After two great weekends at Cathedral Ledge, it was time to head to Cannon Cliff. Jeff and I decided on the mega-classic Whitney-Gilman Ridge. After climbing Pinnacle Buttress with Adam, I was in mood for more routes with rich history. [Cannon Cliff from the trailhead]
In the smallest of smaller nutshells, Hassler Whitney and his cousin Bradley Gilman first climbed the ridge on August 3, 1929 in more than a dozen short pitches and it was considered the hardest rock climb in the country at the time. In 1931, climber Kenneth Henderson with Robert Underhill drove a piece of pipe into a crack to protect the moves over the exposed crux at Pitch 4, creating the famous “Pipe Pitch”. [The route]
As with any routes deemed classics, you quickly realize why it holds that title. Climbing a sharp fin of granite while dealing with the immense exposure on Pitch 4, or making spectacular moves on 100 feet of sustained 5.7 high on Pitch 5.. it was love at first sight for me.
We were at the trailhead at 7:30 a.m. to beat the masses and it was a good decision as humans lined up like cattle at the base of the climb as we were already well on our way to the third pitch. [On the approach] We started down the bike path and hit the intersection with the climbers trail quickly. Up through the trees and then on the talus field, we picked our way through the boulders to the start of the ridge. There are a few ways to start up and we decided to scramble up a short gully to a large ledge and begin the climb. I’ve seen this first pitch rated anywhere from a 5.7 to a 5.4. I don’t care much for grades, so I didn’t care to really probe into this. By 8:30 we were roped up, geared up and ready to go.
Pitch One (5.?) ~70 feet
I led up the first pitch which started with a wide break, a little difficult at first but then gave way to easier climbing up smaller cracks. [A climber starting up the first pitch] A few moves to the right and then a scramble to a spacious ledge and I was up the first pitch. After confirming with Jeff that my belay was tight enough to cut off circulation to the lower half of his body, I took my gear back and looked at the start of the second pitch.
Pitch Two (5.4) ~80 feet
This pitch starts up an obvious corner with a couple of pins. It looks easy and is rated easy, but I found the rock slippery as hell and about 8 feet up, I lost my own feet and peeled off, sliding back on the ledge. I’d feel that the next morning, but for now I got up and tried again. If I didn’t, Jeff wouldn’t let me forget it! The next go around went smoother and I clipped the second pin and found myself standing on a sharp pedestal. [The start of Pitch 2] The next moves were to the right stepping on the main face in two very exposed moves. Luckily, there was another rusty piton I clipped into, but the protection didn’t do much to ease the butterflies as I stepped over the void. It must have took me 10 minutes to figure out the sequence of moves and once I realized I couldn’t reach a handhold I needed/wanted, I aided off the quick draw and literally jumped off the pedestal to grab the hold. The next two moves were easy, but exposed as hell. From there, the climbing is straight up and straight forward.
Pitch Three (5.6) ~100 feet
I wanted to lead this third pitch as well so I decided to save the 5.8 variation for another day! Ha! [The 5.8 variation] This pitch started up with a smooth V-groove that I found a bit awkward as there wasn’t much to hold onto. [Starting up the groove] Luckily, there was a series of pins along the way. Once out of the V-groove.. a few moves to a tiny ledge and then some tough moves unto another exposed area. [Doing what I needed to get it done] This exposure involved looking straight down the cliff to the talus field as I worked my way around a little corner. From there, the scary factor focused not on the exposure but the large loose blocks up over a ledge. I tried three holds but the blocks moved way too much for me rely on them. I worked my way further right I found something solid enough to pull myself over the ledge with. From there was some less stressful climbing to another bigger ledge and a walk over to a fixed gear anchor below the crux pitch.
Pitch Four (5.7) ~100 feet
I handed the reigns to Jeff for the last two pitches, much to his dismay.
This was the Pipe Pitch and considered the crux of the climb. It started with two very atheistic cracks.. one large enough for your knee to fit (although it is warned not to do that! It’ll get stuck!), and one much smaller. [Fantastic granite] We stemmed up using the corner and the smaller crack and worked our way to big pedestal. Jeff worked his way out to the right to the north wall of the ridge. The exposure is immense as it drops away hundreds of feet into the Black Dike and out to the talus field.. hell, you could see everything! I felt all the moves out, around, up, then back around pretty insecure and was impressed (like always) at Jeff’s lead. [Looking up at some steep insecurity] I was disappointed to see the pipe had been cut off. The pitch continues literally up the sharp fin of the ridge. It was amazing to have my hands round this sharp edge realizing that was the edge of the whole ridge. This is one of the most enjoyable pitches I’ve climbed thus far. [Looking down from Pitch 4]
Pitch Five (5.7) ~170
Generally done in two pitches, we combined the last section of the climb in one haul. For me, I felt like the entire pitch was sustained at 5.7 and it gave me a work-out.. so I was glad to be following the last 170 feet or so. Jeff led out and traversed left around a blank wall, up a crack/corner and back out the right on the arête. A few steep sections (I got stuck trying to figure out a way to climb up a large step) [Steepness] and some meandering about [The meandering about] and I found Jeff perched on the last ledge at the top of the climb! [Topped out]
The descent was a well-trodden trail that went off the south end of the cliff and back to the bike path. We were back at the car by 2:45 p.m.
