Wallstein

I'm looking for a pair of sunglasses/goggles for climbing down in Patagonia. The most functional pair I found are the Adidas Terrex Pro but they retail for over $300 which is just slightly out of the budget. I haven't been able to find anything else that compares to these. I mainly just used sunglasses while climbing down there but I've gotten pretty worked a couple times cause I didn't have goggles. Any ideas out there? I've looked at the Julbos but they don't have the goggle like foam fit. (These are the adidas glasses)

If the WX has been good coming down the north dome gully wouldn't be an issue at all. If the WX has been bad you are right, just rap the South Face. I've rapped that route numerous times. The east ledges can be full value if there is a lot of snow, especially if you don't have them dialed. My first time down them with 5+ feet of snow on top was totally epic, harder than lost in america (the route we just climbed). If you do the nose or a route close to it, you could just rap the nose. Its straightforward but long.

I've climbed the captain a handfull of times in the winter. Had mixed results with the weather, but usually it is good. Weather forecasting is usually fairly accurate for yosemite. Though this year its been off on a few storms. The Leaning tower is a good choice due to steepness but it is colder over there than other places due to its aspect. The Column sees a fair bit of sun. Anything right of Iron Hawk to Zodiac can be climbed in full on winter conditions. During very cold periods after heavy precip a large hanging ice dagger does form above the shortest straw and could possibly due some damage but it only forms in odd conditions. The Nose can also be fairly dry but gets hammered during a storm.

The retro trad piece on Sonnie was my first attempt at making a short movie. Some of the opening sequence was the first time I had used movie mode on my nikon D90. But I think it turned ok given it was my onsight. I'm glad it's getting watched, it makes all of my effort worth it.

Way to go Andrew! So great to see some more action up there. Sorry about the tick mark... Sometimes I have to resort to the devilish tricks of a sport climber. I figured it would get washed off way before anyone else saw it. Wish I didn't have to bail down to Cali or I'd be keen to go check out Good Girls with ya. Maybe next summer.

Definitely sad. As a photographer that makes a living off of shooting climbing its hard to see my market undercut and devalued. Oh well its worth it for the fame and glory! I just have a hard time putting that on a plate and eating it. It just doesn't fill me up that same as food.

I have the beta for a midget. Right foot up first. than stand up?

The bolts up there looked pretty good though a bit rusty. They weren't the kong hangers. A few of the bolts have been replaced and I believe a couple have even been added. The "runout" 5.10 pitch isn't runout anymore. Though you do need a couple small finger size pieces for getting to the roof on the 11+ pitch. Thats the only gear you need on the route. As far as being short and only 120lbs I agree I have a totally unfair midget advantage. I nearly meet the requirements for being federally disabled which would allow me to receive federal AID. So if that logic is true everything is A0 for me. Oh well, just playing the cards I got dealt.... Pink you should quit your job and hit the road again! See ya in Yosemite in September/October?

