Rad

It takes maturity to make that decision despite having invested so much in this passage. Like our parents said ages ago, do your best. No one can ask for more.

Hmm. I don't remember that bolt, but then I'm old and senile and it's already been three days... The lower piece is missing in the second shot. Perhaps the lower shot was the first attempt and the upper shot was taken after the leader placed a second piece before going back up for another attempt. Where were these shots taken from? Looks like well above the belay.

BTW, the Sail Flake and Flats pitches are great too. Somehow we didn't take pics on those. It was getting hot and we wanted to get off and into the shade.

SP goes from thin hands to 4" and then to a chimney. It is really very friendly, with enough constrictions for great jamming and a nice edge to lieback. It's hard to imagine a more moderate way to free climb a vertical wall.

Trip: Squamish - Grand Wall Date: 5/18/2008 Trip Report: A great trip except for some shenanigans at the border. It was baking hot and humid on Saturday the 17th. A dozen parties stacked up on the Grand Wall, slowly cooking like hotdogs at the Quickie Mart. We were glad not to be one of them. Sunday the 18th was much cooler. We went up the Grand Wall, with a botched attempt at Cruel Shoes as noted below. Except for one other party that rapped off from the base of the Split Pillar, we didn't see anyone else on the upper wall the whole day. Morning clouds burned off as we finished the Split Pillar, and it was nice and sunny in the afternoon. Twas a trip to remember. Thanks Blake! Blake leading The Flake p1. Trickier than expected. Blake accidentally leaving Cruel Shoes for some 11d. We backed off, rapping back to go up Apron Strings because we couldn't find Cruel Shoes. Now we know where we should have gone... Apron Strings p2. At the base of Merci Me. Merci Me p2. Blake on the traverse to the Split Pillar. Exposure at the base of the Split Pillar. Split Pillar start. Split Pillar school of jamming. Upper Split Pillar. The lower Sword. The upper Sword. Exposure at the top of the bolt ladder. Blake leads Perry's Lieback with no hangs. Bellygood ledge. Gear Notes: Doubles in the 0.5 - #3 camalot range, though the second #3 is not really needed if you're willing to run out the fist section of the Split Pillar. We didn't bring or need the #4. Approach Notes: 10 minutes from the campground.

Matt, I have climbed with you and hope to again. I think we are on the same page here. I suspect that the examples of bad habits you and I provided are just proxies for us to determine whether our partner has two key things: sound judgment (not just from a book), and habits that prevent what I call the 'fatal moment of inattention'. Most accidents boil down to a failure of one or both of these things. When I tie in with a partner I am literally trusting that person with my life. Ask yourself if there is any other aspect of your life where you do that. I think that's pretty cool, and it's something that intensifies the bonds between climbers.

KK, glad to hear you are helping where you can. I agree with you that some people's 'training' is woefully inadequate. However, I feel that doesn't justify withholding potentially life-saving information from them. Quite the opposite. To add to Matt's comment, I have seen plenty of newbies who are VERY safe and responsible. I've also seen experienced climbers do things that I perceived to be irresponsible (brake hand off lead rope, setting up squirrely anchors, unclipping at belays on exposed multipitch routes etc). This latter group is more problematic than newbies IMHO. At least the newbies can plead ignorance and may change their bad habits. The 'experts' are generally less likely to acknowledge mistakes and change their practices.

OK, so you really are superior. Congratulations. Don't you still have some responsibility to try, in some small ways, to help keep other people from being killed by their stupidity regardless of what their learning may or may not have been? Or, better yet, volunteer to mentor/teach newbies so they won't make these mistakes. I guess you could just do nothing and whine on the internet...

We all started somewhere. Most of us made stupid mistakes but survived them somehow. It would be great if we could help other new climbers survive those early days too. Thanks to those of you willing to risk being rebuffed by arrogant attitudes of some novices. Maybe they don't want to hear the message, but perhaps, whether they admit it right away or not, they will learn something from you and be less likely to kill themselves another day. How would you feel if you kept silent and then someone died? Probably worse than if that person chewed you out when you gave some unsolicited safety advice.

