Jump to content

miker

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    194

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by miker

    [TR] Yosemite National Park - Lurking Fear, 5.7 C2F, Grade VI, El Capitan 7/6/2012

    in California

    Posted

    Trip: Yosemite National Park - Lurking Fear, 5.7 C2F, Grade VI, El Capitan

     

    Date: 7/6/2012

     

    Trip Report:

    Climbed Lurking Fear July 6-9th with Ivan and Tvashvarkena.

     

    July 2-Tvash arrives at my doorstep at 4AM. Luckily enough the youngest had just woken me up. We crashed for a couple more hours until we had light to pack up the car and jet for Yosemite. Arrived at Hardin Flats late that evening.

     

    July 3-Drove into the valley and hit Camp 4 to find Ivan who is sitting relaxing after being fed breakfast by the neighboring Romanians. Hump load up to base of Lurking Fear and cache water. Ivan had already fixed the first 2 pitches solo the day before. Rest in river and grab big pizza.

    [img:left]http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/534949_3885704094872_1246805295_n.jpg[/img]

    July 4-First hitch in the plans when we discover a bear has damaged some water bottles and destroyed most of Ivan's food. Ivan and I fix to pitch 4 while Tvash repairs Ivans bear shredded thermarest pad. Ivan hikes out to get more food and water.(unknown to us he also hiked out half of Tvash's food in a trash bag and throws it away...)

     

    July 5-Aborted launch attempt. We realize the load is too big for 5 days of water and food for 3 guys. We decide to fix to 6 and do 3 days on the wall with only a single portaledge to supplement existing ledges. Tvash and Ivan fix 5 and 6. I hike out the extra portaledge and some trash. Bags repacked for new plan.

     

    July 6-2:30 A.M Launch!! Climb to pitch 10, I finish 10 in the dark and swing over to the "OK" bivy ledge which I share with Tvash that night. Ivan wrestles with the Elder Gods or at least an unstable portaledge most of the night, losing the fight as far as I could tell by the cloud of goosedown in the air.

     

    [img:left]http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/382401_3885792217075_603090040_n.jpg[/img]

    [img:left]http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/582060_3885789817015_923523543_n.jpg[/img]

    [img:left]http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/552258_3885968181474_1337979923_n.jpg[/img]

     

    July 7-Climb to pitch 14 after caching extra rope and the portaledge at 10. Swapping leads with Ivan as Tvash plays bag monkey. Ok bivy for the 3 of us on a natural ledge.

     

    [img:left]http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/295466_3885795177149_1774689779_n.jpg[/img]

    [img:left]http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/532457_3885803497357_877255521_n.jpg[/img]

     

    July 8-3 pitches to Thanksgiving Ledge and after an hour or two of relaxing we finish to the top of pitch 19 and hang out up on the shoulder of El Capitan before going back down to the ledge.

     

     

    July 9-7 hours to rap to the ground down the route. I was the advance scout, zipping down a single fixed line to set up the next anchor before the double ropes were pulled and setup again. Saved on crowds at the anchors. Out of the woods and into the river before we run to the Pines campsite we had reserved.

     

    Route comments-

    Excellent route with mostly straightforward aid.

    First time I have finished an El Cap route.

    We closed down El Capitan as it was mid to high 80's on the ground and no one seemed to be climbing on the big stone but our small crew Lurking in the shadows for the first half of each day. A party of three does add to the complexity, ropes, haul weight etc, but having a third to manage the bag while the leader shortfixed when possible was fairly efficient.

    I seemed to get the majority of the hooking pitches as well as the Grand Traverse(still waiting for a good picture of this) Tvash got the 80 foot of consistent 4-5 inch crack and quickly learned how to run it out.

    Thanksgiving Ledge is amazing and allowed us to to actually take off our harnesses for a while.

     

    After a rest day we decided to go climb in Tuolomne to avoid the heat. West Crack on DAFF was fun, I have not done that in 11 years, but you have never heard so much whining from a group of hardmen. My feet hurt! So tired! blah blah blah. We all agreed that it was time to go home and headed out. Stopping at some amazing natural hot springs in Cali to soak out some of the soreness.

     

    [img:left]http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/375739_3885808377479_1951792517_n.jpg[/img]

     

    [img:left]http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/168867_3885809177499_1322147763_n.jpg[/img]

     

    [img:left]http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/531298_3885813177599_2010710065_n.jpg[/img]

     

    [img:left]http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/487210_3885815697662_1607420715_n.jpg[/img]

     

    What to climb next? Zodiac? Nose? Aquarian?

     

    Gear Notes:

    Used small cams extensively, especially blue/yellow offset. Did not use beaks as topo mentioned. Also found the distance from the lowest rap anchor was just barely 60m, making it impossible to haul on a single static rope from the ground without having to pass a knot. And pitches 18 and 19 can not and should not be linked as a single pitch to the bolts. It is at least 250 ft.

     

    Approach Notes:

    Long with fixed ropes, but nothing impossible.

    40th birthday climb-Yosemite-October 17

    in Climbing Partners

    Posted

    OK, I will be in the valley Oct 16-19(North Pines) and am hoping to get up something reasonably long and proud for my 40th birthday(Monday October 17). My possible list of climbs to celebrate my 40th birthday includes from easier to harder:

    Royal Arches to North Dome (I have climbed arches)

    Snake Dike (Did the approach hike, but couldn't find route)

    East Buttress of Middle Cathedral (never been on it)

    A one or two day aid route if weather is an issue.(Have done 1/3 of the Nose and Leaning Tower and South Face of WA Column.)

