Matt_Anderson

If you don' mind extra weight and a gadget, The radio's work great. Certainly a good partnership will be able to figure out what needs to be done, but the radios can also be fun and make communication so easy that it can add to the experience. Often, the clips provided seem weak, so I have just taken some really thin webbing and carried them over my shoulder on a single runner. It's comfortable, convenient and bombproof. The first time I used them, I was taking a friend on his first ever multi-pitch: the West Face of Monkey Face hooking up to the pioneer route. We got a crack of noon start and it started blizzarding on us, so we were benighted in 20 mile an hour winds and him being rather puckered at panic point. The radios enabled me to explain every possibility and have him explain what he wanted to do. Very nice. It probably shaved off an hour of monkeying around: He had decided he wasn't gonna go anywhere, and my only possibility would have been tying the line off, rapping down, then climbing back up to retrieve the gear and rapping back down, to pick him up as we descended.

"I would like to hear how you guys "bundle" up this mass of cord/webbing in a convenient, easy to get out again manner. " Take the cordellette, totally splayed out and double it up, leaving the total two strands thick and decreasing the total size of the loops by half. Repeat until it is a bout 20 inches long, then tie an overhand not and clip a biner into one end. Fast and easy.

I knew this was coming . . . Moron edited his post and replaced the picture that I objected to with Al Gore's mug. Rest assured that the picture that was removed merely made fun of some person who had no absolutely control over how he looked and never invited the ridicule. Politicians, of course, are fair game. They open themselves up to all sorts of ridicule when they combine what they think with what they think the public will buy and what they think their sponsors will allow. Matt

By the way, great bouldering on Asterisk pass, pee hungry goats make for great photos with Dragontail in the background.

Was gonna put this in trip reports, but couldn't find the proper geographic section (Jon, there should be an "other" section) . . . I've been swamped at work and haven't climbed in a month, haven't climbed outside in three. Nonetheless, I believe I will soon be able to reminisce about one of my greatest excursions ever: Destination: SEA TAC AIRPORT. I anticipate rainy weather at destination (Sea-Tac), and my companions couldn't pull 5.6 if their lives depended on it, but that shouldn't ruin the trip. Here's why. . . Four years ago, my Dad was retiring and my parents had a trip to Tahiti planned. Three weeks before the actual retirement date, and four weeks before they were to take off, my Mom was diagnosed with very late stage cancer. We're talking not expected to live past a year. Four years, two long, painful treatments of radiation and Chemotherapy combined and several operations later, I get the privilege of dropping them off at the airport and wishing them well on what will hopefully be a relaxing, happy trip to Tahiti. The doctors have detected no cancer in my mom for about a year. Sometimes life is great, even without having climbed in months. Matt

So, I haven't been reading this thread and won't, but I did pull it up, and I saw the preceeding picture. I just gotta say - that's pretty freakin' lame - Grow up. If you're gonna throw a picture of a person on the web and insult the person to the public, pick a picture that was submitted by the person, or at least where the person was making fun of himself. I doubt this guy took a normal picture of himself, (like this appears to be) and then submitted it to "uglypeople.com." That, or just go to some sight devoted to fucking with some guy over something he has no control over. I like spray, but that is jst pure negativity. Keeping some 29 page thread going is a pathetic reason to do that. Matt

FYI, I called up BD and the guy on the phone said he was out of hte live wires, but would sell any of the other wiregates for the same price. . .

Ditto what Will said . . . Eric - I need a new 70 meter skinny, can you provide any more details about how much use you put it through? i.e. how long did you have it, going out how often, falling alot or little, very much multipitch (it just seems harderon it than cragging), any jugging, yadda yadda I'd be especially curious about how soft a catch it is, I love the spring ropes that reduce the forces on the gear (probably the only reason I consider the small lowe balls freeclimbing protection . . . ) It seems like my last couple of sub .10 mil lines only lasted one season of climinb 2-3 times a week, lots of falls . . . I suppose that's about all I can expect. thanks,matt thanks, matt anybody else familiar with this rope?

