Rad
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Posts posted by Rad
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We need a graemlin for the someone playing the world's smallest violin.
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Carabiners and a rope will only help you if you have solid crevasse rescue skills.
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So 4th class rock likely has small trees or good rock flakes on it. Bring an 8mm dynamic rope, hopefully something short like 30 meters long. Tie into one end of it. At the base of a stretch of rock you want to self-belay tie a sling around a solid anchor (tree,flake,nut,piton). Pass your rope through the sling and tie into it with a clovehitch on a biner maybe 20' from the end you tied directly into your harness. Now you can climb 10' before the loop of rope comes tight against the anchor. Now tie several clovehitches on seperate biners with about 20' of slack between each one. Now you can....
climb 10' and undo the first knot.
climb another 10' and undo the second knot
climb another 10' and undo the last knot
Interesting. So if you climb 10m and don't place pro after the anchor you're looking at a 20m fall on 20m of rope (a factor 1 fall)? In that case the stout tree is starting to sound a lot better than the piton or single nut anchor.
Placing slings or pro along the way could reduce the fall length by a lot, but then you'd have to leave that pro behind...
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Calm, focused, and deliberate is good advice. Sounds like Peter Croft. Sometimes one wants a little more security...
On a few occasions getting to or from a technical climb I have come to a move I hesitated to free solo. At those times I had the rack with me so I clipped a long sling to my harness, placed a piece above me (when going up, have done this downclimbing too) to protect the move and cleaned it after making the move. If you have more than one move you could place a piece, move up, place the 2nd piece, clean the first, move up, clean the 2nd etc.
This quick and dirty system is just what I improvised at the time. It may not work in many situations, and I'd not recommend doing it for more than a few moves.
Disadvantages: you're trusting yourself to one piece at a time. Best for short sections with good pro options.
Pros: safer than free solo and faster than dealing with a rope.
Sometimes safer/less exposed alternate routes can be found nearby so keep your eyes open. Turning around is sometimes the best option, even if it can be hard to make yourself do it.
Good luck and use your head.
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Plan of action.
First, please remember:
A - Someone died in this race. Treading respectfully will be important.
B - The Seattletimes (and possibly national news services) ran an article that mentioned the race and the death. Thus, there is already media interest in this event. The pump has been primed, if you will.
This means that the race organizers have already been scrutinzed by the media and have probably implemented some program to deal with public relations.
I think there are many good suggestions in the thread above.
Based on those here is the course of action I recommend:
1 - Collect photos etc to document damage. Make sure to include non-cliff areas where damage may have ocurred.
2 - Contact the race organizers first in a respectful manner inquiring when and how they intend to complete their clean-up and removal of bolts etc. We hope they will 'do the right thing'.
3 - If that doesn't work contact the Forest service to notify them of our 'concerns', and suggest we hope the race organizers will 'do the right thing'.
4 - If these don't work then contact the media (Seattletimes for a start), describe the damage, and suggest that we all hope that the race organizers will 'do the right thing'.
5 - Get attorneys to put together a complaint in the event they failed to 'do the right thing'.
6 - Go watch a Spike Lee movie called....
Seriously, it's now time to put words into action. I would volunteer to write letters as necessary, or help edit them, when appropriate. Interested parties pm me to coordinate.
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Sunshine crack.
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We never really own pink tricams.
They inhabit our racks and then move on when they feel the urge to hit the road.
Over the years I've had one to three on my rack.
I've only ever purchased one, and it ditched me long ago.
Long live the pink!
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Blue tricams, on the otherhand, are largely useless and entirely sedentary, preferring to lounge in the bottom of an old pack, unused.
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When in France...
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The approach for Moby Grape and VMC direct direct is straightforward. Hike on well-maintained trail a short distance (check guide for more detailed info) and then ascend steeply up talus to the base of the wall. Time will depend on your physical condition. Perhaps 30-60 minutes?
Reppy's crack is easy to spot, and the VMC roofs are quite prominent as well. Look at guidebook photos to guide you.
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Cannon cliff has a wonderful alpine feel despite the highway running up the bottom of the canyon. Access is easy, walkoff the top. I don't recall the guidebook, but the one I have is undoubtedly out of date anyway. All of these routes will be in a guide:
Routes:
Whitney Gilman ridge. 5 pitches. 5.7 Good views, fun position. Pretty casual.
Moby Grape. 5.8, about 8 pitches. Excellent quality and variety on this route. Climb Reppy's crack as a variation start. Finger of fate pitch is probably unlike anything you've climbed before. Very fun.
