Wallstein

How about the left side of the split piller. I don't remember if I had one but I think i should of... Pitch 5 of Aurora on El Cap.. Bring and least 2. There are some good easy wide thing down in the gorge at smith. Great place to use the #5 without massive amounts of cursing.

Anyone got a sofa I could crash on afterwards? Drikin and Drivin is BAD.

You think publishers and manufactures serve interest besides their own? Publishers solicit towards a select group and charge money for their books don't they? The park service sees guiding as a way of educating the general public, the same way a book might, albeit a bit more exspensively. Whats the difference?

Yeah private industry capitalizing on public lands, it sucks but its going to happen. I-5 is public land right? How about all those commerical truck drivers getting in the public drivers way? They shouldn't be allowed to drive on the same roads as the public, especially during rush hour traffic because i know how bad traffic can piss you off Erik. They are stealling all of your roadway and they won't give it back...wha... wha...

What exactly are guiding companies stealing? And how would they be profitting from you? (the public) Are guiding companies taking something away from the land and aren't giving it back? How is the government subsidizing guiding companies? The same way they are subsidizing general climbers.. Many guide services will do alot at the local level to give back. Almost all guide services teach things like Leave no Trace and other appropiate ways to act in the outdoors. I think that is called educating and giving back to the community. I have helped in the re-construction of popular trails in Yosemite that only climbers use. I know many guides that actively replace poor anchors on routes and pick up much more trash than the average climber. Erik you are in the same league as my 10 year old brother, but better at bitching and whinning.

I climbed this route on Thursday and found it to be in ok shape. A little snowy and soft in some sections but fun climbing. We did use some pitons and stoppers and didn't really find any good snow for pickets. We did use them though. I would say go left early to enter the 2nd couloir and don't try the "easier" 5.8 down climb. When entering the 3rd traverse over as early as possible to avoid wallowing in snow. Definately a must do route!

I have only owned the older petzl ascenders but have played around with the other models. I found the ushba ascenders difficult to take on and off the rope quickly. Not a big deal if using it for fixed lines but for cleaning traversing pitches it could be real pain. These are the weakest of all the ascenders. The SMC ones are heavier than the petzl but aren't any stronger. I dont like the trigger mechanism. I find it difficult to disengage due to my short fingers. This isn't a problem for me with the petzls. Jumars are very similar to the SMC ascender Yates also makes ascenders. But like all other yates products they are really bulky and heavy and are more geared towards rescue use. They are the strongest ascenders on the market though. Twice as strong as the ushba. A disadvantage of the new petzl ascenders is the top clip in hole. there used to be two holes but the newer model only has one. When a carabiner is clipped through this hole (added safety for traversing) it creates alot of friction and makes it hard to slide the ascender up or down the rope. Also if using the ascender for some methods of hauling, the ascender must be waited and the second hole was great for this. The older ascenders also had an extendable trigger which made it easier to use with gloves. If you could find a pair of older petzl ascenders that are in good shape that is what i would recommend

6" isn't nearly enough, unless you really want to tie the death knot. I would leave at least 12" but I almost always leave 18"

Sorry but I think I will be keeping the cobras for now.

