rocketparrotlet
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Posts posted by rocketparrotlet
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I've never been to Fossil Rock, can you aid there? I thought it was just sport climbing on conglomerates.
I love to ice climb too, just got out 2 days ago and might head out again on Thursday. Was hoping to get out to Index once more before heading back to college (lots of ice climbing in New York but nothing like Index rock) and just wondering about other people's opinions on the subject.
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Why is it that in the winter, people tend to head for the alpine instead of the crags? I've noticed that there are very few people who seem to be excited about the idea of a day spent rock climbing in winter when there is any chance of an alpine trip.
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Weather looks good, anybody up for some winter rock climbing? Index should be fairly dry and in good condition (albeit cold).
-Mark
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Goals:
1. Thin Fingers (with crux section)
2. Sloe Children
3. Total Soul
4. Infinite Bliss and don't get rained off this time
5. Slab Daddy
6. Improve, despite not living in WA/hardly climbing anymore.
Dreams:
1. NE Buttress Slesse
2. Yosemite dirtbagging.
3. Find and define my climbing limits.
4. Put up a first ascent that has personal meaning to me.
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Good suggestions. I was thinking something along the lines of this one. It seems to have a bit of everything.
[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvEMPyZFRj0&feature=related
Also: Does anyone know anything about powered speakers?
That song is fantastic. If I were ever able to play it in my lifetime, I would be amazed with myself. I saw Rush perform it live this summer and was blown away by how good it sounded.
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I'm home from college and dying to go climbing again in the NW. I'd be up for ice, rock (if it ever gets dry) or alpine. I'm around until the 17th.
-Mark
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Having led the climb dozens of times over the years, I know that the experience has been dulled for anyone climbing after that bolt was placed.
If you have the climb wired, then maybe the bolt is not for you, but for the many people that have not lead the route dozens of times. I'd lay money you clipped that bolt the first time you went up it, so busted.
Good point. I would lead it on nuts now, but the first time I climbed this, I'm glad the bolt was there.
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If you clip the bolt then 5 nuts aren't necessary to protect 10 feet of crack. How much do you really trust the "bomber" nuts if you use up half your nut rack before the crux move?
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I basically learned to climb at Index and have done very little sport. I actually find face climbing to be harder for the grade sometimes than some of the climbs at Index. It's definitely stiffer than the ratings at the Smoke Bluffs, but for some reason, moderate face climbing often shuts me down. Just what you're used to I guess. I've also heard that it gets stiffer as the grades increase, and I'm not good enough to have seen that firsthand.
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I'll be moving soon and tomorrow is my last chance to go to Index. I'd like to do Thin Fingers and Sloe Children plus some other stuff before I leave. Have rope and rack, lead 5.10, follow 5.11. PM or call me if interested, 425-387-5677.
-Mark
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Suggestion
in Spray
I can't figure out the nodder thing...been through a few pages of that thread and it still doesn't make sense.
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There's a reserve too? Why not just list it at the price you want it to sell for? Or better, give us a price in this thread.
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Suggestion
in Spray
I'd like to suggest that "Spray" be renamed to "Old Guys Arguing About Politics," or alternatively, "Pissing Contest." Sorry to say, but I've seen more thought-provoking discussion in the Youtube comments section.
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Looking to go to Index or Darrington for cragging tomorrow. I have a rope and a rack and lead up to about 5.10b, can follow up to about 5.11a. Give me a call if interested. 425-387-5677
-Mark
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No need to spend money on expensive "high-performance" foods like Gu. Eat what you like. Make sure it has fat and salt- too little salt in your diet will dehydrate you very quickly. Luckily, fat and salt are what make most junk/cheap foods "unhealthy".
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Why are wall hammers so expensive?
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This is such a stupid idea. BD has made prototypes of offset cams and could easily develop some offset nuts too. Instead, they try and make things that already work into a new tech gimmick. Cool, yeah, but virtually useless, almost guaranteed to be very expensive, and facing a serious possibility of recall when they don't work as well as they should. I'd much rather see those offset cams.
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None of the bolts are 3/8". The first two are rusty old SMC bolts, and the last one is something horribly sketchy and possibly homemade. If you want to remove it, a good tug or a directed breath may get it out.
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Thanks for the kind words guys.
Years ago, I used to like that climb (Lamar's Trust). It is sad that it has fallen into disrepair.All it needs is a little cleaning and 3 replaced bolts. The climbing itself wasn't bad. I'd do it myself, but I've never drilled a bolt.
