Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Palingenisis

A few months ago, on my quest to rediscover old classics on Endless wall, I was directed toward a route that had been erased many years ago. For a while it was a mystery route. Nobody in town seemed to know the routes history. I was told one story, but it was false. The trail had stopped and so did I.
Last month I told Pat Goodman about the mystery route knowing that we would be able to figure something out. He couldnt find anything either. I looked through many old guidebooks that shed no information. There was only one clue: a single angle iron bolt that had remained at the top of the route. The same bolts were on a route around the corner called Pullin Porcelin. I mentioned this to Kenny Parker and showed him the unmarked line in the guidebook. He was able to tell me a little history about the route.
The route was bolted and climbed by Andreas Audetat sometime around 2000. No name or grade was ever known, and the route was chopped because it was a little to close to Ovine Seduction which is the route to the right.
The climb had been erased from the books until just a few days ago.
Pat went out to investigate and see what the route was all about and stated to peice things together. We worked out the moves. The gear would be very small master cams, and offset master cams. Since it wandered so much it would have to be done on double ropes. Pat climbed the route first, a few days later I went out and climbed the route.
Keeping the history in mind and the unique process we underwent to redo the route it was appropriately named Palingenisis and check in at a very heady and potentially dangerous 5.12c. As we decided "Heady .12c for the solid 5.13 climber."

In the do not fall zone getting ready to place a purple/blue mastercam after the crux. Immediately after placing a very shallow scary looking but solid offset TCU. Switching to autopilot and getting ready to punch it to the top.

The only way to describe the route is a journey. It's very pumpy with finiky small gear placements and many do not fall zones. This route will hold your attention and keep you wanting another 100 feet of climbing at the same time. One of the best trad lines I have ever climbed.