5 Best Highlights of the Past Year

[TimL]

quote:

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Originally posted by danielpatricksmith:

Great thread!

 

Biggest dissapointment was not getting to meet Scot'teryx.

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[Winter]

quote:

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Originally posted by yaya:

Jeez I put a

in so you would know I was jokin'. I do not ski snowbord ice climb or climb mountains as of yet. But I am verry willing to learn

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Ooohhh. My sracasm must not come across too well in code.

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by TimL:

quote:

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Originally posted by danielpatricksmith:

Great thread!

 

Biggest dissapointment was not getting to meet Scot'teryx.

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With a website that detailed do you really ever need to meet the guy in the flesh? Just replay the Dirty Little Dance video a few more times

[rbw1966]

The years not quite over with yet and I am hoping to add to this list but so far the highlights include:

 

1. West Ridge of Prussik car-to-car in a day with Old Man Winter;

2. Zebra/Zion--the feel of bird guano sqeezing between my fingers will forever haunt me;

3. Pushing my trad leading skills;

4. Getting more comfortable solo aiding;

5. leading (and falling) on my first ice lead.

 

Biggest disappointments:

 

Bailing off Liberty Crack in the rain after soloing the first pitch as my partner went back to the car to get the harness and shoes he forgot;

 

Bailing off Yocum in bad weather after nearly cresting the first gendarme (smart decision but still frustrating);

 

Landing on SW fork of Kahiltna with the intention of climbing the SE Ridge of Foraker, watching the hanging glacier spit chunks down the ridge and feeling my sphincter simultaneously close. Head to the West Ridge of Hunter and bailing from that due to sick soft snow conditions. All in all a total bust. But I'm alive.

 

Not the best year climbing for several reasons but 2003 will be better.

[slothrop]

quote:

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Originally posted by danielpatricksmith:

Biggest dissapointment was not getting to meet Scot'teryx.

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Just go to Cascade Crags and if you're lucky, he might even be there to give you a belay test

[ScottP]

quote:

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Originally posted by slothrop:

quote:

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Originally posted by danielpatricksmith:

Biggest dissapointment was not getting to meet Scot'teryx.

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Just go to Cascade Crags and if you're lucky, he might even be there to give you a belay test

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That would be pretty cool; getting my belay skills checked by the poster child of gumbyness.

 

I remember gettng a belay test at the Seattle VW a few years back. The guy had me feed rope, take in rope, give the proper verbal belay signals, etc. Then he simulated a fall by pulling on the rope. I locked off and waited for further instructions. He looked at me with an "...And?" expression on his face.

I shrugged and he said, "Now what do you say?"

Not knowing what else to say, I responded, "Get back up there you pussy?"

He didn't think that was too funny, but I passed anyway.

[texplorer]

Well as long as everyone else is spraying

 

Texplorer's top 5

1) Ticking all 8 of the "50 Classics" in yosemite (Salathe Wall, The Nose, Steck-Salathe, Lost arrow spire, fairview dome, Half dome, Royal Arches, NE buttress of Middle Cathedral)

2) Breaking into the trad .11's and sport .12's

3) Learning to aid climb in Zion (Touchstone, Spaceshot, Moonlight buttress)

4) Climbing the desert cracks, big walls, and towers

5) Spending 6 months climbing and meeting so many new climbers on the road and from CC.com

 

Honorable Mention

-Becoming the foremost authority on Snafflehounds

 

Texplorers' worsts

1) Adventure with the Highlander on Slesse (got lost-made an unintenional first ascent up proless pitches and grass filled .10 cracks)

2) Pulling a piece and almost decking on a climb (Battle of the Bulge) at Indian Creek

[Travis]

Great thread.

Just because I don't want to be the only one not sprayin', here's mine.

 

Top 5:

1) Crowne Mt: Widowmaker Arete. We sidestepped the final headwall, but still managed to summit. My first real technical alpine rock climb and you always have nice memories of your first.

 

2) Chief: Ultimate Everything as part of a 19 pitch day, including a 45 min run up BP to start.

 

3) Sky Pilot: West Ridge on a perfect spring day.

 

4) West Lion: tourist route solo, c2c in under 5 hrs. Another nice hard-snow spring approach under blue skies.

 

5) Mt Hanover: Some gully. Topped out on our first attempt on another fantastic fall day.

 

Biggest disappointment:

Backing off of the first pitch of Thermometer Gully cuz my balls were too small. First real ice lead; who knew it was gonna be like that!

[Dru]

not all ice is as sketchy/avalanche prone as thermo gully.

[Winter]

Oh yeah and highlight #6 was not being forced to climb Mt. Washington (aka Chossington) more than once.

[iain]

quote:

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Originally posted by Winter:

Oh yeah and highlight #6 was not being forced to climb Mt. Washington (aka Chossington) more than once.

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Fine, leaves more room for those who can appreciate it.

[Winter]

quote:

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Originally posted by iain:

quote:

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Originally posted by Winter:

Oh yeah and highlight #6 was not being forced to climb Mt. Washington (aka Chossington) more than once.

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Fine, leaves more room for those who can appreciate it.

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Hey ... the setting . But the climbing? But I do want to try the East Butt.

[Uncle_Tricky]

Best:

 

*A mellow day spent cragging near Mazama with old friends, some of whom I hadn't seen in years (several of which had never climbed).

