backclipped

Just picked up Alpinist 28 because I'm heading down to Red Rocks next weekend (on my own dime....)and there happened to be a spread about the area in the issue. It was written by Joanne Urioste...pretty frickin' relative material. And there happened to be a great compelation of Bachar stories written by his friends and contemporaries. My point? I call bullshit on anyone that loves the sport and claims not to read the literature.

Is something that you aid? If so stop talking about holds and focus on the possible "highlighting" of your seam....or perhaps just rattle can the word "take" wherever you do.

ya think?

Can't do it, Letsroll. Wouldn't be prudent cause you can "see" the anchors and the path of travel is obvious. I will, however, use the already existing excess of chalk that's on the route to draw hyroglyphics of the beta. But the route will likely become temporarily closed until the archeologists....I mean rangers, can verify the authenticity of the wall art.....

Seriously? Someone has scribbled arrows...as in directions of travel? Wow, I didn't realize that route required route finding skills. I'm blaming the detours..... Whenever i see a chalk arrow drawn on a route i usually add as many as three more originating from the same spot as the original arrow - one in each direction especially when i am at smiff... That, LCK, is a total detour move...

Seriously? Someone has scribbled arrows...as in directions of travel? Wow, I didn't realize that route required route finding skills. I'm blaming the detours.....

Hahah...it's out!!! Like a game of add-on or some other gym thang.

You're funny. You missed my little point. We don't need bullshit signage on our chalk highways. Yes, I pulled on it. Going nowhere any time soon.

Plake is, well, Plake--timeless and amazing. Pierre is a moron. That isn't even skiing. Now that last video...WOW! Unbelievable.

Alright listen. I'm no Smith ambassador. I'm not even a hardman. I'm just calling a spade a spade and there is some serious horseshit being spewed around the crag. Now I know that your home crag is built of something immaculate, but around here we climb on consolidated and eroded volcanic ash. It's shit rock prone to exfoliation. So when you decide to dip into your chalk bag and finger paint an "X" on a hold you better be damn sure the thing is ready to come off. That "X" on Caffeine Free 2/3 of the way up is SOLID.

I'm right with ya, Jlag. I'm currently working with a Smith Rock Detour coordinator to up-the-uber on this most spectacular and time honored climb. We're attempting a paint by numbers activity for next years attendees. Every participant will be issued a paint roller and a numbered canister containing a "mystery" color. Each canister will be matched with a corresponding cube. Prior to the event a handful of us (the paint-by-number squad) will spend a few hours "griding out" the wall. The result should yield a kaleidoscope of brilliance which will help to offset any climbing anxiety for those stepping from the gym to the great outdoors. If this activity proves successful, we're hoping to approach the park service about doing the same thing to the adjacent routes--think about it, how cool would magic light be if we did a mosaic of Jimmy Hendrix's face on it? I know, man....totally bitchin'

I looked at, but did not climb, the opening moves of Nine Gallon Buckets. All is well and the bottom is still 5.9. I know a few of you over on the soggy side were losing sleep about the alleged alteration to one of Central Oregon's most celebrated uber classic clip ups...I think in a few more Detours the ground should wear sufficiently enough away to place the starting jugs a few moves out of reach. I predict it will go at 5.11- when this happens.

Nope, not going there. I would merely like to challenge the notion that climbing, hiking and other such outdoor exploits are not rights; and, that there is a time and place for everything.

Santiam Highway Ledges? The Wombat? WTF are you guys talking about!? Did you guys hit up some of that festivus going on? Detour-hellllllooooo. Wicked sweet. I was the 32nd guy to send BBQ on Saturday. On Sunday I hooked up with this really zany and cool group of folk who liked to sled and climb on rocks. Sleds, I'm not kidding. They had a saucer and a plastic toboggon. We sent some sick scree. Ya'll should give it a shot some time. BIG fun.

Perfect. .9 .10 .9 Right there on mountainproject.com. It's a hoot how the route description is broken down into two pitches--ever see anyone pitch it out? Anyhow, the comments about the route following the description pretty much silence this discussion: committing start.

but check it, this thing goes on aid. It's a new dynamic form of aiding I've been working on with some bad ass high desert craggers. I keep breaking biners, but my goal is to dyno from bolt-to-bolt...I'll let ya'll know when I send.

12-, dude, but you gotta traverse in from Cool Ranch Flavor otherwise it's 12+.....

