stevetimetravlr

Justin, you are cracking me up! Get on up here little doggy and lets do some climbing. We haven't seen hide nor hair of ya at Beacon this year, whats up with that! Yesterday bluebird day there, and today looks like more of the same, but the rain returns tonight, this could be THE END.

Cool, will have to check it out next trip up there. I used to be a busboy at Crabapples Restaurant at Crossroads Shopping Center back in 1976, why wasn't this around then, it would have been quite convenient for me. Have you heard anything about the incredible new rock gym opening in Seattle soon? Supposed to be nearing completion and be very tall and diverse, one of the top 5 gyms in the nation.

I think that when John Bachar died, the vision of Acopa died with him. Very sad. Great shoes with enviromentally friendly rubber.

To Hell In a Handbasket is an incredible 11c at The Little Crag, which is defintely not in Hell, and in fact at the opposite end of the spectrum, ha!

Wow, impressive and amazing place.

It sounds like the message I am getting here is that folks should just go to Hell. and like it.

Left 2 biners and sling on the 2 pins and rapped with a 60 to the steps on the corner, set up a anchor, and then scrambled over to Jills. It was a torrent going down and I was regreting not manning up and leading the 4th pitch of YW in the rain like I should have.

Why would you have to try not to disrespect him? The guy is TC's partner, he has sent some of the hardest and most dangerous boulder problems in the world. He is a young guy, a pro climber, he has to make a living to. I didn't see anything out of line with him being on the show, although I think the show itself is pretty lame, but Kevin pretty cool. Whats the problem?

Best wishes and heal quickly! Its just another summit to get up and over, and you will prevail.

Cool photos guys. None from me as haven't been back up yet, but dug into my ice gear last night in the hope that the stars align and all is well in the world and we get some good alpine conditions for a while.

Ivan, is that photo on Thin Red Line?

I only trade booty for booty! Seriously you should ask Jim O, he finds allot of the dropped gear out there.

The North Face still looks fairly plastered. If I head up that way today climbing, I will try and get some photos.

Great thread. I've found that instead of slinging every piece that needs it, I have 4 or 5 draws that utilize a Revolver biner on the rope clipping end, and I use those instead. This minimizes the length of a fall if I were to take it versus a long sling, also minimizes the rope drag, and makes the whole system seem to run smoother. In the case of a fall, they reduce the overall friction of the system, which after reading this thread seems like a good idea. Also clipping the anchors with the Revolver draws makes belaying with a top rope a joy as you don't have to pull very hard to take up slack with the pulley biners doing their job. My 2 cents worth or maybe 1.

Looked at it yesterday from hwy 35, and the sun was gleaming off the ice sheet on it like a giant mirror, very cool!

Dude, you are quite wrong and never watched it go down if you say that. hey Tyler, You are cracking me up man. You got me wondering if I was off base as I have stood at the base when Hans and Yugi fired off with a few cams and stoppers and one can of Red bull taped to Yugi's harnass for the both of them, and thought Hans was climbing most of the time as they just flow up the rock 35-40 feet apart moving like rockets. but then your post got me wondering so I asked him. Hans is always the class act, and it really is magic to watch him climb, I've never seen a smoother or more graceful climber. Here is his response, hope this clarifies things. Steve, Thanks for the email. It makes me smile. Of the 2970 ft of climbing on The Nose I have led every inch and jugged every inch many times during my 28 years of climbing, and 77 ascents. So, your friends would be right if they said I'm a good jugger. When Yuji and I climbed the route for the record ascent and for most of the practice runs. I simul climbed about 2200 ft of the route and jugged the the rest. Right now Alex Honnold and I are experimenting with me leading to The Boot Flake, and Alex leading the top half of the route. I suppose I'll get people commenting that since I'm older now I can't handle all the work demanded of following on the back end during the first half. -That would be funny. It's crossed both Yuji, Alex, and my mind that we should go with me on the lead the whole route so that people don't think I'm a hitch hiker. I do care what people think, but I care more to be strategic about getting the record. - Yuji and Alex know that I am more experienced at handling the work transitioning from climbing to jugging to climbing and there isn't much point in practicing so they can gain that experience. Not that they couldn't quickly and In the end be better/faster than me. As another note, switching leaders during the route has not revealed itself to us as a great strategy. And we all believe that jugging somewhere along the route for the second person is a good strategy. People can guess what the record would be if there were two Hanss or two Alexs or two Yujis climbing together. I have tried to use the strengths of the five different people I've set the record with. Many people may like to state it as Hans was put on the team so that his weaknesses wouldn't blow a shot at the record. Always a few ways to look at things. all the best. Hans

or Narnia... Cool video and nice acheivement!

You seriously think all Hans does is jug? Dude, you are quite wrong and never watched it go down if you say that. Most of the time they are simo climbing, with Hans managing the grigri. Ask yourself, in simo climbing does the strongest climber generally lead or go second?

Seeing Hans climb I don't think you would feel he takes huge risks. His every move is calculated, well thought out, and precisely executed. All because he has analyzed every single aspect of climbing, belaying, and moving over rock. Shaving a few seconds here, a few there, thinking how can he do this faster but within the realm of relative safety, although if he were to fall there would be consequences for someone. He removes unneccessary actions and tasks from the equation, and refines his art of movement over rock, literally flowing upward like most very fast rock climbers with no energy wasted. He is just one example of a speed climber, and his is something we can all learn from, although there is no need to mimic what he does for everyone. But to say it doesn't strike you as particularly good style is to show that you have never seen him in action or educated yourself as to what it is all about. Who was it that set the stage for motivating Tommy to do 2 El Cap free routes in a day? Don't you think that is more then a little ground breaking, and also the reason that badass walls in the Himalaya and Patagonia are now being done quickly and thus far more safely? EVERYONE can learn something from speed climbing in my book. It has set the stage for more incredible things about to happen....

I think all you have to do is watch Hans Florine and Yugi in action to have an appreciation that speed climbing is ground breaking, more challenging, and usually more risky. Its not for everyone, but it sure helps to time yourself once in a while and try to one up personal bests, just like training for any sport. Get it on!

These Totem cams are rock solid in placements. I was so impressed with how they work in granite. In the parallel sided stuff they work of course just as good as everything else, but its in the flaring, pin scarred, or weird placements that they really shine. Something with their design doesn't let them move around or walk like other cams. They go in and lock off where a C3 or C4 will move around in the same place. they give me a nice warm feeling in my tummy on kind of runout sketchy granite trad.

Bill, I just stick them down my pants and they warm up right away. When I used yours, thats what I did, and they worked great after that. Sure ya got to wash them afterwards... 8D

That must have been around 1 oclock when the rain hit. Was going to climb there yesterday but we ended up at OH8 climbing in the sunshine and t-shirts instead. But still good on ya Ivan for getting after it! You should have called me and joined us at the crag dude.

Very nice looking summit shot, great to be kicking steps in the freshies. Looks like your timing was great!

Dad and son cragging, the best.