Otto

I like the "many sports within climbing" idea. It reminds me of the great essay, "Games Climbers Play" by Lita Tejada-Flores. By the way, I've got your time beat on The Nose, we did it in four days! Thanks for putting up the good site.

Trip: Static Point - The Granite Jihad Date: 7/12/2007 Trip Report: Climb: Static Point - The Granite Jihad, 5.10a, 2p, FA Date of Climb: 07/12/2007 Trip Report: The previous week, when DavidW and I replaced some bolts on The Pillar, he'd noticed this line. It became the subject of our next visit, when he cruised it placing the bolts on lead. Afterwards, we rapped down Shock Treatment and replaced some more old steel. The Granite Jihad My cresting great grey granite jihad No quest to find a personal god But the pilgrimage was just the same A search for adventure could be one claim Otto on the third pitch of The Pillar route We’d come for work and perverse play High risk mechanics some might say We’d changed old gear for something new And always marveled for the view Dan relaxing at the Pillar belay But now an idea had worked its way That even an old dog could have its day Sweet granite previously viewed with dread Its melody somehow left unsaid David starting on the first pitch of the Jihad I strained and searched for a way to believe That the line of holds would not deceive But rather lead me up from there If only my heart would accept the dare Looking up the first pitch of the Jihad, toward the Great Flake and beyond For this I might need some credits accrued From Allah or Krishna or some bearded dude Who’d show me the way and make me the hold And spare me the pain of being so bold Crossing the Great Flake on the second pitch The new route starts from the top of The Pillar feature, and climbs two pitches before connecting with Lost Charms. The first pitch goes straight up a trough, passing five bolts to a double bolt belay. The second pitch passes a bolt and heads up to the overlap. It goes up past two bolts and some gear opportunites, crosses over the Great Flake, and to a double bolt belay on the Lost Charms direct finish. photography: Dan Dingle and Bill Enger, verse: David Whitelaw

huh?

photo: Bill Enger My rack circa 1988, hanging from the Big Stone at Camp 6. Mostly solid stem Friends, a few TCUs and wired stoppers. That's my pal Wayne Bunker from Portland.

Wow, great effort guys. That's a good read, too, thanks for posting.

Oh yeah, Cairns, that one! What a magnificent layback. chucK, where was your camera that day? U cuddahadda shot like that in your collection!

Good pic of the young-un, RuMR! This could be a great thread, people, if we post up some pictures with 'em. Let's brighten up these grey days of winter; it's what us cubicle dwellers need these days, good daydream material. So c'mon, post up! Possibly the best pitch I followed, this 3rd pitch of Igor Unchained, up the center of the yellow wall, top: Best pitch led was probably the Double Roofs pitch on SEWS, what a wild hang-out over space... but no pics of that one!

Igor Unchained, Needles, CA, Pitch 2 A wide crack connecting two even better pitches. Varied hand jamming, yellow lichen.

It was a big success. Climbed two routes from the Dais Glacier, with good weather the whole time. The trip reports are in the B.C. section here, but they've dumped the photos.

Trip: Mount Stuart - Stuart Glacier Couloir Date: 4/18/2004 Trip Report: I was sorting through a bunch of photos this weekend, and found some from this trip which didn't make it into the original TR. So I thought I'd post up the trip, done in 2004 with Jim Daubert and Jake Larson as a conditioner for a Waddington trip that year. From the basin camp The belay at the base of the constriction The good stuff Otto and madcap Jim's self timer robot composed a nice one Heading toward the rock ridge Photos by Jim Daubert Jim must have been busy brushing snow off the rock, as he stopped taking pictures. The upper West Ridge was pleasantly plastered with it. After summiting, and a round of dueling GPS devices, we descended via the Sherpa Glacier. Approach Notes: via Mountaineer's Creek

A great post, indeed, and of personal resonance as a similar tradition may have started this year for me. My newbie buddy, TJ, was asked by his loving wife what climbing gear he might like for a present. His response was, "Ask Otto..."! I found out soon when I called him up for a gym workout, and she answered and snuck in the question. I directed her to Nelson's shop and advised her what to ask him for...

I went to Red Rocks in February once and got snowed on. We drove over to Arizona and went all the way down to Cochise Stronghold before finding it warm enough to climb. I think it depends on the weather systems that come through, and you can't predict them this far in advance.

Good, modern 3/8" stainless. Funny you should ask, however. David got the anchor chains from Fixe which were billed as powder-coated stainless. Now, four years later, rust is showing through. Check it out. WTF?

