JosephH

Blake (and other Newbies), The guides and history are full of adventure, passion, tales, routes to be done some day - but every route in every guide book on earth was put up by someone that had no clue if they could really get up the damn thing or not. All they had was just an idea that somehow burned itself into an obsession that led to the attempt. All of you sell yourselves short to some extent by only climbing by guides; never developing an eye that matches/exceeds your current capabilities/skills. The reality is you don't need the guides, you don't need the ratings, you don't need beta, you don't need to know whether a line is even a route or not - as you become competent leaders you are all perfectly capable of learning to scope out and assess lines for yourselves. It is really the quintessential skill that, sadly and unfortunately, many if not most climbers never learn. It is the heart and soul of what [onsight] FA's is all about - not knowing in advance. It has also been the driving motivation for all my years of climbing. For that matter many of us early on really resented chalk because it revealed moves and whole lines in some cases. We saw the clear psychological dependency of it again and again as we'd go to new areas, partner up with random [good] folks, and suggest climbing a line we spotted only to have partner after partner notice there is no chalk on it, dive for their guidebook, and proclaim "there is no route there!". Exactly. And nothing would get these folks up a piece of rock without chalk on it. Or better yet, just wandering off onto an interesting diverging line (with no chalk); that generally sparked all but outright indignation and/or panic. In fact, many of these folks climbed with the guidebook drilled and slung on their harness to insure they'd never climb a new line. The only place that wasn't consistently the case was the Gunks - those fools by and large were up for anything and the stranger the better. Again, don't sell yourselves short - have some adventure, isn't that why you started climbing to begin with? You can always fall back on classics and running around with the guidebook to insure you don't get out of you comfort zone - but then you'll rarely get out of your comfort zone...

I'm 52 and it has made a lot of difference in an old rotator cuff injury and shoulders/elbow in general - little or no problems this past year and I've been climbing pretty hard the second half of the year. It does take about 3-4 weeks to kick in to a noticable state though...

I have a bit of an odd take on guide books. I generally only use them to figure out where a new climbing area is and that's it - I don't want to know anymore. I'd much rather walk the rock, scope lines out, and just pick the most interesting things to climb; guides really screw that up. You might try it sometime; don't worry about what anyone else thinks about the rock/routes, pretend no one has ever climbed there and just approach it unseen with your own eyes and judgment. Don't worry about ratings, pro (bring a rack), or anything else. Go, scope, climb. * Will you epic and bail sometimes? Sure. * Will you not get off the ground sometimes? Absolutely. * Will routes be easier than you thought sometimes? Sometimes. * Will you get scared pissless sometimes? You're only human. * Will you climb harder than you ever thought possible because you didn't know how hard something was? Likely, at least on the good days. Look at the book on the drive back home (if you must), who knows maybe you'll surprise yourself...

That's the spirit Blake! There's definitely no need to let gear languish the way it comes out of the box. So, yeah, I modify the following gear: Ball Nuts: a) [Carefully] melt the outer plastic tubing really good [bubbling] and flatten it so it locks the the smaller, inner wire race tubing in place and so the outer tubing doesn't obstruct placements of the smaller sizes; b) On new Trango and Camp BallNutz you should grind the paddle/blade corners to a round chamfer else they tend catch and hang up badly trying to place them in tight spots - this was an inadvertantly oversight when both licensees of the original Lowe/Byrne Ball nut design started manufacturing (along with a couple of other minor details hopefully to be corrected in the next year or so). Tri-Cams: stiffen the webbing with electical cable heat shrink tubing (Radar Electric or URS Electronics); sport tape the cams back to the webbing so that when holding the now stiffened webbing like a stopper you can flip the cam to either the stopper position (uncammed) or in the camming position (folded back); this allows you to place it with an extended reach like a wired stopper and also place it like a cam by just pushing it via the webbing into a crack. Larger cams: all have thin, long, leashed cotter pins for pinning the cams together so when you're climbing they don't hang up on things while racked. Crack N'Ups: Thin wire swaged to the top so you can rack them in the beaks down position; dyneema slings through the hole from the cammed side up around the anchor head, then tied in place with very thin nylon cord; #2s and #3s have plastic tape under the dynemma to keep the sharp edge action down. Metolius Cleaning tool: drilled to accept sewn shoulder leash; point ground ala Opdyke into a small, sharp claw for cleaning out fine cracks (for ballnuts, brassies, and Crack N'Ups. Not a mod, but: A couple of my doubled trad draws have matching doubled loops of elastic/nylon cord along with the doubled sling for setting pieces in opposition where the bottom one won't stay "set" on it's own; the elastic cord keeps the two pieces in tension and so in place until they get loaded by the rope going by or by a fall. I'll have a digital camera in a few days and I'll edit this to add photos...

[TR] Blake and I had a great day out at Beacon today inspite of the near-nuclear east winds - they seem pretty strong this year and really build instead of dying down as the day wears on...

Where are you...?

