markwebster
-
Posts
603 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by markwebster
-
-
I've got a drill and a hammer, but would never consider adding bolts to someone else's route without first consulting the larger community. We don't need bolt wars up there. I love the fact that it has no bolts and requires you to have gear skills. Still, thought I'd at least ask...turns out I'm wrong again.
As many of you know, I thought also of adding bolts to my Cocaine Connection route a couple years ago when I couldn't get up my own damn route. But people said no, I just needed to brush up my rusty friction skills, that the run out was half the fun. And they were right!
-
in high traffic newbie areas, what could a couple bolts hurt? There are already no bolts anywhere on route (if you don't count cocaine connection start). Using that logic, should the bolts on saber ledge be removed? You don't rap there, they are just convenience/safety bolts.
I can see the darwin logic. But when I was thinking about how we could have found his body, because she couldn't get down soon enuf, darwin logic would be cold comfort to his mother.
Whatever though, I know I'm in the minority.
-
Christine and I had a nice time climbing cocaine connection - R&D 5.6 (Icicle buttress, Leavenworth) Saturday. At the top, we continued up to Bob's wall and I was halfway up the 5.8+ on the right side of Bob's when a newbie came running up to the climb and said his buddy was stuck on a ledge 60 meters down R&D. The crack was too hard, and or the rope was stuck and his buddy had untied from the rope and was "hunkered down", blowing his whistle and waiting for a rescue. This guy had hiked down the trail on the left side of Icicle buttress and yelled at his unanchored friend to stay put, help was coming.
We bailed and took our rope and gear down to the top of R&D. We'd actually passed the girl and her two newbies on the route and were wondering what had taken them so long to top out. The girl (the only leader) had slung a cordelette around that largest bolder on the sloping ramp at the top of R&D and was preparing to rappel with two ropes down to her newbie friend.
She'd wanted to anchor to the tree 80 feet up slope, but it was too far away as the ledge he'd stopped on was exactly 60 meters down, and change.
I think there should be bolts there. Not a rap station, but a couple bolts for a situation just like this. I could have belayed her down to the horizontal crack 50 feet down, and she could have built a rap anchor there...but in rescue situation...it seems like the top is a safer place.
I tied off the tree 80 feet up and tied a figure eight in my rope at the boulders, which she used as a rap anchor. But if we'd not been there, things would have become much more complicated, her being the only person with experience, and no anchors...unless you count that big boulder on the sandy slope.
She took a verizon cell phone down, and we had one on top. She rapped down, tied her newbie in and climbed up below him, Chistine and I belaying both of them while the other newbie chattered on about how marvelous it all was, and had we been to Yosemite? For one of them, it was their first time climbing outside. I guess he figured he could just walk off if it got too hard...yikes!
Scary stuff, and alls well that ends well...still, I really thing bolts up there would make things safer.
Let the flaming start!
-
It does seem like dropped gear becomes less of an issue the longer you climb. My latest partner just got into trad, and she counts all her gear at the end of everyday. I haven't counted my biners in years, though I do make sure I haven't lost any of my new cams each time we pack up. Most everything has already been said on this subject already but one thing I didn't see addressed was the subject of whether dropped gear is ok.
There has been a ton of talk on the internet (rockclimbing.com) about micro fractures, or the lack thereof. I did a bunch of research the last time a buddy dropped an expensive cam 100' and found that most people now agree that as long as the dropped item functions normally (gate and cams move smoothly) it's just fine.
There was a big test done around 20 years ago where they (black diamond) picked up gear at the base of el cap that had been dropped all the way. They tested it and it was fine, as long as it still functioned. For more reading on this subject, search rockclimbing.com for microfractures, or visit this link: black diamond .
I've been climbing on my dropped gear for about 5 years now. Call me crazy, but us poor folks gots tah to what we gots tah do.
-
Christine does love to climb, great partner. As far as Fletches helmet, or lack thereof...I have no idea. I gave up questioning why people do or do not wear helmets a couple decades ago.
He also had on a minnie mouse scarf, perhaps the lack of a helmet on that climb was a personal statement?
I always wear mine, but there were many times back in the eighties where I would have the only helmet on a cliff of twenty climbers. Go figure.
Why do people ride motorcycles when it is so obviously dangerous?
