No, unfortunately we are not going this year. Too much going on with work and I have not trained enough either. I would like to go back. Maybe next year!
mountainroad - Jul 20, 2011 11:47 am - Hasn't voted
yeah dudes!
Way to charge guys! I told you it wasn't so bad up there, but i guess you should have taken my rappel Beta! Team California in the HOUSE!
Ha, thanks Gil. Your positive vibes were a nice contrast with the other stuff we heard. This route was fun! The descent, not so much. Do you have a good picture of the snow ridge and the cliff below it? Maybe we can make a little topo for intrepid climbers who want to try the other descent option.
I think there's a forum discussion going on right now about rappelling safety. I had a bit of a groan and smirk at some of the stories in there, recalling this...
Nice report...it brings back memories of my climb two years ago. It certainly has dried out a lot, although it's not all that surprising since the snow/ice wasn't thick enough for any pro when we climbed it. Oddly, I also had an epic decent: ropes got stuck on the first and last rappels and we endured some unbelievably severe thunder and hail storms slamming us as well.
Ha, the descent is pretty trying, isn't it? It's easy to rappel snow/ice forever or clean granite forever, but that chossy gully... it was good practice, at least.
Thanks, Michael. It is definitely a good warm-up trip in the Blanca, since it's one of the lower peaks; the only thing not straightforward is the descent.
Great pictures! I'm very happy to see some pictures of the route; we feel pretty stupid for dragging cameras up there without using them more than a couple of times.
pratyush - Jul 11, 2011 1:23 pm - Voted 10/10
super niceThe route up on Churup is pretty, as straight/direct as anyone could go up! Congratulations!
hamik - Jul 12, 2011 11:35 am - Hasn't voted
Re: super niceIt used to be even more direct, but lately lack of ice forces one to traverse left under the 85 degree rock band.
albanberg - Jul 19, 2011 2:52 pm - Voted 10/10
very coolNice climbing and report/pictures!
hamik - Jul 20, 2011 12:10 am - Hasn't voted
Re: very coolThanks! Did you go to the Blanca again this year? Plans to return?
albanberg - Jul 20, 2011 1:00 am - Voted 10/10
Re: very coolNo, unfortunately we are not going this year. Too much going on with work and I have not trained enough either. I would like to go back. Maybe next year!
mountainroad - Jul 20, 2011 11:47 am - Hasn't voted
yeah dudes!Way to charge guys! I told you it wasn't so bad up there, but i guess you should have taken my rappel Beta! Team California in the HOUSE!
hamik - Jul 20, 2011 12:16 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: yeah dudes!Ha, thanks Gil. Your positive vibes were a nice contrast with the other stuff we heard. This route was fun! The descent, not so much. Do you have a good picture of the snow ridge and the cliff below it? Maybe we can make a little topo for intrepid climbers who want to try the other descent option.
EverydayExplorer - Jul 21, 2011 12:39 am - Hasn't voted
That's a storyGlad you guys made it down safe.
hamik - Jul 21, 2011 1:46 am - Hasn't voted
Re: That's a storyI think there's a forum discussion going on right now about rappelling safety. I had a bit of a groan and smirk at some of the stories in there, recalling this...
MRoyer4 - Jul 22, 2011 2:52 pm - Hasn't voted
Sounds familiar...Nice report...it brings back memories of my climb two years ago. It certainly has dried out a lot, although it's not all that surprising since the snow/ice wasn't thick enough for any pro when we climbed it. Oddly, I also had an epic decent: ropes got stuck on the first and last rappels and we endured some unbelievably severe thunder and hail storms slamming us as well.
hamik - Jul 25, 2011 3:04 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Sounds familiar...Ha, the descent is pretty trying, isn't it? It's easy to rappel snow/ice forever or clean granite forever, but that chossy gully... it was good practice, at least.
mvs - Jul 24, 2011 1:56 am - Voted 10/10
MOst excellentHamik, what a great story! I really felt the exhaustion of that rappel with the heroic anchor excavation attempt. The line looks beautiful.
hamik - Jul 25, 2011 3:08 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: MOst excellentThanks, Michael. It is definitely a good warm-up trip in the Blanca, since it's one of the lower peaks; the only thing not straightforward is the descent.
mountainroad - Jul 27, 2011 8:27 pm - Hasn't voted
photostons of photos of the route here
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.936827188694.2439570.5304574&l=951745a156&type=1
hamik - Jul 30, 2011 3:26 am - Hasn't voted
Re: photosGreat pictures! I'm very happy to see some pictures of the route; we feel pretty stupid for dragging cameras up there without using them more than a couple of times.
lavaka - Aug 14, 2011 2:01 am - Voted 10/10
going for the epic style"But we drank, because we had to drink,...". That's exactly how Hemingway would have said it.