Moof

Looks like the weather gods are not being in my favor.

Hey Ivan, How about next weekend? I don't fancy a solo ascent, but I would like to get some pitches in before heading down to the valley in a couple weeks.

Anyone up for a lap on Stone Soup this weekend?

Next time you want to run up Stone Soup on a weekend let me know. I've been wanting to do another lap in. Should be a good warmup for Excalibur.

Dude, you still want ownership of that ledge?

Thanks for getting that posted Stew-beef! Most excellent trip. Stewart was an excellent partner, and climbed fast enough to make up for my plodding pace. We finished earlier each night, and kept things to a pretty casual style. Highlights: 1. Starting pitches so overburdened with gear you can hardly move, and finishing them with just a few cams and a set of nuts... 2. Projectile vomitting MRE and orange Gatorade all over the top of the slab pitch. Note: Don't buy the Chicken in Buffalo Style Sauce MRE's. 3. Being unable to walk up stairs once I got home. 4. Sleeping in my own homemade ledge, and not having it collapse (Yay!). 5. Leaving water at the top for the third wall in a row. 6. Avoiding the hateful flair. C1+ variation is highly recommended. 7. 12 pitches, only clipping 12 pins, 12 bolts, and ZERO copper heads. If you back clean as much as Stewart, 4x of #1-3 is probably fine, but if you're like me 5x in in order. 2x #3.5, 2x #4, and 2x #4.5, and 2x #5 camalots about right for the Planck's Constant roof (old school sizes). Double #3.5 and #4.5 is all that is needed higher up. I biffed and was a cam short in the #4 size due to improper size conversions and hasty preperation (sorry Stew!).

SMC did very similar testing to REI many years back. I can't find the report now, but the pictures were impressive. Majorly tweaked biners were statistically just as strong as the controls. Basically there have been a couple bad choices in alloys over the years resulting in recalls or reduced lifespans (I think the early light-D's, and early double stem camalots are examples). If you can't see a crack, it is likely just fine. Just the same, I'd rather not have second thoughts when I'm cruxing just cuz I cheaped out. Belayers are far more likely to fail than the devices they use.

Why not just get a decent scale? Weigh the fuel before and after.

I just use a grigri. You have it along anyway, and the feeding is only a minor hassle till you get some rope out. Just thumb the lower ascender while jugging the first bit. Also, you can quickly swap to the 2:1 cleaning rig for steep sections of cleaning. Everything on the wall should be as multipurpose as possible, stick with the grigri.

Mine is not for sale, but collecting dust. I'd be willing to loan it out for a month or so for couple good sixers plus a deposit. Trouble is that I'm in Portland, it'd be up to you figure out how to get it up there and back. I got it specifically for Pipeline, but got way too fat waiting for Tom to make a batch up... I also have a couple big-bros I'd loan out as well.

For small holes I've been very successful with seam grip, and larger ones using a scrap of pack cloth and seam grip. I fixed a few in the field, just had to wait a while before going to bed.

depends how things work out - maybe i have a partner at least for the first part of my break? as always, thanx for the support there moof-san - now will i be able to escape come august? I think so, but I have commitments for the weekends of the 7th, and the 13-16th. But I should be able to carve out a week for some insanity in the valley after that.

Man, wish I could... Maybe by late summer I'll be able to bust out again. If you need to borrow anything for this effort, swing on by.

#9 Wild Country Hex Yellow Alien Largest brass HB/DMM offset Large Colorado Nut (used my buddies, wish I could get one)

We were after Wet Denim Daydream, but were one vagina short of having the sack to finish the bugger. Hand placed? No.... I beat the mother fucker in there with zeal. It still fell out 2 days later in the hands of a free climber.