Maybe we all have to find our own level of acceptable danger to get the adrenaline payoff?
-
Trip: tieton royal columns and the bend - 5.4 to 5.11b
Date: 5/24/2008
Trip Report:
Fletch, Christine and I had a great Memorial day trip to Tieton. We climbed nothing but cracks for 3 days in great weather, though we did have rain one night, and a short shower one day that dried immediately.
Christine wanted to put some dents in her shiny new rack. I loved climbing on new gear instead of my antique stuff, gotta' get me some of that. Fletch and Christine are both professionals in the medical field, wow, so much integrity...and Fletch brought his guitar. I had my blues harp...fun times around the campfire!
This is me starting up inca roads, a 5.9 crack at royal columns. The crack starts out with a 5 inch offwidth which narrows down to 5.9 finger locks at the top.
Now that I know where the rests are I'd like to try it again without the hand dogging.
This is Christine starting up a 5.6 called twin cracks. When I cleaned it for her I was amazed at the run outs between some of the pieces up in the fist jam section at the top. When I asked her about it, she said she'd run out of large stuff and decided to go for it. At the very top exit move, her protection was a tied off baseball sized chockstone...nice work Christine!
This gal was from Seattle. Despite being short, she cruised the roof move. This is a 5.8 route called render us weightless. Fletch calls this the "move of the future".
Fletch leading the roof.
I think this is a self portrait.
Fletch leading Orange Sunshine, 10b. It was a desperate series of vertical fingerlocks, with very thin feet. We couldn't believe he led it without hanging. After this climb we started calling him our ropegun.
Me cleaning Orange Sunshine. Those were razor sharp fingerlocks. That's a grimace of pain...sweet route!
This is Fletch cleaning Ed's Jam, 5.8, a beautiful 200 foot handjam crack. It's similar to Karate in the quality of the jams, but much easier...a stellar cruiser.
This is ropegun Fletch leading an eleven something at the Bend. It was another desperate fingerlock fest. I have no idea how he can lead these things while placing pro. It was desperately hard to hang on while toproping...fun stuff! Christine found that her smaller fingers gave her a distinct advantage in the thin fingerlocks. She cruised up it in excellent style while pulling gear.
Can't wait to go back again!
Gear Notes:
one quarter inch stoppers up to a 6 inch cam, including a number 2 big bro if you like the offwidths (inca roads)
-
How do you get off Ed's Jam at the Bend at Tieton?
We got to the top of the route yesterday and found two bolts with no chains. I figured such a beautiful climb would have chains. We left some webbing and rap rings. Two ropes got us down. Back at the car, we looked back and it appeared you could possibly walk off right...?
Aside from the descent issue it was a gorgeous climb! That may be the longest section of perfect hand jams I've ever had the pleasure to lead. It reminded me of Karate, but much easier (and longer)...same quality jams.
-
Hey Chris,
Last weekend Sue and I were supposed to hit the Pinnacles but my daughter Lisa came down with the flu, so we chose to be good parents and stayed home. This last weekend, yesterday, I had caught Lisa's flu so we stayed home again. Sue and I hope to finally go this coming weekend, but Sue will probably have the damn disease and I'll get screwed again.
Sigh...
a few folks from the gym seem interested if Sue is sick, and at least I should be healthy by then. As far as the weather...no idea. A bunch of people from www.edgeworksclimbing.com went. Log on and pm Christine, I'm certain she went to Leavenworth both days.
Hope to see you out there!
-
The rap station at the top of Graham Cracker and Butter Brickle does indeed have some uninspiring anchors. The hangars are those weird homemade looking welded eyebolts. One of them points a bit down hill and swings freely. Their are good cam placements nearby to back them up.
When I led Catacombs I came up to those and did not like them at all, though they may be fine. Once my partner joined me she climbed off to climbers right about 20 feet and there is one of those monster bolts that you see around the pinnacles. They are almost three quarters of an inch in diameter and look like they go down a foot. You can find them on the rap from Porpoise, West face of grand central, Potholes, etc.
I felt much safer rapping from that monster bolt than the weird anchors directly above Butterbrickle.
-
nice trip report on r&d, though pictures would have been cool...
To address the thread drift on midway direct(castle): Awesome route! Much better than that awful body slot on Midway and it's attendant rope jam issues.
