Papineau Lake, Friday, January 14, 2011

Danylo and Pietro walking into Papineau Lake: Photo by AntonioAntonio on My So-Called Life. Unclimbed line on left.: Photo by DanyloSlaughterhouse 5: Photo by Antonio.Danylo attempting a mixed line at Papineau Lake.: Photo by AntonioSpent the morning exploring, then went to Papineau Lake with Pietro and Antonio.

Everything is in fat. I've never seen things so fat there. Papineau appears to be an early season crag. It gets a lot of sun (We had a beautiful sunny, cloudless day, but if there are a lot of these sunny days, the ice will be done by the end of January).

Path of the Red Fox - looked good.

Slaughterhouse Five - no need for any hanging pillar mixed shenanigans as in the FA conditions. The pillar is touching down (on the left side in the photo), but going straight up the pillar would be hard (it's thin). The right side is in fat the whole way up (Didn't lead it though - couldn't get up the courage).

My So-Called Life - in fat, but bottom right ramp approach already becoming delaminated. Nice route. Played around on the direct mixed start on top rope. Some very solid placements. Nothing much for pro, maybe pins.

There is a thin, chandeliery line 5m left of My So-Called Life. Looked hard to protect down low (thin, slightly delaminated). Didn't climb it. (I don't think this one's in the guidebook updates; Andriy and friends went in and bagged it on Sunday).

And then I went for glory... and failed miserably. Attempted a line on the right of the crag that would have had a mixed exit. I got to the top of the ice with some trepidation (tricky, balancey moves left), but courage failed me when I needed to get around some loosish-looking blocks at the start of the mixed section before the solid crack. It was getting late (Antonio kept taking pictures of the setting sun)..., the crack looked full of lichen..., I couldn't see what my tool was hooked on to..., I've fallen off every mixed/dry-tool line I've ever seconded or top-roped... excuses, excuses. Somebody go do that line.

Danylo