An inspiring story The link to climbing is "Pistorius' lawyers countered with independent tests conducted by a team led by MIT professor Hugh M. Herr that claimed to show he doesn't gain any advantage over able-bodied runners." ........ Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius won his appeal Friday and can compete for a place in the Beijing Olympics. Pistorius still must qualify, but he is now eligible to compete in the Olympics. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that the 21-year-old South African is eligible to race against able-bodied athletes, overturning a ban imposed by the International Association of Athletics Federations. CAS said the unanimous ruling goes into effect immediately. "I am ecstatic," Pistorius told reporters in Milan, Italy. "When I found out, I cried. It is a battle that has been going on for far too long. It's a great day for sport. I think this day is going to go down in history for the equality of disabled people." Pistorius still must reach a qualifying time to run in the individual 400 meters at the Aug. 8-24 Beijing Games. However, he can be picked for the South African relay squad without qualifying. That relay squad has not yet qualified for the Olympics. Pistorius appealed to CAS, world sport's highest tribunal, to overturn a Jan. 14 ruling by the IAAF that banned him from competing. The IAAF said his carbon fiber blades give him a mechanical advantage. A two-day hearing was held before a panel of three arbitrators at CAS headquarters last month. Pistorius now is expected to get invitations from track and field promoters across the world who want him to run at their meets before Beijing. Pistorius said he will be running in both able-bodied and Paralympic events before Beijing. His manager, Peet van Zyl, said the runner will compete in Milan on July 2 and the Golden Gala meet in Rome on July 11. "Oscar will be welcomed wherever he competes this summer," IAAF president Lamine Diack said in a statement. "He is an inspirational man and we look forward to admiring his achievements in the future." The International Olympic Committee welcomed the verdict. "Oscar Pistorius is a determined and gutsy athlete who will now no doubt put all his energy into reaching the qualification standards for the Olympic Games," the IOC said in a statement. "If he makes it we would be delighted to welcome him." Pistorius holds the 400-meter Paralympic world record of 46.56 seconds, but that time is outside the Olympic qualifying standard of 45.55. His training has been disrupted by the appeal process. Even if Pistorius fails to get the qualifying time, South African selectors could add the University of Pretoria student to the Olympic 1,600-meter relay squad. Pistorius would not require a qualifying time and could be taken to Beijing as an alternate. Six runners can be picked for the relay squad. Pistorius also expects to compete in Beijing at the Sept. 6-17 Paralympic Games. The verdict also clears Pistorius to dedicate himself to competing at the 2012 London Olympics. "A lot of the time we've had this year we've devoted to the court case," Pistorius said. "Now when I get home, my time can be dedicated to training. I am going to have to start thinking about getting my body in shape in order to run those (qualifying) times. I am hopeful there will be enough time but it is going to be very difficult. "We have the opportunity once again to chase my dream of participating in an Olympics, if not in 2008 then in 2012." The IAAF based its January decision on studies by German professor Gert-Peter Brueggemann, who said the J-shaped "Cheetah" blades were energy efficient. Pistorius' lawyers countered with independent tests conducted by a team led by MIT professor Hugh M. Herr that claimed to show he doesn't gain any advantage over able-bodied runners. CAS said the IAAF failed to prove that Pistorius' running blades give him an advantage. "The panel was not persuaded that there was sufficient evidence of any metabolic advantage in favor of a double-amputee using the Cheetah Flex-Foot," CAS said. "Furthermore, the CAS panel has considered that the IAAF did not prove that the biomechanical effects of using this particular prosthetic device gives Oscar Pistorius an advantage over other athletes not using the device." Pistorius was born without fibulas — the long, thin outer bone between the knee and ankle — and was 11 months old when his legs were amputated below the knee. Pistorius' lawyer was thrilled by the verdict. "He simply has the chance now to compete fairly and equally," Jeffrey Kessler told The Associated Press. "We are particularly pleased that the decision is unanimous."