I've been in an out of shape and climbing a dozen times over 30 years - it doesn't always hold the same emotional bang for the buck at all times. Then I come back to it and get back in shape (like now). Getting in shape or losing weight (close to 30 lbs this time) is easy - deciding to do it is a bitch. I know I've decided when I realize this is the last SuzyQ I'm going to eat for a long time. Like I said, after that it's all easy.

How about "Finite Chopping"...

Beacon / Monday 12/27 9am - Any takers?

I should add that I typically do the first pitch with pro not clipping the bolts which, with all due respect for the FA party (who bolted it for community service), aren't really necessary. That said, the pro is small in spots so small, brassy wires and/or ball nuts come in handy.

That was Jim Opdyke's new roommate and he just had a head of steam up and got a bit ahead of himself after Jim talking so much about what a great route it is. He is new to Beacon and I suspect the experience will temper such scenarios in the future. Beacon has seen a lot of solos over the years, but the bottom line remains that a lot of stuff out there is loose and can/does come off on you. Case in point last Saturday: I've done YW a bunch of times and it is pretty much a romp for me at this point, but right off the p3 belay I laid of what I thought was my usual flake, but it wasn't (confused by the cold) - and this one exploded into a large mass of shards that along with me went raining down on Jim who fortunately was off to the left a bit. Probably because of the cold day, but for whatever reason, I happen to place a Metolius #2 just above the belay which I normally don't do, which turned out to have been a wise move this time. So yes, someone did do it (and he is a nice guy), he didn't really know where he were going, wasn't familiar with the rock, and by their own account they almost died - so take it for what it's worth.

dberdinka, Sorry about not posting the rating it was in the link from another post... Michael is just having some fun with you - it's a 5.9. Actually a lot of 5.8 with some 5.9 moves throughout - but it is technical here and there, with a lot of subtleties associated with many of the moves and the first time through it will likely feel more like a lot of 5.9 with some 5.10+ moves...

Climb: Beacon Rock-Young Warriors Difficulty: 5.9 Date of Climb: 12/18/2004 Description: p1: It starts a bit before the trail meets the corner down by the RR tracks; Look for a short, steep little side trail that forks off the main trail with an upsidedown "Y" with a rock in the middle of it and a small tree on the left side leading to a little platform - the route starts off towards the left side of it angling up and a bit left. p2: At the top of the first pitch you'll get to a set of chains - the route goes straight left there around a block. You'll actually be probably be better off belaying from the ledge left of the chains on the other side of a large block. It then goes left and up towards an obvious shallow "A" shaped feature and meets the SE Corner route above that. But go straight right where it meets the SE Corner along a 1 foot ledge to a belay station - do not go up the the SE Corner ledge with the tree. [Caveat: This block is potentially loose, or someday will likely be, do not yard on it in any way! Use it very gently to just step around it to the ledge.] [Note: Some folks run these first two pitches together, but I wouldn't recommened it for anyone going up it their first time.] p3: Go straight up from the belay and just keep going. As you top out on the third pitch do not stop at the first arete hump/ledge you get to (and especially do not go down the other side) - instead continue back and up (west/left) 40 feet or so to the next higher ledge. You'll know you're on the right ledge because it is quite posh and has a ratty old square hanger to welcome you and a couple of hidden pins in the wall towards the back (your next belay). You'll probably want a sixty meter rope on this route because of this pitch. If it's windy be prepared to signal through the rope. p4: The next pitch goes out and up the obvious arete that forms the back end of the ledge. Enjoy. You may at one point about halfway up this pitch see some large old right angle anchors - they are not on YW - and if they aren't off to your left if you do see them you are off route. The pitch ends up over a slab and up a shallow dihedral to a ledge. Set up anchors with pro. [Note (p4): the route does not go up the either the big dihedral at the right (east) end of the ledge or the very back corner - again it goes out and up left (south) to get up on the spine of the arete and then straight up.] p5: The route goes right from here up a ramp to about four feet short of the arete and then up and back left a bit. Climb a short distance up and over into a [indistinct, small] notch in the rocks at the base of a long ramp heading up to the trees. Stop in that notch and belay (or can also bail of this pitch and climb up around to the left arriving at the same place as well). [Note (p5): Oh, and no doubt Jim Opdyke would have me remind you to do the final fun slab move to the left to finish this short pitch, rather than the imminent cop on the arete to the right...] p6: Go up the ramp and when you run out of obvious good rock, stop! Bring up your partner, unrope, and walk off up and right through a bit of talus to what will become a small but obvious trail up through the trees to the trail railing. If it is really blowing east winds and you decide to either climb up the ramp with a belay, or 4th class it trailing the rope without a belay, be sure and put in a couple of pieces of pro on the ramp to keep the rope from blowing off the left edge making life very unhappy for your second. [Note (p6): If you somehow keep climbing up past the ramp in a straight line and find yourself surrounded by trees, you've gone too far - stop immediately, bring up your partner, and head 45 degrees up and right to the trail and get away from the edge.] [Caveats: If you develop any interest in bailing from the route you should do it either at the top of the first or second pitches (or on the second by going up to the SE Corner tree ledge) - after that you are better off topping out. Depending on when you start and your experience level, this time of year (winter) you may want to bring headlamps just in case, though you shouldn't really need them. As with any route at Beacon, even though the route is quite clean, be particularly cognizant of both your physical movements and rope handling/travel to prevent rock fall at ledges, at the top, or anywhere you happen to spot loose gravelly rock.] P.S. You can rope solo the route in three very full 60 meter pitches, but I'd recommend breaking them up unless you are familiar and comfortable with the route. Gear Notes: Bring a trad rack - stoppers and cams.

