Oregon Choss: Wolf Rock 2012

A new year means new routes.... I stopped updating the new routes at Wolf on here in the middle of last summer so here are some new as well as some revised descriptions and tall tales....

The first thing we did this year was adding another pitch to an old project. Chris and I went to Wolf during January 2011and eyed a solid looking buttress about 150' left of the start to ‘The Mystery Route’. So it was on, and I started up but with only four bolts in my bag, got 70' up and ran out of bolts. Chris took over and added one more bolt and pushed through the routes crux and put in an anchor. We returned a year later in January again to add a second pitch and again I lead the first half of the pitch through the crux, until I got too much moss in my eyes, then we returned in May and Chris took over to finish up the pitch. Next up a couple of weeks later, Dave Trepp and I added two nice moderate pitches we named 'Scorpion Soup' and 'Weathertop' to the left of 'The Dimrill Stair'. Steve Elder and I came back a week later and added a second pitch atop 'Scorpion Soup' and 'Weathertop' consisting of only 50' of new climbing past three bolts to where it joins the second pitch of 'The Dimrill Stair' above the crux, now you can get to the upper ledge at only 5.7/8! So now there are five pitches to be climbed in that area and four of them 5.9 and under!

WOOOHOOO! Ian Roth and I finished 'Scorpion Soup' to the summit! So now there is another easy technical route to the summit. Three roped pitches and 800' of 4th class scrambling brings one to the summit.

Also this year back in January Chris added another pitch to the 'The Coriolis Effect' with the help of his brother and I. This is a pretty stout pitch with a sweet lay back crux just below the anchor.

I also decided to change the name of 'Gothmog' to 'Balrog' since 'Freaky Easy' was erroneously reffered to as 'Balrog' so that's that and here is whats been going on:

Chris preps the bolt kit to finish up pitch two of the 'The Dimrill Stair'. Hes's just above the crux overhang at the 5th bolt.

Wolf in all its glory.

The Great Arch.

Dave Trepp on the first ascent of 'Weathertop'

Ian Roth on pitch two of 'Scorpion Soup' during the summit push.

Scorpion Soup - 5.7/8 - 1210'

FA P1: Tyler Adams & Dave Trepp, 6/10/12

FA P2: Tyler Adams & Steve Elder, 6/20/12
FA complete route: Tyler Adams & Ian Roth, 6/28/12

'Scorpion Soup' is a nice easy mixed climb that goes all the way to the summit. The route starts at the furthest left hand arete on the same buttress of 'The Dimrill Stair'. Pitch 1: Climb up past a fixed knife-blade and on to the face. Climb past two bolts (5.7) to another fixed knife-blade right on the arete. Continue up the corner just left of the arete placing a couple of cams then climb past two more bolts to the belay ledge. Pitch 2: Traverse up and right past three bolts and join the second pitch of 'The Dimrill Stair' right above the crux and continue up (5.8) the the belay ledge. Pitch 3: Traverse up and left on great rock to a bolt, continue up (5.5) placing some cams to a fixed lost arrow. Aim for a small corner on the left of the giant scoop, climb up this then traverse right and up to a one bolt and a fixed knife-blade. From here 800' of 4th class brings one to the summit. You can rappel from the top of pitch two down 'The Dimrill Stair' with one 60m rope. Protection: Bolts, fixed pins & gear to .75"

Weathertop - 5.9 - 110'

FA: Dave Trepp & Tyler Adams, 6/10/12

This is a great sport climb just left of 'The Dimrill Stair'. It shares the same anchor with the first pitch of 'Scorpion Soup'. Climb straight up past eight bolts to the nice belay ledge. No distinct crux just sustained climbing for most of the way. Rappel with one 70m rope. Protection: Bolts

The Dimrill Stair – 5.10b - 200' FA P1: Chris Fralick & Tyler Adams, January 2011
FA P2: Tyler Adams & Chris Fralick, May 2012

Pitch 1: Climb 20’ up to the first bolt and then trend up and left to the next two bolts, easy climbing leads to another bolt and a steep section(5.8) protected by a bolt. Above this easy climbing and one more bolt leads to the anchor. Pitch 2: This is the highlight of the route. Easier climbing leads past three bolts to below the overhang, Pull through the overhang(5.10b) on the left side past one bolt and then finally another bolt and a good stance. Continue up past seven more bolts(5.7/8) up to the anchor. Rappel to the ground with two ropes, or make two 60m rappels down the route. Protection: Bolts

From L to R: Scorpion Soup, Weathertop & The Dimrill Stair

Chris at the start of 'The Dimrill Stair'

Chris on belay duty atop pitch one of 'The Dimrill Stair' with pitch two looming above.

