best of cc.com [TR] Mt. Robson- North Face 8/14/2004

[klenke]

No, put it back in immediately!

[BillA]

This guy doesn't believe Colin. But I think he might be a douchebag.

http:// http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=64438&postdays=0&postorder=asc&topic_view=&start=15

[Dru]

you "think"? he's a useless chestbeater that can't spell or punctuate properly.

[BillA]

Yes, he is a douchebag,

[Don_Serl]

This guy doesn't believe Colin. But I think he might be a douchebag.

http:// http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=64438&postdays=0&postorder=asc&topic_view=&start=15

 

i don't feel any need to fight other people's battles for them, but people who cast doubt other people's achievements because the feats are somehow "unimaginable" are simple pests. and anonymity makes the slanging easy. the so-called "facts" are usually wrong, and the "logic" is flawed, but there are no consequences.

 

despite the "logic" displayed by our anonymous doubter, i have no problem believing colin. and there's logic on his side too...

 

approach: he says he biked and hiked to helmet col on friday - no issue (altho i wouldn't encourage trudging solo on rockies glaciers if a long climbing career is the desire). i tried the north face only once - drove overnight from vancouver, then walked in (no bike... 15km to berg lake) and scrambled up to bivy on the highest rocks beside helmet glacier [2600m-2700m] in an easy day. got rained out, but the point is that it's not really that far from the highway to helmet col, not if you want to GO and you're fit. especially if you reckon on a quick trip and pack light.

 

as for the climb: helmet col is just under 3300m, the schrund is maybe 3200m, the crest of the ridge is maybe 3900m, the summit is 3954m. that's 700m of alpine ice - maybe some scrabbling on thin stuff over rock, but jeez, gentlemen, let's get some perspective. this is mostly just alpine ice. guys SKI this stuff!

 

i've seen colin solo 600m of ice on blackhorn in just over 2hrs. see: http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/251496/page/7/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1

 

while robson is steeper [average angle is about 53º, vs about 48º on blackhorn - calculated from TRIM maps], even an old fart like me can climb 250m to 300m of alpine ice per hour.

 

exit: so u zip down the SE ridge [losing about 450m in 1.5km], downclimb the kain face [about 250m high], traverse about 1km back to helmet col, and follow your tracks back out. total distance covered is an impressive 45km or so, but nothing close to 100km.

 

where is the problem? no superman needed here! beyond average, yes, but easily human.

 

in the end, my rant is more about attitudes than doubt or belief of colin's activities. climbing is about possibilities. it happens you discover limitations along the path, but if you start with a doubting mindset, you're never gonna get close.

 

nor am i encouraging recklessness, but you have to take risks, you have to push some. most of the great alpinists that i've met have been impressively open about possibilities, coupled with a very wise modesty about their ability to achieve any specific goal at any specific time. they seem to think things through, to set off open-minded, to give it a good hard try (while watching for trouble), and to quit and go away when their inner voice tells them things aren't right. the REALLY great ones manage to fight thru even when the situtaion gets way out of control, but the survivorship ratio at that level is somewhat worrisome.

 

they certainly don't slam someone else's accomplishments because they are beyond imagination. that sort of thinking gets the nasty side of me reckoning that this sort of person doesn't have imagination enough to see beyond their self-imposed limits, and that they should stick to limiting their own potential, quietly, in private, not digging at others. but as i don't know this particular fellow, i'll try to keep those thoughts on the shelf...

 

cheers,

[Squid]

 

It's worth noting that no-one who has climbed w/ Colin has thrown any doubt on his TR's. That speaks volumes.

[fatswaller]

We climbed the face a few days after colin's ascent.Although the ice was rock hard and we couldn't kick any steps,we did see pick holes from a previous ascent.We also followed steps on the summit ridge,surely Colin's.The approach to the north face is really quite reasonable as

Don previously pointed out.On the decent of the south face

I fell into a couple of slots.I wouldn't recommend that

without a partner.Bagging Robson is just a matter of the right conditions and weather.Great job Colin.

[Colin]

Hehe. Deja-frickin-vu... (http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB3&Number=54884&Forum=f3&Words=stuart%20%27bilers&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Main=54884&Search=true&where=sub&Name=&daterange=1&newerval=&newertype=&olderval=2&oldertype=y&bodyprev=#Post54884 ). Polish Bob and I are friends now though - this guy isn't necessarily a jerk, just incorrect.

 

I had already scanned a couple photos though, and I just posted them in the gallery. Hopefully this link will take you to my pictures:

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showgallery.php?ppuser=160&cat=500

[Shawn]

Hi its your friendly neighborhood douchebag here.

First off lets get a few things clear here.

First and formost I never once implied nor thought that Collin did not climb the north face but rather I highly doubted he did it in a day. (from trail head to trail head as I read it.)

Now what I should have done is logged on here earlier and talked to Colin before shooting off at the mouth (guess I was kinda having a bad day) By the way I dont need to spell good or have proper grammer to be a good climber (you guys dont still climb in tweed suits do you?)

