Leading P5 of Moby Dick. This...

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Leading P5 of Moby Dick. This...

Leading P5 of Moby Dick. This...

Leading P5 of Moby Dick. This is a relatively steep (compared to rest of route) "headwall" which the Kerry guidebook calls a 5.7+. The abundance of huge, positive holds makes this rating inaccurate IMHO. A 5.6 is probably a fairer rating. This is not posturing - there are harder .6 and .7 sections on pitches below. The section is a little runout however. Two decently spaced bolts protect this (don't fall or you might slam into the low angle terrain below) section - if so desired, you might be able to supplement these with some creative nutting (January 1, 2004).
rpc
on Jan 6, 2005 4:52 pm
Lat/Lon: 31.94010°N / 109.9932°W
Image ID: 84312

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Martin Cash

Martin Cash - Jan 6, 2005 7:07 pm - Voted 10/10

Wicked rock!

That is the most bizarre stuff I've ever seen! Can you tie of hunks with runners?

Klenke

Klenke - Jan 6, 2005 7:20 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Wicked rock!

Kind of reminds me of the friction pitch on The Grand's Upper Exum Ridge.

rpc

rpc - Jan 7, 2005 12:27 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Wicked rock!

Yeah, it's pretty wild-textured granite. The "plates" are not positive enough to be tied off on this pitch but on lower pitches they are and in fact pro on many sections consists of grith hitching these "chickenheads" (I'll post an example shot later).

thanks for stopping by Martin.

rpc

rpc - Jan 7, 2005 12:28 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Wicked rock!

Alright Paul,

now you're just making me drool missing dry rock in the alpine world!!

word.

rpc

rpc - Jan 7, 2005 5:18 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Wicked rock!

Martin,

here's the example of chickenhead for protection:



example



:)

Klenke

Klenke - Jan 7, 2005 5:42 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Wicked rock!

Not the greatest shot of it, but found this online. It's longer than this shot intimates: Exum friction pitch. It's about a full rope-length, I think, depending on where the second sets his/her belay anchor.

jtschanz

jtschanz - Jan 26, 2005 4:33 pm - Hasn't voted

Just saw this one ...

Great pictures - looks like a fun pitch! Kind of like the granite domes of the Sierras, but with weird textured rock. Great trip report, too, by the way!

rpc

rpc - Jan 26, 2005 6:41 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Just saw this one ...

THank you very much Jim. Definitely pretty unique granite - think "plates" glued onto faces. Kind of weird. See a small bit of it maybe in City of Rocks but haven't seen it elsewhere.

Viewing: 1-8 of 8