VMC Direct direct. 11b, 9 pitches. I have not done this one, alas, but it gets great ratings and press.
One useful link: http://6degrees.com/~travis/Climbing/Cannon.htm
Note: rockfall on the cliff sheared off the 'old man of the mountains' and may have taken out some routes (not the ones I've mentioned) in the process.
Not sure about free camping as those things change over time. It may be peak foliage season which means there will be oodles of bumblies ogling foliage.
Have a great trip.
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Assuming the highest 'wild' scores will be from places with minimal human impact and travel, I propose the following hypothesis:
1 - The 'Wild' factor is directly proportional to the difficulty of gaining access. Lack of roads or trailheads nearby will deter many. Long, hard bushwhacks will deter most others.
2 - The higher the perceived rewards, the more suffering people are willing to endure on the approach. What if you had to bushwhack for two days straight to get to Das Toof? What if Terror peak had a road running to its base as Index does? What if the most remote and 'wild' place was a swamp infested with tons of mosquitoes and had little or no value to climbers, hikers, hunters, or campers? It probably stands a better chance of staying wild than do the Pickets, right?
Lauding great wilderness areas might increase the numbers of people who perceive a high reward, but it may not increase traffic if the access difficulties still deter most folks from going. How many people do you know who talk about climbing Challenger, Luna, Terror, Bear or other remote peaks but have never gone?
I see no reason to curtail discussion of 'wild' places, particularly if heightened awareness might encourage those who go to do so in an environmentally sensitive manner, and leave no trace of their passing.
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Tiblocs work just fine, and since it's not your rope, I wouldn't stress about damage to it, particularly if they have you on belay. They are cheap and super light.
Anyway, if you die then you can sue. That's the american way.
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On moderate terrain where you're comfortable simul-climbing then s t r e t c h i t o u t.
On steeper rock where I'm not comfortable simul climbing then I find it's usually better to stop at the belay. Going farther often results in extra time spent trying to find gear placements or a comfy stance. Downclimbing takes even more time.
Some pitches are short because ropedrag, sharp flakes, vegetation, or some other item would make extending them dangerous or annoying. Other belays are pre-determined by where the 1st ascentionists put their manky bolts.
If the climb was put up with a 50m rope it may be best to climb with that. A longer rope will tempt you into climbing farther on each pitch than is optimal (see above), will tangle around you if you do stop short, and is heavier anyway.
Finally, speed is not everything.
Don't forget to smell the guano and admire the advancing storm clouds!
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You might consider renting gear a few times to try it out to see if you like the sport.
In the process you can test out different gear and get some knowledgeable folks to advise you in gear selections.
Have fun
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Is that photo from Disco park?
The rangers might be a little tweaked when they see their sensitive snafflehound cliff habitat suffer an ice-tool-mediated rototilling.
Private land? Better hope the owner is out of ammo for his NRA-certified assault rifle.
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Amazing photos, Ben. Very helpful.
I'll definitely put this route high on the list. The lower part looks a little like N Ridge of Stuart but with easier climbing.
Thanks
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RICE:
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation.
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If you want to see TRs here don't drive away the posters with a littany of flames.
If you don't want any scrutiny at all then don't post TRs. Simple enough.
I like the suggestion that each one of us should take responsibility for our own actions and accept the consequences.
The corollary to that is that we should keep our noses out of someone else's personal choices! Boots, sandals, tevas, barefoot...what does it really matter?
In my opinion, the only time to interject is if these choices endanger others who could not or did not participate in the decision process (like rapping with your helmetless newbie partner down a gully full of loose blocks), or if they will reflect badly on the whole climbing community (this is a tough call though).
Many of us push the envelope one way or another. How else would we grow as climbers?
So...at risk of scrutiny here is my own report of Backbone ridge Dragontail in 2003:
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Last summer a certain monkey avatar poster, an inspired climber, suggested a one day outing, something casual. I said great. He suggested Backbone ridge on Dragontail. I'd looked at the face several times, drooling, but never been on it. Long, free apine rock is what I love best and this route is a true gem. I said wow, great, let's do it!
We crashed at the trailhead, woke up pre-dawn, hiked (in my boots) to Colchuck Lake and up the lower talus slopes.
There was a tongue of hard snow (30-35 degrees?) to cross between the talus and the rock. Monkey got out his nut tool (to arrest a fall) and hiked right across in his approach (non-boot) shoes. No sweat.
