markwebster
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Posts posted by markwebster
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I'll pick up the guide book to red rocks and educate myself. What's in arizona?
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Minx, I know a great climber named Bobby. He lives in Puyallup. I've climbed with him and he is good people. He also climbs with my main partner Christine, and she likes him too. He is off weekdays as he works weekends...I think as a bartender? Anyway, if you go to this webpage there is a post by Bobby, and you can contact him thru that board by logging in as a new user. He is always looking for partners as midweek is the worst.
*http://www.edgeworks-climbing.com/cgi/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1211955593*
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I'm off 12-18 to 1-4. Like to hit Joshua Tree or Red Rocks, or both. I've heard from one other person who is interested, but would like to put together 4 to 5 fellow dirtbaggers to cut down on gas costs and give some margin for last minute cancellations. Trad or sport doesn't matter to me though I personally prefer trad. If you don't know trad I can teach you. I taught both Austin and Christine in the links below to climb trad this year. I think they are both better than me now.
Had a great time last year. Ideally someone would have a minivan, or at least a station wagon with a rack. I'll be in vantage this weekend with my partner Christine. I want to get back on george and martha...love that route. If you are there, say howdy! I'm the old guy with the knee pads.
You can contact me through my website
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Hey Lucky,
I am a real climber...I've seen you out there many times over the years as well. If you mean you're thinking of leaving in the morning after a weather check for the weekend, love to hook up with you for the drive over to Vantage from Puget Sound area. Give me a shout in the am if you decide to go.
253- two oh nine - oh seven six six.
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pemco is awesome. I got rear ended by a lady with geico. It was a gentle bump that left a $300 dent in my bumper. She backed up after hitting me and claimed she didn't hit me. I felt the bump, got out and saw the dent. She denied it. Pemco and geico fought each other in court for a year over a $300 dent, but pemco won and I got paid.
Take pictures after an accident with your cell phone. They will deny ever being there but if you have pictures...
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sorry, I'd like to hook up with someone from over here to carpool.
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anybody up for vantage, or wherever it's dry? looking for someone from seattle, tacoma to carpool. I'd like to climb some cracks and or bolts in the 8, 9, 10a range.
here is one of my recent trip reports
http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/838358/12_days_in_the_ditch#Post838358
I was thinking that george and martha trad route at vantage would be fun. 10a.
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so the votes are in, by a landslide: no fixed pin on damnation.
I think I'll still carry a knifeblade up there the next time I climb it. No hammer though, and I won't fix it...just slip it in with as much force as a wired stopper. I may also buy a number 3 bigbro.
I'm famous for carrying an el cap rack everywhere I go. Guess I'm just a born pussy and need more pro than normal people. Probably if I boned up on chimney climbing I'd be more comfortable there and wouldn't even think about it. Clean chimney climbs are kind of hard to find.
Some of my favorites are the watershute in jt...and I almost got up to easter overhang on midnight this year. I remember that being an awesome chimney. You get those elbow locks and swing your lower body out into space.
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so I led Damnation crack 5.9 last weekend at Castle rock (left side of Jello tower). Beautiful route! Hadn't done it in a quarter century but it felt great after warming up in Yosemite.
There is a big ledge about 30 feet up where you could park a wheelbarrow. About 12 feet above that I got my last piece of pro: a number 2 bigbro. 8 feet higher the chimney climbing got thin but there is a thin seam on the river side where you can place some 2 to 3 mm wired nuts, more for confidence than for catching a fall. You have to climb another 8 or so feet before there is any solid gear.
I had some concerns about decking on the ledge.
In the thin seam,there is an old rusty spot, like someone pulled an old fixed knifeblade, which would be bomber there.
Options:
I could take up a knife blade piton and tap it in lightly with a hex, and my partner could clean it, probly safer than the wires.
I could place it properly with a hammer and fix it.
I could bang it in and out a few times to make a decent pin scar so it could take a solid wire
or I could buy a #3 bigbro to fit the 12 inch chimney.
Or I could just solo it again, like last time.
Am I being a pussy again?
Any thoughts?
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Stewster is the real deal. Pictures here:
Amy's a good climber, and a lot of fun. She is also a very talented singer songwriter. We enjoyed hanging out with her and her friend last xmas at JT.
Amy, are you coming to jt again for xmas? I think I'll be there, and Austin sounds like he's planning to come also.
