West Face Of North Gossip

A Word

West Face.

Shirley and I climbed the West Face of the North Gossip route in October of 2005 a day prior to the start of the “Splitter Camp” Shirley signed us up for. We did it at about 5.10- and C1, with the lower 1.5 pitches offering the nicest crack climbing. Still sandy of course but nice. The chimney that splits the summit was also fun. Great views from the top of course. We’d come back two years later for the South Gossip.

We then spent three days participating in the Splitter Camp the highlight of which was spending time with the amazing Bobbi Bensman (Shirley’s idol) as our rope gun!

Photos

Shirley starting the approach to the West Face of Three Gossips with Tower of Babel in the background (Oct. 2005).

The west face of the Three Gossips (Oct. 2005).

Checking out the start of the West Face route of the North Gossip (Oct. 2005).

Making progress (Oct. 2005).

The shadow of The Gossips and Sheep Rock as seen from the base of the West Face route (Oct. 2005).

Reasonable climbing until the final blue where the crack becomes wide and flared (Oct. 2005).

Almost done; some A0 though the bulge (Oct. 2005).

Shirley on pitch 1 of the West Face route (Oct. 2005).

Just a bit of a crux and a good belay ledge (Oct. 2005).

Higher on pitch 2 (Oct. 2005).

Aiding the upper half of pitch 2 (Oct. 2005).

Looking back at Shirley from the upper, aid portion of pitch 2 (Feb. 2005).

Almost done with pitch 2 (Oct. 2005).

View of Sheep Rock from the second belay (Oct. 2005).

Arriving at the belay (Oct. 2005).

Looking back at Shirley. South Gossip is on the left; Middle Gossip on the right (Oct. 2005).

Moving the belay to the base of the pitch 3 chimney (Oct. 2005).

Shirley at the saddle between the North Gossip (our goal) and the Middle Gossip (Oct. 2005).

The Organ Towers (Oct. 2005).

Argon Tower (Oct. 2005).

A closer look at Argon (Oct. 2005).

Shirley at the saddle (Oct. 2005).

Shirley at the saddle with Sheep Rock visible (Oct. 2005).

About to enter the chimney on pitch 3 (Oct. 2005).

Looking back at Shirley (Oct. 2005).

Pitch 3 chimney (Oct. 2005).

And pitch 3 chimney (Feb. 2005).

Argon Tower as seen from the entrance to the pitch 3 chimney (Oct. 2005).

On the summit of the North Gossip (Oct. 2005).

Looking at Shirley from the summit (Feb. 2005).

Shirley starting up the pitch 3 chimney (Oct. 2005).

Almost there (Oct. 2005).

And topping out on the summit (Oct. 2005).

With the Argon Tower in the background (Oct. 2005).

Shirley with Sheep Rock in the background (Oct. 2005).

On the summit of the North Gossip with the Middle in the background (and the South Gossip just beyond; Oct. 2005).

Tower of Babel from the summit (Oct. 2005).

And a closer look at the Zenyatta Entrada prow (Oct. 2005).

Leaping across the chimney that separates the North Gossip summit in two. Organ Towers are in background (Oct. 2005).

Shirley and the Tower of Babel (Oct. 2005).

Photographing the massive Organs (Oct. 2005).

Shirley on the other half of the summit (Oct. 2005).

South (left) and Middle Gossips (Oct. 2005).

Sheep Rock from the summit (Oct. 2005).

Checking out the rap station (Oct. 2005).

Rapping off the North Gossip’s summit (Oct. 2005).

Shirley on the final rap (Oct. 2005).

Back at the base with the Tower of Babel in the background (Oct. 2005).

West face of the Three Gossips (Oct. 2005).

Hiking back (Oct. 2005).

The Three Gossips in the afternoon light (Oct. 2005).

A sunlit view of the Zenyatta Entrada route on the Tower of Babel (Oct. 2005).

Shirley hiking out along the park road after our climb of the Three Gossips. Massive Organ Towers are in background (Oct. 2005).

Splitter Camp

Shirley in camp in the morning (Oct. 2005).

Shirley in Indian Creek during Splitter Camp 2005 (Oct. 2005).

The awesome Bobby Bensman (Oct. 2005).

Splitter Camp (Oct. 2005).

Indian Creek from the base of something (Oct. 2005).

Shirley top roping something belayed by Bobbi (Oct. 2005).

Splitter Camp (Oct. 2005).

Arco Bella – the cute pup belongs to (Shirley\’s idol) Bobby Bensman with whom we had the pleasure of climbing for 3 days during Splitter Camp 2005 (Oct. 2005).