Trip: Index, Upper Town Wall - Rise and Fall, 5.12a Date: 8/23/2010 Trip Report: The Upper Wall "sport" routes have intrigued me since my first foray up to Sisu over 13 years ago. I had walked away from Sisu with my tail between my legs wondering how people even manage to climb 5.11 up there, let alone 5.12. As time went by and I gained more experience and knowledge of the area the Upper routes became even more elusive. In the last 10 years the only full length old school "sport" route that I know has been repeated is Swim which was this year (or maybe last). I've heard rumors of ascents but never full redpoints. WHY? What is wrong with these routes? While doing Green Drag-on and Town Crier earlier this summer I often found myself staring at Rise and Fall which is in spitting distance of GD. It looked amazing! I knew if I had time this summer I'd have to try it. Kate following the 5.10 third pitch My first attempt was at the end of July with Colin Haley. We were both feeling ansi and started up the first pitch in the sun, though it wasn't to hot, climbing in the sun made the 5.12a pitch feel real hard. I battled my way up it. Standing in slings, grabbing bolt hangers in desperation, and doing whatever it took to get the rope up. My fist inclination told me this pitch was impossible! Surely the fist ascent had used smoke and mirrors to send it…. I continued upwards demoralized but still motivated to see what laid ahead. It must get easier? Thankfully I was able to onsight the 5.10 third pitch, though I can't say I made it look easy. And then their is the 5.11+ 4th pitch. Really how hard can 5.11 be? Well at Index it can be just as hard as 5.13 in some other areas. This pitch was another quintessential Index sandbag. After much cursing, floundering and flailing, I A0'd my way to the anchors, completely mystified. Another pitch that might as well be rated 5.IMPOSSIBLE I lowered back down and looked at every possible hand and foot hold. Real slowly the sequences started to appear. High step mantle, to high step mantle lead to a final hold-less deadpoint that would without a doubt be the MOVE while redpointing. I managed to link very little of this pitch on toprope. One more 11b pitch followed. The theme of the day continued with me grabbing draws and getting totally shut down on the crux, but luckily after a bunch of brushing and chalking of holds it came together. 3 star pitch! By the end of the pitch I had the rock climbing version of the screaming barffies in my toes and was having a hard time touching my tips to anything. We were both royally annihilated! Time to go down. Kate in desperation on the 5.12 second pitch Good weather and alpine climbing plans took me away to Alaska for a quick trip but all I could think of was getting back to Index in time to give Rise and Fall another go. This time I enrolled my girlfriend Kate to go up their with me, which usually makes me climb better. I also had another trick up my sleeve this time, Alpine Anorexia. I had lost 6 lbs of the 125 I usually carry around in just three days while up in AK. I was feeling light! I almost sent the 12a pitch first go but lacked any cohesive beta to make it happen. I knew it would go down next try though. We cruised up to the 5.11+ only to get completely shut down again. I threw a great wabler up there and almost went down. I was letting falling on 5.11 get to my ego. NOT GOOD! I man'nd up, swallowed my pride and aided to the top to setup the toprope. After more inspection it came together and I was able to link the whole pitch on TR. I also knew it would go down next go. Me on the start of the 5.11+ roof to slab pitch (Town Crier's triple roofs in the background) Yesterday, along with Kevin Newell, I used my own smoke and mirrors on Rise and Fall. I eked out a redpoint of the 12a pitch first go which was going to be the mental crux for me. As always I'd hope to make a no falls redpoint but to my dismay one momentary lapse of friction spit me off the final move on the 11+ pitch. Next go found me much more relaxed and holds feeling that much bigger. I haven't been so thrilled to send 5.11 in a very long time! Now the self imposed pressure became thick as all I had left was the 5.11b pitch. Thankfully chalked edges and pockets appeared whenever they were critical and I found myself at the anchors in fading dusk light. Kevin raced up the pitch and made quick work of the final 50ft to the top of the wall. Just like the rest of my climbs on the Upper Wall this summer, I followed in near darkness by brail. My grin couldn't get much bigger once I hit the top!!!!! Leading up to the roof on the 5.11+ pitch This route is a testament to the skill and ability of Greg Child and Andy DeKlerk as well as the unbelievable sandbagging that was going on when those guys were putting up routes. For me this was nearly as difficult to redpoint as Green Drag-on and Town Crier, which are rated one full number grade harder or so. If you are looking for a route to fluff your 8a.nu card this may not be the one. STOKER!!!

Dane, could you weld a hammer on this?? Simond Fox Carving = 290grams 43cm

The Petzl Aztarex are barely lighter than the Venom. 530g vs 500g. I'm looking for something around 400g or lighter.

I'm looking for the best lightweight short ice axe/tool with a hammer for alpine rockclimbing . The best thing I can find is the Simond Fox Carving axe The only problem with the Simond is it lacks a hammer, which is mandatory in places like Patagonia (and you can't buy them in the US). I have a Simond super fox rock currently which is sweet for glacier travel and then pounding in pins but it would be pretty grim to climb anything steeper with it. I've used the BD venom a bunch and am happy with the way it performs but I'd really like something a fair bit lighter. Anyone one know of a tool/axe that is shaped and featured like a BD Venom but way lighter?

Way to go guys! That roof pitch is one of the most amazing pitches ANYWHERE! Glad to hear you got it done.

Not sure it was just me having a bad day. I've heard a few others finding it to be pretty hard. Was our chalk still up there? Maybe that and a top-rope made it feel easier?

Thats the goal but I've only got till september 1 and I also am going to AK in that time. I need to step it up a notch. So much to do so little time.

at the park right now. 68 and mostly cloudy Tell that little kid to suck it up and step up!!!!

