pope

Hello friend. Your boy seems like a good sport, and a splendid climber. While you're living vicariously through his accomplishments, remember to keep a helmet on him. And please don't teach him to talk like a rap artist (like his dad). I don't think 5.13 is special unless you're climbing it in very good style. I suspect you've done a couple of these, but I doubt you do them any faster or in any better style than the next mediocre athlete (like I) could do. I've never done one, but I flashed Equinox on a top-rope, so I assume I could add a couple ofletter grades by adopting your strategies. Maybe I'm wrong. But I'm not really interested in knowing either. The point is, the traditional approach to mountaineering (rock, ice, whatever) requires everything the sport climber is doing and more. You have to worry about protection, about safety, about leading out on moves when the pro below you may be questionable and you don't know whether any good pro exists above. You have to worry about possibly getting a bolt in on lead, or maybe you just back off. One way or the other, the demands are higher, the adventure greater, the mess you leave is far smaller. Sport climbing? Virtually every requirement described in the previous paragraph is bypassed. You can spend days or weeks working one pitch, you can hang, yard, top-rope, whatever you want. I think Dwayner's point is accurate, which is that 5.13 isn't really that great a leap above hard 5.11 or 5.12, when so many of the requirements of traditional climbing are removed. It doesn't matter whether you've done one, or I've done one, or Dwayner's done one. If sport climbing tactics are employed, it's no greater accomplishment than climbing a 5.12 in good style.

Well.....that was a long time ago, but I remember you as being older than I. Or maybe you just did a bunch of drugs and came out looking like Lynn Hill. Who knows? Regarding the UW rock, let's agree that we're not talking about real climbing here. And I'm pretty sure there were a few crack and friction problems I was doing that would have spit you off (then and now). There were a couple of steep face climbs you were doing that were pretty "out there", but all they required was a big reach and commitment to a diet of sprout sandwiches.

Think about it for a minute: 1. You're wrecking the rocks with your trail of shite. You litter. 2. You're calling it free climbing when it's really aid. You're dishonest. 3. What you're doing deserves even less respect than aid climbing because the gear you cheat with takes no skill and no balls to place. Add to that it holds 12,000 lbs so your risk and commitment are zero. Add to that you place the gear while sliding down a rope. I'm just trying to help you understand what you're promoting.

Fairweather alerted me to the probability that Sharma is constipated (just listen to him grunt and growl on those high-steps). He and the Williams sisters should consider bran and raisins or even a laxative in the morning. [video:youtube]

What the Hell?

Dude, you're like that chic in Fatal Attraction. Leave me alone or I'll have to secure a restraining order.

100 routes in 20 years? It took me until lunch one day to get in 30. With the arrival of three children who need to eat, I gave up soloing long ago. Back then I kept it to myself and enjoyed the solitude, although I never thought of it as a religious experience. I think I've posted the photo twice....once after Dwayner encouraged me to send it to Viktor, as some kind of statement against sport climbing, and once when I grew tired of certain members of cc.com suggesting my opposition to sport climbing was motivated by a lack of technical ability. Later I obtained all the photos from that day and posted them as an interesting TR. Not impressed? Nobody asked you to be, although you and a handful of jack-donkeys have obsessed over it, constantly referencing the photos in your posts. Funny thing about that. Contrary to your suggestion, a camera didn't "just happen" to be present when I was soloing. My friend, with very little climbing expeience, wanted to photograph some climbing, so I suggested that Brass Balls might offer some spectacular shots, especially if taken from an unusual perspective. A plan was hatched to dedicate a day to climbing photography. I just happened to be climbing solo.

BS.... no man, i know i've flung poo, but i was curious about your learning. i couldn't figure out what it was, so i asked. like, was it that you learned what kinda shoes he wears, or that he tries hella hard, or he keeps truckin, or yells a lot, or what. or that the euros shout a lot of encouragement and speak european. i don't know what it is, and you are playing coy. i am simply curious, sincerely. Mostly what I learned after viewing this MULTIPLE times (and of course you get an improved understanding every time you watch)....is that Chris (yeah, even though we've never met, I feel like I know him well enough for the first-name reference)....Chris...Oh my gosh, he just doesn't quit! I don't think the word impossible is known to this man-child! Just makes me wanna throw the Gri-Gri in the car and go fling myself at my project RIGHT NOW! If I ever see him down at the Vertical World, I'm gonna just walk right up to him and hug him. And I'd do that, because he seems so REAL, you know? Like, I mean....he's like this total icon and everything and yet I'll bet he's the kind of guy who would just indulge a totally anonymous guy like me in some fascinating conversation. God. GOD! That's it, I'm outa here. I'm heading out to Exit 38 RIGHT NOW! That's what I learned. BTW, the route he's climbing, is that an old bolt ladder? Anybody know?

