Shortoff Adventures
Through some texts and random sequence of events, Mr. Alex Weir was going to grace NC again with his presence. Regardless of the failed previous attempts, we were able to meet up on the Sunday during the new Rumbling Bald comp. Since everyone and their dog was down in Lake Lure for the comp, so we had the pick of anywhere we wanted to climb at in NC. My choice was Shortoff, it’s as close to outwest alpine as we could get.
I met him in the morning parking lot after seeing his yellow xterra perched on the berm. He hiked up the trail following the endless switchbacks. I had sandbagged our conversation earlier by saying it’s only about a 20-30 min hike up. Upon reaching top of the trail, we drank some water, stashed the packs, and made our first descent down the gully. Way finding was really easy without all the leaves of the scrub oaks and brush. We made our way to the base of “Straight and Narrow” and decided to do the climbs as block, for speed sake. We didn’t pour over beta, just had a general understanding of where to start and were to attempt to end. Alex led out the first pitch, string together a nice run out about 100ft before the first piece of gear, which is one way to manage rope drag. He set the anchor 20 feet above the dead tree, so we could knock it out in 2 pitches. The second pitch was sustained and thought provoking, with undulation roofs. A Great Climb. At the end, it dumped us out on the rim. With some bushwhacking, we were about 100ft away from the stashed packs.
Munching on snacks and chugging some water, we went down the gulley again. Same path, same icy fixed line, we ended back below the previous climb. This time however, we moved 1 crack system over to “Construction Job”. I had the pleasure of leading this one. Trying to be fast and efficient, I ended up with a healthy run out on the 1st pitch as well. I remember to get 3 pieces in right before the belay ledge. From the 1st pitch ledge, I set off again up some slabs the standard 2nd belay spot below the crux. However I decided to string it all together. I danced through the crux corner, up through some stemming and roof pulls. At about 140ft directly above Alex, I could see the notch where we need to go, but rope drag had become too much with the strung together pitches. I surveyed the location, With some luckily dancing around a overhanging and exposed arête, I found a comfy 2ft by x4 belay ledge, out about 250ft above the start of the climb. Alex followed up again with the pack, and we made the last (surprisingly long) pitch to the rim.
While eating more food and water, we devised a game plan. Daylight was still good, we still felt strong so time for dopey duck. Down the gulley again. We had become very used to the descent, I kept thinking this all prepwork for when I get back to Colorado and have to do the big boy descent gully in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
I led the toxic shock start of the 1st pitch and this time no rock broke, unlike my last time on dope duck. I gave Alex the honor of the second $$$$ pitch. 5.9 climbing never felt so good until you are on this section. He said he felt the pump coming but it just keep being to awesome to give up and hang out. He made it to the top of the rim, I followed suit with the pack and then we scrambled out the last 1/2 pitch.
On the way out, we heard some voice, and they recognized my name while talking with Alex. Drew and Sam just so happened to be the other party climbing there that day, but we never saw them till the end.
The hike down when smoothly and we attempted to eat a Mexican place but it was closed. However we did luck into an awesome hole in the wall Chinese Buffet, right next to town. Fat, and happy we separated ways, I back to Charlotte for work in the morning, Alex of to the bald to finish some projects.
3 classic routes, 1000 ft of climbing, no fall, no takes, and some healthy runouts above gear.
