well here. Overall, this is possibly the best route at the Spray Wall, in my opinion.
Location
Takes the main line straight up the middle of the right side of the Spray Wall proper.
I believe this was actually bolted by Mike Johnson who was close to doing the first ascent when he had to leave town for a few months but was planning on returning to finish it up. Ian did not have permission to do the route first. So the vision and the work was Mike's not Ian's.
You surmise correctly, aside from the fact that Mike threw a fit at the Greens, because a young "punk", sent the route easily. A route that he had projected and fixed with hardware. Once again ethics issues...which occur all over, especially in the U.S. Both Mike Johnson and Ian Spencer-Green are nice cats. There are no more adolescent fences to side over...these are the early nineties, when everyone was a douche, and Rifle never sported more than .14a or two because of a few over and under-zealous dunces (who called everything .13d). Concern yourself with less important auto-troglodyte nonsense and soap opera drama...CS used to drape itself in BS...quit perpetuating it.
Yes, indeed, Mike Johnson did bolt and work on this route. Ian, who was 15 at the time, heard at the Sport Climbing Center that Mike had moved to San Diego and was planning on staying down there for a year to work. On his next trip up to the Spray Wall, he saw that there was no red tag on the route so he climbed it on-sight, first-try. He didn't think he was stealing the route or anything, he figured it was an open project. End of story. It really doesn't matter who does the FA of a 45-foot sport route.
Now, 15 years later, nobody gives a damn who did it first. The real questions are: How long does a project sit before someone does it? If a "project" doesn't have a red-tag, does that mean it's open? Lastly, if you're gonna bolt a route and the first ascent is important to you, then do the damn thing before someone else does! These questions have been rehashed over and over. No definitive answers. Just do the damn route...
I'm not trying to perpetuate anything. Mike put the work in and so he deserves at least some of the FA credit. If you insist on making a bigger deal out of it than that you are more than welcome to.
How many tags have you seen in Rifle or anywhere else? Anyway, there had been no development, for years. I believe you and I were there on a trip working on Debaser and saw more than a fair share. If someone can't climb a route in a reasonable time, they should open it up to others.
Let bygones be what they are.
By Ian Spencer-Green From: Colorado Springs, CO Jul 17, 2009 rating: 5.13a
I would like to clarify a couple things concerning my FFA of "Only Entertainment". Yes, it's true Mike Johnson equipped the route and it sat as a project for over 3 years. Then, Mike, moved indefinitely to California for work. As I had sent every other line on the Spray Wall at this point (and Only Entertainment is the primo line), I figured once someone moves away (let alone a project sitting for years) any project becomes game. I actually did not climb the route onsight, but third try. I am sorry he bolted it first and was too weak for the send. Developers must realize you cannot hold back the future generations because you are crusty. Not to mention, once one places bolts in a cliff, they are no longer personal property, but property of the National Forest, BLM, and public. So, if you bolt -- Send Quick, or at least actively work your route on a weekly if not monthly basis. Mike has received the appropriate credit (which is apparent on the route listing) for equipping the route. I didn't care about the first ascent; I just didn't want to wait years longer to send perhaps the best route on the wall.
Furthermore, when I bolted the route to the left "Pagan Wisdom", I bolted a futuristic direct start. The route sat idle for some 10 years before Ben Schmit gained interest and consulted me if he could add a bolt and move one to go for the sendage. I was thrilled and of course told him to go ahead. A route can't sit idle forever, especially when stronger climbers are coming up every year! As Jared put it, let bygones be bygones and Kudos to the future generations!
Ian, nothing meant against you. The route did not mention Mike when first posted and it took awhile for him to be added. That is all, credit where credit is deserved, he equipped it and you climbed it. It is too bad that actions and misunderstandings lead to a falling out between the two of you.
Of course as you stated, Pagan's direct start sat idle for almost 10 years and Ben S. still asked about getting on it.
No matter how long a project has sat idle, I do agree that it is the polite thing to do to ask to climb on it before just stealing it. I know how hard it is to find, clean, and bolt stuff, and even though I personaly have never closed any of the things I've bolted, I do completly respect those people who do....
RSS Feed
