2007 CCAJ

The Flow River Tower III 5.8 C1 (First Clean Ascent) Sweet Cherry Pie III A2+ First Ascent February 19-21 2006 Joe Forrester (06’) and Jeremy Aslaksen Over two beautiful days in February, Jeremy and I mud-clawed our way up the west ridge of River Tower. The first pitch consisted of some dicey mantles right off the belay. I had led this pitch clean the year before, so Jeremy got it this year. Some of the bolts were missing 3/8th hangers which we replaced. The second pitch was reported by the first ascentionists to be a “perfect 2-3 River Tower, the line is right of the sun/shadow line Joe Forrester inch crack.” The crack was far from perfect; unless perfect is equivalent to a foot and a half of caked mud. It took me over 2 hours to clean out the crack. The rest of the 2nd pitch went well and was a simple bolt ladder (12 rivet hangers needed). The third pitch required more mud excavation but revealed a very nice crack underneath. The fourth pitch required run out free climbing and there was pretty heinous rope drag. This could be avoided by free climbing out right from the belay, carrying minimal gear (single set cams/tcus). This line will go free at moderate 5.10 using the bolt ladders, 5.11+ without. Enjoy the mud-less cracks.

After climbing The Flow, Jeremy and I put up a new aid line on a tower south of the Fishers Parking lot. At modern A2+, Sweet Cherry Pie is stellar and is a great rest day diversion with a cool summit. The line starts at a left leaning crack on the north end of the tower and the first pitch ends at the obvious saddle. The second pitch goes up the north east aspect up a wider friend-beak crack. The first ascent required straddling the summit ridge and lassoing the summit block. Quite Exciting!

-Joe Forrester Beaking In Tongues VI 5.8 A4 The Oracle, Fisher Towers Jeremy Aslaksen and Joe Forrester (’06) The Fisher Towers are a beautiful place. Gothic towers shoot upward towards the sky, caressing the clouds with withered fingers. Mud oozes out, slowing upward progress. I have spent many a day and night climbing in the Fishers and love it every time. I always seem to find something new about myself each time I go.

Over Thanksgiving break, I was fortunate to meet up with my Fishers climbing buddy Jeremy Aslaksen. I also had Savannah, my girlfriend, acting as ground crew. Our goal was to climb Beaking in Tongues on the Oracle. The Oracle is a seldom climbed tower in the Fishers. There are two lines on the tower, a 5.10x sketchfest, and an A4 sketchfest. We chose the A4 sketchfest.

I was lucky enough to win the toss and headed up the first pitch. I had to climb the first 30ft without any pro, mantling and stemming on mud blobs. I started to despair. My first piece of gear was a #1 pecker. I couldn’t bounce it, so I just stood up. It held. 5 #1 and #2 beaks later, I got a good #2 cam in a mud flare. The rest of the first pitch was some more fun beaking.

On the second pitch, Jeremy was cleaning out a mud curtain when I heard a squeak. “Oh Shit!”

A bat started spiraling down and landed in my lap. Jeremy had accidentally speared a bat with his nut tool while cleaning his placement. Bummer. I knew there was going to be some bad mojo associated with that.

The next two pitches started to become standard Fishers fare. Beaks in mud, angles into mud 26