Trip: Comb Buttress - Over The Rainbow Date: 10/14/2007 Trip Report: Trying to squeeze in a last good climb of the season, we picked a clearing trend in mid-October and got what we wanted. I couldn't believe I had never been up on The Comb Buttress before, but old habits are changing fast now. Partnering with a grand master will do that. I wanted to do one of the best routes at the crag, and David suggested his route Over The Rainbow. On Sunday morning I tottered up the trail, head heavy like a lead slug, having camped out across the valley with Knob Creek. We'd squandered the first two days misreading the weather and driving all over the state, although we did a couple of nice pitches along the Tieton...! The broken plans for a glorious three day adventure had forced me into the Darrington liquor store for memory reducers. The trail is in fairly good shape, but a huge log at the top required some careful stepping. A slip off that thing would result in a plunge of about 12 feet into broken sticks and the unknown. Finally at the base, the discomfort continued as there is no flat place, but who could complain with the golden leaves all around and the air warming up? The first of the three pitches is on knobs, and begins with two sloping ramps where I found the crux to be. Stepping up high on one knob, reaching far right with the other foot and pulling hard over with one hand, stick that foot! Then clean, white granite in little waves. David led the second pitch of interesting reaches for more knobs. I admired the orange and yellow forest, wondered and worried a bit about the crack above. It was good to get the fingers into something. It never gets very strenuous as the slab beside the crack is covered with good bumps and not so steep. photos by David Whitelaw There is so much good rock up here on The Comb. We walked along the base all the way over to Tongue in Cheek. With David providing commentary, I gathered intentions along the way. I'd exclaim, "Wow, look at that cool crack!" and he'd say, "That was done by Don Brooks in 1973...". Or, "This abortion was performed by ___ ". Like climbing with a walking guidebook. There is a lot more to Darrington than Three O'Clock and Dreamer and Exfo Dome. People looking for an adventurous day should head up to Comb Buttress once in a while. Here's hoping the coming winter won't be too hard on the road below. Gear Notes: Draws, nuts, a couple of cams around 2", and TCUs. Approach Notes: The trailhead is easy to find, there is a small wooden grating-like bridge over the ditch.

Well, I've only been there this once. It sure was nice in September, hot in the sun and perfect in the shade. So I'd guess mid-summer would be too hot for this Northwesterner. Late spring would probably be good, as soon as the snow is gone.

New Paltz, NY It's very pretty there, very green with deciduous forest. College town, no doubt a lot going on culturally. And it has a good poolroom.

ChucK, he might not gather your sarcasm, either. Interweb as Thunderdome, I love it!

Trip: North Dome - Crest Jewel Date: 9/13/2007 Trip Report: Ode to Crest Jewel The forest stroll from Porcupine Creek Allowed our stoke to slowly peak Anticipating a lucky streak Up the graceful curve of North Dome Big John took the first pitch there Which left the evens as my share With the dreaded Eighth, a .10a affair On the slippery stone of North Dome The scoops and dishes fit our toes Over not an edge did our fingers close I looked down the Valley at the Captain's nose From the high, hot rock of North Dome We quickly learned a lesson there To stay off the slippery orange glare Rather step upon the white patches where We delicately trod on North Dome 'Twas hot and sunny, but a cooling breeze Kept our heated soles at ease As we smeared and scummed and prayed, if you please, Up the proud broad sweep of North Dome And by the Eighth we'd got in tune With the nature of this holdless spoon As it flowed on past, I knew that soon We'd be up the wide South face of North Dome This white and black and orange world Held me in thrall til my vision whirled I looked over and saw, like a canvas unfurled, The stark expanse of Half Dome So here's to Dan Dingle, a Cascade son Whose first ascent was boldly won A Crest Jewel was mined, and shared, for fun On the fair, clean slope of North Dome photos by John Medosch

Wow! Yeah, I'd like to see that. Mine would have held if I could get it in deeper. Unless the flake opened up...

Trip: Lembert Dome - Cry in Time Again Date: 9/11/2007 Trip Report: Mesdosch and I got to Tuolumne in the afternoon, having driven in comfort and style after the luxury of a hot shower in a fine hotel. We immediately climbed a middling route on Medlicott Dome called The Middling. We must have been overamped, as John took a middling fall off the first pitch. Happily, he regrouped and scummed up the mighty 5.7 and we made it to the top. No pictures of that one, sorry. We retired to set up camp in Porcupine Flat. Next day we moved up to Lembert Dome and got on Cry In Time Again. Things started out well enough. I led the first pitch of slab, shaking the nervous willies loose. We were definitely on-route for most of the second pitch. But partner ended up too far left at an anchor not on my mental picture of the topo. As I led up the third pitch I spied some nice old bolts with those foldy looking stamped hangers. They were even further to the left, two of them. I clipped them, figured I was way off-route, and started some 5.10 traversing rightward. Plugged in my smallest TCU vertically in a flaring rotten flake. Moved up eight feet, tried to switch feet, and crumbled a nubbin underfoot. I went flying down, yelling "Help! uh, Falling!". Ripped out the TCU and held up, some time later, on the fine old 5/16" with a Leeper hanger. This piece took some weight before it pulled: I don't care what anybody says, I love Leeper hangers! Estimated 30' fall, took awhile to shake it off. Ended upside-down with head in arms, having watched the ledge rush up. Assessed the heel bruise and skin loss. Partner calmly handed me my glasses. I gathered the other fallen gear which had ripped off a broken gear loop and set off. With steely resolve, I made the moves back to the flake and set the next size cam in a slightly better spot. Then across the same knobs, this time with less faulty technique. Back on route, hoorah! Later we found out the two old bolts were on the third pitch of the next route to the left, Motivated by Food, 5.10a. The 00 Metolius did its job well. Now the axle has taken on a pleasing arc. However, it's cams won't move. Having lived a short but fulfilling life, the happy retiree rests in a box in the basement.

As my teenage son says, "Tight".

Kyle, you're right. I used it twice recently, and it was indeed lazy of me. I try to take a sober, didactic tone on TRs because it's hard enough just getting the thing put together, with some true information, and with the photos and all. Sometimes I get tired, and I let some chatty, cliche stylings slip in. I will try to be more vigilant.

What is the WPD crew? I'm not up on current pop music, if that's what it is...

Another good one is Absinthe of Mallet on Sheepshead. Varied climbing on clean rock, nice and long, less than 5.11, super fun. You might even find some quarter inch bolts.

Ah, I see you are right, "jmclimber" is from his email address, oh well. Yes, it was good to get out on a road trip again. We had a blast. Next installments are from Tuolumne...