Wallstein

I have a friend in Yosemite who will fix them. Bernie Rivadeneyra PO Box 581 Yosemite CA 95389 He charges, for Aliens, $9 for each side of the trigger. So 18 if its totally blown. He charges $3 per side for all other manufactures. He asks that you send a self addressed postage paid return container for the cams. He has fixed numerous cams for me and always does a great job. You can also send them to CCH but, they would probably loose it, and then say they never got it. CCH is way wacked.

1. Learn how to ski. 2. learn how to ski in the backcountry 3. El Cap, Half dome in a day. 4. Save enough money to get a Van.

I feel the techniques, the required physical muscles, and mental preparedness vary greatly between the two types of climbing. 1st question. If you are talking about pure crack climbing (i.e. Indian Creek) vs pure face climbing (Smith tuff, or Little si.) I don't think the physical conditioning crossover very much. Different back/ forearm muscles are stressed for each type of climbing. But comparing climbing crack climbing at Index vs some sport climbing in Yosemite I would say there is more of a crossover. Both of these areas require cripping strength and endurance. In general though if I only climb one of the forms, the other form suffers. 2nd question: In terms of technique I think there are some similarities and differences. Resting on a crack or face can be very similar, stand on your feet, hang off your arms without bending your elbows, switch resting arm at short intervals. Foot work is one of the few techniques that can be learnt from technical face climbing that will help in crack climbing, more so than vice-versa. Crack climbing more often just requires you to insert and twist your foot, where face climbing requires back steps, using the outside edge of your shoes and other fancy manouvers. The stradegy in wich I lead a crack/face climbs is the same, don't let go. I go about this is different ways though. When I look up at a crack climb I look for what maybe the most difficult section, the rests, and gear locations/rack size. I find this harder to do on face climbs and less important. When I am crack climbing I seem to rest much more and analyze where to put the gear. When I sport climb I don't have to worry about placing gear so I usually climb a little faster. 3rd question: When I started climbing I could lead way harder face climbs. When I was peaking as a sport climber I felt comfortable leading /onsighting 5.12-, but couldn't lead a 5.9 hand crack. My level as a sport climber hasn't changed much since then but I have made great advances at crack climbing. It took me much longer to reach 5.12 crack climbing due to a couple of things. Placing protection gets harder as the grade rises as does the metal endurance required to go for it. Now I feel much more comfortable leading a 5.12 crack climb than I do a 5.12 face climb. I also find it easier to onsight hard crack climbs vs hard face climbs. Generally a crux for a hard crack climb maybe putting in the gear and general endurance. A crux for a face climb is more likely to require great amounts power and bouldering strength, which I don't have. <chestbeating> I have onsighted a whole number grade harder (5.12- face vs. 5.13- crack)</chestbeating> 4th question: Toproping is really hard for me, I usually climb at a lower grade on toprope than while leading. For some reason I seem to give up more often on toprope, this is probably due to the lower sense of mental commitment.

Erik, Specialed, and I got rained on while on Touchstone wall in Zion. We bailed and got drunk after spending 40 dollars on beer. It aint cheap to get drunk in Utard.

It better not happen again! I only get 10 minutes a month on the internet and I can't wait for you to get your act together.

Cream=Harrrddd! Actually haven't been on it. My partner and I couldn't get up the 10b warm up. We went to Energy Crisis instead. There has actually been a fair bit of new activity down in the valley this year. But most of it is in the 5.12 range. A couple of new routes went up on the Sentinal. One of them has supposively on of the best 5.12a handcracks in the valley, rivaling the Cringe. It overhangs for thirty feet. Sounds pretty rad. I wish the rest of the route didn't have solid 5.11+ with long runouts. It might of been worth trying if it wasn't for that. Tim, how about Bobcat Cringe at index, I think that route needs a reserection. You are right, there are so many amazing looking routes in WA that need another scrub.

I wont be home till around mid december but if people are still interested I would love to give an anchoring or self rescue clinic for those interested. I have spent the last 6 months teaching and guiding in Yosemite and have learnt alot from some of the senior guides. I wont be working this winter so I will have plenty of free time. And I only live 30 minutes from index. Rain or Shine there is plenty of places to teach there.