Cool, when were you on it last? - Josh Portland, OR It's been a couple of months, Josh. - Chris Bend, OR

5.10c actually - due to the ongoing erosion - and is not that bad after the first bolt. First move: bouldering jump to the jug and then traverse to the left below the first bolt. Actually not 5.10c--not off the deck anyway. Unless the bottom of the thing fell apart, which is entirely possible. With the present "ongoing erosion" Nine Gallon is only 5.9 to the first anchors. It feels harder to aspiring 5.10 climbers because one has to pull a solid 5.9 move before clipping the first bolt. I actually think that first bolt is in a shitty spot, but it's only a 5.9 move on a 10c climb.... I haven't climbed it since mid summer. Maybe it's broken. Doubt it's harder.

The start of nine gallon is only "something like 11" if you're from Portland.

Hey, asshole, what about me!!! It's been reported that I've traded my rope for a mountain bike, but I still climb....sorta. That short pitch out of the west cave of the Monkey is the hardest 11b jug haul I've ever attempted...had to AO out of the bitch. Pouches is dead on 11b Heresy is...... Hemp Liberation is unclimbable because of its bullshit bolting. Darkside spits me off every time. Reason To Be and I have a history Moons, although incredible, is a bit soft. BBQ is not 10b--it's 10zzz (the crux is not falling asleep on the fucker. John Gault is sssttttiiifffffffffff. Who compared Pack Animal Direct to that climb in the gorge...I call bullshit. You just gotta climb with your feet on on Pack Animal. But, I will admit, Jlag puts this one up for me...I'm a pussy gear placer. License to Bolt is as sandbag as it gets. Fred is sorta 10d I'm rambling....................

This coming December will mark the 10 year anniversary of my undergraduate (only graduate) achievement. I could have been somebody, ya know, like some big time war correspondent watching the capital city of the Tuskan Warriors light up like Atari's Missle Command. Instead I carried my bong and my snowboard to the Green Mountains of VT and began what my Mother would call "the backclipping of my life"--if she had a working knowledge of a climber's lexicon. This confessional has been brought to you by a brief lunch reprieve from tuning skis.

I enjoy the jingle-jangle sound of gear bumping and grinding. On nights when I'm restless and sleep is off visiting other people, I like to slip on my harness, clip on some gear, and gently sway my hips....so nice and delicate.

Billcoe, I see your point. There is a time and a place for everything. I'm heading up to Tieton this weekend...and yes, I'm bringing a roll of tape. Mmmm, warming up for Trezlar on Lion's Jaw? I prefer warming up for climbs on neighboring routes, but anything is possible and other perspectives can be preferable. I think Sundown would be a better way to warm up for Trezlar. Shit, I'd forget how to climb approaching Trezlar from Lion's Jaw....and I'd have to hand the rope over to Jlag...he digs that stuff. Majored is past tense. I turned my brain off years ago. I prefer the mind dulling process of sending skis through $40,000 Wintersteiger machines. Share what? Oh that. Yeah, well, there is a laser sight trained on my skull...I'm sure you understand.

"Better over-tape and be trad climbing than wearing Prana and clipping bolts with no nuts." Touche. Alright, he's my confessional: I own a single pair of Prana brand pants...and an old button up shirt. I'm the bolt clipper in my regular climbing partnership. I enjoy face climbing. I have zero interest in crags like Trout Creek, or skating around in the gorge. I have, however, taken to the sharp end on a few "obscure" Smith trad climbs. Some of these climbs, White Cloud comes to mind, I will never climb again. TRs--Trip Reports. Mmmmm. I graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with a journalism degree. That was back in 1999. I haven't done much writing since. In my opinion trip reports are too much work: take notes on the outing, drag along a camera, download images onto computer, compile something post-worthy so it doesn't get flamed, and/or people lost........way too much work. I'd much rather lap Heinous Cling and sneer at Jean Claude as he "jams" his way up Moonshine......just kidding, I'm not strong enough to run laps on Heinous...I'll be a few climbs to the right taking on that second to last bolt on Wedding Day. 1000 ft of 5.9....right with you on that one. P.S. I enjoy the banter. P.P.S. Oh, I've got the skinny on some find non-Smith climbin'. The best 5.9 multi-pitch in Oregon is hidden in these hills. I'm gunna leave Beacon to Letsroll...rains too much over there.