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Timeline:
September 9, 2008: Sport climbing
in the Alabama Hills, night spent at the Onion Valley campground.
September 10, 2008: Approach
hike under stormy and rainy weather. A 7 hour hike from Onion Valley
trailhead, over Kearsarge
Pass, to Charlotte
Lake and to camp
near Charlotte Creek.
September 11, 2008: Ascent of
Charlotte Dome, South Face (III, 5.8) in perfect weather. We departed our
camp near Charlotte Creek at 5:50 am, reached the base
of the route at 6:50 am and started climbing at 7:10 am. We reached the
end of roped climbing (top of pitch 12) at 3:30 pm, and the summit at 4 pm.
We were back in camp at 6 pm.
September 12, 2008: Return to
Onion Valley. Another 7+ hour hike. Night spent in a motel in Bishop.
September 13, 2008: Sport
climbing at Owens River Gorge, followed by the drive home.
Photos: Please check here.
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Pitch
|
Rating
|
Length
|
On lead
|
Observations
|
|
1
|
5.6
|
140’
|
René
|
On
a low angle face
and crack to a tree belay.
|
|
2
|
5.4
|
150’
|
Romain
|
Belayed
above a large horn with an abandoned fixed rope (no slings visible).
|
|
3
|
5.4
|
140’
|
René
|
Face
and crack on low
angle terrain.
|
|
4
|
5.5
|
130’
|
Romain
|
5.5
climbing to just below the wide 5.5 chimney.
|
|
5
|
5.7
|
90’
|
René
|
5.5
chimney to 5.7 lieback right facing flake to a ledge just below the
Slot pitch.
|
|
6
|
5.8
|
150’
|
Romain
|
Slot
pitch. Vertical
crack to Slot moves and sustained climbing above the slot on lower
angle terrain. Belayed at the second crack on the 40’ traverse.
|
|
7
|
5.6
|
90’
|
René
|
Short
traversing pitch on pink
dike.
|
|
8
|
5.8
|
160’
|
Romain
|
Psychological
crux. Awkward
5.7+/5.8 climbing on right slanting, bulging wide crack.
|
|
9
|
5.7
|
160’
|
René
|
Some
runouts, but not 40’ long ! Wandering
pitch – easy to get in trouble on harder terrain. Belayed about 15 feet
after the start of The Furrows.
|
|
10
|
5.7
|
150’
|
Romain
|
The
Furrows
pitch. Easy climbing up a vertical face with plentiful holds. Belayed
shortly before the alcove in a deep water pocket.
|
|
11
|
5.4
|
130’
|
René
|
5.7
move off the belay to easier climbing above. Ran this one out a bit, and
belayed at a huge
ledge beneath the Gold Wall.
|
|
12
|
5.7
|
160’
|
Romain
|
Beautiful
Gold
Wall pitch. Tricky 5.7 moves in a low angle dihedral. Great way to end
the climb. Belayed in a sandy
alcove with perfect pro for the anchor.
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