Without my axe (intentionally left behind for weight purposes) I am much more tentative on steep snow than Mr. Monkey, who had disappeared around the corner of the buttress. I did, however, have my Makalus which kick ass, so I kicked steps across. Slow but effective. I'm not sure my nut tool could have arrested a fall to the talus below. I made it across to the buttress and scrambled onto it after Monkey.
On the buttress we scrambled up the the base of the first technical pitch where we roped up and put on our helmets (how dorky). We leapfrogged until the crux OW, where Monkey got to work. The #5 camalot was perfect. I followed quickly and cleanly (because you can chimney and stem pretty well there too) and off we went.
Pitches rolled by on a gorgeous day. No other parties on the entire wall that we could see. I led the Fin direct pitches (linked them w/our long rope, actually). Monkey finished off the Fin and soon we were hiking the easy terrain to the summit. We stopped to eat at the end of the technical climbing just below the summit.
We were both dialed in and everything went smoothly. We snapped some shots of Stuart, chatted with scramblers who'd come up from the other side, and headed down. Monkey knew exactly where to go, he'd done this route 2 other times in the past year.
The glacier was just soft enough for us to cruise down it with relatively little slipping (except our intentional boot skiing). I have to say it's pretty low angle and was less intimidating than the snow at the base of the route, at least in mid-July.
We cruised back to Colchuck lake and hiked out to the trailhead. Back at our car just over 12 hours after leaving it. A spectacular day in the mountains.
Was it luck everything went so perfectly? You be the judge:
Monkey has a ton of climbing experience, had been on the route several times before, and told me what gear to bring. I have done my share of trad leading over the years and felt comfortable with the grade.
The weather forecast was good. I brought a gortex shell and space bivy sack but nothing else for inclement weather.
Had we needed to retreat from high on the face it would have been difficult with one rope. Had we needed to bivy it would have been cold but bearable. Had I slipped on the snow it could have been ugly, but I didn't. Was it luck I didn't fall? Yes and no. Mind over matter. Read Steve House if you can get past the ego.
We swam in Icicle creek and headed home after a wonderful day in the mountains. Not all adventures go this smoothly, but then the bumps make for wonderful memories and stories too.
Thanks to Mr. Monkey for a grand day out.
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Thanks.
Approach over Sharkfin col? Do you then go over or around the N ridge of Forbidden?
What about up the W ridge of Forbidden couloir and then rap/downclimb to the start of the route?
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Perhaps they are thinking of Curry village? Tent platforms and common shower/bathrooms over there.
The spectrum ranges from:
The Ahwahnee ($$$)
The Yosemite Lodge ($$)
Curry village ($)
Campsites ($/2)
Commando (free)(have been there but can't honorably endorse it)
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FYI, this report has sparked a dialog you may wish to read.
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Tempering the tone of criticism from ranting flame to constructive serves two useful purposes, in my opinion:
1 - Keeps people posting TRs. Without them this site is a lot less interesting and useful. I enjoy newbie enthusiastic adventure tales just as much as Colin's two liner about hiking the N face of Robson in his tennis shoes.
2 - Makes it more likely that the errant but lucky climbers will listen to the criticism and change their habits next time they go out into the mountains.
To err is human. To err and not learn from it is stupid.
To err and require a chopperlift to harborview is tragic.
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Constructive criticism might help newbies avoid accidents or understand that their narrow escapes were blind luck that may one day run out.
Biting, self-righteous attacks, however satisfying for the poster, are not likely to teach newbies much except that they shouldn't post their next adventure here.
Newbies and critics: Please climb, endure, post, discuss, and debate. Learn from each other. Unexpected things will happen and you can only learn so much sitting on the couch reading FOH or surfing CC. Sometimes a night out in the cold will teach a good lesson.
John Muir spent a night in the open on the summit of Mt Whitney in a Snowstorm with no tent, no bivy, and no warm or waterproof clothing. He jumped up and down all night to keep from freezing and hiked out the next day. Was that wreckless? Irresponsible? Oh, and he didn't have a helmet either.
Here's another recent narrow miss on Dragontail, but this one had more experienced climbers:
link edited by off white to modify page formatting
5 best routes in PNW
in Climber's Board
Posted
5 Towers traverse and E ridge of Inspiration, Pickets
Outer space, SCW
E ridge, Forbidden
Backbone Ridge, Dragontail
W Ridge Stuart
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looking forward to many more new ones!