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Timeline:
June 23, 2008: Sport climbing at
Owens River Gorge (Upper Gorge).
June 24, 2008: Approach to Third
Lake.
June 25, 2008: Ascent of Venusian
Blind (IV, 5.7). We left camp at 6:25, we reached the top of the snowfield at
7:25 am, and we reached the base of the roped climbing at 8 am. We finished
the technical climbing at 3 pm, were on the summit at 4 pm, at the top of
contact pass at 5:30 and back in camp at 7 pm.
June 26, 2008: Hike to the
campsite above Sam Mack meadow and then hike to Sam Mack Lake.
June 27, 2008: Hike out to
Glacier Lodge, shower and return home via the Lone Pine espresso parlor.
Photos:
Please check here.
|
Pitch
|
Rating
|
Length
|
On lead
|
Observations
|
|
1
|
Class
3
|
300
|
Solo
|
Hiked up easy 3rd
class.
|
|
2
|
Class
3/4
|
300
|
Solo
|
More 3rd
class hiking.
|
|
3
|
5.6
|
100
|
Romain
|
Started about 1/3 of the way up the SuperTopo P3 up 5.6
flakes to the left and up to the large horn belay.
|
|
4
|
5.7
|
150
|
Johann
|
Mostly 4th class to an easy crack move to a
belay on a large ledge.
|
|
5
|
5.4
|
120
|
Romain
|
Mostly 4th class, mostly horizontal.
Uninteresting pitch.
|
|
6
|
5.7
|
100
|
Johann
|
Beautiful intimidating 5.7 pitch. Not so bad when you are
on it very featured. Uncomfortable belay at the top.
|
|
7
|
5.6
|
140
|
Romain
|
Beautiful pitch traversing left on a steep face over
exposed 5.6 climbing. To me this was the crux of the climb (felt harder than
all the purported 5.7 on this route).
|
|
8
|
5.4
|
140
|
Johann
|
Ridge traverse to an alcove at the base of a steep face.
Uninteresting pitch.
|
|
9
|
5.7
|
140
|
Romain
|
Steep and exposed pitch with lots of features. Some easy
5.7.
|
|
10
|
5.7
|
60
|
Johann
|
Beginning of a series of traversing, short, broken pitches
with the occasional interesting or exposed move. This one ended on top of a
tower.
|
|
11
|
4th class
|
25
|
Romain
|
Move belay to a notch belay on unstable blocks at the
base of a steeper wall (no piton as announced on SuperTopo).
|
|
12
|
5.6
|
90
|
Johann
|
Friction and crack on slab with one piton.
|
|
13
|
4th class
|
20
|
Romain
|
No memory of this one. It was just to move the belay.
|
|
14
|
4th class
|
30
|
Johann
|
More traversing and downclimbing to an iffy anchor in an
unstable-looking block.
|
|
15
|
5.4
|
50
|
Romain
|
Horizontal traverse on the right side of the arκte with
hidden handholds on the face. Sort of fun.
|
|
16
|
4th class
|
80
|
Johann
|
Step across the 4ft gap to a tower belay. Easy.
|
|
17
|
4th class
|
200
|
Romain
|
Over loose blocks to the summit plateau.
|
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