willstrickland

quote: Originally posted by johnny: There is a distinct difference here (NC) than back in Washington. Many routes are rated without taking into consideration the first few feet. Oh how I know those. I've been on five or six routes in the SE where the crux was pulling the first three or four moves off the ground and the moves were at least a number grade harder than the rating of the climb. The mentality down there is that the first moves you can practice over and over with no consequences, so they don't really count as part of the route. Just work 'em until you've got the start wired the lead it. There's a easy .10 at Lost Wall where the start involves either doing a campus move off a flaring hand jam to another move off a flaring jam before getting any feet, or stemming between the rock and a tree (the start is radically undercut, so you start grabbing a hold at almost full extension and no feet). The guide mentions nothing about a "tree start" so I didn't stem (although the wear on that tree indicates that most people do) and pulled the move. 10a my ass! The route is called Pipe Full of Fun at Lost Wall if you're in the NW Georgia area (two miles from the recently popularized Rock Town bouldering area on Pigeon Mt). The rest of the climbing is great, probably the best route of the grade at that area with one delicate face move as a crux...and the heinous start. While you're there, take a look just down the face to the left at the route Petrified...a ridiculous 60 degree overhanging start out a roof with a petrified log embedded in the roof, about 15 feet of HARD roof climbing (no jugs on this thing)and then crimpy and technical edging and thin crack climbing on RPs and TCUs with one aid move. I tried to free this thing many times with the intention of eliminating the aid move. Sheeet, I got spanked, and it's still waiting for a FFA. Bring some serious power-endurance, the aid move is right after turning the roof, and you could probably work it ropeless as a highball boulder problem to get it wired.

Call the backcountry desk at 801-772-3256 sometime after mid April. 80% closure is bullshit, not even close to that. Back before they actually had people monitoring the nesting pairs, they'd close huge sections to be safe. Have fun, take offset cams and HB offset brassies.

Yeah Allison, my post might have sounded a little crass, and that's not what I intended. I wish you speedy and continued healing, and honestly hope that none of us experience this kind of thing.

quote: Originally posted by allison: Turns out the talus is considered the worst bone in your body to break. From a healing standpoint, possibly, but from a trauma standpoint not even close. Femur and skull fractures lead the charge there.

My worst injury climbing (knock wood)came from an 8ft sport climbing fall where I took a pendo into the wall and wrecked my ankle. The closest I've come to decking from any susbstantial height (again knock wood) was on TOPROPE! As a greenhorn climber of three months I almost grounded out from 25ft when climbing on another party's rope. These guys had anchored to two huge trees about 30 ft back from the edge with webbing. The whole deal was "sliding x" eq'ed but they somehow didn't clip one of the ends to one of the trees. The climb was on a big system of roofs, maybe 30 degrees overhanging. I pitched from the last roof move and kept falling and falling and falling...convinced that my belayer was at fault and also convinced that "HOLY SHIT I'm gonna deck". I came to a stop with my feet about 18" off the ground. I started yelling at my belayer, something to the effect of "WTF! WTF!" He just looked bewildered and said "I had you the whole time...look at the anchor". I look up and see the thing hanging halfway down the climb. I had fully extended the system back onto the one tree for a 20ft TR fall with rope stretch. Exciting, but not quite the form of excitement I was looking for.

Thanks man. When I was out there a few years ago, the last piece in the sixth pitch A0 ladder was gone, forcing some 10-ish moves, or in the case of free climbing the ear running the last moves out or taking a #4 big bro. I've got friends headed out there intending to do the 5.10A0 variation, I imagine they'll be cooked by the time they get there, be a shame to get shut down with only a few hard moves and a pitch of .8 left. I guess putting a talon on the rack would solve that problem though.

Anyone climbed it recently? Last bolt on the ear pitch still gone?

quote: Originally posted by Zenolith: Hey guys, there's never been a pub clup in Portland or Eugene for that matter Au contraire, we've had a couple in Portland, and if you show up at the Lucky Labrador on just about any Monday (miser mondays, $6.75 pitchers)you'll find me, and quite a few of the gym regulars as well (although you won't see us at the same table...them being a sporto clique which, as a pissed off trad climber, I am banished from). Last night the porter was on cask-conditioned, I put in a HARD gym workout beforehand, and was still sore from ice climbing the day before...that's the makings of a pretty good night. If only that little hottie would have realized my extensive charm and wit...

quote: Originally posted by johnny: What freaks me out here...is that almost all the routes 5.9 and harder involve bulges, overhangs or scary roofs of some sort. Even the good 5.7-8 routes pull nastily intimidating roofs that may be straightforward(i.e. jugs) yet quite burly. Welcome to the south buddy! As one old partner used to say "these routes might not be long, but they're long enough!"

