Yesterday on the spur of the moment, a small crew of mostly wounded boulderers went up to Three Sisters in Evergreen with me to try a project on a big south-facing overhang called the Wisdom Wall. According to the Mountain Project page about the area, this project has not been climbed yet. I'm not sure if that's the case because you have to be very careful around this region as hard climbing is nothing new. Guys like Rufus Miller have been ticking hard boulder problems around Evergreen for over two decades and keeping a fairly low profile while they were at it. If in fact the line had not been climbed, I would propose the name Rock Cheetah which is more of a state of mind than an actual type of cat. The line is tall and committing, and the crux move leaves you with only two options once you're committed: stick it or fall hard. On the photo above, Rock Cheetah is the righter of the two projects listed.
I thought the problem was awesome, though aesthetically it is not the greatest. For one, it's on a cliff band - not a boulder. For two, the starting hold is a little hollow-sounding. Other than that though it's really a special problem and I was psyched to come up with the goods yesterday. I also made a quick ascent of Undercover Brother, a nice V9 that links into a highball finish up the classic Wisdom problem. This area would be a great hang in the late fall as it gets a full southern exposure. I'll probably climb there some more this Fall.
Cheers!
2 comments:
I can asure you Chuck that you are the 1st to send this line. I spent two days cleaning it top down from a rope. I peeled off huge flakes, rocky junk to unearth this modern day classic of the park.
This line has been looked at for 11+ years through the futuristic eye of Jim & Justin Haussman, Scott Sillis, Josh Heiny as well as myself and all those who had even stood at it's base and looked up in wonderment.... will it, can it.. be done??
So this very summer I finally broke down and gave the line a proper cleaning. To see if this mystery line could become more than question. I wanted to see if, in this modern era of bouldering, would or could any answer the long awaited question... could it be done??
Myself and a few others began trying this line off and on with out much success for most of the summer. At one point, a few months ago, I almost sent a variation which avoids the direct start. Powering madly threw the upper section of this wild wall I felt great energy and a feeling of hope. If I could climb the upper section all that would be left to complete would be the long and difficult left handed toss to a thin gaston crimp and the line may go!!!
But trajagity struck while I was gasping for the final move on the upper section!! I folded and took a bone crushing fall that landed me flat on my back a stone slab just under the line.
The fall was so intense that I just exploded after hitting my pads and without a spotter I sprung backward landing quite hard on the gray stone. I lay laughing, partly glade I was not hurt but partly because I almost sent all but the 1st few opening moves.
But as I lay there on my back I knew that I was not to be the one to conquer this bold line. My fall left me shaken and unwilling to try the line with any real enthusiasm, at least for now. So I just stared up at this steep wall that had just spit me back to earth wondering when, and who would be the one to stick the direct start and push boldly past the committing top-out moves exiting safely onto the slabs above?
So it seems that you.. Chuck Fryberger.. who I know from all the climbing media would be the one to complete the visionary gem of "The Wisdom Wall." How fantastic!! A perfect end to a long winded story!! All these years in wait and just like that.. the line is completed.
Thanks for your efforts in making dreams a reality. I only wish I could have been there to have seen your ascent.
By the way... at the Three Sister... there is more where that came from my friend. Let me know if you would like to see some other yet unfinished park classic. I would be more than happy to show you where they are. Thanks so much for your time.
Luke Childers.
After my devastating fall from the last moves and with the opening moves still unclimbed by myself and my friends I feared this spectacular line may be destined to sit unclimbed a length of time unknown.
Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for the psyche. I'm looking forward to climbing on this wall again soon!
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