Monday, May 26, 2008

Round 'n round Dew Mound

Eric, Bryce and I got weathered out of our plans to climb Polar Bear Peak, so the weekend got chopped into projects, a session at the rock gym with Bryce, a hike with Eric up Blacktail Rocks, and finally a search for the Dew Mound crag with Bryce today. The short story is that we hiked ALL OVER lower Eagle River Valley, criss crossing on various trails, seeking high points for a view...
In the process we found this cliff on the north side of the valley that demands further exploration:
We finally found Dew Rock, and there were THREE parties on it, including a super strong climber whose name I forget (see him doing 5.12 hard at rock gym routinely). Later Eddie Phae showed up with his typical contagious humor, so we had an all-star cast of southcentral's finest rock stars on hand all cracking jokes and having a good time. Turns out Eddie has a djembe and is looking for drumming partners....that could be interesting! Looking at the cliff, Bryce and I weren't too psyched - very steep, typically tricky non-straightforward Chugach face climbing, and one party gave us the line up confirming that it was all 5.10 and up. After hemming and hawing we finally decided to give one a shot, and surprise!, my mythos got resoled this winter but I forgot to lace them up, which is time-consuming given their funky lacing system, but I got the job done with a borrowed lighter and my dull nut tool while the mosquitos investigated...
We didn't have any luck on the climb but it was a fun outing and I've got renewed stoke for rock climbing yet again.



2 comments:

evan said...

the photo you posted that requires "additional investigation" is called "The Kiliak Wall". On the right side of the cliff, there is a gnarly gash/chimney with a beautiful pillar arete to the right. At the base of the arete is a 2 bolt anchor. This climb is called "Son Volt" and is 5.10d (11 bolts). To the left of the gash is a stellar face/crack climb called "Sparklehorse" (5.10a) 6 bolts and gear to 2". A short dirty climb called "Welcome to the Jungle" (5.8) 4 bolts, leads to the anchor to the previously mentioned climbs. Ryan Campbell put up a bolted 5.8 somewhere on the left side of the cliff but i haven't done it. Carl Oswald and I rapped from the top of the cliff in the center where there is a crack that comes out of a roof in the middle of the face. We put in 2 bolts for an anchor on the ledge below this roof and crack which we called "Kiliak Crack". We toproped it. it needs a bolt or 2 thru the roof (5.10a) but the crack goes free with gear (5.8). I put up the other routes as well. wear a helmet and use 60 meter ropes.

- evan phillips

evan said...

that photo you took of the crag that demands 'further investigation' is called the "Kiliak Wall". There are 4 climbs established. a dirty 5.8 called 'welcome to the jungle' leads to a belay station (2 bolts). From here you can continue straight up and left to climb "Sparkehorse" (5.10a), or move right to bottom of pillar/arete on right side of cliff. This climb is called "Son Volt"(5.10d) and has 11 bolts. There is another climb on the left side of cliff put up by ryan campbell a few years ago. it's 5.8. The roof/ hand crack in the middle of the face (above the huge/ loose crack that hovers over the lower section of the face)has been toproped and is 5.10. you have to rappel from the top of the cliff to get the the ledge below the roof. the roof needs a bolt or 2 but the crack goes free with gear. It is called "Kiliak Crack". 60 meter ropes and helmets essential here.

-evan phillips