Midway direct looks much harder from below. However, as you climb up, (following Fred in the picture) there are big flat stances to stand on and rest, about every 5 feet. Tons of gear placements. When the open book peters out 40 feet above Jello Tower, place some bomber stoppers and step up and left onto what appears to be a scary blank section of near vertical face climbing. Five feet out left and up there is a horizontal crack that takes a bomber one quarter inch wired stopper. It's not run out at all, you can get a stopper in every 5 to 10 feet. A few moves takes you to a huge belay ledge.
Another cool thing about Midway direct is you can go up as two parties of two. Send your beginning trad leader up Midway, while you lead Midway direct 20 feet to their left. You can watch them and offer advice... and take pictures.
I rarely do Midway anymore as the direct is so much cleaner. First pitch I do South Face of Jello, another 4 star climb IMO.
-
I hesitated to post this tr for a while as I know so many of you hate the Pinnacles. It's not 5.11 climbing, we're just a bunch of moderate climbers, and my best years are long gone. Still, I know there are a few of you out there climbing at this level, with an open mind, so here goes. Note: I'd already posted this tr on my gym's site (www.edgeworksclimbing.com), but a couple people have mentioned cc.com needs more tr's, and with the recent crowding on Castle, and the Pinnacles being deserted...
The Peshastin Pinnacles have a bad reputation, but I'm here to tell you not to believe it. There is some awesome climbing there, both sport and trad. Yes the rock is sandstone, and it can be crumbly in places but those places are easily avoided. The Pinnacles are an awesome place to learn friction climbing. If you have ever done the 5.9 Bliss route at exit 38 at Gun Show wall, the Pinnacles is just like that: very smooth, leaning over friction based slab climbing.
There are many routes under 5.9, enough for a couple full weekends of climbing, which is what I've been doing the last couple weekends...working on my friction technique. Friction climbing is completely different from steep face climbing, or crack climbing. Having your toes jammed into a shoe 2 sizes too small will not help. You need your shoe to be able to smear on the ball of your feet.
Imagine standing on a very smooth leaning over slab of rock, there are absolutely no foot or handholds, all you have is the friction under the ball of your foot, and you are 5 feet (or more) above the last bolt. That's the Pinnacles.
It's true that many of the routes have long run outs...but guess what, so does the Yosemite Apron, so does the Squamish Apron and many other places. Many of Victors routes up the Icicle have similar run outs.
The Pinnacles has run outs on 5.4 climbs, which are so easy that you won't fall, but you will begin to get comfortable with climbing high above a bolt while keeping your cool.
There are also routes at the Pinnacles that are so closely bolted it's almost ridiculous (Potholes 5.7, West Face Grand central tower 5.8). Many of these bolted routes will also take cams to reduce the run outs (windward direct 5.8, Potholes 5.7, Martian Direct 5.7, Sunset Slab 5.4 to 5.9). All the bolts have been upgraded to modern 3/8 inch or larger.
there are some very cool trad routes that take bomber pro and are very moderate (porpoise 5.6, tunnel route 5.6, catacombs 5.7, vertigo 5.8). In short, don't skip the Pinnacles. Because of their undeserved reputation amongst the young sport crowd, they are usually deserted. I saw 2 other climbers on a recent weekend, and I heard Vantage was crowded. No waits, excellent climbing, what's not to like?
These are pictures from a recent trip with Christine, Austin and Eric. Christine has a lot of experience with friction climbing back east and led a sweet climb called Gray Whale (5.8 old school)...glad we had a stick clip! It only had 2 bolts in 60 feet, but believe it or not, it's quite safe with a stick clip. The bolts are where you need them, but you do need to warm up your friction skills on easy stuff before jumping on certain routes. You can also easily top rope many of the harder climbs (Austian slab, Potholes direct, West face grand central).
This is Christine topping out on the two pitch 5.6 called Martian Diagonal. This climb can be traversed onto to avoid the run out start. The runout 5.4 section on the "sidewalk" can be made safe with some small cams. I bought a red #1 c3 camalot specifically for this climb and it was bomber.
Christine topping out on the second pitch of Potholes 5.7. Bring some cams from one half inch to 3 inches to protect the top out chimney move. You have to protect in old angle iron pin scars, though there is a bolt 10 feet below.