 

All right now her is somthing I really want to say;

Colin this is directed to you, If Im wrong I 100% apoligize and is is quite possible That I am.

My reasoning for being scpeticle is that it is a hugely sandbagged route and climb by many, including the book!

Whenever I talk about Robson some one always knows some one that has done it and of course it was always not bad (so they say) of corse when pressed for details the vast majority are just blowin smoke. I am not saying Colin that you are I just would like some to realize my reasoning for being a bit sceptacle that all.

Perhaps Colin you are a super man and hell with some of the stuff pulled off these days there is a bunch out there.

 

Show me anyone that thinks oh yeah thats totally doable in a day whats this guy talkin about? and I will show you either some one that has never been to the summit or someone that blow a lot of hot air when recounting thier trips.

Now I dont have my topos with me but I know for certain it is 22+KM just to berg a good the river is not easy to cross and the butress is the size of a small mountain on its own. (hell size wise Robson is about as big as K2 only sitting at a lower elevation) There is a reason it sees only about a 10% success rate and most try the normal route or the Kain.

If you add in all the up and down traversing and elevation you are looking at a huge distance to cover in one day. not to mention its almost 2 miles up. Hell Reinhold Messner has apearently tried for the face several times and it always aluded him. what was it that got him some of the time? It was the aproach and distance so he started flying in and he still got beat but by weather.

Do many Climb this mountain, well sort of only because so many attempts are made. on average it sees 100 attempts and 10% success.

 

I could go on but the point is To do the north face in a day your superman in my books Those that disagree well either your amazing yourself or you dont know what your comparing.

 

BTW I am no neewbie to Alpine and was probably swinging axes and climbing mountains when most of you were still in diapers. I climb waterfalls to big walls and Alpine. Im just saying I feel confident in my rational, that doesnt make me right nor does it make me wrong.

I am not trying to offend anyone so I apologize for that as well if I have.

 

Hell lets just start over

 

Colin congradulations on an amazing feat!! With all the distance involved and the good amount of obsticles to overcome you must have been flying! How heavy was your pack?

When I gave it a go I was down to about 47lbs with water,ice rack clothes everything except my one peice underwear, socks, and boots we moved fast but stayed at kinney for a couple hours since we had been on the go for 24hrs at that point (we had to work the day before and drove through the night to get there)

ANyway would love to pick your brain about some details.

 

cheers

 

Shawn

 

ps sorry for the bad spelling and grammer!

[klenke]

Colin, the alpine -?

Colin, you need to provide split times and GPS coordinates and provide names of all your stopwatch operators.

[Shawn]

Opps one more thing I keep hearing how the North face has been skied. It has never been skied and it was concluded unskiable after all the major attepts were made and the route has only gotten more steep and more exposed rock since. The route that was skied has never to my knowledge been repeated and I think it was the south east.

ever since the public attempts and all the media hype to ski the north face people were saying it was done then when Robson itself was skied the rumors really flew.

Its really quite interesting history on the mountain there was a lot of posturing and guys that thought they were willing to die for the goal until they got on the face and chickened out!

BTW while all the teams were there several attempts were made to climb the face all unsucsessful. Except the fellow that finally skied the mountain I beleive he climbed the face then said impossible and skied down the south east.

 

Anyway The North Face of Robson is a worthy goal but having been there with all the effort to get up to it Im going back for some thing better.

And next time we wont go via the berg glacier, that was sic to navigate with some very technical sections of overhanging ice, to go from berg glacier to the glacier below the face.

 

cheers

 

PS. The more I think about it the more I realize I was in very bad form to Acuse Colin of not doing what he said he had. It by the way was very poor Alpine etquette.

[klenke]

Skykilo, you reading this? A challenge for ya.

[BillA]

(you guys dont still climb in tweed suits do you?)

 

I do.

 

BTW I am no neewbie to Alpine and was probably swinging axes and climbing mountains when most of you were still in diapers.

 

It says on your rc.com profile you've been climbing since 1986, I may be young but I wasn't even in diapers then and most of the people who post on this site seem pretty old . Maybe you should carry less shit and wear a tweed suit. These are guaranteeed to make you go faster.

[mattp]

Shawn-

 

I've talked to one of the two guys who skied the North Face. I believe that they actually DID do it. Your fellow who finally made it skied the Kain Face. The Vancouver Sun summed it up this way:

 

Meanwhile, Chrzanowski remained obsessed with Mount Robson. A second attempt in 1981 was halted because of bad weather. A third attempt resulted in a guide losing his hand to a helicopter blade. Then in 1983 Chrzanowski made a solo attempt on Mount Robson and succeeding in becoming the first to ski its summit, although he skied down the Kain face, rather than the north face.

When two Whistler locals, Troy Jungen and Ptor Spricenieks, became the first skiers to ski the north face in the late '90s, they dedicated their achievement to Chrzanowski.

Reprint

 

You are the first person I have ever heard to cast doubt on their accomplishment. Do you have any other basis for your statement, other than "it's impossible?"

