Teddy Bear Knife Fight is New Stanley Headwall M5

The Stanley Headwall gets its second new route of this winter with Teddy Bear Knife Fight M5 by Greg Barrett, Nick Baggaley, which is a new start to Suffer Machine. Earlier this winter, Don’t Stand So Close to Me M7+ 90m was established by Alik Berg and Uisdean Hawthorn.

Suffer Machine M7 WI5 200m was first climbed by J. Everett and Glenn Reisenhofer in April 1991 and freed by Jay Billings and Rob Owens in November 2001. The first variation pitch to it was Teddy Bear’s Picnic M8 WI6 established by Sean Isaac and Dave Thomson in October 1997. Suffer Machine touched down in 1996 and was called Pure Suffer WI6+ 200m and was climbed by Sean Isaac and Dave Thomson.

Barrett said the following about the new line: Climb up an ice column in the back left of the cave on screws. Then traverse across the daggers and rock on seven bolts in the roof to rejoin Suffer. Extending draws is important to minimize drag, especially at bolt six. Realistically you will need to belay off the bolts below the roof at this point, the drag would be far too high if you continued up Suffer pitch one. Alternatively, just lower off, and have a second clean the pitch on TR to the roof, then continue directly up Suffer.”

He reported that their original plan was to climb Suffer Machine the normal way, and then fix some of the hardware on Teddy Bear Picnic on rappel. However, he said that, “Touchy windslabs and slides overhead made us decide to hide in the cave for the day. After getting part way through the Teddy Bear work, we realized we would need to come back with more hardware to finish the job anyway, so we decided it would be fun to play on the daggers instead. The result was this perhaps contrived, but quite enjoyable pitch.”

The unique name comes from “a combination of Teddy Bear Picnic, and the daggers you traverse across. We tried to stay in the theme of the fairly aggressive names elsewhere on the headwall.” There’s high avalanche hazards in the mountains this week, be sure to check conditions here. “Short version, don’t go anywhere near the headwall until after this cycle. Another party apparently bailed after setting off a slide on the French Reality approach.” Read the MIN report here.

Stanley Headwall Routes

Starting from left and moving right, but not in absolute correct order.

Two Steps WI2 45m, FA B. McKeith, C. Shank in February 1974
Nutbar M9- WI4 50m, FA R. Slawinski in December 2001
Distiller M9 30m, FA J. Buszowski, L. Roy in December 2004
Serial Driller M9 30m, FA J. Buszowski, L. Roy in December 2004
Rototiller M9 35m, FA S. Isaac in December 2004
Miller Swiller M10- 15m, FA S. Isaac and L. Roy in December 2002
Miracle Filler M9 30m, FA J. Buszowski, S. Isaac, L. Roy in December 2005
Fruit Cake M10- 20m, FA R. Slawinski in December 2001
Caterpillar M10 30m, FA J. Buszowski, S. Isaac. L. Roy in March 2006
Phyllis Diller M10, FA S. Isaac and D. Thomson in December 2001
Thriller M9- WI5, FA Isaac and D. Thomson in December 2000
Sinus Gully 5.6 WI3 75m, FA B. McKeith and J. Lauchlan in February 1974
Rhamnusia M8 WI6 160m, FA Isaac and Shawn Huisman in March 2006
Cosmic Debris M6 WI6 185m, FA M. Kadatz, J. Walsh in March 2017
Nemesis WI6 160m, FA Bugs McKeith et all in March 1974
Blind Eye M6 WI5R 170m, FA R. Slawinski, C. Geisler in March 1998
Ghost in the Machine M7 70m, FA I. Welsted, J. Walsh, R. Slawinski in November 2012
Don’t Stand So Close to Me M7+ WI3+ 90m, FA A. Berg, U. Hawthorn in November 2020
An Ideal For Living M6 WI5X 100m, FA R. Slawinski, S. Semple in 2007
General Malaise M6 WI5 90m, FA J. Gudjonson, S. Isaac, B Webster in April 2000
Fiasco M8- WI5 170m, FA S. Isaac, D. Thomson in February 1998
Teddy Bear’s Picnic M8 WI6 200m, FA S. Isaac, D. Thomson October 1997
Teddy Bear Knife Fight M5 WI5, FA Greg Barrett, Nick Baggaley in January 2021
Suffer Machine M7 WI5 200m, FA J. Everett, G. Reisenhofer in April 1991 / FFA J. Billings, R. Owens in November 2001
Pure Suffer WI6+ 200m, FA S. Isaac, D. Thomson in November 1996 (fully formed Suffer Machine)
Clucking M6 WI5 200m, FA R. Slawinski, E. Walsh in December 2006/7
Victoria’s Secret Deviation M7+ 50m, FA R. Slawinski in 2006/7
Uniform Queen 5.8 M7 WI5 170m, FA S. Isaac, D. Thomson in November 1997
The Sound and the Fury M7 WI5+ 90m, FA J. Relph, P. McSorley, T. Gruber in November 2004
Man Yoga M8 WI5 250m, FA J. Simms, J. Walsh in November 2011
God Delusion M8+ WI5+ 175m, FA J. Henriquez, R. Slawinski in January 2013
The Marijuana Meander WI5+ 320m, FA: K. Chambers and D. Hall ??
Acid Howl WI6+ 320m, FA S. Backes, J. Josephson in January 1993
Stairs and Flowers M8+ WI5+ 320m, FA E. Dumerac, R. Slawinski in January 2001
The Day After Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot M7 WI6 270m, FA F. Damilano, J. Josephson March 1994 FFA M. Collins, R. Slawinski in April 1997
Nightmare on Wolf Street M7+ WI6+ 175m, FA S. Isaac, D. Thomson, K. Allen in February1999
Dawn of the Dead M8+ WI6 140m, FA S. Isaac, D. Thomson in December 2006
Extreme Comfort 5.11R A3 WI6+R 180m, FA C. Anker, S. Backes, J. Josephson in April 1995
Comfort Queen M6R WI6 180m, FA I. Welsted, R. Slawinski in 2007
Drama Queen M7 WI6 170m, FA C. Brazeau, J. Simms, J. Walsh in January 2006
French Reality 5.8 WI6+ 150m, FA C. Blazy, F. Damilano, P. Pibarot in March 1992
French Fries WI5 75m, FA K. McNeill, D. Thomson December in 1995
French Toast M7 WI5R 150m, FA S. Isaac, D. Thomson in January 1998 (extension by I. Welsted, R. Slawinski)
Stairs and Flowers M8 WI5+ 200m, FA E. Dummerac, R. Slawinski in January 2001