Haydar, Sketchfest is right, it was Jim Opdyke and myself on Young Warriors. It is a much favored route for many of us that climb at Beacon. I posted a description of it here: Young Warriors (5.9) *****

It is all dried out and will stay that way in this wind which is unusually blowing 24x7. As far as shoes go - there is no need for shoes that tight on the SE corner, comfortable shoes will be fine. In fact, shoes that tight are going to be cold. You won't need chalk either - every surface out there has been blasted completely clean (and large trees dropped in the process). Go warm and comfortable.

Don't bring gas cannisters on a plane either as carry on or checked luggage. Buy them on the ground when you arrive.

We were out doing Young Warriors Saturday just around down from SE corner - be aware that the east winds are howling and will be fairly blistering all week. Be sure to dress very warmly and I'd recommend going to REI or GI Joes and getting some air activated handwarmers - we used them in our [fingerless] gloves at belays (on the wrist) and had them in our coat pockets where we could get at them when climbing. They last all day and really make a difference. Also, stack your rope when belaying and pay attention to it in this much wind.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this practice...

Those are all great photos - could you guys edit and label what they are of for the uninitiated - thanks...

I'm just going to be trying to keep up with a fraction of whatever Texplorer does next year...

Oh, and a Suunto watch/altimeter out a Beacon this past year. Also, A visiting (and very harried) med student left a green Mammut Supersafe out at Beacon late this fall at the base of Free For Some if anyone found it he could really use it. Thanks.

We scored a 60m rope a couple of weeks ago at the end of the 3rd class ramp on the top of Epinephrine - it was a tangled mess but only took us a couple of minutes to sort out and pack up so we figured the last party that did the route must have been caught up there at night tired and scared and so just abandoned it. Over the years I've scored ropes, cams, harnesses, full ounces of smoke, knives, and very cute girls hung up in overhung rappels by their hair. Of course all this was balanced out by me dropping, leaving, or forgetting ropes, cams, harnesses, full ounces of smoke, knives, and the odd girl friend along the way.

I'm with Dane on Dishman, but here I have to defer to Brooke who worked this route with his friends over a couple of summers. There wouldn't be a bolt on it if they felt there was any reasonable alternative (and their concept of reasonable would probably still be be pretty damn scary to most folks).

Michael, I haven't checked in on the Dishman issue for a bit and am incredibly disappointed to find that the vandalism has been repeated. And given my intention of contacting the AF in regards to a review of access issues at Beacon I am somewhat disheartened by the following statement: It is somewhat hard to imagine a more [politically] tortured example of "access at all costs" struggling for a voice than this - regardless of the benevolent objective of solution finding. But, hey, when that "solution" embraces acts of deliberate vandalism than I have to suspect the motives of the AF or your interpretation of AF's charter. I don't know Dane, but I don't see many other folks standing up and giving clear focus and voice to the obvious. And if the AF can't articulate a clear, easy to understand, statement of what is acceptable ethics [at Dishman] then it is well on the way to espousing a deliberate bias which will result in a loss of credibility on the larger political stage of environmental/resource issues over time. This isn't rocket science, and it isn't about drama or ego, it's about common sense and collective self-respect. What's gone on at Dishman should not be open to compromise - it is wrong and unacceptable. It was vandalism before and it's vandalism now. If it comes down to accepting this behavior as part of a "solution" for the sake of maintaining access then we are prepared to sell our collective soul for access plain and simple and "Dishman" will become the very definition of "access at all costs" If the bottom line comes down to a bolt war perpetrated by irresponsible and unrelenting vandals or losing access to a closure - I have to take exception to both your's and Dane's position and vote for a complete closure. If these vandals persist then there is really no ethical alternative I can see other than cleaning it up one more time and shutting it down. Anything else makes the climbing community as a whole a part of the problem. - Joseph P.S. I will be contacting you and the AF about a review of the Beacon raptor closures relative to what is in effect elsewhere around the country. But that said, I don't mind sharing the cliff with them even if it means continuing the complete closure half the year...

Glad to hear you still made it out after I totally wussed out on you due to cold. So what was the deal? Weather.com said in the 30's until noon - what did it end up being temp-wise while doing Pipeline? What time? And was there Sunshine out there? Pipeline is pumpy...