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Trip: Index - Lamar's Trust-TPMV and Overdone Classics
Date: 7/18/2011
Trip Report:
I headed out to Index with Tobias for some cragging, talking relentlessly about Sloe Children and how much I wanted to climb it, but probably couldn't lead it. That probably made up half of the day's conversation. Anyway, the Lower Wall looked damp, so we decided to do the Great Northern Slab and I figured I might as well try to lead Libra Crack. So we made it up to the top of the Slab through Libra Crack and Pisces, scrambled over the bottom of the Shield, and I tried to find Lamar's Trust, a route which looked interesting to me due to its rating of 5.9, which there isn't too much of at Index. We scrambled up the dirt and I started up the dirty crack, cleaning out tons of dirt with my chock pick as I went along. I mantled up onto a small ledge and started up the slab portion of the climb.
The guidebook calls Lamar's Trust a 5.9+ slab route with a "bolted" finish. Well above my last gear placement, I clipped the first bolt, a rusty old SMC that looked like it could come out under a fall. Shaking wildly as I moved up, I almost made it to the second bolt...and fell. Frantically, I grabbed the draw and got a sickening feeling in my gut, but it held...thank God. I moved up to the second bolt, equally as bad as the first one, and much higher up. The lichen crunched as my feet skittered across the slab and my palms held on to nothing. I clipped the bolt and moved a few feet up onto some even more insecure foot and hand placements. With feet slipping, I stood on the bolt desperately and composed myself as much as I could under these circumstances. I could not go down. The next thing I saw brought forth a hearty, "Oh, SHIT!" The next bolt was entirely rust and the hanger was torn, an old job that looked like bent 1mm sheet metal. There was no doubt in my mind: if I fell here, the bolt would fail, and a broken ankle would be the best I could wish for. I frantically palmed my way up the slab, fully understanding the "slap and pray" aspect of friction slab climbing. Well above this bolt, I placed a TCU in an overlap and moved on, up to the anchors, and continued onto the top pitch of TPMV. I have never been more happy to see a new 3/8" bolt in my life. I brought my partner up, and he just stared at me for a few seconds before saying anything. As I sat at the anchors, a warm feeling of safety invaded my senses as I stared down at the railroad tracks a few hundred feet below. "So this is why everybody just does Godzilla," I thought to myself.
We did some dirty low-5th climbing and scrambling to the proper top of the Lower Wall and rappelled down what I think is the Narrow Arrow Standard route, a hard-to-follow 5.7 with many variations and hard separate climbs along the way. Finding rappels was difficult but not horrendous, and this route doesn't look quite as bad as its little-climbed reputation might suggest. I got to see an old aid crack not in any guidebook that I have heard rumors about as being 5.14 potential. The Narrow Arrow area is a huge section of the wall that most people never get to see, and it's actually quite cool. Once down onto a ledge, I scrambled over to the top of Thin Fingers and we toproped that, pretty sure it's only like the 3rd time that climb has been done or something, it deserves more traffic.
Once down, Tobias led up Godzilla and I got a chance to climb City Park p2 for the first time, and hopefully not the last. Finally we were at Sloe Children. Tobias said that he wasn't feeling up to leading it, so I agreed to give it a try despite it being harder than anything I've ever successfully led before. I am still kind of humiliated- I couldn't even make the first moves to get established into the corner due to fear of falling onto the belay from 4 feet up. Next time I guess. All in all, a pretty good day.
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Update: hooks are sold, sale on shoes and some cams pending.
The Trango Flexcam 6 and the Tech Friend 1.5 are still available.
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So I'd heard rumors of a crack at Index that might go free at 5.14. I got a chance to look at it today, it looks hard but this might be possible. It's an arching very thin crack with sidepull features high up near the top of the Narrow Arrow Direct route. There are some fixed pins, it looks like it is an A2 route, it would definitely be clean aid though. It is not in either Sky Valley Rock (very high pitches on the LTW are not listed) or the Cummins guide. Does anybody know anything about this crack or if it's even been attempted free? I'm just curious.
-Mark
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I was hoping to head out to Index tomorrow for some cragging in this brief window of good weather. Have rope and rack, lead 5.10-, follow 5.10+. PM me or call at 425-423-9385, don't worry about waking me up if it's late/early.
-Mark
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Thinning out my gear closet before I move to college. Pictures available upon request.
Cams: $30 each, all are in good condition with smooth action.
Trango Flexcam #6
Wild Country Tech Friends #1, 1.5, 2, 3
Hooks:
Chouinard skyhook- $7
BD grappling hook- $8
Leeper Logan narrow- $5
Leeper Logan wide- $5
La Sportiva Mythos shoes, size 43 (U.S. 10)- $50. In good condition, used a few times. Too loose for me.
Winter rock climbing?
in Rock Climbing Forum
Posted
I'll be sure to check out the Gunks when I get a chance, definitely looking forward to it. I'm going to school at Rensselaer for those who are wondering, probably a little over an hour away. The biggest issue is not having a car (can't afford one) so going anywhere can be difficult.
It might sound corny, but Index holds a special place to me because it's the crag I learned to climb at. In addition, I've made all my personal climbing breakthroughs at Index or Squamish so I try to go to those places as much as possible. I've still got some unfinished business at the LTW...