Saturday, December 15, 2012

The Elevator -- Big New Line on Grandpa Peabody

Elliot Faber has made a bold first ascent of The Elevator, a new line just left of Transporter Room on the Grandpa Peabody at the Buttermilks Main Area. The climb follows a weakness past huecos just left of the blunt arete on the giant boulder's southeast corner and runs up parallel to Transporter Room before joining that line at the slab.

Elliot who had previously climbed Transporter Room, took a liking to the style. He then rappelled the block to inspect other possibilities. He had just two large pads (Mondos) and was spotted by one friend he describes as "white-faced Joseph on the ground" for this white-knuckle super-highball. A knee-bar near the start proved useful to get moving between large huecos on the line, and from a jug in the upper of these, Elliot says, "the fun begins as you start to climb up and right toward Transporter Room."

It's great to see this obvious weakness get climbed. Elliot has suggested the line goes at about the same grade as Transporter Room--around v5.