But seriously, we're complaining about a couple of slings around a tree and a fixed rap line as an alternative to hiking down a trail. Let me remind the contributors to this chorus: 1. While offensive, there certainly are bigger impacts to worry about, like highways, ski resorts, global warming, space junk....and did I mention.... SPORT CLIMBING? 2. Perhaps we should view such developments with open minds. Recall that sticky rubber, kernmantle ropes, cam nuts and even 12-point crampons were intially scorned by the old guard. We would be wise to recognize cutting-edge applications of technology when they appear. I'll bet even pioneers like C.G. and A.W. wouldn't object (you know who I'm talking about). 3. Like SPORT CLIMBING, rap descents are just another mode of mountain travel, increasing our choices. Impacts notwithstanding, sliding down a rope next to a perfectly good hiking trail is REALLY FUN! I suggest those of you who shit all over our rocks with power-drilled, rap-placed bolts remember the following: IT'S ALL GOOD!

Yes, let's see! What are you gonna solo for us, funny guy? I'll show you mine.....if you'll show me yours!

Great route, nice report. Regarding the ice on Denman...I once encountered some drunk guys camped at the base who claimed they had climbed it. He also claimed to have pitched off near the top of the Zipper, resulting in a fall all the way to the base. Without injury. Could have been the beer talking.

Is that an old bolt ladder?

Exactly. If you participate in sport climbing, tell me how it is you can get all bent out of shape over rap anchors, when you advocate this: Where's the outrage?

[video:youtube]

Climbing mentor. Close friend. One of the best guys I know.....not the most savvy but.. He is like a brother to me. Right on. The brotherhood of the rope. He probably saved you a world of trouble (fist fight with a logger, night in jail, hangover....and nothing to show for it but an embarassing rash and a love child or two).

Oh my Gosh! What a blown opportunity! And all over shitty beer! How could you forgive him for that blunder?

pope, ... i've been trying to come up with a response, and have nothing on this. i'll be sure not to use wool mittens while leading ice. No response necessary! Thanks for sharing your adventures, and thanks for a post that brought back memories (of being scared out of my wooly knickers).

I gotcha beat. Late summer, me and Dwayner and Fairweather hiked Shriner Peak in MRNP (off HWY 123), described by Spring/Manning as "one of the loneliest trails in the Park." Among the more interesting fauna observed was a female hiker (accompanied by her smirking male friend), descending from the Shriner lookout after a photo-shoot, of which one would presume she had been the primary subject. Apparently the photo-shoot had run behind schedule and they were late for their next appointment. We reached this conclusion because upon meeting this party, we observed the subject modeling the clothing in which she had previously posed....NOTHING BUT A PAIR OF BOOTS! Unsure of the socially acceptable greetings and discourse expected during such an encounter, we merely advised her to apply liberally a sunscreen of appropriate SPF rating. I attempted politely to obscure my view by covering my eyes, but through cracks between my fingers I observed that the girl had carefully groomed and THOROUGHLY SHAVED herself for the photo shoot.

Buckaroo and I did Careno Right years ago....he claims it is harder than any required climbing on Drury Falls (but I can't confirm). I led this using Chouinard rigids and Zero-X tools (the Northwall-X with a reverse curve pick and the axe with a classic pick). Those tools predate the X-15 and featured superbly balanced straight shafts that were a composite of aluminum, graphite and fiberglass. Horrible to grip that fiberglass with wool mitts! I recall fat, wet ice into which screws turned easily. I couldn't find a belay anchor anywhere. Buckaroo promised not to fall and I gave him an anchorless sitting hip belay, with feet kicked into wet snow. The same year I climbed Narada Falls and watched it collapse two hours later, producing VW-sized blocks. That was the last year I climbed ice.

Real purdy. Even a 1976 winter ascent (Carlos Buhler) on that one.

For me it's always been about the free drinks and loose women.

asldfkjasd;flj;