Drilling at the crux on pitch two!

The Coriolis Effect – 5.10b - 300'

FA: Tyler Adams & Chris Fralick, July 2009
FA: Chris Fralick, Peter Fralick & Tyler Adams, January 2012

This is the best way to access the second pitch on ‘The Mystery Route’, and now with a stunning second pitch, you can go either way from the pitch one anchor. Pitch 1:From where the trail meets the rock head right 30' to the start of the route, 15' right of a small right facing corner. Follow a line of eleven bolts straight up(5.9) 130' to the belay Pitch 2: Follow the second pitch of the ‘Mystery Route’ or follow bolts up to the left of the ‘Mystery Route’. Head up and towards a shallow crack, layback the crack(5.10b) up to a belay at a small ledge. Rappel the route with two ropes. Protection: Bolts

Chris pulling up the drill kit on pitch two of 'The Coriolis Effect'

Balrog – 5.9 - 70'
FA: Tyler Adams & Peter Fralick, May 2011

Balrog is another fine 5.9 sport pitch at Wolf. It begins 30’ right of ‘The Coriolis Effect’, look for a shallow black corner. Follow six bolts up classic Wolf Rock style climbing two an anchor at a small ledge. Protection: Bolts

Scope Creep – 5.10a - 185'
FA: Scott Hunt & Peter Fralick, Summer 2011

This is one of the longest pitches at Wolf, and undoubtedly a classic. Almost a whole 60m to the anchor with no distinct crux, just sustained climbing for a long ways. Follow bolts more or less straight up from the ‘Balrog’ anchor, eventually trending slightly left and up to the anchor atop pitch two of 'The Mystery Route', about fifteen bolts. Rappel with two ropes back to the 'Balrog' anchor, then one more single rope rappel to the ground. Protection: Bolts

The Flying Scorpion – 5.9 - 350' FA P1 & P2: Tyler Adams & Jeff Thomas, January 2011
FA P3: Steve Elder & Tyler Adams, June 2011

This route was established as an independent start to ‘Freaky Easy’. It is named after a large 3” scorpion that was found while tossing some loose blocks off the pitch 3 belay ledges. Unfortunately for him, the scorpion was not a welcomed addition to the team, so he went flying along with some of the blocks which also chopped our tag line! There is a little loose rock on this route as with newer route at Wolf, but with the solid protection and wild climbing on pitch 3, it is well worth heading up. Pitch 1 and 2 can be combined. Pitch 1 (5.7): Begins behind the tree that covers the trail, about 20' left of Space Cowboy. Be careful of some loose plates right at the start, they are easy to avoid. The first bolt it about 20' up, a yellow TCU protects the climbing to the first bolt. Climb past that bolt to a small ledge with a bolt, traverse up and left past three more bolts to a small ledge and an anchor. Pitch 2 (5.6): Climbs a short but nice 50' ramp up to the right using medium size cams for protection up to another nice belay ledge. Pitch 3 (5.9): Step to the right off the ledge and climb up past four bolts heading toward the small roof, clip a bolt around the roof, muscle through the roof on good holds, then step right to another bolt. Climb up to a small ramp joining ‘Freaky Easy’ and head left past one more new bolt to a small belay ledge at the base of the prominent right facing dihedral. Continue on the freakishly run out ‘Freaky Easy’, or rappel to the top of pitch two, then use two ropes to rappel to the ground or rappel to the top of pitch one and then to the ground with one rope. Protection: Bolts and cams to 2".

Chris, Forrest and I hooked up to go bolt a pitch I had top roped two years ago. I ticked the bolts, Chris drilled it and Forrest led it. A solid team effort!

The Rubber Boa - 5.10b - 70'
FA: Forrest Kaye, Chris Fralick & Tyler Adams, July 2012

This pitch starts form the belay atop pitch two of 'Morgul Vale'. Climb up and left from the anchor past six bolts, no distinct crux but sustained 5.10- climbing the whole way. Belay at the anchor for the 'Cross Roads Connection' and either continue to the summit or rappel. Protection: 6 Bolts.