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Did I do a First Ascent at Angel Food Wall today?

Original Post
Jellywolliyums Padawon Supertramp · · 201 Adams St. Woodsboro, Ma… · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 85

We thought we were on Rude Rocks, but were in a dihedral system between Rude Rocks and Group therapy.

Ended up being a 5.9 R trad route that could function as an alternate start to group therapy.

Anyone done this before?

The topo

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The rack, either R or X. I don't really want to know how to find out.... 120ish foot climb.
Had to tie off and ascend with a gri gri after the rope got stuck on the rappel, ended up bailing on a BD 11 silver nut....I plan on going back to put up its own second pitch.

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276

That's making lemonade out of lemons - you're off route and want to call it a "first ascent." Good job!

Jellywolliyums Padawon Supertramp · · 201 Adams St. Woodsboro, Ma… · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 85

Frank.....wait, is the route name "making lemonade out of lemons?"

Mark R · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65
Jellywolliyums wrote:Frank.....wait, is the route name "making lemonade out of lemons?"
If not, then maybe it should be...
Allen Sanderson · · On the road to perdition · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 1,203

I am going to say that someone has probably done it. Years ago my wife and I ended up doing some tomfoolery on Angel Food Wall while climbing Group Therapy. I can not remember the specifics of our wandering due to the lack of info in the Swain guide book. As such, you and we are probably not the first to start/wander off route on that wall.

evan h · · Longmont, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 360

Bailed on a single nut? Whaaa??

Jellywolliyums Padawon Supertramp · · 201 Adams St. Woodsboro, Ma… · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 85

Thats what I was thinking, it seemed to be in such a popular area I would be surprised if it hadn't been done. Hence why I made this post.

There wasn't any indication on the wall of a regular presence.

The rock was super chossy and sketch. Not the greatest quality, but the route itself is quite grand!

The movement and commitment is stellar, huge run outs on tiiiny gear.

Jellywolliyums Padawon Supertramp · · 201 Adams St. Woodsboro, Ma… · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 85

The nut was solid, welded to the rock.

I plan to go back up to put up a second pitch off it, Looks like 10.a, about the same gear, but bad ass fingery overhang.

So ill be grabbing that nut back :)

Allen Sanderson · · On the road to perdition · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 1,203
Jellywolliyums wrote:Thats what I was thinking, it seemed to be in such a popular area I would be surprised if it hadn't been done. Hence why I made this post. There wasn't any indication on the wall of a regular presence. The rock was super chossy and sketch. Not the greatest quality, but the route itself is quite grand! The movement and commitment is stellar, huge run outs on tiiiny gear.
I should add that given that what you are mucking about has not been reported in the past and does seem to be what would become an independent start IMHO there is no problem with giving it a name and listing it as a FRA (first recorded ascent). FRA basically says you climbed the route but there is a likelihood that someone did it before hand.
Joey Williams · · Berlin, MD · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 30

Sick! Well I'm out at the gallery today if anyone wants to put up the second poi

Pitch with me.

Get your name on a first ascent!

3017125003.

Joey Williams · · Berlin, MD · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 30

To clarify, joey Williams and jellywolliums is the same guy.

I take it back, I will return to put up the second pitch that will complete the link to the second or third belay anchors for Group therapy, this saturday morning.

Please, I would appreciate if you all would refrain from bagging this potential new route until then.

Anyone is more than welcome to join me that morning!

Thanks for the input everyone!

marty funkhouser · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 20

Whoa, did this guy get his rope stuck on rappel and then re-ascend and recover his OWN rope?Then he left a nut behind and is NOT posting in Lost & Found for someone to go get it back for him? And you mean to tell me that he didn't follow the move-by-move micro-beta provided by this and other websites which led him to get off-route to begin with?

Reckless behavior! Just reckless! Climbers aren't supposed to embrace the unknown and be self-sufficient.

Good job!

Joey Williams · · Berlin, MD · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 30

So we set the rappel around a serious of horns up top, it didnt budge an inch, so it was set would If you look at the pphoto you can see that.

The ascencion of the rope was perfectly safe, It I
Was tied off at.the ground and i even put knots every ten feet of.slack outside of the gri gri as a back up if the gri gri were to fail. Which is also visible in the photo.