Since you're in NC, if you really want to deal with this there are more options than you might think. Arno Ilgner, a longtime southeastern climber who's put up and repeated many desperate trad routes down there runs a course called "Warriors Way" or something like that. It's all about fear/falling/headspace etc. I've never taken any of his clinics, but have spoken with folks who have and all claimed very good results. Personally, I second the idea that clean aid is great for trad climbing. So is climbing alot of mileage. Being able to eyeball a placement and sink it quickly is a big part of the battle on sustained routes.

I've used mine a couple of times and nothing but good things to say so far. My last plastics were Invernos, and although the Alphas don't seem quite as warm, they win on every other count. They're trimmer, lighter, better ankle flex and less shin-bang. Word is that the toungue gusset needs a little redesign...they're using the same "gasket" type closure as on the Invernos, but the softness of the plastic over the top of the foot is either too soft or not wide enough. I've not had any water/snow getting in, but I also haven't walked through a creek in them either. The things I appreciate most is the small profile, makes those invernos seem huge by comparison.

I got it displaying, look up a few posts.

[ 02-04-2002: Message edited by: willstrickland ]

I generally take a pair of cheap $20 coated nylon rain pants on wall routes. It's way light, and with full side zips you get your "breathing". If it's raining the WPB doesnt work for shit anyway, and why spend the bennies on something you'll kick holes in? Wear regular fleece, or whatever pants for breathability and insulation and layer on the nylon shell if it's wet. My set of jacket and pants coated nylon weighs less than my lightweight 3ply G-tex shell by itself, and this is one of the self-proclaimed "ultralight shells". I paid like $35 for the set, and it works fine. Side zips up to at least the mid thigh are crucial for venting and getting them on and off quickly over crampon laden mtn boots. About the only time I use WPB bottoms (and maybe this is because I only have bibs in WPB) is when conditions are very cold and windy. To be honest, I've used my bibs more for snowboarding than climbing and I don't get to ride very often. OTOH, I've worn my schoeller dryskin pants on almost every snow/ice route I've done since I bought them.

quote: Originally posted by Dru: In Canada, those "chain on a bolt with no hangar" things are known as "Barley anchors" because the only one who places them is cheap bastard Robin Barley - that is, when he's not skipping a bolt placement in favor of a 'drilled V-thread' (chipped nut placement) that you supposedly can place a #4 Wild Country Rock in. Weird man. Chipping nut placements? That's about the most contradictory thing I've heard. Maybe the sons of canada can all pitch in and buy the guy some hardware. "Here you cheap f$#&*, quit molesting the rock and leaving shit gear everywhere, use these" Might be the only way to solve the problem, or smash him in the head with a chisel...that'd probably work too.

quote: Originally posted by Lambone: I've seen a few horendous fixed pieces (like ancient rurps and shit)in Yosemite with mystery sling that you wouldn't wanna walk your dog with...but it held fine. Yeah, like that freakin 2 or 3mm ratty ass piece of cord on the fixed rurp on Touchstone, all frayed and bleached, I really thought it'd pop (I wasn't rapping off it) but it hung in there and is still there as far as I know. Lammy's comment about taking one if you leave one is also my own feeling. Having to weed through tons of slings makes analyzing the anchor a pain. Routes like Ancient Art, the Lost Arrow tip, etc always have a shitload of slings in varrying degrees of decay. I once cut six sets of slings off the "sidewalk belay" on ancient art (and if anyone goes to do the LA tip sometime soon, take something to cut that damn cable off the anchor, thing stabbed the shit out of me).