My experience with 5.10 is that they make shoes that stick well and climb well, but fall apart when someone gives them a harsh glare. They also, as a general rule, give the crappiest support for your instep of just about anything I've ever felt. That said, if you don't have arch support issues and don't mind shelling out a bunch of money every time they come apart, the rubber is great and they're nice to climb in. Matt

I rack everything on my harness and use Misty Mountain harnesses because they have 6 - counte 'em 6 gear loops - Four on the top, two towards the rear on the back (They used to have seven, one centered in back and I miss it, it was great for water bottle, belay device, etc. no I just use the haul loop). The slings, including all of my runners (tripled down) go on the two lower ones, because they're pretty interchangable. Nuts on the front right, then cams in ascending order by size. The plusses of this system are that it enables fewer pieces on each loop and enables me to pick each cam pretty much without looking (which I can't do if the loops are to crowded) and without fucking around with a gear sling to find a piece or having the gear sling swinging around in an awkward place.

EPIC!! Sometimes the best laid plans . . . Hope the local honey eased the pain. Thanks for the great trip report! Matt

Granted, almost none of us are answering the questions you asked because we are cacade, not sierra climbers, but just to add to the unsolicited drone . . . Gloves make a waaayy smother lower on a gri gri. It takes the pain away from lowering someone and using the brake hand instead of the lever to control speed. Also, lowering is easier to control smoothly if the climb is short (less stretch to create the bungee effect) and the rope thick. matt Seriously, though, letting go with both hands shows a huge deficiency. If she wasn't told, the deficiency was in the teacher. [ 02-27-2002: Message edited by: Matt Anderson ]

Yeah, no one who is clueless ever visits this site.

quote: My old dog would've taken a nap on top of me to make sure I was firmly burried. When you're climbing with a dog with motivation problems as your only back up, it seems like getting rid of the "e" from your recovery tool would make rescue more likely.

Friend of a friend just got back and said Vegas was 70 and sunny. Red rocks sport climbs will be a few degrees cooler. The canyon temps will be cooler still, and cold if not in the sun.

Yeah, you're right, I didn't read carefully. sorry matt

First off, almost no rule will ever dictate the safest thing to do in any given climbing situation. Judgment and a balancing of the factors makes climber's safe. Questions of how much slack a leader wants, whether he wants you to jump for a soft catch, etc., are all questions about that individual's general preferences, and since preferences vary, such questions are best asked of each and every leader you belay, not the people on this site who you aren't climbing with. Whenever I start climbing with someone, I ask them. They are usually more than happy to not leave this to chance. Even if I disagree with their personal preference, I will generally do what they say because 1) its their ass that's on the line; and 2) there is generally a lot of room for personal preference within a reasonable margin for safety. At times, I think that their preferences will result in decking or serious injury. If so (and if that that event would cause me emotional anguish or legal liability), I'll tell them why I won't do it and they don't have to take the belay if they don't want to (or they can explain the error of my analysis). Regarding the specific topics brought up: quote: Think of this: if the rope and other elements of the belay system didn't have dynamic 'give' in them, the impact of the rope going tight in a lead fall could easily kill the climber. Internal injuries! This is bull shit: Every modern belay system has enough give built into the system (the dynamic rope) to prevent internal injuries (as long as you don't deck). Such injuries occur if you are leading on a static rope. Only idiots do that. That said, sometimes a softer catch is nice, and I pretty much never belay leaders off the anchor for the reasons listed by others: 1) because I can help the system avoid rockfall, etc; 2) because the dynamic effects of the rope may not be enough to decrease the forces on sketchy pro (See below) Regarding jumping for a soft catch. This is more of an issue where the belayer outweighs the climber. Personally, I outweigh most of my partners, so I almost never feel like I need a jump - they'll fly on their own. The few times that I might want it is if I feel like I want to lessen the forces on a piece that I hope might catch me. Regarding extra slack:There are a couple of reasons for this, one of which I buy, and one of which I don't. The legit reason to give slack: As stated above, when you push away from the wall and there is a small amount of rope out (right after a bolt, for instance) the shorter radius will make it more likely that you will swing in to the wall in a manner that makes injury possible. Having more rope out will lessen that effect. Of course, so will jumping. Considering the fact that jumping has other good effects. An attentive belayer may as well jump instead of just leaving slack out. The reason to give slack that I don't buy: quote: When I'm belaying someone much lighter than me, I might leave a little bit more slack in the line to allow more stretch in the rope so they don't "jerk" to a stop. i.e. it softens the fall. Figger Eight, I think you are making a harder fall for those light climbers, not a softer one. Here's why: When you are falling less than the distance of rope out (fall factor <1) it actually increases the severity of the fall. Example: If you have are 25 feet above your belayer and fall 5 feet, then you have a 5/25 (.20) fall factor. If your belayer gives you 5 extra feet of slack then you have 30 feet of rope out and a 10-foot fall - fall factor of 10/30 (.333). The only time when it actually decreases the fall factor is on multipitch if you are dealing with a fall factor of greater than one: Example: You are 20 feet up a climb and going to fall 30 feet (your pro is at five feet). The resulting fall is 30/20 (1.5). If your belayer gives you an extra 5 feet, then your fall factor is 35/25 (1.4). In that case, I still would not probably extra slack. I'd mainly be concerned with dodging my leader. matt [ 02-14-2002: Message edited by: Matt Anderson ] [ 02-14-2002: Message edited by: Matt Anderson ]

