Trip Reports - 3/25/00 - Unfinished Business - We Return to T-Wall

By Wayne Busch

3/25/00 - I had expected to attend the Sandrock Hoe-down in Alabama this weekend, but was unable to find a partner. I considered going up alone, but when the opportunity to join Jason Hale and Jeff Braund at T-Wall in Chattanooga presented, I chose to go with a sure thing. Chris Braund, the elder half of the Buttinski Bros. would meet us in Atlanta.

This trip was typical of so many weekend climbing trips, leaving Gainesville at 5 PM, arriving at the trailhead at 1 AM. We chose this time however, to avoid the temptations of the River City, and spend all of our time at the cliffs. Once parked, we donned packs and hiked the half hour up the approach trail to the eastern top of the Tennessee River Gorge by headlamp. Convenient sites were selected, and we were snug in our bivy sacks by 1:30. The warm night passed quickly for me, though others reported hearing a chainsaw nearby through the night (I snore).

We had a light breakfast, then Chris and I warmed up with a run up Plastic Toys 5.7, the climb immediately above our campsite. Jason and Jeff warmed up on True Colors 5.8, located nearby. From then on, we stuck together spending an unusually warm day climbing such classics as Passages 5.8, Superslide 5.10b,  and The Sweep, 5.10a. A particularly grand effort was made by Jason on Surf's Up 5.11a/b, who cruised up  the sport route to the final clip, then was frustrated by the last move.

Light showers passed, and clouds moved in. The end of the day brought us back to our campsite beneath Plastic Toys. Not wanting to let any daylight go to waste, I selected a nearby corner that looked friendly, and started up it, making my own route. As darkness (and hunger) grew, I abandoned my effort for the evening unable to decide if going to the right or the left was my better option. I would eat and sleep on it that night. A good dousing cleared the last few parties from the area, and we enjoyed our dinner in solitude. It would continue to shower through the night.

Enlarge view of river fog

Sunday brought another warm morning. I returned to my challenge, choosing  the correct path to the top of what the guidebook lists as March Hare 5.10a. Jason followed me while the Buttinski Brothers played nearby on Nappy 5.7. We were rewarded with a beautiful view of the Tennessee River enveloped in thick fog in the valley below, a river of white cloud flowing through the gorge blocking all view of the pale green river. Our final climb was Golden Locks 5.8+ , a 100 ft. excellent hand crack that gave us all fun and challenge. We left Chattanooga after getting a couple of pies from Mr. Ts Pizza, dropping Chris off in Atlanta.

See larger image of Jason on Surf's Up

Enlarge view of Golden Locks

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