Christine and Austin rapping off Orchard Rock (3 minute approach from car) after Christine's first gear lead up the 5.2 gully route. Austin cruised up the trad routes: 'A Crack', a 4 star 5.7 overhanging hand jam crack.
This is Austin cruising up Windward Direct 5.8. A bolt protected crack climb that also takes cams from one half inch to 3 inches. If you can toe jam and friction climb, you will love this very safe climb. I give it 4 stars. Don't bring your aggressive Smith rock shoes.
This is me, finishing the last few moves of windward:
Eric following Austin's lead up Windward Direct 5.8. He had never climbed outside the gym. The guy's a natural friction climber
This is Christine following the bolted/trad route called Windward 5.6. It's a nice easy bolted traversing route that takes some smallish cams up to about 2 inches. It tops out on a knife edge ridge that drops off 70 feet on the left, and 100 feet on the right. You can bail at the ridge from rap anchors, or you can "ride the horsey" up the knife edge ridge up to another set of anchors 60 feet away. There are no bolts at all along the ridge. If you come off, you will take a very scary king swing...but no one ever has because it's only 5.6 onto the ridge, and the ridge is 4th class horse riding. But it's still a heady horse ride with all that exposure and no pro. Fun as stuff!
Christine hamming it up on the ridge traverse
I'll be there this weekend again with my wife Sue. Feel free to give me a shout if you see me. I know where all the safe routes are. My friends call me the walking guidebook
Oh, did I mention: NO CROWDS
-
what's all this whining about castle being greasy? So it's a little polished, big deal. The same can be said about manure pile buttress in Yosemite,but it's still good climbing for beginners.
There is nowhere in Leavenworth where you can find as many routes as close together under 5.9 as at Castle. The Pinnacles comes close, but there is more hiking there, and the rock is not granite. You can easily spend 3 (or more) weekends at castle working your way up into the hard nines and low tens.
Castle is also nice because there are basically no sport climbs. It's all trad. You have to pay your due to climb hard at castle. Another benefit is there are often people around, so if you get in trouble, help is easily available.Hell, I think even verizon has coverage there.
I love castle. Too bad it's getting more popular. The last few years I'd go up there and see one other party.
-
Here's some stuff I'll be bringing to the picnic.
This was donated to the Washington Climbers Coalition by the late Larry Kemp's mother. Stock up on some ca 1985 gear and benefit a worthy cause! It's pretty much all good stuff still, just not the latest model.
Sorry I missed the picnic.
My wife Sue and I used to stay at Larry and Sue Kemp's house back in the early eighties on our way to Index. Sue Kemp and I would play guitars together late into the night. She also went to the valley with us when we had our first kid as a partner/baby sitter. She was a great friend and I was saddened to hear she died...I think it was cancer?
She was a good climber as well, followed me up Breakfast of Champions once, no problem at all. She and my wife (the two Sues) did a lot of climbing together while I was Larrys belay whore...good times up at Midnight rock.
I've used that ice screw ratchett tool. Larry and I and my wife Sue climbed at Banks lake one winter in the devils punch bowl. It worked great. Though Larry and I realized we didn't know how to read ice when a winnebago sized stalagtight dropped onto our heads.
I never heard why Larry stopped climbing as we'd drifted apart by then. Funny how so many old climbers give it up. We'd see them in the Pinnacles all the time. The climbing is still just as good;pinnacles pictures here from last weekend:
http://www.websterart.com/html/pinnacles4-08.html
-
I'm fucked
in Spray
my son built a pigmy sea kayak for his high school senior project. He got into it in a big way after that, even bought a used pigmy so his friends could go. He planned to spend a summer doing the Mississippi, but when all his friends bailed, invited me to do the complete Hood Canal with him, 70 miles. I'd never even been in waves before...quite an experience for this newbie.
He's busy with nursing school now, and I'm back to climbing...but good memories.
