Wallstein

Those big hooks are a waste of money..... I got a couple you want to buy them?

I think I did it in 5 long pitches and one short 50ft pitch. There is anchor every 70 feet or so on the route. Its all coming back to me now. I think I am having a hard time remembering because of Erik and my brother meeting me on top. We and a little to much on top.

If you have a 100lb pig to go do moonlight you have alot more to worry about than the river. I crossed it the middle of december without a problem. Just bring and extra pair of socks or tevas.

I did moonlight a couple of years ago but I don't remember much about it. I don't remember any scary 5.10 free climbing. I do remember some low angle ledgy grovelling down low on the route. Other than the first couple pitches the route is amazing. Splitter C1 cracks for miles. I definatley wouldn't haul on it. Fix the first three and then blast the next day or just go for it.

I have had few really long days on El Cap that all compete for the hardest thing I have done. I think the absolute worst/hardest was going down to Yosemite for the weekend and climbing Aurora. I only had the weekend so we started friday night and climbed all through friday night, saturday, saturday night, sunday, and then topped out 52 hours later on sunday night. My partners and I ate a couple lbs of chocolate covered espresso beans and then ran down the east ledges. One of my partners had to be in fresno at 6:45am for his plane ride so he could make it to work on time. We didn't make it though. After all of us fell asleep while driving we thought we would just pull over and give up. I think the key to performing on such physically demanding climbs is eating the correct foods and consuming enough calories. I am a real believer in gu after doing numerous routes where that was my main food intake for over 2 days. I could see my partners bonking when they were low on fuel. This caused them to not only move slower but to have a much more negative attitude. I think mental conditioning is also very important to suceeding on long hard climbs. Mental conditioning started for me at a young age when I would procrastinate so much that I would be up all night doing my homework.

Most important thing you bring is a jacket. It is going to be dam cold on the east face, probably somewhere in the high 20's. I have never been on the east face but have looked at it and have done the northwest passage. I would suggest at least three sets of rps or more. It is way thin up there. It is a real striking line and looks like alot of fun to climb. free or aid.

Cavey, It looks like you are going to hit the big 2000 today? Congratulations. This day will never be forgotten in CC.com history.

I have been using the 9.8 x 60m this year and have loved it. It handles nice and wears really good for a thin rope. That price sounds about right. In yosemite they were selling them for 139. I would highly recommend edelweiss ropes.

I have used 8 sterling ropes in the last few years and won't be buying another one for a long time. I thought I was just climbing a bunch and I was wearing my ropes out real quick. This year I have been using an Edelweiss 9.8 and it has lasted for 6 months. I have had two brand new sterling marathon ropes get core shots the first time I ever used them. This is not a trait I am looking for in a rope. There is a reason Sterling ropes are so cheap. They suck! I would recommend going to canada and getting a Mammutt for really cheap. my $.02 mike

I find it more obnoxious than offensive

For those having trouble: when you tried to connect did it ask you if you would like to install a java applet? I had to do that the first time I went in. Or maybe it just a firewall

I don't know whats up. Erik and I got into spray just fine. How did you send us the popup message?

I still need to get my first set of tools. Anyone want to get rid of their prophets??

Early this spring a friend and I did a 55 mile hike in yosemite. We left from the valley floor and did a loop around the clark range. We each had a BD bullet pack filled with a little less than the essentials. We each carried a down jacket, a hat, an extra pair of socks, a map, a compass and iodine pills. And the most essential piece, the rastafarian bivouac kit. The trip would of been absolutely miserable without the bivi kit. It made being wet, tired and shivering in a little ball at 10k alot more bearable. The one thing we forgot was food. I brought 10 bars and a zip-lock full of raisens and chocolate. My partner brought about the same. We ran out of fuel around mile 40 which was 24 hours into the trip. I didn't really know what hitting the wall was until the last 15 miles. I think I broke through the wall on the last mile due to my desire for ice cream and I think this was the only time I have used absolutely everything in the pack.

I wish I was at the swiss instead of doing fucking homework

I tried to get an air delivery permit but the pork service wont give them out. Then they go and bust people for not having one. Whats up with that? Those guys definately weren't stealthy enough. But I am not one to talk after making two unauthorized air deliveries without permits during the middle of christmas day a few years back. Luckily my package didn't get stuck on a ledge 500ft up.

Peter- I don't believe any of these routes are 5.12 either. I have only done one 5.12 trad climb in my life and it was a hell of a lot harder than any of the routes being discussed.

Nope Cayey. Most people I climb with say I have an advantage with the smaller hands/fingers. I seem to get a lot more hand jams than most of my parnters. The 1 1/4" to 1 3/4" is a bad size for everyone.

Peter, so ROTC was put up before cams? I thought it was done in the early 80's by Croft? Maybe I am mistaken but I would assume he was using cams at this point. I don't see how that could get downrated from 11c. I think it is on par or harder to things like Blind Faith in yosemite which is 11d and the left side of the split pillar that is 12a. These three climbs all have the dreaded 1 1/4" to 1 3/4" rattly finger cruxes and I thought ROTC was definately the hardest. [ 11-06-2001: Message edited by: Wallstein ]

Not to cold at all, the temps were perfect I don't think ROTC was 5.8+ is was more like 5.9-. Really though I though it was pretty tough for 11C. A sandbag like everything else at midnight. I haven't found an easy route there. Supercrack is next weekend [ 11-05-2001: Message edited by: Wallstein ]

I went to L-Worth on saturday and went up to Midnight rock. We started on the lowest tier and did the supposive 5.8+. The book says this is suppose to be one pitch up to dead end ledge but I don't see how this is possible. We did it in two. We then did WASP whick took us to the base of the most incredible crack I have seen in the state. ROTC. Straight in fingers to thin hands for almost the whole pictch. I thought cracks like this were only found in Yosemite or Squamish. The rock and the location were absolutely amazing. We topped out just as the sun was dipping below the valley and had a little rastafarian bivouc on top. An excellent day overall.

Beck- What Patagonia jacket are you talking about? I am looking at getting the Stretch Speed Ascent jacket. I wasn't sure if it was waterproof enough for the pnw.

70 meters of 5.5??? I got a spool of that stuff but it only came in 50 meters. I think the biggest it comes in is 60. You should email Sterling rope about this. Are you going to be using it as a second rope for rappells? Thats what I have been using it for and it has worked great. The only problem with it is the cost. 1.42 per foot times 235ft. That comes out to be around 330 buckaroos without tax. Easily the most exspensive rope on the market...

I made it out to Index on Saturday and did a little craggin at the lower wall. We did the standards, Godzilla, thin fingers and Iron horse. The one non standard route I tried was Frog Pond. The first two bolts go at 12c, which of course I aided through. Standing on the top bolt I could just barely reach into the start of the crack. It was only suppose to be 10c but I thought the move was way harder. It does eventually turn into locker fingers to thin hans and then traverses underneath a cool roof. The route was filled with cobwebs and dirt but it was definately a classic in my book. Anyone else out there been on frog pond?