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| Second II G • Trad • 5.11a Sandstone Not good • 150 Feet 2 Pitches | | |
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| no linked trail guides |
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| no partners | | | Pro: Double to 3, bring a four and some triples around finger size. | I have had this modest, but aesthetic and prominent tower on my mind since bagging Guinevere and Arthur back in September. The tower however, climbs hard so my pool of partners was limited. I reached out to a couple who climbs real hard back in September and after a few weeks of revealing the beta of the climb to them, discussing the approach and trying to sell a six plus hour drive from Phoenix, I had a commitment.
We got a later start than usual for the Canyon, stepping off from the old cabin a little after 7:30 a.m. The hike to Galahad point seemed to go a little smoother than before and it was not long before we were making our steep descent off the rim. We started to feel the heat a little on our final push to Excalibur, but our route was in the shade, so we got an instant reprieve upon arrival. We took a short break at the base of the climb and were climbing a little after 11. Patrick linked the first two pitches, which amounted to a pretty tough lead as the hermit was awkward and the rock quality was suspect down low. The crux coming out of the hermit proved to be stout as well, but Patrick made pretty quick work of the bouldery roof pull. I hung like a dog for sections of the hermit and aided through the roof. Sosa breezed through the hermit, but took some hangs at the crux.
The final pitch was a heady choss fest of easy climbing and bad rock. The airy chimney top out however, added some charm to the pitch. We did not enjoy the summit long, as it was warm and we were getting past mid afternoon, however, the experience was not diminished and we were all in general excitement and awe about the summit, the experience and the climb. Two quick, straightforward raps to the base.
We were back on ground, rested and packed to hike back to the car a little before four. The hike back to the car was not near as bad as we had expected or nearly as bad as we had openly dreaded about all day. But we did run out of light and had to finish with headlamps. Naturally then, there was a little trepidation when my phone that was tracking us got down to four percent, with no sign of the car in sight. Luckily, we finished at one percent, which was just how I planned it.
This was a really memorable summit. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been able to climb this one with Patrick and Sosa. The climbing amounted to the toughest climbing I have done in the Canyon to date. Patrick is a pretty prolific climber in the southwest who had actually never been to the Grand Canyon until this past weekend. I'll always be grateful to him for committing to this one. I am even more satisfied that he enjoyed the climb, setting and experience. A truly memorable climb and great pair to do it with. This was my 37th Grand Canyon summit. |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
Awesome on the rim, some colorful drainages off the rim. |
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