-
Owen said the purple alien that blew up when he fell on it was 2 years old, never fallen on. He is aware of the bad alien year/model problem, said it wasn't one of those. He said the main wire pulled out of the brazing on the head when he fell on it. Then the remnants of the brazing apparently pulled on the trigger bar and the cam, broken, pulled out of the rock, and he came within inches of decking in a long fall. That's how I remember his story. He said he will put a post up with pictures and more details. Don't trust me as I'm second hand. This is Owen on the right in the red hat:
http://www.edgeworks-climbing.com/cgi/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1198891832
I'll badger him to make a full report. People should know about these Alien problems.
-
Just heard yesterday from Owen who works at:
http://www.edgeworks-climbing.com/cgi/yabb2/YaBB.pl
that a purple alien exploded when he fell and dropped him on meatgrinder crack up the icicle recently. He said he would post the whole story, and has contacted Alien about it. I don't want to describe it second hand and get it wrong. I don't think he spends a lot of time online...but his belayer "kjerstin" has some posts on edgeworks if anyone wants the whole story.
I was just thinking about buying some aliens...no.
-
I'm surprised this thread got reactivated. If you read the whole thing, you'll see that I eventually decided it was me being an old pussy. Mike and I did put up a nice bold route and since it hasn't put anyone in the hospital, it should remain as it is.
I'm intentionally climbing in the pinnacles this season for a few weekends to build up my confidence on run out routes. I should be good to go on cocaine connection this year.
I'm totally ok with more bolts, but that's an old mans perspective, and this being a young mans sport...gotta go with the flow.
-
this is triggerfinger in 1977. The photo has been hanging on my wall since then and is faded. The guy was free soloing. Was that you?
Regarding the comment about cagin queen flakes breaking off (for the rating change), I remember it being mostly friction with nothing to break but I could be wrong. I'll go up and check it out next time I'm over.
-
Nirvana ridge is one of those climbs you only do once. I have vague memories of some sketchy climbing on crumbling flakes past rusty one quarter inch bolts. It was fun, but not one to repeat.
Once climb that hasn't been talked about here is 'Cajin Queen'. I remember looking up at it and thinking that a lot of people were falling off it for only being 5.8.
Rain Dawg was there a lot back then and told me that once I led Cajin, I'd be a true 5.8 leader. I think Victors new book calls it a 10b?
Looking forward to getting back on that. There used be a one quarter inch bolt for that move. Half of it was sticking out of the sandstone, but people took whippers on that all day. It's been replaced. I think you can place a bunch of cams on Cajin to supplement the bolts. Especially up top. I think up to 2 inches.
-
yeah, you are cool (and old) if you have a picture of yourself on triggerfinger before it fell over. I'm both.
those skull symbols on Victors book assume you are a bolt climber who is used to the bolt spacing of vantage. Some of those routes are so badly bolted no one climbs them, it's obvious from the ground that only a free solo artist would even consider it. But those are not the norm.
Many of them may have a skull rating, but come on, it's only 5.4, are you really going to fall off? That is some fun stuff, and you can warm up your friction skills on safer routes until the run outs on easy ground are a non issue.
I'm the biggest pussy out there for run outs, and I had a blast. Another place where run outs are common are the apron at Yosemite, and Joshua tree. I've been to both recently, and suffered because I didn't serve my spring apprenticeship at Peshastin.
Learning to keep your cool when high above a bolt on friction is a valuable skill, Pinnacles is a great place to learn it...and they are not all runnout. Many are very safe...and no lines.
I was glad I had my stick clip on gray whale...yikes, that was scary...call me a pussy, but one broken ankle is enough.
-
I have done cro-magnon, but it was too many decades ago to remember the details other than a big hole/pocket at the crux. I'd have to agree with what several of you have said, the Pinnacles is more manly than vantage, though I enjoy both places.
We used to always spend the first few trips there in the spring. By the time we'd warmed up to washboards and fakin' it, we were ready for anything on the granite around Leavenworth. Some of the sliders you can take on routes like washboards and potholes direct are fun as hell! Nothing to hit, just a zoom down the cliff and hysterical laughter...then you jump back on it.
we can't wait to go back, you guys are welcome to the crowds at Vantage.
-
My wife and I spent last weekend climbing in the Peshastin Pinnacles in Leavenworth. We saw two other climbers all weekend. It was sunny most of the time and looked clouded over up the icicle. We couldn't figure out why no one was there. Does the new generation of climbers hate sandstone or something?
