Warpaint

Go back to Desert Stuff.
Go back to The Mace.

December 27th: Warpaint on Westworld Dome

Warpaint

Looking back from beginning of lead of pitch 4 of Warpaint.

Wake up (again at whenever hour – hey it’s a short approach and only 5 pitches) and make the somewhat familiar hike (done part of it almost a year ago to Whale Dome) up to the foot of Westworld Dome. Is this it I wonder pointing out 2 bolts in a low angle face with some features. The start looks 5.7 and not like the feared crux of this 10c route?? The location looks right though. Rack up light (mostly bolts) and start up – maybe we are right. Going is MUCH tougher than it looks and right off the deck! No warm up. Try this, try that and 15 minutes later I finally make the second clip 15 feet up. Going eases a bit but only for a bit. 50 feet up I again face an improbable looking section of high angle friction. More thinking and sliding. Finally make it past the crux of the pitch. Hard! Next pitch is the only easier pitch of the route – short 5.8 crack/dihedral.

.

Warpaint

Shirley on the third rappel down Warpaint.

Easy part is over. Next pitch begins with a 5.10- flaring groove (some bolts, some cams, more bolts) and then hits with some harder section of friction and nubbin pulling (fingernails are gone). Two more pitches and exactly zero give-aways! Pitch four starts with more 10- friction followed by a funky dihedral and – despite its appearance – the upper half of the pitch hits even harder with solid 5.10 friction (looks easier from below). The last pitch is the real ass kicker though (crux of route IMHO) – the first 2 clips take more than I have and I hang on both bolts. Steep headwall with insecure, crystal-filled finger pockets. Fortunately going finally eases on the upper half of this pitch. We repeat our cherished routine: rap, hike, drink beer. Tomorrow we’ll take it easier.

Photos

Warpaint

A bit of breakfast in camp (west side of The Stronghold) before we set off for Warpaint (Dec. 2005).


Warpaint

A bit of yoga-based relaxation before the hard slab section of pitch 1 of Warpaint…harder than it looked from below in fact (Dec. 2005).


Warpaint

Out of the shadows and into the sunshine on pitch 1 of Warpaint (Dec. 2005).


Warpaint

Leading the short and easy (only easy one!) pitch 2 of Warpaint (Dec. 2005).


Warpaint

Shirley topping out on the short pitch 2 of Warpaint. Elsie The Cow formation is keeping a close eye on things (December 27, 2005).


Warpaint

Leading pitch 3 (5.10-) of Warpaint…some slabbing, some shallow finger grooves (Dec. 2005).


Warpaint

Shirley topping out on pitch 3 of Warpaint. More slabby fun though interrupted here by a couple of nubbin, credit card edge pulls (December 27, 2005).


Warpaint

Beginning the lead of pitch 4 of Warpaint – one clip followed by a weird dihedral visible in the background. The photo exaggerates the angle a bit perhaps (December 27, 2005).


Warpaint

Looking back from beginning of lead of pitch 4 of Warpaint. Nice smooth slab (5.10-). Shirley is suffering through a semi-hanging belay (December 27, 2005).


Warpaint

Leading pitch 4 of Warpaint…a slab traverse to a steeper alligator plate wall (so cool!) to more slabbing (Dec. 2005).


Warpaint

Looking down at the lower half of pitch four of Warpaint from the lead. Shirley is belaying me from a “hanging slab” belay. Note the funky dihedral (small cams in a flaring groove; December 27, 2005).


Warpaint

Shirley topping out on a steep dihedral that marks the first half of pitch four of Warpaint (December 27, 2005).


Warpaint

Whale Dome from high on Warpaint on the Westworld Dome.


Warpaint

Shirley nearing the top of pitch 4 of Warpaint – 5.10- slab. Elsie The Cow is on the left below (December 27, 2005).


Warpaint

Beginning the lead of pitch five of Warpaint. I found the going past the first two bolts (in the shot) to be very difficult (as difficult as the crux on pitch 1) – shallow finger pockets in steep headwall…and I had to take (December 27, 2005).


Warpaint

Belaying from top of pitch 5 of Warpaint. Some funky rock with funky lichen on it – funny looking stuff eh (December 27, 2005)?


Warpaint

Shirley on the third rappel down Warpaint. Pitch three of route follows the groove (2 bolts + small cams….then more bolts; 5.10-) on the left. Upper pitches of route follow left side of shadowy dihedrals seen above (December 27, 2005).


Warpaint

Westworld Dome in the afternoon after our climb of its Warpaint route.


Go to Wasteland.
Go back to Desert Stuff.