matt_warfield

Hollow Flake didn't look very hard for Tommy Caldwell in the "Big Stone" video. He did mention some of the issues: it's going to be runout or have serious rope drag.

Maybe this poster's request for no "VSC" partners in another section can be related.

I just found that web site referred to earlier and it's definitely worth a look. It's very funny and has some good stuff including an ass-hand stack and pictures of injuries. The guy got his RP and then went back the next day and did it again for pictures! He's skinny too and couldn't get clear in for much of the crack. Cameron must be tiny to have gotten in. Go get it RuMR!

Anyway inacan, all this discussion doesn't help you in your quest. Good luck finding a big piece or two and sending Pipeline. We need pics and a TR as that is as close as most of us will ever get to that climb!

Are you sure you want to be saying that on this site I think it is a requirement for posting on this site!

Good points RuMR- lots of wide stuff got done in the old school way (i.e. little pro) and routes like Twilight Zone at Yos and Crack of Fear in CO and stuff at Veadouwoo were stout tests also. And fingers of steel trained at the gym won't help with those hand stacks and chicken wings!

But still, he probably didn't know how it was going to go down when he started. I would like to know about the motivation- girlfriend breakup, job loss, pissed off, manic-depressive Yabo style, or just plain motivation. Who's got the scoop? It was Greg Cameron right?

Yes, imagine the mental state on that one- free solo free ascent of a stout (and unknown) off-width. There must be a good story about that one. But the advantage is.....no "worries" about placing gear!

I agree with DFA. Dosage 1 is killer due to the FA footage of Sharma. Just think of the raw persistence from Josh Lowell to film EVERY redpoint attempt to make sure he got the actual redpoint. Front Range Freaks is great. And Scary Faces for the great interviews of folks who have whipped on Jules Verne and the footage of the late Cameron Tague working and whipping on spicy trad in Eldorado. And Dan Osman in the Masters series. I guess I like lots of videos.....

In the spirit of diplomacy, I suggest you send glassgowkiss to the host to explain the importance of the missing material.

No, I hear you, Matt. I didn't mean to imply everyone climbing on Saturday is a deadbeat. Best bet is to fake a french accent, though. "I travel across de ocean to climb here. I sink I weel warm up on... how you say... 'five liter buckets'?" Except if you're French at Smith, it might be a warmup on Heinous Cling! Anyways, taking care of a crag is a great thing and I hope everybody has a great time at the Thing and gets some good work done and

Not everybody climbing on the Spring Thing day are scoundrels. Everybody should give back to the crags they frequent, but people who don't know about this event or only climb a few days a year at Smith may not deserve dirty looks and pointed remarks from those working. But Spring Thing is a good thing and hats off to all participating.

Here's my take on the rating. Traverse pitch start is 5.9 (RH layback) or 5.8 (LH crack) and traverse itself is 5.9 to start and then easier. As has been reported, take care to avoid rope drag. Next pitch is widely reported as easy but actually is runout 5.6 to 5.8 at the pedestal. First crack pitch is not hard. Second crack pitch starts with a bulge and I think has the hardest moves of the climb at 5.9. One can avoid the start by climbing left in the corner or right on knobs but don't bother as pro is great and moves are sweet on the crack. All 5.9 is short and well protected. The route is long and can be crowded so have multipitch tactics down. And the real crux for some is the descent: make sure you have some energy and light left for it. This route is a classic- go get it!

I was in denial about the rest time it takes to heal tendon problems. They are poorly vascularized and take much longer to heal than muscles. I started with a week of rest, then a month, and then much more (from climbing) but the problem with wrist tendons is that you are using them in regular life all the time even if you aren't doing what injured them. In the end I spent over a year doing minimal climbing and also making adjustments in regular life as feasible and saw slow but steady progress. The important thing is to be very patient because the condition probably crept up slowly and will need to heal slowly. The final phase of recovery came from a hand/wrist specialty clinic where they distinguish between tendonitis (an injury that is inflamed and can be healed) and tendonosis (a poorly healed tendon that isn't working well and may not change). They have different treatment options. Find out about hand/wrist clinics because they see it all and a lot of it is sports related. They can treat or refer. Good luck to your friend. In my case I use a computer and climb. Climbing is fun while computers pay well but otherwise

How did you hurt it- climbing, computer use, repetitive motion, other? Do you have any nerve symptoms a la carpal tunnel syndrome? Be careful- I was shut down climbing for about two years by not fixing problems created by computer use and climbing in the beginning. Unfortunately I am not familiar with options in Portland.

Nice pic. Do you happen to have one extending farther north?

All of the older guides are hopelessly out of date and I am not aware of any select guides that cover it. It's a good book and worth the money.

I can't recall the reference to the old rope study but even without one, how do we know the number of years an unused but aging rope will still pass the UIAA test: 5,8,12, ? Nylon ages so there is a number. And the rope must pass on all counts: number of drops plus elongation.

A few years ago, ropes over 5 years old were tested and NONE of them passed the drop test, regardless of use history (I think they even tested unused ropes). Best to retire those older ropes.

I'm disappointed.....I thought this was going to be a trip report.

Take a Mounties Intro Class, regardless of your experience. Spend a mandatory year in Florida with no travel allowed. Wear shorts over polypro on a 5.12 or up at Smith. Fall over an overhang when climbing with Simon Yates. Retrobolt or chip some Dane Burns routes. Claim that Classic Crack in Leavenworth is harder than 5.8. Say "that new testpiece at Smith can't be 14b cuz it was done by a chick" in the presence of Tommy Caldwell. Introduce your girlfriend to Fred Beckey. Start a thread on cc.com called: "I love the Northwest Forest Pass and the Enchantment permit system."

"killer weather" is about to end for the weekend: Sunday: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers. Highs in the mid 40s.

Current forecast is showers on Sat., cloudy on Sunday and temps in the upper 40's. The middle of this week, including today, would have been best. As usual, good weather doesn't always line up with the weekend.

While I was there I scouted around and concur with Dru 100%. Things have been climbed but it's crappy rock for the most part- flaky and scaly. Better to climb elsewhere and go to Cabo for water, sun, skin, and booze.

I believe there was an article in one of the climbing mags about rock climbing in S. Korea. The article also mentioned crowded conditions and much unsafe practice and may be worth chasing down.