I'll have to admit that I started climbing there in 1977 when it was the only place to go early in the spring. The icicle and castle can be drizzling, and the pinnacles can be hot and sunny.
We went to the pinnacles because my wife is trying to get back into climbing, and the Pinnacles has tons of easy routes, bolted and cracks. I was hesitant to take her there as I would have to lead them all, and the friction run outs can be scary.
I was therefore surprised to find myself actually enjoying the run outs. We did Martian Diagonal: 5.6 with a few bolts and some trad gear. Up on the ramp, it's run out for 50 feet,but it's only 5.4 so I just hiked it...nervously...and of course my wife loved the easy climbing on follow.
The first bolt on sunset slab is 60 feet up. I took up my cams and placed 4 on the way to the bolt. Some were manky, but it's so easy up there it was actually fun. Beautiful friction climbing, just what a couple of rusty has beens needed. We also did west face grand central, very close bolts for 80 feet, though run out at one point on 5.4 with a ground fall potential.
Potholes at 5.7 must be one of the best protected bolt routes around...need a couple 2 inch cams for the exit chimney.
It's really weird, and cool how you can get comfortable with run outs, it focuses the mind, gets you in the zone. I love that feeling and look forward to heading back there. Can't wait to get back on washboards and take some good sliders.
There are lots of trad climbs there as well, vertigo, empire state, lightning, etc. I'd forgotten how much stuff is there.
-
the wife and I have two lowe expedition packs from 1979. They are still going strong with a few minor patches and zipper repairs. The design is one main compartment 4000 cubic inches, drawstring top, with a large top fold over zipper pocket that covers the drawstring top and holds down extra stuff like a rope. There is a "skirt" extension on the main compartment that allows the pack to be used as a bivy sack...yes, I did sleep in it a couple times.
It has three compression straps on each side that allow me to strap on tents or skis on the outside. It's big enough for weeklong trips, and not too heavy for cragging. It does have an internal frame that is adjustable. Everything is one inch flat webbing or thicker and the main fabric is quite thick.
I like the design of the new metolius and BD haul bag packs. They are similar to my lowe, but better. Bulletproof and simple are the keywords as rock climbing is hell on packs. All the tricked out zippers on the new designs are total BS. If you buy a fancy pack with lots of zippers, you *will* be replacing zippers in 5 years or less.
-
21 pages... does anyone do any productive work around here?
I didn't mean to imply I had a perfect marriage, or that our relationship skills are exceptional. But we stumble along. Both of our parents are still together, as were their parents so we sort of absorbed our relationship skills as we grew up.
Not to say we haven't had our share of screaming arguments, usually about how to spend our limited budget.
Whats cool about climbing with my SO though, is that even if we were steaming mad at each other, we both needed a partner that weekend.
I'd belay her up to Saber Ledge, and we'd be the only people up there. The birds were singing, the wind was gently blowing, the sun is shining, and here is this nubile woman sitting beside me with a big smile.
Petty arguments become irrelevant in that environment. Climbing with buddies is fun, but it just doesn't compare to climbing with a like minded SO.
squamish gang bangers - excessive top roping
in Climber's Board
Posted
I have a pet peeve. Call me an old schooler, but I really hate it when parties of friends gang bang a route. My wife and I spent Labor Day weekend at Squamish. We hadn't been there in 5 years and were surprised to see the gym mentality operating there.
On route after route (penny lane for example), one person would lead it, hang slings on the bolted anchors, and several people would follow it, tying up the route for hours. Some of them would even run "laps" on it.
A party of 2 (like Sue and I) was the rarity. I'd lead a route, bring Sue up and we'd rap off...done. I have no interest in running "laps".
I try to apply the golden rule mentality: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I know what it's like to wait for a route, so I try to have my fun and get off quickly.
Why do people do this? Is it just the 'give it to me now' mentality of the young cell phone generation? They want to climb cracks now, and by God, they'll do it any way they can?
I've always felt that if I couldn't lead it, I shouldn't be on it. I'll follow and clean a route put up by my better partner, but I very rarely top rope.
People who top rope like this must think they are learning crack skills...but crack skills without the head game of placing gear is a farce, you might as well be at the gym.
Am I in the wrong here, or are these gangbangers misguided?
This is a climb in the Pixie Corner area in the Smoke Bluffs