If you head from the end of the slabs straight up to the notch there are only one or two small cracks (1-2ft width). Caveat: it has been 2 years since I've been there. In any case, this early everything will be sealed shut.

A little farther South: Icicle Creek. Plenty of rock climbing in the Icicle. Alpine routes in the Enchantments nearby. FYI, this area is thin on glacier travel compared to the North Cascades, in case that's a factor in your decision.

Yes, best to stay in the Smoke Bluffs until August.

OK

Dibs on Squamish!

couch to fridge.

sounds like you need a break to recharge and find the passion again. continuing in the status quo is likely to breed resentment and result in an unhappy ending. Dr. Ruth signing out.

Isn't that how it should be climbed? Seriously, I have never done it as a hand traverse. I pull up and put my left foot in the low spot. Then there is a balancy move to reach a positive left facing hold up and left and viola, you are standing. The walk across is not balancy at all imo. That's about what I remember. The fun thing about climbing is that there is no right or wrong way. "There's a million ways to go, you know that there are..." Cat Stevens

I took a year off to travel, but that was after grad school so it was a natural break that may be rather different from your situation. Before going, I talked to several of my advisors/colleagues. I got two responses: 1 - I never took time off and really wish I had. 2 - I took time off and it was the best thing I ever did and I wish I had taken more. At the time, I had no wife, kids, mortgage, significant other responsibilities. Now I do have all of those things, and I am doubly glad to have gone when I did.

I'm surprised the bolt thumpers didn't dump on this thread. Perhaps they have all been weaned from their whining ways and shall join us in the liberated age of enlightenment and free love!

This reminds me of 6th grade x-country races. I was pretty even in ability with Peter Gallup, a total prick. We'd each won several races and had become rivals. As we ran along in one race, Peter suggested we take it easy and come across the line at the same time to tie. I held back and he surged in the last 10 meters and won that race. The next time out we agreed to tie again, and I blew his lying ass off the map. Playing nice doesn't work in politics either. The party faithful want to see the dirt. So what happens is they form these separate groups (PACs? I don't recall the legal term) that put out nasty ads on the other party's candidate. Witness swiftboater smear campaign a few years back. Oh, those ads don't have anything to do with me that was somebody else. Right, and the pope never gets a hard-on.

I'd second MattP's comment on the S face of Jello being less than idea for a newbie trad leader. I had been leading trad 8s, 9s, and some 10s for several years when I got on it. The gear protecting the crux is fairly tricky and likely to be one of your first pieces. I placed a nut that seemed solid but apalled to see it fall out just after I climbed past it - and no it was not a quickdraw/ropedrag pulling it out. At that point I was looking at decking and had to decide between climbing higher to the next protection stance or downclimbing through the crux. I chose the former and everything turned out fine. I wouldn't want a newbie to have to make the same choice.

Sherri, Now that you're feeling solid on hand jams you're probably ready to lead the Nutcracker in Yosemite. It's popular for good reason, though you may need to climb it by moonlight to avoid a crowd. R

Big Ben, Thanks for the tip. Is there anything else you'd recommend to extend the fun? I'm not sure we're up to the Roman Chimneys yet. Rad

Nice job Sherri! I've never done p2 of Princely. You're right that the crux of the first pitch of feels pretty committing, but at least the gear is at your face when you start the mantle/step-up. If you want a good 5.8 testpiece lead all of the pitches of Aries/Lizard at GNS. Between fist crack, thin crack, a chimney flare, an undercling, and a hand crack it's got just about everything. If there's no one around you can TR the whole line with 2 60s on the chain anchors of GNS. Hey Blake, if smelly shoes is your biggest flaw I'd say you're doing pretty good.