It has almost been nine months since I tucked my tail between my legs and walked away from the greatest climbing opportunity I have ever had. I realized at the time what a chance I had but I let fear get in the way of it. Fear is to be expected and it must be dealt with. If the fear isn’t dealt with, success in the alpine will never be possible. Well, I didn’t deal. I folded and I blew some of the best weather Patagonia has seen in 25 years. Some may think 3 routes completed, one being a first ascent in Patagonia is success. What does success mean? Is the summit success? Or is just surviving success? During the last few days this question has been lurking around in my head. By some meanings of the word I was very successful. By other meanings I wasn’t. I have tried to tell myself the trip went great and I should be happy with what I did. But I am not and its been gnawing at me from the time I had my departing glimpse of Cerro Torre and Fiztroy. When I was sixteen I made my first pilgrimage to Yosemite Valley. I had high hopes and great plans to climb El Cap. And man was I young and dumb. I had no clue as to how to climb El Cap let alone a big wall. But that didn’t matter, I had motivation and nothing to be afraid of, El Cap was only the biggest rock I had ever seen. Well I found out quickly it takes more than motivation to climb El Cap. I almost had to back off the 3rd class approach pitch leading to the base of the route. I did conquer and kept going. Soon I was leading my first real pitch on El Cap. Fear and doubt soon started to pollute my head, though nothing had gone wrong. I kept my focus and finished my pitch. My partner cleaned my pitch, lead the next one and we fixed our ropes to rap. The next day weather moved in so we carried some more loads up to the base. But thankfully the weather cleared before nightfall and we could blast off the next day. Well we didn’t exactly “blast off “ it was more of a crawl. We got totally annihilated trying to haul our bags up the first couple pitches. The weather quickly deteriorated and we descended. The weather never did improve and we had to bail due to time restraints (spring break was over). I walked away from El Cap with a smile on my face knowing that I had done everything I could. I gave it what I had. And that is success. But why? How is it that making it up only a tenth of El Cap can be a success and three routes in Patagonia can be a failure? I have come to the conclusion that the summit doesn’t have a dam thing to do with it. It may be the most unimportant part of climbing for me. It’s not about just standing on top. It’s the fight, the effort, the emotional and physical battle. It’s the war to stay alive. That is what determines success for me. I practically floated my way to the top of those routes in Patagonia. Yet, I was full of fear and scared. Of what though? It has taken me a long time to figure out exactly what I was scared of. I was scared of not reaching the summit. I was scared of the retreat. I was scared of the fight. I was scared of failing. Instead of picking a fight with a mountain I wasn’t sure I could defeat I choose mountains that I knew I could defeat. I lost sight of what climbing really meant. I thought the summit was more important than the act of climbing itself. I may never get another chance like the one I had this last season in Patagonia. But guaranteed I will never again loose sight of why I climb. Round #2. Mike vs. Fitzroy, January ‘03

I have pulled out a couple of 3/8" wedge bolts. The ones I pulled out had threads almost all of the way to the cone. If they didn't have the threads I wouldn't of been able to pull them out. I used a tuning fork device that is made from a #4 arrow. I sawed a slot, a little larger than 3/8" down the middle of the pin. I then pounded the sucker behind the hanger and the bolt would come out a little. I would then take the fork out tighten the hanger back down and repeat the process. It worked on the couple of wedge bolts I tried. If the bolt in question is a SS Fixe this probably won't work. I have also stacked another fat arrrow behind the fork.

A good friend of mine Ken Yager asked me to post this. Please read this and write a letter. To Whom It May Concern: About 12 years ago, Mike Corbett and I started gathering and accumulating many climbing artifacts pertinent to Yosemite’s climbing history with the intention of forming a climbing museum in Yosemite Valley. We ended up with thousands of items, many of them historically significant. Some of the most important items are: - A George Anderson bolt from the 1877 route on Mt. Starr King - The notebooks compiled by Richard M. Leonard during the first ascents of Lower and Higher Cathedral Spires in 1934 - John Salathe’s climbing gear from the 1940’s - Raffi Bedayn’s carabiner collection from the 1930’s and 1940’s - Pitons and other gear used on the first ascent of the Nose of El Capitan in1957 and 1958 including 2 Stoveleg pitons - Royal Robbins gear including the rurp that Robbins fell onto during the first solo ascent of El Capitan when he did the Muir Wall - Mark Wellmans jumar from the first paraplegic ascent of El Capitan and Half Dome I am currently starting a non-profit organization that will be called the Yosemite Climbing Association. The primary goals of this organization will be to continue to expand this collection, to preserve and protect Yosemite’s climbing heritage, and to make it available for public viewing and interpretation. Y.C.A. is headed by Tom Frost, Ted Hansen, and myself, and is supported by many Honorary Board Members including Yvon Chouinard, Royal Robbins, Al Steck, Steve Roper, Glen Denny, Jim Bridwell, Ron Kauk, Lynn Hill, Steve Gerberding, and Dean Potter. Many other historically significant items have been pledged once we have a public display area. For the last 4 months, Tom Frost and I have been negotiating with the National Park Service asking for space at Yosemite Lodge so that we can put these items on display. We asked a public lounge to be reestablished at the Lodge of similar proportions to the old lounge, which is currently the Mountain Room Bar and the Cliff Room. Our intention is to have a climbing museum around the perimeter of the new lounge with a manned booth offering up to date climbing information and services for climbers and non-climbers alike. N.P.S is in the planning process of the Yosemite Lodge Redevelopment Project as part of the Yosemite Valley Master Plan. Tom and I met with the architects that are working on this project and voiced our intentions. The Park Service is taking and reviewing public comments until mid October and then they will draw up the plans for the new Lodge. In order for us to be included in the Yosemite Lodge Redevelopment Plan, the Park Service needs to hear public comments in support of this project. If you would like to see this happen, please write or email your own comments to the N.P.S. planners as soon as possible. If you know others that would be interested in seeing a climbing museum, feel free to pass this on. We need as much public support as we can generate in order to be successful. We can not do this without your help. Thank You. Comments can be mailed to: N.P.S. Planning P.O. Box 577 Yosemite, California 95389 Or emailed to: Yose_Planning@nps.gov If you have any questions or suggestions, I can be reached in the evenings at: (209) 379-2302 or reached by email at: Yager@inreach.com Sincerely yours, Ken Yager P.S. The official 30 day public comment period starts 9-21-02 Thank you for your support.

