matt_warfield

I just wonder if anyone has witnessed a bear doing Midnight Lightning while hanging out in Camp 4.

I have witnessed a backclip unclipping- it is scary and a real danger for sport climbers. Of course Raindawg and pope and others have their own solution: don't clip bolts! But trad has its own dangers... It is all "good" as long as we all practice due diligence in the part of climbing we like best. The best backclip is the one having the most fun, right Gspotter? And BTW, the hair doesn't go all the way to the back first but pauses to make a deposit in ears and nostrils.

Simpler anchors? This was quite simple, fox. Maybe you and Matt_warfield could come up with an AMGA certified anchor pic and demonstrate to the rest of us the err of my ways, not that you're diagram wasn't pretty. If so many disagree with my set-up then post a pic with one that is more acceptable... In that spot I made the best with what I had and what I had worked out really well. Besides, if it was a choice between what I set up and nothing I'd definitely do it again! I am not trying to say your anchor was bad as results vary anchor by anchor but was just trying to say that anybody that needs help building a good one can benefit from professional or highly experienced advice. Peace. And sometimes the anchors are built before dawn in the dark in lightning territory. But I won't quibble with the fox because he could get in the henhouse. Matt

Of course geoff is being a smartass but in all due sincerity, if an unsure rock climber spends one day with an AMGA certified guide they will get the real scoop on anchors and protection from someone that has gone through extensive training and testing in the daylight and at night. It will cost a few bucks but could save your life sometime. But everyone posting here is still alive (I assume) which is a blessing whether through skill or luck.

The best route at X38 is the one having the most fun. In this case, mountainsloth got it right: it's "Endless Bliss" - a 40m, 5.9- slab route at the Far Side area, "Gun Show" crag. I concur. Lots of people make fun of it because of all the bolts but Leland created a route that gets a lot of use. It gets climbed a lot more often than something like Bachar-Yerian. Not all climbers want to be in peril but just want to have fun.

This is a great post Rob. Climbing carries great risk in these situations but it is a choice that all are welcome to make for the reasons you state. One could easily die in a car instead or have cancer. Jonny and Micah are two of the most adventurous alpinists around and should be celebrated ala Alex Lowe who suffered a similar demise. Shit, hell, damn avalanches and unstable snow and/or ice. Be careful out there.

If you have any doubts about your anchor or piece placing abilities, spend one day at least with an AMGA certified guide and you will learn a great plenty. It is more expensive than a book but worth the price in my opinion.

Bret is a cool guy (who despite grammar and spelling can probably outclimb 99% of the people on this site) and it is extremely common to leave fixed draws on hard sport routes. Porn Star is far from the most popular climb at 32 at 5.13d and I'll bet Michael Orr had his draws hanging on the FA as well as Kubiak on Whores of Babylon. And see how many times Chris Sharma has placed his own draws when he is on 5.15a (even though he skips some). You can always disagree, but in hard sport climbing, the draws are most often in place and I agree with Bret that it is bad form to take them. Take a look at Smith sometime- fixed draws all over the place on the hard stuff.

The JT route in the magazines was Illusion Dweller (10b) I think and when interviewed Stim said it was so hard he didn't want to do anything more at that level (JT trad at least). I competed against him once in the Masters division at the Redmond VW and the crafty bastard beat me despite a 30+ year age difference. He was really good at assessing climbs from the bottom that suited his style while I just threw myself at everything and failed at many. A humbling experience for me but his climbing tenacity into his later years was very inspiring.

Thanks pindude. No problems here. Best regards for Bug's recovery.

Bug, I defer to the expert. I have just had about a dozen that were dug in and apparently didn't have the proper delicate technique to avoid leaving the head in - therefore the need to cut it out. Thanks for the treatise and congrats on getting the extraction. I wasn't trying to create a tempest in a teapot but just relate my experience and hadn't checked out the previous threads so thanks for the links. I hope you have fun with the Vicadin. Peace back and I now understand more about your choice of user name.

Ah, what bullshit. Just take your thumb and forefinger and pull the little effin' sucker straight off! And, no, you don't need olive oil, although if your folks, Bug, had used that instead of fire, you wouldn't be talking out of your... Do we have to have this discussion every year? 2007 2008 Sure, except for the head that is usually left inside without a little cutting. That is all I was saying. Peace. And we do have multiple discussions every year that are redundant on just about everything.

When I was a kid I got one embedded on my scrotum. They love that kind of tissue and it was a major effort to get it out without losing some modesty. I have never been successful at getting them to back out on their own using heat, alcohol, etc. It always involves "surgery" as they get their heads engorged with blood and are literally unable to back out. My mother recommended alcohol to get the tick off, so I went and got my father's bourbon bottle (instead of rubbing alcohol because I was a dumb shit) and poured some on. Not recommended but I am sure the tick got a good buzz while staying dug in. In tick country and in season, if you don't keep moving, there will be blood.

It is drinkability is what the media has told me.

Vomit Launch has serious potential for danger at the start. A 50 foot fall from high up is nothing like grounding onto a bad landing.

I was going to say no way because it is January. But then I checked the weather and found out that conditions are good. If you stand around in the parking lot something good happens usually. But you are hopefully on the rock as I write.

Get tricky and get him in an offwidth or something not intuitive for kids. You can get the upper hand again at least temporarily. Maybe a cold bivouac or alpine start or no breakfast. Seize control while you can. All kidding aside, I saw him climb and he is good!

Don't worry, Rudy. Train hard over winter and you'll get that 5.8 proj next year for sure.

For alpine rock, the Sierras are close with infinite opportunity. For rock, 200 mi. south is Bishop, with world class bouldering and cragging. I'm sure there are other areas closer to Reno as well (e.g. Donner Summit) but I'm not that familiar with them.

Northcutt-Carter on Hallett should be removed due to the massive rockfall on the route a few years back that made it unstable and much harder. It should be replaced by Culp-Bossier on Hallett or something in Squamish. My list is paltry: Stuart N. Ridge Petit Grepon S. Face Diamond via Casual Route But I sure as hell enjoyed all three!

Also from the Eiger Sanction (after topping out a sandstone spire): Kennedy: How about a beer? Eastwood: Who the hell would bring beer up here? Kennedy: You did- I put it in your pack!

knickers, painter's pants, placing pro in the pre-cam era, heavy wool sweaters, learning to rappel on 3/8" Goldline, 120 foot ropes, 5 pound a pair hiking boots, Sticht plate, swami belt then Whillans sit harness, Galibier Royal Robbins rock shoes (pre-EBs).

The Split Pillar at Squamish. Ever since I saw it on the cover of Mountain magazine in the 80's I dreamed of climbing it. A more beautiful pitch is hard to find.

The Casual Route is 10a- all other free routes are at least a number grade harder. But at that altitude, the consensus is that grades feel a number grade harder than at sea level. The Diamond is a remote alpine wall with regular thunderstorm activity in most afternoons in summer so a crack of dawn start on the route is prudent to be off around noon. The climbing and setting is amazing. I would recommend some less committing climbs in RMNP first to get a feel for things. Get a guidebook and read up.

Was just in Bishop and watched Bachar (50ish and on the heels of recovery from his bad auto accident) soloing up to at least 10b. He's just adjusted his top end to suit his current age and condition but is still getting it done in complete control.