Trip: Index - The Waterway F.F.A. 5.11D Date: 8/5/2010 Trip Report: Earlier this week I hiked up to the Upper wall to go check out Good Girls Like Bad Boys but upon reaching the base with my friend Sean we got distracted by the possibility of freeing The Waterway. We weren't prepared to go ground up so we hiked back the the car grabbed some static ropes and then hiked back to the top of the Upper wall and rapped it. We fixed 3 60m ropes to the ground and then top roped our way back to the top. The climbing was cleaner, better and easier than expected. The only pitch we had problems on was the first but we figured it would go fairly easily. After borrowing some cleaning supplies we headed up the next day to give the thing a scrub and prep it for the lead. Unfortunately thunderstorms and rain chased us off without being able to clean that much of it. We figured it was clean enough though and we decided to head on up there for the redpoint yesterday. Sean started up the first pitch around 6pm but got shut down on his first try due to some dirty footholds and hard to place pro. He scrubbed it a little and figured out the key piece of protection and then fired it next try. I followed in a less than secure manner, barely sticking the crux move. We figure around 5.11D. Feeling pumped and dazed from the lower pitch I let Sean lead the next pitch as well. The second pitch starts off face climbing on good holds and then clips a bolt and moves down and left to good holds and a 5.10 mantle. This is followed by easy liebacking to a small roof that its passed on it left side via good side pulls. Kinda pumpy here. Opposing sidepulls and small feet make up the crux sequence which then leads to easier secure climbing and a nice belay spot. Sean dispatched of this pitch no problem. Great pitch. I finally felt recovered and took the 3rd pitch which follows an easy hollow flake to small fingers/stemming/liebacking in a corner. Double of small cams (purple tcu) is nice here. It takes good pro but it felt hard to place. Underneath some thin hanging flakes I stepped left using a cool undercling pocket to another undercling flake. I found the move left to be reachy. 50ft of easy (5.8) climbing up amazing rock leads to a couple moderate 5.10 lieback moves. I had already used the crucial stopper that protects the last 5.10 which forced a 10ft run-out or so. I think you need a #5 or #6 BD stopper for the last move. The belay is on a sloping ramp. Sean took over here and lead off to the right traversing on easy terrain (5.8) with poor gear. He moved quickly up the chimney choosing to run it out for close to 80ft. I think there was available pro but it was almost dark and I wasn't looking for it. After the chimney Sean moved left to a bolted arete to avoid the mungy 4th class gully. Currently the bolted arete is part of a route in progress, it felt around 5.10+ or so. It was to dark to see my feet so maybe it is easier. We left our fixed lines in place so we/I could put another day of scrubbing in to clean it up for future ascents. Overall we found the climbing to be quite amazing. The route follows natural features and perfect rock. We thought it was classic and hopefully will see some traffic in the future. Not sure if it can be rapped with one rope but it would be easy to walk to the top and rap Town Crier or Green Drag-on with a single 60m. Sean following pitch 3 Link to full size topo Gear Notes: single grey TCU Doubles of Purple TCU to #1 camalot single #2 camalot Nuts.

Dam I remember jugging that pitch. That was the 9 O'clock roof pitch that I had used our 8mm tag line to fix. Scarry jug up in the morning. Probably should of padded the edge with duct tape.....

still just watching the WX and waiting for colin to get back from selling his soul to the industry at the OR show.

Hey is that from ZM???

Thanks for the offer, but I definitely need something a little shorter and lighter.

I dont' think Rudy is available but I was thinking about taking his kid with me. I could just send him up first and then use him for aid.

It was on Green Drag-on, which as far as I know had only been free climbed once before me and any free climber that would go up there certainly wouldn't be putting duct tape on huge holds. But you are right its all just speculation.... I use to use duct tape to pad edges when I was an aid climber and looking back I'm sure I left my fair share of it. And then after awhile I figured out it was trash and started taking it off when cleaning pitches. Would of been great if someone had just pointed that out to me earlier on and I wouldn't of ever left it. I've become more frustrated with it in the past years climbing in Yosemite, where you will see it everywhere on the classic climbs. South face of the Column, West face of the Leaning Tower, The Nose and the Salathe. And almost always there is just no need for it. I'd hate to see it start appearing here.

I'm looking for a short 3rd tool. Something like the Grivel Short Compact. Anyone have anything they want to part with? Or just lend me for the month of August?

This is trash. I understand that protecting edges is necessary occasionally but duct tape can be removed just as easily as it's put on. Please if you use duct tape be sure to have your second remove it, just don't leave it there.