     

    I am open to other ideas and will obviously reassess based on weather limitations.

     

    I am not necessarily looking for a ropegun, but would want a competent Yosemite climber, preferably 40 or over to set the proper "old school" feel. ;) I may have a couple friends along, but most are busy in October.

     

    Drop me a message if you might be interested in hooking up.

     

    Miker

     

    Kiss my Discovery Pass

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    Well time to go volunteer for some trail work and get me a discovery pass.

    I like the Washington Trails Association-Volunteer organization for trail maintenance. Isn't this what the Discovery Pass should pay for?

     

    Sigh

    Possible rock / hold fracturing phenom in PDX

    in Columbia River Gorge

    Posted

    My forearms are currently flaming with the oak, along with a few red spots scattered about my body, the sacrifice we make for trying to 'develop' something new on Beacon's North Face. The main vine stretching up the wall and our crack was as thick as a babies arm.

     

    As for holds breaking, I am with Bill, I don't have to blame my enormous mass, I can just tell Mother Nature it was her fault, along with the poison oak.

     

    I am in LA for two weeks, glad to hear I am not missing any prime climbing weather up there...

    [TR] Beacon Rawks - Stone Soup - Aid Solo 2/10/2011

    in Oregon Cascades

    Posted

    Well pink, first bolt on the second pitch? If you are not counting the multiple anchors on the ledge itself then the bolt halfway up it is just below the tricky arching sharp crescent that requires thin shit or a careful bit of cam hooking. The bolt is almost impossible to reach when highstepping unless you are of Ivan's gargantuan proportions and/or know where the small finger pocket is to pull yourself in to the wall, but it is nice to have just before the arch in case some pieces fail there, which one or two usually does. Now if you meant the first piton, I do not remember the particulars, I think it might have been a bird beak, then a piton, all of which look rustacular, but seem to still be solid.

    Anything useful to add to the discussion?

    [TR] Beacon Rawks - Stone Soup - Aid Solo 2/10/2011

    in Oregon Cascades

    Posted · Edited by miker

    Trip: Beacon Rawks - Stone Soup - Aid Solo

     

    Date: 2/10/2011

     

    Trip Report:

    So I set a goal for this year to Aid Solo the North Face of Beacon Rock via Ivan's Stone Soup, 5.7, C2F.

     

    I started last Thursday morning and climbed the first two pitches and left a fixed rope to the ground. (Bright White static line, on the most viewed face of the rock, maybe a ranger complained, but I felt ok with it.)

     

    Came back Saturday morning and jugged up and climbed pitches 3 and 4 as one long single pitch. I figured since I was aid-soloing, rope drag was not a an issue, as it is when climbing belayed. I also carry a little more gear than may be necessary, but I used everything I had and only felt I was missing something in the blue to yellow metolius's later on, but I really wanted aliens, sigh. I rapped back down and was in the car by noon that day as I waved to Ivan and friend at the top of pitch one as the rain started and Ivan headed up 2.

     

    Ivan at the top of pitch one

     

    This morning I came back to finish it. Could not really see the Columbia River due to the mist in the valley. I was hoping to be done by 3, but I ended up topping out at 4:30 with a 9am start on the ground. I started by jugging up my two fixed lines, which were actually covered with a bit of whorefrost, jugs didn't slip, it was just these little fuzzy bits of snowy ice. See video for more on that.

    [video:facebook]1744911216388

    Stone Soup Climbing Video

     

    I decided to link the 5th and 6th pitches as I had 3 and 4 and for much the same reason. The traversing nature of the climb made the cleaning more arduous overall, but I figured it out. The rotten rock on those pitches is a little sceery, but Ivan has found the path of most solid rock that makes it's way through the loosy goosy. I topped out to a couple tourists who were appropriately awed by my manparts.

     

    Comments:

    Free climbing: I had to free climb a couple sections on 5 and the rock there is an interestingly loose agglomeration, but mostly made hard by having 50 fu$%tons of crap on my shoulders. Many parts of the climb could go free, but the aid character of the climb shines through. The intent of the climb was to have an aid line we could do in any weather and that is indeed what we have. I look forward to working some of the sections in the drier times and maybe with a top rope. ;)

     

    Time:

    It looks like it takes me ~2 hours per aid-pitch, a little longer for 5 and 6 with the traversing. Not counting the pitch 7 scramble. This seems consistent with how I do on Yosemite and Smith Solo Aid climbs, although bolt ladders do go a little bit faster.

     

    Bolts/Pitons:

    None of the bolts or pitons or bird beaks failed on me. I tapped a couple loose looking ones, but they seem to have all been well-set. I do not think the route is over-bolted, I could maybe see taking out one or two(mostly just some of Bill Coe's bolt ladder, but you know how he gets).

     

    I did have a hook fail on me and a couple mini 00 and 0 cams popped on me when I was a foot above my last piece, but most of the placements, while tricky, were solid. Of all the sharp and scary pieces of metal I have to hurt myself on I actually have a cut under my eye from an oval biner that slipped from my fingers when my etriers adjusted themselves.

     

    Fun times. Now what to do?

     

    Gear Notes:

    I had a full set of camalots up to a 5 with double #2s and a set of metolius power cams + some extras and a set of the metolius offsets along with a ton of nuts, hooks, and a hammer and irony bits if needed. I had 14 draws and about 6 or 7 free biners. I split about half the draws to leave a single biner and conserve on the long joined pitches.

     

    Approach Notes:

    Fall out of your car onto the start.

×
×
  • Create New...