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ok, I'm taking notes on all this. I should be much better prepared next time I go to safeway. I do like mikes hard lemonade...I'd class that with coolers. Most of my buddies who drink seem to be either wine snobs, or beer snobs. Drinking coolers is a way to piss them off, which is fun. I'm not really on the wagon, but I only drink after climbing, and then only one or two.
By starting to drink again, I meant I'm going to start keeping some booze in the house for the odd drink after dinner...or if I wake up at 3 am worrying about my nonexistent pension fund.
thanks for all the suggestions.
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I've decided to start drinking again...
Beer tastes like cow piss, but my climbing friends frown on my wine coolers so I'm looking for something with a little more class.
I was prowling the grocery store wine isle and was overwhelmed by all the wine brands. The last time I enjoyed a bottle of wine was in '83 and it was blue nun. Can anyone recommend a specific bottle of wine that is sort of like blue nun used to be?
Whenever I guess at a wine it sucks.
I looked on wikipedia and it says it was a semi-sweet German wine. I don't like red wine...too...wine tasting
Any help would be appreciated. I figured if anyone would know, it would be my fellow wanna' be dirtbaggers.
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saber on castle is a good gf route.
if you don't mind runnouts, there are several gf routes (5.6) on sunset slabs, pinnacles. also martian diagonal pinnacles. The gully (orchard rock, pinnacles).
mountaineer dome (icicle creek), and that 5.6 crack there is also easy and short with a walk off, and bruces boulder and bolt rock.
bolts, the two 5.6 routes under the railroad bridge at 38, also at interstate park, headlight point, those first two 5.6 routes.
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You can place a couple reasonably good small wired stoppers on the way up to that first bolt. I rarely do it anymore though...runout routes suck and the people who put them up are selfish prima donnas. Myself included, as I put up a couple runnout routes in my younger days.
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I plan to be there with a couple friends. Don't know if anyone would be in the mood for live music, but I've been known to play the blues harmonica after a few beers. Does anyone plan to bring a guitar...and know how to play 12 bar rhythm and blues, key of E?
My last couple trips to Joshua Tree and Yosemite I've been lucky to hook up with guitar players...lots of fun if you like live, foot stompin' music.
I understand though if folks just like a quiet campfire...
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I'm sitting here soaking my swollen foot in icewater after both of us, and a dog got bit by angry bees at the base of endless bliss at gunshow wall, exit 38 yesterday. I think they came out of the ground as we came up from the freeway. This is the second trip up there where someone got stung so there must be some kind of a nest in the ground. They were very angry, trying to bite through clothing over and over. My damn foot is so swollen it's hard to walk. Guess I'm a bit allergic to them.
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Hey Victor,
here are some links to Leavenworth trip reports hosted on my site. I took all the pictures, and have high res versions of most of them if needed:
http://www.websterart.com/html/july22_07nick.html
http://www.websterart.com/html/leav6-22-08.html
http://www.websterart.com/html/pinnacles4-08.html
http://www.websterart.com/html/june2-07_hardies.html
http://www.websterart.com/html/poisen_ivy07.html
On a side note, our son Clint just got hired as an RN at Tacoma General ER room. It's been a long time since our sons played together up at jy crag. Back when we were young...seems like yesterday
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I'm suffering from climbing withdrawal symptoms. Cold sweats, shivering...need a rock fix badly.
Regarding rockfall on the apron, we asked around and folks said that the rock falls in the spring usually if it's going to fall. We didn't even hear a pebble fall on the apron in two days of climbing there. Others said that rock has fallen off from many locations around the ditch. Hell, we heard a horror story from lovers leap about a flake that fell off on a guy and amputated his arm 5 years ago. Lovers has some scary flakes...bears reach is all detached flake climbing. I was glad to get out of there to the valley.
Pink, are you going back to jtree for xmas? I'll be there.
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This is my trip report on one and a half weeks in the Valley, with a short side trip to Lover's Leap. It was Chistine and Chris's (crillz) first trip to Yosemite, and I enjoyed showing them around. It was mostly too hot to climb in the sun in the afternoon, though we soldiered through a few sunny mid day climbs because they were to classic to pass by.
The only climb I don't have pictues of is Munginella because I forgot my camera that day. The drive back took 15 hours and we saw and heard from not a single bear. We had no epics, not even a headlamp rappel and I was surprised to find myself leading climbs I'd lot been on in 28 years. I guess there is hope for us old guys after all!