quote: Originally posted by Dru: How about: if you could define one day of ideal climbing - the best climbing day of your life - what would happen on that day? What would you do? With what and with who would you climb? 50 degrees, sunny, calm, not a single person in the Valley except me, my partner Jamie, his SO, and Malia Jones. We arrive at the base of the column pre-dawn and rack up. As the sun crests the horizon we start up Astroman cruising it with no falls in 2 hours. We smoke a bowl of some Dhurban on the summit and base jump back to the valley floor, skillfully riding the currents and landing at the base of the NW face of Half Dome, thereby avoiding the North Dome gully descent and the slabs approach. By now the women are well on their way up the John Muir trail toward the summit of HD with 20yr old single malt, smoked salmon, thai food, a 2ft glass bong, Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout, Boddingtons, and bivy gear. The air temps now hitting 70 we jump on the Reg route and reel it off in a leisurely 6 hours, topping out two hours before sundown. Kicking back, smoking down, and drinking up, we enjoy the pristine silence of an empty Yosemite with our women. A nightful of shaggin (at least me and Malia will be shaggin) and we awake to the rising sun, completing the best day I could possibly ask for.

Granite Gear AlpineLite - $100 if you know where to get it. Check the old threads, there's tons of info from about a month or two ago. About everything you need in a ice pack/alpine day pack and features that make a forced bivy tolerable. Also extremely light.AlpineLite

quote: Originally posted by Wallstein: Will, how the hell did you brake a BD hammer. You are the first person i have ever heard of breaking one If you want to repeat this stunning feat of big wall trickery just do the following: Get on a pitch that leans drastically to your non-dominant hand side. Lean way the hell out there and try placing an angle with your "off" hand. After about eight misplaced blows smacking the handle into the end of the pin (head was glancing off the pin and then the handle took the impact) hear a loud "crack/crunch". Inspect handle to see large chunk of upper handle flopping to the side. Retire hammer to bag and pass remainingg hammer back and forth on the haul line to lead and clean pitches. Pray you don't break the second hammer. BTW, I've got two friends who've both broken hammers, a BD and an old A5. And both of those guys used to work general carpentry/framing! I was just lucky that the whole hammer head didn't go sailin' into the talus.

I had a BD hammer, broke the handle, replaced it and sold the hammer. I had one of those SMiley hammers with a non-wood shaft kinda like an Estwing. The grip sucked and I hated it so I gave it away to a dirtbag Russian in Camp4 who was short on loot (and a hell of a nice guy to boot). I now swing a Kong "Eagle" hammer. Cheaper than the BDs (I think I paid around $65),a little heavier, and I like the head design a little better. This is actually a "Jim Bridwell sig model" hence the "bird/eagle thing". I figure Jim's placed a few pins and knows what belongs in a wall hammer. As for using a carpentry hammer you absolutely could do so, but get one that is fairly hefty, has a square head (for nailing in corners) and preferably does not have a "claw" on the back end. Something resembling a dull pointed back end would be preferable to allow head pasting (a blunt set of chisels and a center punch will work much better though and you'll want them for long stretches of heads anyway). I've looked in quite a few tool stores and the Estwing catalog and never saw anything I'd personally want to take up a wall. If you're only wanting to try out wall climbing and looking to cut costs, there are plenty of ways to do it...like renting a ledge/haulbag/etc instead of buying. Growing to hate a hammer with 12 more pitches of nailing/cleaning ahead of you will not be fun.

This thread reminds me of something my mom used to tell me all the time: "Boy, you'd argue with a signboard with no letters"

never mind guys, I think it wss because E was moving the topic to Spray.

Just FYI admin dudes, the board was kicking back some "error trying to open zero sized thread" stuff when attempting to reply to a posting.

quote: Originally posted by ehmmic: BTW it was Ecuador, Bolivia will have to wait until next time.... Damn, and I think last week I even asked someone what you were climbing in Peru and got corrected. So much for the bong loads not affecting short term memory ehh?!

quote: Originally posted by ehmmic: I guess I'll finally get to live the climbing bum lifestyle I've been aspiring to... Cool! glad Bolivia treated you well. Now as a newbie climbing bum, a little advice. Never, ever sell your wetsuit (assuming you have one), it can mean the difference between feast or famine in those EXTREME dumpster diving situations , or the difference between sitting in the truck/tent in nasty rain being miserable in Zion and blasting some cool slot canyons while the other bums go "man, if I only had a wetsuit". BTW, I rejoin the brother/sisterhood of dirtbag climbing bums in April.