I've had similar injuries and need to echo the other advice about PT's. Especially where the back is concerned, strength aand stabilization have made several debiliing back problems of mine go a way.

quote: i like SG for the bouldering and funky appeal (at least the old one... haven't been since the remodel). the crack in the bouldering area is fun for runing laps up and down in your tennies to completely waste yourself before heading out the door. i think it confuses the nearby mutants pulling V8 The crack has been violently texturized: The hand crack is now flaring off-fingers. What was easy .10 with feet in the crack is now at least mid-hard .12 using anything you want for feet. I shudder to think about only using the crack for feet . . . To my knowledge no one has gotten up the damn thing, and there are .12 crack climbers at that gym and at least one guy who's red pointed .13 crack.

Thanks can you try this one and let me know if it works? http://community.webshots.com/photo/30886185/30886226vwXqdjcdoY

All I hear about on this board these days is snow this, ice that, for understandable reasons. Nonetheless my love is rock, I'm way to hosed at work to have the time for a trip to Smith or even Vantage and its to bad that we aren't getting any trip reports/pictures back of sunnier times and drier climbs . . . I don't have time for a whole trip report, but I thought I'd send this photo out, describe the situation and why it was beautiful and see who would return the favor . . . (this link was the best I could do - I had trouble inserting an image). My partner caught this sweet pic of me rapping off Dolomite Tower on Baring. I was passing a knot after rapping a few hundred feet down a fixed line. The last couple of hundred feet were free hanging and I'm about 40/50 feet out in space before pulling myself over to the belay and the next line. The climb was done (it was a friend's fixed line), it was one of the most enjoyable ones of my life and we were only one more rap away from a bivy. After that, a half-day descent would get us to the car and our honey's. http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos .fcgi?action=showMyPhoto&albumID=30886185&photoID=30886226&security=vwXqdjcdoY Put it in the wrong topic - whoops! [ 02-08-2002: Message edited by: Matt Anderson ] [ 02-08-2002: Message edited by: Matt Anderson ]

If, by luck, you have common sense and a talent at placing protection (both so it won't come out and so it stops you fom decking/etc even if it does stay put): NO. If you don't: YES. Consequences range from wetting one's pants to death. That said, it takes a huge amount of judgment that can't possibly be gained from merely clipping bolts. Usual warnings . . . . yadda yadda yadda

I don't know if it'll be melted out, but if it is, I definitely second the Half-Dome suggestion. The cables allow Joe-sixpack to get up to a summit that is really only accessible by 5th class terrain in safety. The view is fantastic, the hike is beautiful (and strenuous - dad's gotta be in shape), you can hang your feet off the tip of the visor with nothing but thousands of feet of overhanging air 270 degrees around you and Half-Dome is one of the most quintessential landmarks for the valley. Watch out Below!

Hey Lambone, Sorryto poison your thread, but there aren't that many of us online anyway and the others have probably already commented if they wanted to . . . Maybe by opening up my thought on the trango's, I may get some helpful opinion's to an earlier request for info by me a while back. Read this if you have the time and comment, please. http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=9&t=000246 I've put mine through a lot of free climbing use and haven't experienced the problems you noted on durability: what is going on yours? All I've got so far is a slight kink. I'd be curious about your comments on the tracking issues in soft vs. hard rock noted by Will. Thus far, the only time shifiness has been a problem is when the placement was in flaring diagonal flakes. But then again, nothing else would have even come close to fitting anyway. A few of those placements would have required a perfect direction of pull to be effective. Just the same, they were (hopefully) better than nothing. I didn't happen to fall on those particular placements. A draw seems to keep them happy enough for almost all other placements. thanks,matt

Re: Two cams - Jim Nelson carries them at Pro Mountain Sports in the U District. Re: BallNutz. The greatest. Have taken six or so wingers on them this year, held every time. They are the shit.