It's hard for me to pick a favorite climb, but the 5.9 variation start to nutcracker has got to be near the top of my list. Reeds direct was awesome as well, but so hot it was hard to enjoy. And I always love Bishops terrace, that climb rocks!
For some weird reason, I can only make about 10 pictures show up on this trip report. If you'd like to see them all, here is a link:
Christine on Bears Reach 5.7, Lover's Leap
Apron Jam 5.9 below Mr. Natural on Glacier Point Apron. This climb is a 70 foot layback up a 4 to 6 inch crack. Bring several 4 to 5 camalots and a #2 big bro.
Chris D. leading Son of Sam 5.9, Glacier Point Apron. We found this to be the hardest 5.9 in the valley. The climbing was slick friction for the feet supported by finger tips in a one quarter inch horizontal seem. Chris used small cams though small wired stoppers would work as well.
Gorgeous views are everywhere you look in the valley
Christine leading Church Bowl Lieback 5.8.
Chris D (Crillz), on belay
This next series of shots is from the incomparable Bishop's Terrace route at Church Bowl. This route is only rated 5.8, but be forewarned, it is an old school 5.8 and if you don't have your full skill set of stemming, hand and fist jamming ready, it will work you badly. Fortunately, I've been training all summer for the Valley and found it a ton of fun with very cool moves. This is Chris D. following in fine style.
Christine loved it as well, here she is styling up the 5.8 finish moves.
Though she is cruising, she may have made a few complaints about: "Stop taking pictures and take up the damn rope!". Sorry Christine...I knew you'd love the photos...and I really did have you on belay.
Christine leading the second pitch of Commitment 5.9 in the Five Open Books area. These routes are shady after lunch. Note the big 5.9 roof above. It is easily passed with a big hidden jug back above on your left as you layback the lip.
The Grack, three pitches of afternoon shade on mellow 5.6 finger jamming, superb rock.
Church Bowl Tree 5.10a climbs pin scars up very polished granite with a runout bouldery start and a desperate finger jam finish.
Chris D. leading the first pitch of Reed's Direct 5.9. This is a gorgeous hand jam fest up stellar rock. We ran out of time that night, but came back the next day so I could lead the second pitch. The second pitch is one of the prettiest hand cracks you well ever find. The crack tapers back and forth from small hands to fists. There are many v-notches that accept passive gear like wired stoppers or hexes though cams work fine as well. Because it leans slightly right, and is almost vertical, there are no footholds on the right. You have to keep both hands and feet in the crack all the time. I ran out of power halfway up and had to hang once to rest. The climbing was lovely though. Because it is such a spectacular line, tourist gather on the road 200 feet below. Christine had a crowd of 10 people taking her picture as she followed in the baking heat.
Christine following me up the first pitch of Serenity 5.10a. This crack climbs monster pin scars and is quite runnout at the start, if you don't count a cam with only two lobes sticking in a flared pocket.
Chrisine leading the second pitch of Serenity. It was a bit of a hang fest, but it was also only her second 10a lead on gear. I was very very happy she finished it because I was dreading having to rescue our gear. I'm not at all sure I could have led it myself. The friction traverse is desperately thin on one quarter inch stoppers. Because she is shorter, she had to make 2 intermediate steps on steep friction, whereas for me, I just reached across. Nice lead Christine!
Christine leading the sustained 5.9 fingers section of the second pitch on Pillar of Frenzy. What happened to the timid sport climbing gal I met this spring who had never led trad? In June I taught her how to place gear, and now I can barely follow her leads...yikes!.
My friends cruising through the 5.8 offwidth. With two 4 camalots, and one 5, this pitch was a cakewalk. We learned to move our party of three almost as fast as two climbers by simul-belaying both followers at once.
Christine mastering her offwidth techniques.
Christine putting her shoes back on at the belay. Ahh, the pain!
I had a very close call here. While swinging leads with three people, you frequently have to swap rope ends and manage the ropes. I got interupted while tieing my knot and forgot about it. When it was my turn to follow, Chris put me on belay and began pulling up rope. I unhooked both daisies and was about to start climbing when I looked down at my untied knot and saw it pulling out of my harness leaving me completely unattached to the rock, 4 pitches up.
A British friend leading the 5.7 roof below us.