Gotta face the unknown sometimes man.

Karsten Duncan · · Sacramento, CA · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 2,571

Agree with Sanderson's opinion above. Go finish the link-up as you intend and then post with topo and pics if possible. RR has many unrecorded FAs that can make it hard to know if you truly got the FA. If people have done it before they can chime in otherwise after a few years you will be come the defunct first ascentionist.

As a side note, my first FA was by accident too. Made it into the alpine journal that year and was basically ridiculed by Beckey to boot. Good luck and have fun. There are so many FAs left in RR you can climb the rest of your life there and never touch an established route ever again.

Boissal . · · Small Lake, UT · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 1,541
Joey Williams wrote:Gotta face the unknown sometimes man.
Your sarcasm detector needs to be recalibrated. Also, this:

Joey Williams wrote:Get your name on a first ascent!
is one of the weakest attempts at luring a partner I've seen in ages. A: that thing's been done for sure. B: you're in Vegas, maybe bribe people with hookers and blow instead of promises of guidebook fame and glory.
Flava Flav · · Seattle, WA · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 1,577

Last year I was following a mock guide up what was supposed to be Hot Flash, realized we were off route and I nicknamed it "Moist Towelette". I didn't seek notoriety for the loose, lack luster climbing we ended up on, called it fun to be in the mountains, and had micheladas afterwards at the campground.

5 pieces in 120ft isn't that bad, Joe Herbst probably soloed your route as a warm up. That, or Beckey was stealing your girl while you were ascending your stuck ropes.

Joe Prescott · · Berlin Germany · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 6

I think hundreds of people have probably done this "route." I was similarly off route in this area on my first trip to RR in the late '90s and remember being scared $hitle$$ on harder than I thought it should be terrain with not so much experience. Last March I sent a friend and her partner out to climb GT (I've climbed it now 3-4 times, the correct route) and she got off route and reported something extremely similar to your description/pictures/topo. She didn't hate it and it allowed her to pass a few parties on lower pitches of GT. So trolling or not, I'd say you were off-route and almost fired it. Not to take away anything.

sarcasm · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2010 · Points: 445
Kyle Willis wrote:Last year I was following a mock guide up what was supposed to be Hot Flash, realized we were off route and I nicknamed it "Moist Towelette". I didn't seek notoriety for the loose, lack luster climbing we ended up on, called it fun to be in the mountains, and had micheladas afterwards at the campground. 5 pieces in 120ft isn't that bad, Joe Herbst probably soloed your route as a warm up. That, or Beckey was stealing your girl while you were ascending your stuck ropes.
^^^^^^
This guy! LMAO
Check out his website for more AWESOME stuff!! LMAO
Dangerranger99.wordpress.com
Kevin Shon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2009 · Points: 65

It happens sometimes, Joey - good on ya for your youthful spirit. Keep up the exploring of possibilities - and way to put your thoughts out there to a broader community. Exposing yourself to the perspectives of others is often a great way to gain more insight to your actions, intentions, and learning for the future.

You'll see a spectrum of responses from encouragement, berating, support and rejection. Now you must decide for yourself, hopefully as ethically as possible, what you will do when in similar situations in the future.

FA? Not highly likely - but excited about being in a new place that is unarguably very cool? Good on ya.

Jellywolliyums Padawon Supertramp · · 201 Adams St. Woodsboro, Ma… · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 85

Hey No Mas,

Yeah you're most certainly right, its a hard line between foolish and commendable actions.

I think it was more that this route never sees traffic, therefore the outer layer rock is still coming off. I mean look at its location, it is only 3-5 M from other very popular routes on either side that are not known for choss. Thats just my thought anyway.

Aside from all that, choss! Haha, get it? - The second pitch is stellar and badass! Bomb gear, roofs, hand cracks, facey moves, exposed second half, virtually zero rope drag in a 50 - 55 M pitch! Stellar grade for the airy movements, the initial roof definitely gives it the grade.

Feel free to ask more questions! Sorry if I come across as egotistical posting these things. Not my intention :)

Joey

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Nevada
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