texplorer

Right now its a high of about mid 50s here in vegas. I have found J-tree to be pretty similar. However, you have to remember that redrocks is higher elevation than vegas and is about 3-4 degrees cooler. Camping at RR sucks too but of course if the weather really turns there is always the strip clubs and casinos to occupy your time. J-tree has better camping but the weather is probably similar. I agree with the earlier post to check weather in both places. BTW Red rocks is about 4 hours from J-tree. I'm heading to mexico for climbing.

Snowboarding is neither

So. . . what do you think about the black spider now. . . doable?

This guide is spectacular. It may rival the Old Smith guide for the best written guide ever in my book.

I just heard that Jim had passed on. I don't get to much time these days to check CC.com so I'm a little late. I just saw Jim a few months ago here in Red Rocks with another legendary local climber. As usual he was friendly and modest. I can say that I've only met Jim a handful of times but have admired his work and accomplishments for quite some time. Though I was never a close friend of him there are certain people whose calm presence and stature instill awe. Jim was one of those people. It chokes me up to see one of the greatest of our community of climbers go. His climbing accomplishments and route contributions are great but his life was even greater. I hope he'll leave some first ascent splitter cracks in heaven for me. I'll miss you Jim.

Smoking out in the muir hut remembering your tough because "tents are for wussys" free soloing the "easy traverse" in approach shoes with your pack on almost slipping off the slesse slabs with your pack and the rope finding the "obvious" descent gulley using the Beckey guide as a marker for your approach and descent times

Mundane or no that was a pretty badass trip. The regular route on half dome is still one of my favorites. Thanks for the west face beta, I have been thinking about getting on that someday. Your report reminds me of my first trip to the Valley. Nice work on some classics.

bold = soloing Rainier in winter Reckless = smoking out in the muir hut

Nice stuff, I am envious. Great to see the Crackman still at it.

The rock at Rainbow Canyon is really nice and reminds me of the basalt stuff at Smith. It isn't exactly the same as the gorge at smith but there is some great climbing out there. Here are a few pics from this winter.

Excellent work. The climbing world needs more stewards like you guys and girls.

I did resolution arete this last weekend. It is definately an adventure route. Unlike Layton, we did it in a single day. I was thinking the entire route how bad hauling would suck on res arete. Despite ho-hum climbing on sometimes bad rock, res has some spectacular positions. It took us about 11 hours from the base of the route to the top out. Unfortunately we both thought the other new the way down. After a couple of false gulleys we made it down back to the car at 10:30pm. I kind of got worked but then we saw headlamps still rapping off inti watana and I didn't feel like so much of a gumby.

Well Done Gentlemen, Still waiting for my chance to get down there. . .

At least a few big ones. More if I can find time to send them in to him.

did someone say a rhett

As far as most fun simul-crap I would have to say that Potrero Chico has some fun stuff. There are several long sport routes there that I did with some kid from colorado. I particularly remember loading up with 40-something quickdraws and doing the Yankee Clipper (about 15-16 pitches). I think we did it in two long stretches of 7 pitches each and then belayed out the last 5.11d pitch. Pretty fun climbing 5.10ish stuff forever.

The Brock guide is more comprehensive than the swain but it definately has some bad errors. I would say if you need a guide now it would be the one to get. However, if you can wait there is another even more comprehensive and better guide coming out in the next year by a new author, Jerry Handren. So, if you haven't recorded your FA you did back in antquity now is your chance to get it in to him.

but did he get the sit start? I am hoping on something a little more to the left of the nose. I bailed for my first time on el cap last year after going half way up the wall. I've got some business to finish up but I doubt I'll be doing any ropeless aiding.

the decent for solar slab is not that bad. I have actually downclimbed the whole thing but most use a few raps. Anyway, you might also think about Cat in the Hat (5.6). Also check out this site Mountain Project

vomit launch?

dmuja, I think that most who attempt Sagarmatha have already lost their morality. If you don't already know that above a certain point on that mountain that its every man for himself then you need to pick a few books on the subject. I generally agree with your morality points but everest is sort of a different beast as it attracts the novice to a place where even the experienced occasionally succumb.

be able to climb el cap with sit start after drinking 11 pints. Mwwwwhahahahahaha. . .er. . . I mean . . .ARrrrrrrrrrrrrr

First Will Gadd said no heel spurs, now no synthetic materials, next thing you know he'll say my new Black Diamond Woodclaw Icetool is cheating.

This thread gives me strange feelings. We are vulnerable I suppose but every so often something like this brings things home. CC.comers, be careful out there. -tex

The map says the climbers caves were 300ft below the top but it looks to me like their spots on their picture are nowhere close to the top 300ft of the mountain