This was an incredible day out climbing an incredible route. So much so, apparently, that I had to write a trip report. Ha.
The rest of the pictures are here in case you didn't get enough.
In the smallest of smaller nutshells, Hassler Whitney and his cousin Bradley Gilman first climbed the ridge on August 3, 1929 in more than a dozen short pitches and it was considered the hardest rock climb in the country at the time. In 1931, climber Kenneth Henderson with Robert Underhill drove a piece of pipe into a crack to protect the moves over the exposed crux at Pitch 4, creating the famous “Pipe Pitch”. [The route]
As with any routes deemed classics, you quickly realize why it holds that title. Climbing a sharp fin of granite while dealing with the immense exposure on Pitch 4, or making spectacular moves on 100 feet of sustained 5.7 high on Pitch 5.. it was love at first sight for me.
We were at the trailhead at 7:30 a.m. to beat the masses and it was a good decision as humans lined up like cattle at the base of the climb as we were already well on our way to the third pitch. [On the approach] We started down the bike path and hit the intersection with the climbers trail quickly. Up through the trees and then on the talus field, we picked our way through the boulders to the start of the ridge. There are a few ways to start up and we decided to scramble up a short gully to a large ledge and begin the climb. I’ve seen this first pitch rated anywhere from a 5.7 to a 5.4. I don’t care much for grades, so I didn’t care to really probe into this. By 8:30 we were roped up, geared up and ready to go.
Pitch One (5.?) ~70 feet
I led up the first pitch which started with a wide break, a little difficult at first but then gave way to easier climbing up smaller cracks. [A climber starting up the first pitch] A few moves to the right and then a scramble to a spacious ledge and I was up the first pitch. After confirming with Jeff that my belay was tight enough to cut off circulation to the lower half of his body, I took my gear back and looked at the start of the second pitch.
Pitch Two (5.4) ~80 feet
This pitch starts up an obvious corner with a couple of pins. It looks easy and is rated easy, but I found the rock slippery as hell and about 8 feet up, I lost my own feet and peeled off, sliding back on the ledge. I’d feel that the next morning, but for now I got up and tried again. If I didn’t, Jeff wouldn’t let me forget it! The next go around went smoother and I clipped the second pin and found myself standing on a sharp pedestal. [The start of Pitch 2] The next moves were to the right stepping on the main face in two very exposed moves. Luckily, there was another rusty piton I clipped into, but the protection didn’t do much to ease the butterflies as I stepped over the void. It must have took me 10 minutes to figure out the sequence of moves and once I realized I couldn’t reach a handhold I needed/wanted, I aided off the quick draw and literally jumped off the pedestal to grab the hold. The next two moves were easy, but exposed as hell. From there, the climbing is straight up and straight forward.
Pitch Three (5.6) ~100 feet
I wanted to lead this third pitch as well so I decided to save the 5.8 variation for another day! Ha! [The 5.8 variation] This pitch started up with a smooth V-groove that I found a bit awkward as there wasn’t much to hold onto. [Starting up the groove] Luckily, there was a series of pins along the way. Once out of the V-groove.. a few moves to a tiny ledge and then some tough moves unto another exposed area. [Doing what I needed to get it done] This exposure involved looking straight down the cliff to the talus field as I worked my way around a little corner. From there, the scary factor focused not on the exposure but the large loose blocks up over a ledge. I tried three holds but the blocks moved way too much for me rely on them. I worked my way further right I found something solid enough to pull myself over the ledge with. From there was some less stressful climbing to another bigger ledge and a walk over to a fixed gear anchor below the crux pitch.
Pitch Four (5.7) ~100 feet
I handed the reigns to Jeff for the last two pitches, much to his dismay.
This was the Pipe Pitch and considered the crux of the climb. It started with two very atheistic cracks.. one large enough for your knee to fit (although it is warned not to do that! It’ll get stuck!), and one much smaller. [Fantastic granite] We stemmed up using the corner and the smaller crack and worked our way to big pedestal. Jeff worked his way out to the right to the north wall of the ridge. The exposure is immense as it drops away hundreds of feet into the Black Dike and out to the talus field.. hell, you could see everything! I felt all the moves out, around, up, then back around pretty insecure and was impressed (like always) at Jeff’s lead. [Looking up at some steep insecurity] I was disappointed to see the pipe had been cut off. The pitch continues literally up the sharp fin of the ridge. It was amazing to have my hands round this sharp edge realizing that was the edge of the whole ridge. This is one of the most enjoyable pitches I’ve climbed thus far. [Looking down from Pitch 4]Pitch Five (5.7) ~170
Generally done in two pitches, we combined the last section of the climb in one haul. For me, I felt like the entire pitch was sustained at 5.7 and it gave me a work-out.. so I was glad to be following the last 170 feet or so. Jeff led out and traversed left around a blank wall, up a crack/corner and back out the right on the arête. A few steep sections (I got stuck trying to figure out a way to climb up a large step) [Steepness] and some meandering about [The meandering about] and I found Jeff perched on the last ledge at the top of the climb! [Topped out]
The descent was a well-trodden trail that went off the south end of the cliff and back to the bike path. We were back at the car by 2:45 p.m.
This was an incredible day out climbing an incredible route. So much so, apparently, that I had to write a trip report. Ha.
The rest of the pictures are here in case you didn't get enough.
