9.28.2015

Supercave Wall Free Route

Over the course of 3 days this summer, my friend Max Tepfer and I freed the original 1969 route on the Supercave Wall near Washington Pass, just east of Liberty Bell. I had previously sent what would become P4 of this route at ~.12b, and thought it would all be easy below that. However, at a leftward traverse which had been done at A4 via upward-driven knifeblade pitons, we were stymied and unable to send. With cooler temps and some clouds in the sky, we freed this section at 5.12- and it involves a horizontal slab dyno to a fishbowl hueco. Not your normal granite slabbery.

This route was put up by some true PNW hardmen who climbed it with about 1.5 billion pitons (some of which we removed) and 1 bolt. We added 3 protection bolts (these sections had been done at A3 or A4 on pitons) with the permission of Jim Langdon of the FA.

The route is definitely a modern classic and features flawless stone and some amazing pitches. Here are a few photos and a topo: