JayB Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Other folks are out there putting up new routes these days and I, well, I am hitting UW rock every so often and not much more. So while I can't add anything like a cool photo-essay on a killer alpine route, I can contribute...some photos of some upright slabs of concrete with rocks stuck in them, which I have adorned with colored blobs and lines. So here they are, some of my favorite problems at UW. The photos are a bit dark as it was just about dusk by the time I got there, and by the time I got around to taking photos of the wall with the highest concentration of cool problems is was too dark back there to get much of a picture tonight. The only problem that I am responsible for out of these is "Right Cross," although I only say that I am responsible for it because I've never seen anyone else do it or describe it - but it's hard to imagine that there's anything new under the sun at the UW rock. I picked up the other problems by hearsay, or read them in a book put out by Erik Wolfe and Scott Hopkins in March of '94. If either of you guys are out there, I hope that it's cool to put some of the info on the web. I used my own photos rather than scans of the book to try to steer clear of any copyright issues. Anyow, if you live close to UW, are too poor to afford gym dues like myself, or just hang-out there every now and then - add some routes of your own. If there's any interest I'll borrow the roommates camera again, take shots of the the walls, and you can use your own photosuite stuff to add other problems to those I've posted tonight. Red: "Right Cross" My own creation. All rocks for feet except for the big block on the far right. Green: "GropeMaster" From Wolfe & Hopkins. "Hollow" circles with F in the middle indicates holds that are on for feet, off for hands. Pink: "Good Traverse" Wolfe & Hopkins. All rocks for feet. Easiest of the problems listed here. Light Blue: "Heave To" Wo lfe & Hopkins. All rocks for feet. Red: "Gorilla Traverse" Wolfe & Hopkins. All rocks for feet, traverse out and back for extra credit. Pink: "Beer & Loafing" Wolfe & Hopkins. Bottom side of the big block for the first hold, seam between the roof and wall for the third hold. All rocks for feet. Green: "8th Dwarf" Wolfe & Hopkins. All rocks for feet, slopers all the way... Blue: "MLF Overhang," Wolfe & Hopkins. All rocks for feet, use the hole in the crack for the third hold. Red: "Four Rock Classic" Wolfe & Hopkins. No rocks for feet. Classic. Green: "Can't Truss It" Wolfe & Hopkins. No rocks for the feet. Still working on this one - Red, "Rainbow Coalition Traverse," Wolfe & Hopkins. No rocks for the feet, texture only. My personal nemesis, and the hardest problem in this list by far. Have at it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Schuldt Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 The rock rules!!!!! Cool routes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 JayB, Thanks for posting this stuff. I was thinking that since you have the ability to draw the lines on those pictures you must be able to dink with the brightness. Those topos are much easier to figure out when you digitally brighten them up a bit (see attachment). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Here's another one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCramer Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 Way back in the early(?) 80's Smoot wrote a really good guide to the UW rock. It is no longer in print. He does sell an abridged version on his website. I know several guides have been available in more recent years but since Smoot is still around and likes publishing things, I imagine several emails would encourage him to reprint his version. One of the UW rock's charms is discovering the problems for yourself but I thought I'd throw the Smoot book into the mix. The possibilty of a CC.com based guide seems like a fun project as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted February 14, 2003 Author Share Posted February 14, 2003 Good idea chucK - I'll see if I can lighten them up this weekend so that everyone can actually see the rocks.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sargent_Rock Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 I've never seen anyone else do it or describe it - but it's hard to imagine that there's anything new under the sun at the UW rock. Strong work, mate! The beauty of our sport is that there seems to be endless new problems to discover and climb. Thanks for sharing your enjoyment of climbing with us. Sarg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted February 15, 2003 Author Share Posted February 15, 2003 Couldn't edit the post above for some reason, so here's the same post with brighter photos.... Other folks are out there putting up new routes these days and I, well, I am hitting UW rock every so often and not much more. So while I can't add anything like a cool photo-essay on a killer alpine route, I can contribute...some photos of some upright slabs of concrete with rocks stuck in them, which I have adorned with colored blobs and lines. So here they are, some of my favorite problems at UW. The photos are a bit dark as it was just about dusk by the time I got there, and by the time I got around to taking photos of the wall with the highest concentration of cool problems is was too dark back there to get much of a picture tonight. The only problem that I am responsible for out of these is "Right Cross," although I only say that I am responsible for it because I've never seen anyone else do it or describe it - but it's hard to imagine that there's anything new under the sun at the UW rock. I picked up the other problems by hearsay, or read them in a book put out by Erik Wolfe and Scott Hopkins in March of '94. If either of you guys are out there, I hope that it's cool to put some of the info on the web. I used my own photos rather than scans of the book to try to steer clear of any copyright issues. Anyow, if you live close to UW, are too poor to afford gym dues like myself, or just hang-out there every now and then - add some routes of your own. If there's any interest I'll borrow the roommates camera again, take shots of the the walls, and you can use your own photosuite stuff to add other problems to those I've posted tonight. Red: "Right Cross" My own creation. All rocks for feet except for the big block on the far right. Green: "GropeMaster" From Wolfe & Hopkins. "Hollow" circles with F in the middle indicates holds that are on for feet, off for hands. Pink: "Good Traverse" Wolfe & Hopkins. All rocks for feet. Easiest of the problems listed here. Light Blue: "Heave To" Wo lfe & Hopkins. All rocks for feet. Red: "Gorilla Traverse" Wolfe & Hopkins. All rocks for feet, traverse out and back for extra credit. Pink: "Beer & Loafing" Wolfe & Hopkins. Bottom side of the big block for the first hold, seam between the roof and wall for the third hold. All rocks for feet. Green: "8th Dwarf" Wolfe & Hopkins. All rocks for feet, slopers all the way... Blue: "MLF Overhang," Wolfe & Hopkins. All rocks for feet, use the hole in the crack for the third hold. Red: "Four Rock Classic" Wolfe & Hopkins. No rocks for feet. Classic. Green: "Can't Truss It" Wolfe & Hopkins. No rocks for the feet. Still working on this one - Red, "Rainbow Coalition Traverse," Wolfe & Hopkins. No rocks for the feet, texture only. My personal nemesis, and the hardest problem in this list by far. Have at it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North_by_Northwest Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 My personal favorite is on the right of the overhang, between the thin-hands crack and the right edge. You can use any combo of holds on the vertical part of the wall between the thin crack and the edge. The problem comes at the overhang and can be done with texture only for feet. Use the three teeth on the overhang to reach for the lip or the last hold on "guerilla". Cheaters can grab the right hand lip to top out. Reachy and fun, but not especially hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klar404 Posted February 15, 2003 Share Posted February 15, 2003 hey! this is a great idea. I have no idea where you are taking it, though. Would you like others to post routes as well?If you do it might be nice to post the photo without your routes drawn in. I think it would look better, for instance, on the overhang if someone would like to add a route or two ( me or others) without obscuring your great work. Thanks again for the pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted February 16, 2003 Author Share Posted February 16, 2003 Klar - good idea. I'll post some of the photos without routes in the next couple of days or so that anyone who's so inclined can add their own routes - maybe in a separate thread so that folks without a fast connection can load the thread in less than 10 minutes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pope Posted February 16, 2003 Share Posted February 16, 2003 DCramer said: Way back in the early(?) 80's Smoot wrote a really good guide to the UW rock. It is no longer in print. He does sell an abridged version on his website. I know several guides have been available in more recent years but since Smoot is still around and likes publishing things, I imagine several emails would encourage him to reprint his version. One of the UW rock's charms is discovering the problems for yourself but I thought I'd throw the Smoot book into the mix. The possibilty of a CC.com based guide seems like a fun project as well. Just have to say that I think the Hopkins/Wolfe guide was prepared with more thought and energy and is, perhaps as a consequence, infinitely more useful. Is it still available? I could ask Scotty about that, if anybody is looking for it. However, I suspect Sexy Chocolate could hook you up with a copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCramer Posted February 18, 2003 Share Posted February 18, 2003 (edited) I added some more pics of the UW Rock. I think an online guide would be a fun thing to have. The original files are huge but I tried to reduce their size - maybe not the best way. Would B&W be better than color? Pope, you're the first one I have heard suggest Smoot's UW Rock guide was prepared without much thought and energy. For years Smoot was a regular at the rock - literally obsessed with the place. I thought his book was pretty good and original and that the routes were clearly shown. The ratings are a bit odd but they are still pretty good at showing relative difficulty. I would agree that the Hopkins/Wolfe guide is pretty groovy too! If anyone is having problems sussing out new problems both books would show some new gems staring them in the face. Edited February 18, 2003 by DCramer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pope Posted February 18, 2003 Share Posted February 18, 2003 DCramer said: Pope, you're the first one I have heard suggest Smoot's UW Rock guide was prepared without much thought and energy. What I actually said was Just have to say that I think the Hopkins/Wolfe guide was prepared with more thought and energy Both guides are nicely done and took far more energy than I could ever assemble for such a project, and I didn't mean to imply that Smoot's guide is of poor quality/useless. I think the Hopkins/Wolfe guide is better (and Scotty's an old friend, so WTF). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klar404 Posted February 18, 2003 Share Posted February 18, 2003 Here's a problem on the overhang I flail at. All rocks for feet and no crack.Reachy!Anyone know its name? Dcramer I took the liberty of making it black and white and doing the ole' unsharp mask for the web trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCramer Posted February 18, 2003 Share Posted February 18, 2003 I think that B&W looks better but it could always be the unsharp filter. Nice route, not sure if I know it. Darryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelawgoddess Posted February 18, 2003 Share Posted February 18, 2003 JayB said: are too poor to afford gym dues gym dues are maybe a pitcher of beer per week - just depends where your priorities are. cool pics, though - i love the colorful route markers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klar404 Posted February 18, 2003 Share Posted February 18, 2003 And another on the overhang that you guys will most likely know. All for feet again no crack!Cut loose at the top! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairns Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 Toys In The Attic - UW Rock continues to amuse. It is scary to think that 20+ years after my first visit I could still be down there, saying, "I've got this new problem..." Actually, I do. I will send it as an attachment from home base, tomorrow. That Rainbow Coalition Traverse looks a lot like a Bryan Burdo creation, despite my name on it in the Smoot guide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairns Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 Cairns said:I've got this new problem Argh, it was an old one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 So what's the problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairns Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 chucK said: So what's the problem? See attachment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairns Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 Cairns said: chucK said: So what's the problem? See attachment Oh, you mean what do you do? Same as this one but eliminate the first rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairns Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 This one continues on the other side. The variation is reachy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pope Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 How many hours of my life did I piddle away down at the UW wall? I think it makes the UW one of the best colleges in the state (academics notwithstanding). The UW offers chances to develop climbing skill that you can't really get at a gym. The crack and friction climbing are pretty realistic. This wall (above) has some of my favorite slab problems (texture only for feet): 1. Lay back the central crack (both sides are good and moderate once wired). 2. Lay back the right hand crack. This is 12a in my book. 3. Stem the corner. Finish by grabbing the top of the left slab for added value. Sit start if you're trying to impress Dwayner. 4. Climb the central slab "no rocks". Erik Winkleman showed me this and it took a lot of work. 5.12+? 5. Lay back "Coach's Crack" on the steep wall to the right (aka, "Satan's Layback"). Winkleman on-sighted this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.