Sir_Donald

Summit registers tell a story of nasty approaches, scary leads and sweat filled dirt grovels, and should remain atop the climbs as a testamony to our efforts. Once, after getting to the top of Castelton Tower in Utah, we read that the late Derek Hersey had been there just the day before, solo of course. It put us in a different mind frame about the climb, making it a little more special, and we penned in our story of the day. Leave em' be.

Yes yes - And this shall be there downfall

Anyone remember Reebok Climbing Slippers? For a while I think old Todd Skinner himself was the big rep - pushed em hard at all his slide shows and trade shoes. I picked up these for $25 new - at IME in Salt Lake. These things were like the old UFO's from 5.10 but they fell apart within 3 months. Word is out now that Solomon is releasing it's climbing shoe designs over in Europe. IMO - the big shoe companies - Nike, Reebok, and now Solomon - don't have any business in a niche market like rock climbing - they will dip their toes in - and get right back out. It will be interesting to see what Solomon comes up with though. l8tr

DFA - How bout - Dark Lord 13B Runout crux Spray courtesy Dan Osman - (RIP)

While surfing the Smith Rock board the other day, what did my wondering eyes gaze upon but the very recipe for HELL FIRE and damnation. Behold - the true nature of the DFA. ************************************************** Posted by Dr. Flash Amazing on May 17, 19102 at 11:19:05: In Reply to: chipped&drilled posted by curious on May 16, 19102 at 17:05:50: Many of Smith's routes harder than around .12c are manufactured in some fairly tangible way (i.e. blatant pocket chipping/drilling, not just cleaning-related stuff). But this holds true at many, if not most climbing areas around the country. It varies by route, though, and it's by no means a phenomenon that occurs on every hard route. There are routes like Bongo Fury, which basically would not exist at all and half the route is drilled pockets, or the Burl Master which is, to quote one A. Watts, "held together with a gallon of glue." Then there are routes like Churning or Kings of Rap that have drilled pockets linking natural features together, which is more common. And then there's Rude Boys (and hopefully a couple others), that are completely unmanufactured. Chipping is, unfortunately, a common (some would argue necessary) feature of difficult routes, as there are frequently sections of blank rock between sections of holds, so the chipping allows one to free the moves between natural features, rather than breaking out the aiders. Some call chipped holds "aid," but you still have to pull down. "Artificial free," perhaps? Essentially, if not for the chipping, the quantity of hard routes would be drastically smaller, and 5.13 would probably still be the limit of hard climbing. Now, Dr. Flash Amazing's watch says that it's about time for some people to get really mad about chipping and begin hurling invectives, as is the natural way of things. Back to work, Dr. Flash "artificial free" Amazing ************************************************* Let the FLAMES begin - lol

You've gotta do Skyline while down there, and there are also some good sport lines on that crag as well - just to the right is a 10b or c - 60' - fun climb - but the really odd sporto climb is shown in the picture there - 11c roof pull to the left of Skyline - you can see someone on it. The first time I got on it - when I got up to the overhanging flake/roof and leaned back on it ( it's big and bomber) the whole thing flexed out about 4 inches - it is completely glued on - tons of glue poured back in behind it, kinda weird - but it was a weird time back in the day it went in - all in all though a great climb. Enjoy it down there - go climb hard.

As sad as it is to say, one of my favorite routes in the Bugs had bolts all over it, McTech arete, and I have done all the classic trad climbs there I could handle/ I enjoyed the setting, the rock, the movement, and wouldn't change those memories for the world. As an aside, have any of ya'll ever been on bloody fingers - 10A in the city of rocks, twenty feet to the right is a beautiful piece of face climbing put up by Jeff Lowe called New Toy. total of two bolts in 80 feet. Nobody climbs it - nobody, and why - it is too damn dangerous and a fall will kill ya, so I ask - has the first ascensionist done the climbing world justice - what gives him the right to dictate the "off limits - unless you have a death wish" mentality? Unfair and sad - on public land and a scarce resource as it is - and totally selfish IMHO - but who am I to say it....