 

What's your take on the moon landing back in 1969?

[Dru]

Nothin' like confirming yourself as a l0zer on multiple boards by attacking the accomplishments of not one, but several climbers and skiiers better than you

 

scpeticle

[Mark_Husbands]

There is no "Colin".

[DPS]

When I gave it a go I was down to about 47lbs

 

 

Down to 47 lbs? What were you carrying, spare rocks?

[AllYouCanEat]

Why cast doubt on what has been done and worse yet on what can be done? Hell, people can accomplish some pretty amazing stuff! The Wonderland trail (93 miles, 20k+ vert) in a day and a minute for example. Did you ever meet Alex Lowe? Climb with Colin? Or push your own limits and see what you can do? I don't mean just once, but have an obsession. I've tried to hike the wonderland in a single push and failed every time. I don't say, "No way, I couldn't do it so no one else can." I said, "Right on!" and spent a miserable night sufficiently humbled.

[jimmyleg66]

Hey Shawn, didn't I see you in a movie once? Your blather sounds familiar. Hmmmmmm. Wait a minute!

"The Princess Bride"!

 

INCONCEIVABLE!

[pms]

Thanks to Shawn for giving everyone who knows Colin a little chuckle. and congratulations to Mr. Waller, that's awesome! btw Fats what else is on your list?

[Don_Serl]

Why cast doubt on what has been done and worse yet on what can be done? Hell, people can accomplish some pretty amazing stuff! The Wonderland trail (93 miles, 20k+ vert) in a day and a minute for example. Did you ever meet Alex Lowe? Climb with Colin? Or push your own limits and see what you can do? I don't mean just once, but have an obsession. I've tried to hike the wonderland in a single push and failed every time. I don't say, "No way, I couldn't do it so no one else can." I said, "Right on!" and spent a miserable night sufficiently humbled.

 

dream on:

 

http://climbing.com/current/alpine03/

 

observe the masters, be overwhelmed and humbled, and learn:

 

http://www.planetfear.net/climbing/highmountainmag/mountaininfo/feb2004/mtninfofeb2004.htm

 

there are so many more examples it's stunning.

 

...just say "YES!"

[Squid]

I am so small.

[Dru]

not to forget this...

 

Matt Maddaloni and John Furneaux completed the first ascent of the south face of The Incisor on Mt Combatant near Mt Waddington with their route The Smoke Show ED2 5.12d 1pa. Belligerence ED3 5.11 A3+ is the only other route to climb the Incisor. Greg Child, Greg Collum and Steve Mascioli climbed the route in 1994, taking eight days capsule style with two days spent in a storm. Maddaloni and Furneaux spent two days fixing lines on the Incisor to work out a 5.13 thin crack/face pitch and a 60 m 5.12b 3.5 Camalot offwidth.

On July 17 the pair left their camp at the base of the 450 m Incisor at 6 am, bringing only one 70 m rope, and climbed to the top of Mt Combatant for a total of 36 pitches in 11.5 hours. Maddaloni was able to free all the moves on the 5.13 face but fell as he touched the final hold. He gave the rating 5.12d with one point of aid. Furneaux then cruised his 5.12b offwidth for the first redpoint. Jugging each other’s pitches to conserve energy the pair continued on above to the top of the Incisor for 250 m of new terrain. Having not brought boots the pair downclimbed a 500 m couloir and a 600 m icefall with down booties over their rock shoes and crampons duct taped on

[AllYouCanEat]

Tuck tape is aid. It's INCONCEIVABLE!

[Colin]

Just to clarify - I thought I made it clear in my original post, but I definitely climbed Robson in TWO days, not one. I left the trailhead around 4:30am on Friday, and got back to the car at 8:15pm on Saturday. I spent a full bivy at the Robson-Helmet col, getting there about 3 hours before sunset, and heading out at about sunrise.

 

As for gear, I'll go into a lot of detail, because I'm a total gear-whore nerd. Some of the stuff I took:

 

-30m of 5mm cord (Maxim tech cord)

-1 titanium ice screw

-2 pitons

-HB dyneema helmet

-Camp XLH 130 harness (6 oz.)

-little locking biner

-DMM bugette belay device

-3 slings

-3 Trango superfly biners

-coat hanger v-threader

-Charlet Sarken crampons

-Charlet Quarks

-La Sportiva Trango Extreme boots

-Serratus Genie pack (15 oz.)

-Evazotte pad

-1.5 pound down bag

-1 pound bivy sack (way too heavy!)

-pocket rocket stove

-ti pot

-freeze dried dinner (in a ziplock rather than the heavy packaging)

-lexan spoon

-1 Platypus bladder (without hose)

-fuel canister

-bic mini lighter

-lightweight windscreen, made of aluminum foil

-Minox camera

-clothes (no extra socks!)

-mini sunscreen tube

-sunglasses (no case!)

-bars, trailmix, and PB&J's

 

Oh yeah, and I had no map or photocopied route description. Your memory weigh's less.