Rad

Congrats on slots and dry heaves. Perhaps this should move to the Pirates forum due to picture piracy, but I'm glad you inserted them.

My books are in storage so I thought I'd ask here about solo roped climbing. I've been climbing for many years but have never done this before and would be grateful for tips/corrections. I want to lead a moderate line to TR a harder line and was thinking something like this: 1 - Climb moderate to first bolt, clip a bight of rope end to the first bolt using a locking biner. Rope feeds from biner to my Cinch (auto-locking device similar to a gri-gri) which is on my locking biner on my harness. As I climb I pay out rope through the Cinch and clip bolts as I pass them until I get to the chains (shared with harder route). 2 - Lower down hard route on Cinch, clipping the rope through Q draws as I go as this route is rather overhanging. Once on the ground, I'd fix the end of the rope to a tree not too far away. 3 - Then climb the moderate route again, cleaning the rope and draws from it. The Cinch is now protecting me like a TR. 4 - Then I'd lower straight down the steep route, fix THAT end of the rope, and tie myself into the end that I'd tied to the tree previously (which runs through the Qdraws). 5 - Finally, climb hard route on TR with Cinch as belay. This requires pulling rope through the device whenever there is a spot to free one arm to do that. Lower or rappel (with separate device) to get off. That's what I envision, but I am a noob and welcome your suggestions/corrections. If you want to spray that's fine but please post some useful tips too.

Dana Designs made backpacks (got my first in 1990 and still have it). Chounard made climbing gear (have a set of stoppers with C in the side). REI took crappy clothing and stuck their name on it. At least some things stay the same.

We may end up at x32. You didn't want to go to work did you?

We have 3 and would welcome a 4th. Leaving near I5/520 jxn about 9am and returning by 5. Send pm by 6am if interested. Rad

source please? Side of biner in pictures and numbers (but I had my decimal in wrong place so was off by factor of 10): Trango superfly: 24kN closed long, 7kN crossload closed, 9kN open. BD wiregate (finder so not sure which): 25kN closed long, 7kN crossload closed, 9kN open.

If you clip the bolts and the chains/rings press on and open the gates of your biners that is bad. A biner with a strength of 23kN might fail at 9kN with the gate open. If you decide to clip bolts directly, which does have less potential points of failure, try to extend your runner/quickdraws below the lowest rings/chains so that the rope runs free of these things.

Either is fine if an inspection suggests rings look ok. There are other things to worry about.

and hilarious!

Keep leg intact and chimney with left armbars.

Cool story Bill. One of my best friend/partners lived in a TeePee on the East side of the Sierra for a number of years. Pictures really conveyed the romantic image you might imagine. In a less aesthetic sense, I know folks who lived in yurts for several years. Still others grew up in trailer parks. How many do we all know living in vehicles? I remember an ad (not sure the vendor) that pictured Dean Potter slacklining in Yosemite in the sunshine. The caption read, "There is a leisure class at both ends of the economic spectrum".

Names don't ring a bell. Which crag?

Thanks for posting. Sounds like several near misses. You have reaffirmed my decision not to go in there until that dang pocket glacier is gone completely.

Jens just completed the FA on a new route he's calling Tea Time. It's at Gunshow - go down right to the 10c/11c pair and climb the line 5ft right of their shared start. It's got some great moves on clean rock - 5 or 6 bolts, 11b. For some moderate routes not in the book go to this area: x38 routes above Deception area - not in guide book yet

The overhanging line under the traverse anchors is a short 11c power problem put up by Jens Klebberud. Not sure what the rating is on the traverse as I haven't done it.

Exotic rests are cool, but I find that 90% of the time my best rests involve a STEM and/or a BACKSTEP. Somewhat less useful rests involve creative use of a large handhold: wrap thumb over top and release fingers, wrap arm/elbow over top, or just swap hands in a straight arm hang.

Which is more important, the partnership or the gear? Think about it before chewing out your partner over a $6 biner.

I don't think I could pick just one. I've had a few high points this year so far: The Sword. Metamorphosis (FA). Leave My Face Alone. Negatherion. Past alpine pitches: Stuart NR gendarme p2 at sunset. 5.9 pitch on E ridge Inspiration at sunset.

Thompson is like Unicorn: a very long way to haul a rope for a few moves of mid-fifth chossy climbing. The setting is certainly fabulous. We came in/out via a road SE of Commonwealth basin. It brought us up to the ridgecrest in 30 minutes of x-country travel at the point where the PCT flattens on the ridgecrest and heads toward Red mtn/Kendall. If you can find this it will save you substantial time/miles/elevation. IMHO, N face Vesper is better in every aspect.

I look forward to more posts here because I need to update my shoes. I have a pair of Fires that I got for free in 1990 and have resoled several times since. They are crap for edging but heaven in cracks and all day. I have an old pair of aces I like for harder (for me) routes. Trouble is I have to take them off at the end of each pitch or else they hurt by the end of the day. Also been resoled several times. I have long narrow feet, with left foot slightly larger, and if I get shoes that press on my left big toe it really hurts (read leads to foot problems that make walking a problem). I wanted to get Evolv but every shoe I tried on hurt like this. Suggestions appreciated. Rad

Perhaps that second pic is not such a good way to get your mate to 'put out'.

One man gathers what another man spills....

Life without risk is like pancakes without syrup: not as sweet!

quote=fheimerd]We where wondering who gets on a big ridge climb in the afternoon as clouds are beginning to build. Only the bold I dare say, only the bold. Some might choose other adjectives. I, for one, am very glad that your creativity in staying warm and getting off safely trumped your (insert adjective) decision to head up a big alpine ridge into the teeth of a gathering storm without protective gear. In any case, it sounds like you have a firm grasp of all the factors that contributed to the situation so you don't need Monday morning QBs. Besides, I've certainly done foolish things and been spanked by Mother Nature. Thank you, sir, may I have another!?

Idea to keep gym rats in the gym: send them out with Ivan for their first alpine outing. The resulting sufferfest will send them back indoors faster than a flaring offwidth. This is not really a new idea. Layton did it to MrE on E Mox. Worked him so good the poor guy moved to a warm, sunny, brush-free state and hasn't looked back.