motamota

Trip: Colchuck Balanced Rock - The Tempest Wall FFA: 8-30-09 Date: 8/30/2009 Trip Report: At the end of the day. I don't really care who calls it what or how you climb it. Just go enjoy it. It climbs equally well as a .11 C1 the way that Sol describes it in his TR on the FA or as a free climb. Who cares? When we were talking about it, it's always been Full Tilt so my topo reflects that. If Sol feels strongly about it I'd say let the name stand as The Tempest Wall. It's a good name. Does anyone know how to post a larger image of a topo? This thing is kind of hard to read. Btw, the tape on my shoes was because i left them out one night and a snarfel hound eat the leather all down the sides so the laces were useless. ummmm, salty foot goo.

in reality there was a lot more of this... and this... and not enough of this. and this. btw, all these photos were taken by john barry. WORD.

wow, it worked.

has anyone seen this shirt? we think a goat got it... tilted

der, need help posting pictures... body work, brain not so good... someone pm me?

Hey Jens, I'm sorry you had to drink that swill. If I'd meant that for you guys I would have brought something better. I had single malt! That's what I was trying to get you guys to come down for. The Old E was a bribe to keep Seth up there for another day if necessary. Good thing it wasn't! Best? Most important? I certainly make no such claim. I just wanted to send it more than anything else I've ever tried and I'm glad I did. This name thing is in no way intended as a slag to those guys. "The Tempest Wall" is just so serious sounding and I'm just not that serious. Craig came up with Full Tilt way back and we've been calling it that ever since. It just fit for us and I think anyone who tries to free the roof will get it. The name that is. It's not at all uncommon for a route to have two names: the original aid name and one for the free version. Both born from completely different but no less relevant experiences. I've been up there when it lives up to the name those guys called it. Respect. Although I have to admit I never really got the "Wall" part. It's only five pitches, two of them short. Was it supposed to be taken tung in cheek? I forgot to ask. The Bolt. I placed a bolt at the lip, not because it was needed for gear or out of some need to "work" the route. The idea was to keep the rope from falling into the crack after you pull over the lip, risking flipped cams and or getting the rope stuck in the crack. Shortly after, I removed it and filled in the hole. The route is better for it. If anyone is going up there to try and free it, get the beta on what not to do once you pull the lip. No big deal. As for style, I have been placing the cams on lead right from the get go. The only reason you don't do that on every subsequent burn is that it takes forever to back clean them each time. Seperate Reality- same thing. I one hung it multiple times placing the cams falling after the last one was shoved in and clipped. Part of the problem(beyond just being to weak) is, by necessity, that's the first burn of the day with no warm up. Game on. I'm totally happy with having done it gear in place and pretty confident that it would not have made a difference gear or no gear. When it finally went down I felt like I could have climbed it twice back to back. I think it was 90% mental for me the whole time. My second attempt was no worse then my tenth. Blake's topo is pretty accurate as far as the grades go. The little approach crack up to the roof feels more like 10a to me but I've done it more times than I'm willing to admit. Same as the first pitch. It's cleaning up to be easier than first thought. The forth and fifth pitches should be run together for a full value 60m classic. Nothing harder then 10+/11- but pretty stout for the grade. The roof is an anomaly and difficult to grade. Obviously harder then Separate Reality or the flat part of Desert Gold, both 11d. I don't know where Blake got the idea that it's 12d. I definitely don't think so. My lame excuse is that "I've got big hands". The crux for me comes out near the lip in the form of a series of very tight(insert lame excuse) hand jams. If reds are your thing it could be 12a. I'm happy to step aside and let the hordes of high schoolers decide. Sheesh, to many words. I'm going to try to figure out this picture thing now.

PM me if it's yours. there was a locker as well.