Trip: [TR] Sawtooths - Elephant's Perch - Sunrise Book

Date: 7/5/2007

Trip Report:
Spent a couple days last week out in the Sawtooth's last week. One intriguing line I had yet to sink my paws into was the sunrise book on the Elephant's Perch.



After driving thru the night from PDX....It sure was nice to see the dock at redfish lake lodge once again




After a quick ride across the lake, we hit the trail. The same trail where my wife and I got engaged two years ago. This scene was re-enacted oh so well in one of John's TR’s from last year.

TR here




That afternoon, we decided to take it easy and enjoy what the sawtooths had to offer. Did some swimming and even pulled out the fly rod landing a few lil brookies that evening. Don't worry ...I threw em back





Next morning we set out for the sunrise book. After a short hike up the gully, we were off. Although short by sawtooth standards, Sunrise Book is one of the most aesthetic lines on the perch with a right facing corner for most of the route, capped by a chimney/roof on the final pitch

P1 (5.9+): nice warmup for the more sustained pitches above. Two mini cruxes on the pitch kept things interesting One short 5.9+ section down low, followed by a small roof right below the comfy belay

P2: 5.8 -> A1 or 5.12-. P2 started out pretty chill, then came the aid section. Considering I’m not much of an aid climber, things went pretty smooth. Protect pretty easy with small nuts and tcu’s (up to yellow) or small aliens (up to red)


Here's Christina rodeoing up the short aid section



P3: 5.9++: flaring corner crack that was good to protect, but I found the jams less than straightforward.

P4: 5.10-: Perfect hand jams up the open book, which takes you into a deep chimney for the next belay. This pitch felt much more relaxing than the pitch below

P4


P5: 5.9+: some chimey fun gets you just below the roof, which protects really nice. Then it’s another 40 feet or so of smooth sailing to the top

P4 and P5 could be combined, but I decided rope drag coulda got a bit nasty, and stuck with the standard plan

Capped off the trip by a lil trip to Bend to see a living legend before he bids us goodnight




Can't wait till I return

Gear Notes:
- C4's up to 3", doubles in the hand sizes. My #4 C4 was a boat anchor, a set of aliens, plus a few extra tcu's and small nuts for the aid
- 4 wt rod
- Lots of D.E.E.T. Mosiquitos are nasty this year!



Approach Notes:
chill

Drive all the way to Idaho to climb? Are you crazy?

Nice Kirb! Great TR! Did you get a contact high from Willie?

Did you take any whippers out there!!!

Sweet stuff Kirby! Way to cruise successfully in climbing pants with your SO. (spoken sotto voice ala Dan Akroyd/Steve Martin style) .

Getting into that boat is a feeling all in its own, sounds like a sweet route.

Why...is The Red-Headed Stranger getting sleepy?

he's not dying - he just plays off beat on purpose.

Willie's still got some life in him...that's for sure. The dude on the right hand side of the pic is one of his sons (one of many I'm sure). Pretty decent on the guitar, but his voice...not so much

For a shorter route on the perch, Sunrise Book definitely has a good mix of climbing on it.

hound...I'll save the whippers for the direct beckey line