PP, You were a no show this morning... Whats up with that? Seriously though if you need a partner while down in the valley look me up at yms.

Hans is a WANKER.

Supertopo's just take all of the adventure out of climbing.

And then there is reality. Two 3/8" bolts slung with an american death triangle isn't that big of a deal when rappelling. Falling on a death triangle is a different story. I wouldn't ever rig some rusty old 1/4" with a triangle but if the bolts were 3/8" and I had only a limited amount of webbing i would be tying "DEATH TRIANGLES".

Not a first hand story but a real good one. A buddy of mine was on a wall route in Patagonia. Well they had been up there for a couple of weeks and away from home for some months. The belayer was especially missing his girlfriend and all of the pleasure she brought him. Well lets just say he was trying to imitate her and he got a little out of hand and fell out of the portaledge half naked.

Hey Tim, that was me who took the cord from Iron horse. The stuff was total shit and worn out. The sheath had worn through in multiple places and the core had also became severely worn. Sorry I didn't replace it then, I didn't have the appropriate stuff, 7mm cord. It wouldn't be that hard to climb up there and hang on a piece and replace it. So whoever is bitching should just replace it and not complain about gear that isn't even needed.

Thanks for the info victor. Yes the rock might of been a little friable but I didn't think the protection was that questionable, maybe its due to my aid climbing background though. I could of gotten a piece in every foot or so if I had wanted to. The blocks in the crack seemed a little weird but the nature of the placements wouldn't of been pulling the blocks out, I used almost all cams which I don't believe would of caused any rock to come out. If I had used a bunch of nuts maybe there was a chance a piece of rock might of blow out. Anyhow I think the route can be safely done without the bolts and probably not safe depending on the skill of the leader. Safety is all relative.

I would be really suprised to hear anyone has climbed them. There was so much moss that i couldn't even see the crack. Danimal should of taken the the little red piece of webbing of of the first bolt.

I did some climbing on the lower part of Icicle creek buttress this last week and noticed some new sporto routes just to the left of the arch route. Does anybody know who put these up and if they have even tried to toprope them. By the looks of it they put the bolts in before they were even attempted on toprope. One of the routes has 5 or 6 bolts and then ends in a short thin overhanging crack filled with thick moss. It doesn't look like the moss has even been touched. Seems a little odd to me. Then there was another route way to the right, like 75 yards. It started with a short finger crack and then ended on a long slab. Weirdest thing though, there are bolts next to the crack. I couldn't understand why so I put a couple pieces on my harness and lead the route. After doing the crack with good pro i still didn't see the need for the bolts. Placing pro probably made it a wee bit harder but still do able. Anybody have any info on these routes?

I was up there a couple of years ago and had great weather and great rock...I've been told that never happens in the Ruth. If you are looking for route beta I would just go to the ranger station when you are up there and look through all of the binders of topos. You will probably have better luck there than finding info down here. There is a Climbing or Rockandice with an article all about the ruth, I believe greg crouch wrote it. Enjoy yourself and stay away from the choss.

If you are looking for the real climbers they are over at RealClimbers.comThere aren't any here...we all just read about climbing...Oh but I shouldn't be telling you that because you aren't intersted in our lack of experience. Just help me understand something, 20+ years of experience and you can't get a climbing partner without placing a want ad? Well maybe I figured it out, you didn't say 20+ years of climbing experience..so you must of meant 20+ years of spraying bullshit.

During the last couple of months I have been living the life of leasure. Travelling around the world climbing and doing what I want to do. Well all of that has come to and end for a short time and I have rejoined the cubicle jungle....you all know what i am talking about, 6 foot walls, a mouse in hand, florescent lighting, supposive ergonimical chairs, forced air heating, and really bad coffee. Though I have only been working for 2 days now I am freaking out... I just can't handle this environment. I feel as forgien here as my co-workers would in the wilderness. How do you people deal with it? What's the trick? I know some people like Erik, Ray and Dru just absorb themselves in a fantasy world and just block out the harsh realities of the deskjob, but what about everyone else? Please enlighten me....

Thats right bitch!

W- Today is actually my last day and yesterday was my first. I can return to this job at anytime due to the fact that my dad is the pres/owner of the company. I actually head for yosemite on Tuesday. I just thought I would start a disscusion about work so I didn't have to work.

Thanks for the support Ray