Index Climbing - Green Dragon Attempt

Guy and I headed up to Index to harvest some fall granite before the weather turn to sh*t on the west side. We wanted to get on something a little longer with more exposure as personal schedules kept us from the alpine. My aid climbing experience consists of bumbling through several bolt ladders on longer routes in order to reach the free climbing beyond, so I thought Green Dragon, IV 5.9 C2/3, would be a good intro aid suffer fest. Here's a link to a pretty good topo that we didn't use.

We climbed the first pitch of Davis Holland and then set up on the ledge for the start of the aiding. Guy led the first pitch, which goes at C2/3.

From Index - Green Dragon - September 7, 2008

From Index - Green Dragon - September 7, 2008

He's getting into the business in this picture - just below where he had to equalize a pecker and a brassie to move through the thin crux at the top.

From Index - Green Dragon - September 7, 2008

Relaxing at the belay after a strong lead.

From Index - Green Dragon - September 7, 2008

Jugging up just past the crux.

From Index - Green Dragon - September 7, 2008

Racking up for the next lead.

So my first aid lead I find myself on C2 ground looking at flaring blue tipped out aliens and micro nuts leading up to a flexing rusted out pin that's been tied off since who knows when to another flaring blue alien placement finally to a solid looking bolt below the anchors. Yeah, its probably not that hard, but I was kinda wondering whether this crap was gonna hold.

From Index - Green Dragon - September 7, 2008

Learning to Aid.

From Index - Green Dragon - September 7, 2008

From Index - Green Dragon - September 7, 2008

From Index - Green Dragon - September 7, 2008

Guy jugging up to the belay.

From Index - Green Dragon - September 7, 2008

Party on Davis Holland.

After the 3rd pitch, we bailed. We could've topped out, but it was getting on around 2 or so and we had to both be back in town and at work on Monday. We decided against the 1-2 am return trip to Portland and rapped off before finishing the route. Ugghh .. bailing sux, but it was the right call.

We carried a double set of cams to #4, two sets of wired nuts with small brass, two peckers and hook for the funk, and we hauled a small bag. Small cams and hooks are required. Up till the top of p3, we used just about all of it.

Awesome route with a fantastic position. I'd love to go back and finish it some day. Lessons I learned about aid: 1) its slow, 2) its scary, and 3) its fun as hell. Index rocks!