Sol

Nice. That's too bad someone removed those drilled angles from the last pitch of fast draw, it was scary even with them.

could be a free version of that old aid route on the left side of the face. we drooled over the possibilites when we were up there. don't have a beckey guide around but something like midnight ride?

whoa.

I think its the hitchiker. newer route on that face.

i'd put der sportsmen on prusik peak on that list.

sick!

You guys kick ass! I'm friends with the guy who broke both his ankles up there a few years back when both his handholds broke, he'll be stoked to hear about this.

I'm with Eric on this one. Seen my bouldering grades shoot up from V3/4 to V7 in the last year with the majority of the gains coming from less empahsis on trad and starting to really strengthen my fingers. Which conicidently has made trad climbing much easier and more enjoyable. Of course living on the icicle has helped the bouldering too... What has worked for me: Dropped lifting weights almost completely, use them now maybe once a month to strengthen my shoulders, and one-arm lat pulls, rows. Weighted fingerboard hangs 2X week. Campus 1x a week. Bouldering 3-5 days a week. Routes at least once a week. Weighted dips and pull-ups, 3 sets, max 6 reps per set, 1x week. Core: push-ups, leg lifts, planche progressions, lever progressions, hanging knee twist raises, weighted ball crunches, ball twists. Try to fit in 3x week but it does not always happen. Also for the first time ever i've been watching what i eat, run 45 min 4x a week, and have lost some weight. Sure does feel good to feel light. Spent the winter bouldering on a wickedly steep 40-45 degree small woody, which always provides a good smack down. I think the mountain athlete program could build up a good base climbing fitness, but it just doesn't focus enough on movement. I think endurance is best worked while pumped out of your mind trying to clip the chains, and if you work the power the endurance will come. Would be really interested to hear how other folks train.

folks also skin up herman and drop down the backside, which is a pretty fun line.

shitty compact rock, lots of dirt, lichen, and vegetation.

Having been 600 feet or so up steinbok it's hard to beleive there is anything classic up there.

rad shot looking down stoneman!

I don't really see any major discrepancies between the styles, but it seems like you can get shut down on those faces if you miss a single foothold or fuk up the sequence...

Examples?

E Face, Gunsight Dragons of Eden, Dragontail Clean Break, Juno Tower Heaven's Gate, UTW Index W Face, Colchuck Balanced Rock Runner up's: Der Sportsmen, Prusik Pk. Springbok Arete, Les Cornes DHLA, UTW Index Megeladon Ridge, Mt. Goode Complete N Ridge, Mt. Stuart I can't be the only one that was completely unimpressed with the NE Buttress of Sleese...

i think vantage kicks ass! i try to avoid the sunshine wall as much as I can, seems like the best climbs and the best rock are elsewhere. i tried to call it frenchmen's coulee for a while but it was too hard.

hahahah....wait, you are serious. What about a free solo crag only? No gear can be used....it might scratch the rock. http://www.mountainproject.com/v/michigan/grand_ledge/105934381

is that the original route? heard that its been recently cleaned as is quality. mr granite?

I agree, that last pitch can be pretty tricky...

i prefer the green dragon over town crier, there's also dana's arch up there as well (not much penji-ing going on on any of those). also up there is abraxas and the golden arch. on the lower town wall p1 of Narrow arrow and NAD are good, as are TPMV, iron horse, etc. nearly all of these (maybe not golden arch) have gone clean so leave the pins at home. if it is dry enough to free climb be warned that its poor style to be the aid gumby clogging up the classic free climbs on the ltw and prepare for slander.

it's on the white fang, near non-wall. p. 150 of the newer ltown guide: 4p 5.10 "this steep climb on impeccable stone is climaxed by an airy hand crack through a roof on the last pitch"

Anybody ever climb Dandroof?

yeah, we've been starting to pull them off the critters.

i would like to help in any way that i can.

The DHLA, Green Dragon, and Town Crier link-up is a great way to train and should definetly be part of your regimen but will not get you the rope and hauling skills that so often slow down and shut down parties on the big stone. Really learn what you need to bring up the big stone. Don't beleive the hype,after 3-5 days of serious work, every ounce counts, and it will be so much easier without sorting through a big bag of bullshit. Pack for the wall then bring half the food and double the water. Get your pig docking and un-docking skills dialed (old yates adj. daisy back-up with 6 or 7 mil 30-50 ft docking ninja cord for munter mule, use for your lower outs, cleaner keeps a hold of the line to help the bag along on possible problematic pitches). Ditch the etriers and get ladders, use only one set. Yates Adjustable Wall daisies for the leader. Learn to lead efficiently in blocks (short-fix, when to re-fuel, what blocks work for your team, specialize: free climber aid climber, off-width climber face climber, morning stoke night stoke). Get your penji's honed. Get top-stepping dialed to where you do it a couple times a pitch at least. Try a yosemite speed ring. Quit yer aiding and free that shit (learn how to transfer from fee to aid and vice-versa quickly and efficiently). Cam hookery. Learn what runout 5.9+ squeeze in the valley is all about (i.e. go to the valley and climb runout 5.9+ squeeze). Have fun, work hard, and don't kid yourself, you don't have to bail on the captain the first few attempts, you have to be ready. Do some smaller walls, you should know when the time has come to bite off the big one. Good luck!