I was woken by a phone call on Sunday morning by a close friend. I couldn't believe that what he told me was true. I didn't want to believe it. The last time I saw Jose was in November when I was leaving the valley and I never thought it would be the last time. I first met jose 4 years ago during a winter trip to Yosemite. My partner and I were hauling loads to the base of el cap and we ran into Chongo, whom I had met from previous trips, he was sitting underneath the Sea talking to a man I had never met. I couldn't understand a word they were saying but the conversastion sure seemed to be important. We kept walking. On the way back by I saw chongo but not the other man. After bullshitting with chuck for a while I noticed something moving in a very large tree. To my amazement it was this man standing on the very top of the tree. He was barefooted and shirtless in december standing on the top of a 150+ft tree. I was in awe. He stood in the tree for at least an hour stairing out towards the valley. My partner and I made our way back to the car followed far behind by Chongo and his friend. With a lack of better things to due we decided to burn a little hurb, Chongo's highly trained nose lead him to our spot. We passed it around and chongo's friend took a small hit, Chongo explained something in spanish to his friend and showed him what to do. Chongo then told us his friend Jose just started smoking yesterday. I thought that was a little wierd considering Jose was probably 20 years my senior. I ran into Jose many more times over the years but it wasn't until this last year that I really got to know him. We made a couple early season trips up to tuolumne and did some sport climbing together. We had a great time, but I really wanted to do a long route with Jose. I had heard of Jose's amazing talents at speed climbing. The regular route on half dome in 1:50 something, onsighting the Salathe in under 9 hours and numerous other amazing times. I consider myself to be a good climber but wouldn't even consider myself in the same league as Jose. But what the hell I thought he might do half dome with me. So I asked him and he thought it would be a great idea. I warned him that I would probably be slowing him down alot, but all he kept saying is "it will be fun..." I have never known speed climbing to be very fun but he kept reassuring me that "it will be fun" We met in the cafe at 7:00 and had a leisurly breakfast, Jose instisted that we go to the boulders for a quick "session" but I thought we should maybe get going, he said "don't worry it will be fun." Nine o'clock rolls around and we are just getting ready to go. I throw a rack together and Jose looks at it and says "all we need are doubles to .75 camalot and a #1 camalot." I laugh at what I thought was a joke, but his insists thats all we'll need. He "says when Dean and I did it we only brought a single set to .75." (thats 4 cams) I explain to him that I ain't Dean Potter. He looks me straight in my eyes and says "all you need is is doubles to .75 and a 1 camalot," he laughes "it will be fun" He had more faith in me than I had in myself. We finally escaped the parking lot at 10:00am and made our way to the base of Half dome. We took our time stopping to take in the scenery and talk about pyhsics, something Jose had a passion for (and a masters degree in) like he did climbing. He tried to explain relativity to me but I thought we should probably be hurring but Jose didn't think we needed to. I don't think Jose ever hurried anything. He just let it happen. We eventually reached the base and got ready to go. We talked about the route and decided that it would be better if he went first, I aggreed. He explained to me that when the rope comes tight start climbing, once again he stated, "it will be fun." I was about ready to puke from being so nervous. Once I started climbing I forgot about everything and just climbed. Things were going great, we were cruisin. Eventually it was my turn to lead, I looked at my anorexic rack and quitely said "this will be fun!" To my amazement I lead 7 continuous pitches without tagging any rack, I even ended up with 2 cams at my last belay. He was right, like he almost always was. We decided we should stop and have a little safety meeting, what the heck we had plenty of daylight I think. (we left the watch in the car so we wouldn't worry about how fast we were going.) The safety meeting might of been a mistake. Jose started leading but something seemed wrong, he was moving really slow. I didn't understand what could of happened. He yells down "sorry, but I forget what to do...." I didn't understand, he had climbed this route 10 times and had been climbing for longer than I had been alive, how could he forget. Well that was Jose.... He eventually fiqured out how to climb again and we were soon on our way to the top. We topped out as the sun was going down so we coiled the ropes and imediately headed down. We reached Curry village at around 10:30, a little over 12 hours after we left. It was indeed "fun" We did things on and off together the rest of the season. We went to parties, slacklined, went hot-tubbing on the eastside and talked. Well actually he talked and I listened. I finally started to understand Jose and his way of life. He was the only person I knew that could get all of his material possesions into the trunk of a Honda civic. Yet Jose had more in his life than the richest person in the world. He could go anywhere, do anything, anytime. I once asked him what his plans were for the winter, he responded " plans? plans can only tie you down." Jose not only said this but lived like this. I caught a ride from Yosemite to Squamish with Dean and Jose a couple years ago. During the ride Jose read me a story he had wrote on a climb he did in his native land of Venezuela, on a formation called Autauna. He was in venezuela visisting family not intending to go climbing. He was bouldering around at a little cliff in town and ran into a couple of old climbing friends. These friends had plans of climbing Autauna and invited Jose. He explained that if he hadn't of gone bouldering during that exact time he wouldn't of ran into his friends and would of never gone to Autauna. Who needs plans? Jose had dreamed of climbing Autauna his whole life and had even atttempted it before. But this was the time it was meant to happen. Jose taught me more about life than he will ever know. I looked up to him and his way of life. He probably wouldn't want me say this as he would rather have me live and make my own life and not follow anyone elses. Images of him have been running through my head for days now. I hope these images never fade, I don't ever want to forget Jose. As i sit here in front of my computer I wonder if he would of thought it was his time to leave. I hope not...I know there are hundreds out there that wish he was still with us. He will never be forgotten....

The route starts just to the left of Non-local Barkhouse, I think. It is a very incipient line. The last 30 or so feet finish on NLB and then belay at the anchor for Twelve angry bees. The first pitch consisted mostly of #2 heads and a couple of #1 s with a few small aliens. The next pitch goes up the first two bolts of swim and then continues straight up using heads, beaks and rurps. I think those are the only things I placed on this pitch. after 70ft or so I veered left through some big loose flakes and used a bolt on 12 angry bees for a belay. This belay probably isn't needed but the full pitch would be A4+R without it. I have done some pitches rated that hard but I wouldn't commit to this one. After the belay I stepped back right onto the steep arete. Scary #1 knifeblades and rurps for 40 feet leed to a little easier terrain, not much easier. The pitch finishes on the huge ledge where the swim belay is. The next pitch hasn't been finished. It starts up the bolt ladder and then penji's left to hooks and rivets of dubiuos quality. I rapped off of a rivet below a huge balancing tooth pick that would be extremely hard to get around without drillin or trundling the feature. The route would go to the top but it would require some more seriuos climbing or some easy drillin. I think the route would go to the top of the cliff with a 70m rope. I don't believe the route has seen any traffice besides mine. The difficulties are comparable to Native Son and Plastic Surgery Disaster on El Cap.

Erik and I are going to Index right now... Someone from Tacoma should meet us up there and give Erik a ride back to T-town. His car is there and I don't want to give him a ride. Give me a call if interested. 253-905-7076

James Notgotnomoney?????

I have a new (never used) pair of cobra's that I bought but didn't really have the money for. I would like to trade down plus some money. I am looking for some bent shaft Black Prophets. Preferably the standards but would take the carbon fiber. Make an offer.

It's always dry at Index

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.