actually there a few really good answers to that question, likely why we rarely see other people up there.
-access is a bit rough. without 4 wheel drive, it's a long walk uphill to get to the climbing.
-the warm ups are 5.11.
once you get past those though, the fins are pretty much utopia for the sei climber. and quite simply, this place is the reason i decided to come back to IF for the summer (too many projects here).
over the past month that i've been back in idaho, i've made it out here for a few sessions, limited mostly due to the access issue (which, in my case, has been taken care of mightily!). we've weathered light snow, a bit of rain, and cold temps, and every bit of it was worth it.
"al's diner" on the headwall (upper area)
ricardo, on "warm up 1", 5.11a
(does anyone know if this has an actual name? if not, may we suggest "the virgins of howe")
ricardo crushed on his second go!
the fins has the highest concentration of hard routes in the area, and the teNgaiolator and i set our sights on the classic "al's diner" (5.13a), which, for our area, is probably the standard for the grade. we're both ridiculously close to redpointing, both slipping off near the very top while looking for a hidden foothold that is pretty vital.
the first crux on "al's diner"
a very long reach off a not-so-good-slopey-crimp with the right hand, and a mono pocket on the left.
teNgaio, fighting the bulge before the second slab-crux(very tricky...)
but don't worry, we're headin back with a vengeance! which means i'll probably have more photos for ya soon.
all photos by ricardo and teNgaio. (ha ha, they probably don't trust me with a camera!)
Tom-
ReplyDeleteChuck DeNure had names for all his routes at the Fins, and out of respect for him I think we should attempt to retrieve and use those names!
The only reason I can see not to climb at the Fins is to climb at another AWESOME LRR limestone crag! They are all different, yet very cool in their own way!
matt said he couldn't get the names for whatever reason. mostly we felt that those routes deserve more than being called "warm up 1", "warm up 2", or "the 11d to the left of ghosts in the shell".
ReplyDeletecan you ask chuck what the names are?
and how is that other awesome LRR limestone crag coming along?
Hey Tom, I'll see if I can get some info from Chuck...
ReplyDeleteI have been out of town for the past month (see south central blog) and haven't done a thing as far as new routing goes. I know several folks have been visiting the Big Spring Boulders and a few problems have been established. More than anything though, I think the funky spring weather has kept many from heading out. My goal this season is to finish up at Cedar Creek and work on some projects I have at the Elephants Perch. The LRR crags I stumbled across earlier this spring had really pissed off nesting falcons, so it seemed to me that now is not the time...
Tom- I just read Matt's blog and saw that you guys sent Al's Diner! Congrats! What did you think compared to Bushido? Easier, harder, the same? Also saw that you were checking out the seams on the Solstice Wall... new route?
ReplyDeleteal's is a lot easier than bushido. i think had i done al's 3 or 4 years ago (or closer in time to) when i did bushido, i'd probably still say the same thing. not as many rests as bushido, but overall the moves are easier.
ReplyDeleteand yeah, those cracks will go! i was rappin in to check out the arete to the left of them (not so good) and found a three bolt anchor up there. i was gonna place an anchor for the cracks, but didn't know if i was in a good spot for it, and was also conflicted about the idea of bolting cracks vs. gettin rad and goin on sketchy gear, so i decided to leave it for someone else to decide.
i sorta helped matt bolt the bottom half of that middle route on soltice, maybe lower end 5.12? the middle looks ridiculous/blank, so it stops after 7 bolts or so.