Christine following the fourth pitch of Nutcracker 5.8
Baking our brains out at the belay for the crux 6th pitch of Nutcracker. She made me lead the last two pitches as punishement because she had wanted to drive home that day, instead of baking again...smart woman. The crux was a desperately hard old school 5.8 mantle. Actually, there are two mantles. The first mantle is the hardest, and I backed off twice, grabbing gear to prevent falling. On my third try, I led it cleanly, finding a small side pull on left wall of the polished open book that helped me balance my way up the first mantle, from where I could easily grab the jug on the second mantle, which was a straight forward heel hook. For all the trouble I had, I thought Christine would struggle being shorter...but she didn't even slow down. She commented later that her toes were hurting so bad all she could think about was getting the hell off the rock.
Last belay on the last day on the last climb of our trip.
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thanks for the info, you guys are awesome!
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Can anyone recommend a good brand of radios for communicating on windy belays? I'm deaf on one side, so hearing can be a challenge on long windy belays, or places like castle where the traffic is very noisy and you're 50 meters up.
REI sells these:
but I'm wondering if there is something better. I have some cheap k-mart ones...and they work, but the damn switch comes on in my pack.
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Keep climbing for 31 years and you too can be an old fart. Oh, I forgot to mention, it was our 29th wedding anniversary...maybe if I had a sticker to that effect on my helmet I could have got more routes? I can't believe I've been climbing with the same woman that long...
loved the comment about sport climbers all being gay. I ran into another crusty old bastard in smith. He was leading 10c trad and making it look like 5.2. We said we were going to climb some sport routes next, and he said sport climbing was neither.
Yosemite is going to be awesome!
My crusty old wife:
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I think Pink is right. Soloists first, leaders second, top ropers last. I give way for soloists, because they are better climbers, and I respect their skill...and I don't want to get squashed if they blow it.
I did ask nicely how many people were following, each time, on each crowded route. And I did mention that I wanted to lead it, as opposed to walking around and setting up a top rope. Each time, after I asked how many people were following, I was told that two to four were waiting to run laps it. Sometimes they weren't even there, but the ropegun would say "they'll be here shortly, and we're holding the line for them." or, "we're done, but we're switching routes with our friends over there, and there are 3 of them".
Once, but only once, when Sue and I waited patiently for our turn, some of the top ropers decided to go elsewhere, and we got on the route sooner. This may have happened more frequently had I had more patience to stand around, but there's lots to climb there, and we usually just moved on.
It's true that, from the top ropers perspective, if that's the only way they can climb, why should leading take preference over following?
I stand corrected in that regard.
Obviously I knew it would be crowded, but Sue wanted to go there. Remind me not to do short approaches on busy weekends. One of the bad things about being old is you can remember when it wasn't so crowded everywhere. I also remember when there were very few top rope anchors at Squamish. You led it, belayed from a manky tree and walked off.
I'm going to take my snit to Yosemite for a couple weeks.
Sulky old schooler signing off.
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good points all. I am guilty of sometimes getting irritated, instead of being friendly and making hints about how excited I am to lead it.
I know better too, because I've used that tactic.
Still, it does seem like leaders used to get more respect. In the climbing circles I grew up in (leavenworth, early '80s), if someone was top roping, and a leader walked up, the top ropers would immediately bail. Leaders were something everyone aspired to...and respected.
Now, who cares if you can lead? Just get a rope gun to take you and your friends up whatever you want to climb. Never mind that your lack of skill and selfish behavior plugs up a rare route for hours. Forget about learning the leading skills yourself the hard way. It's so much work climbing all those less glamorous routes to build up leading skills.
Those were especially good points about my being out of touch expecting to not have to wait on a holiday weekend. Patience is always a virtue. In point of fact, I walked away from the crowd on Penny Lane and led some less popular stuff for a while. When I came back, there were only two people ahead of me.
The next morning, with an early start, we found 4 star routes empty...sweet!
Still, I think it's good to have this discussion from time to time. Many young climbers aren't even aware that top roping is not the best way to learn to be a climber.
joshua tree 12-18 to 1-4
in Climbing Partners
Posted
jhamaker,
I just order'd the roxanna brockman book. Hope that is the one with the purty pictures. Ran into Brett (from our last xmas trip) at the gym this week the day after I saw you there. He is going down to Red rocks from Montana with his girlfriend and will arrive around the 20th in RR.
I heard from a guy via my post on rockclimbing.com who has a volvo wagon and that time period available, but only wants to climb half the time. He wants to hang with family and friends the rest of the time in vegas. That could be troublesome.
Mark