*Climbing a 5 pitch 5.10 on Beacon Rock with my younger brother and nephew in 40 mph wind.

*Leading 18 pitches in a day (Apron/Squamish Buttress)

*North Early Winter Spire, NW Corner and W Face.

*Clipping the anchors on "the Coffin" in Utah.

 

Worst:

*Taking a 35+ foot whipper and ending up a few feet above the ground.

*Pulling on gear, then kicking myself afterwards, thinking "I should have freed that or at least taken the fall trying!"

[carolyn]

alright, I will bite!

 

Not an great climber, but had LOTS of fun and great experiences....

 

1). Climbing my first 'peak'...Silverstar. WAAAAAAAAY KEWL!

 

2). My first multipitch route...R&D and (go ahead and laugh), The Tooth. Easy multipitch routes RULE!!!!! Im eager for more!

 

3). First lead (sport) and a number of mock trad leads, finding the confidence to learn how to set my own anchors, taking a rescue clinic, and acquiring my OWN gear so I dont have to be as dependant on others (I know thats a lot summed up in one, but all kind of related to me).

 

4) Time on the Ice...climbing 3-4 times a week...bouldering along the mississippi river in the early mornings with no one around...exploring ice climbing areas in the midwest. FUN!!!!!

 

5) Getting my ass up a certain climb on the N.Shore here in MN. The only way out was up...To this day I cant believe how fuckin hard it was and that I actually did it! The mind can do amazing things to help you push your physical limits!!!!

 

Failures?!?!

 

Not trusting my gut prior to an accident on the ice last spring.

 

Climbing with some people I dont enjoy being around...just to climb... not worth it...if your not having fun and enjoying the company its hard to justify such an insane activity!!!

[Cpt.Caveman]

6th best highlight- watching mountaineers film of Beckey and Crooks climb Da Toof in the year 19stoneage with hemp ropes, all star converse, funky hats, suspenders and stuff.

[MtnHigh]

The Good:

 

- Hood N Face: Nice Ice great exposure

- Jefferson Jeff Park Gl: Great alpine route

- Denali WB: Not the objective but a great experience

- Triumph NE Ridge: Gotta love alpine rock

- Hood E Rim Gulleys: Did all 4 in winter ice condition

 

The Ugly:

 

- Hood Sandy Gl HW: Got blown off the mountain

- Stuart W Ridge: Summited but was 3 finger tips from death

- Spending too much time watching sports on TV

[dave]

In any ol' order

Couch potatoing dream symphony on the apron with my buddy John, engaging the whole way,

northwest face north early winter with Alli, perfect!

nw gully Eldorado with the boys

paddling horshoe bend of nooksack with Hale et al (whoops)

Larrabee sandstone, evening light, with friends and beers

 

[fleblebleb]

Good:

Challenger

Cutthroat S Butt

Prusik W Ridge

1st 5.9 trad leads, 1st 5.10 sport leads

1st year tele skiing

 

Bad:

Failed on Triumph NE Ridge - didn't give ourselves enough time, got stuck in traffic and lost on the approach in the darkness. Duh...

Outer Space - climbed it, felt good, but not yet good enough to lead the cool pitches with the exposure. Next time!

[Greg_W]

1. Leading the Catapult at Castle Rock

2. W. Ridge of Prusik, Flake Tower, & Monument in a day - first alpine climbs.

3. NW Corner on NEWS - led the "scary" lieback pitch

4. Dragontail, Serpentine Arete - learned about suffering

5. Dreamer - got the Blue Crack pitch.

 

Downers:

1. Bailing off N.Face of N. Peak in Index on a sunny day.

2. Not having the mojo to fully enjoy "Outer Space" - next year

[David_Parker]

1. Getting to the North Buttress of Mt Fury.

2. Getting up the North Butress of Mt Fury on a cloudless day

3. Getting back down E. Ridge of Mt Fury same day(night)

4. Reaching the dock at Big Beaver 4 minutes before the last boat left.

5. NE Butress of Goode with mucho snow on route.

6. Taking my cc buds for a boat ride at pub club!

[mwills]

lets see, here are the flatlander's highlights for this year :

 

-NF of Shuksan car-to-car

-NR of Stuart (with gendarme)

-NW corner of NEWS

-Direct Petzoldt and Upper Exum on Grand Teton (along with some other Teton classics: Baxter's Pinnacle, Irene's Arete, Guide's Wall)

-Kiener's Route on Long's Peak (in winter)

 

Biggets dissappointments:

 

-getting caught in a bad storm in the Tetons while on the Cathedral traverse in the Tetons (take a look at the latest Climbing - same storm Mike Gauthier epiced in).

-back in Iowa for school

[marcus]

Okay, in chronological order:

 

- March...Colchuck Peak via Wickwire Couloir

 

- May...Pacific Ocean Wall on El Cap

 

- July...Grand Teton, N Face Direct (w/o rock shoes, old skool!)

 

- August...simul-climbing Stuart's N Ridge in sneakers

 

- September...linking both pitches on Salathe headwall(El Cap) in 1:45(no record, but fast for me)

 

 

Disappointment? Crashing my van into a donkey after failing to complete a one-day bid on Rainbow Wall's Original Route!

 

-Marcus

 

 

 

[JayB]

1. Taking a good friend of mine on Dreamer for his second trade outing. Never lead that many pitches back-to-back before. Had major mental fatigue going on by the end of the day.

2. Finally climbing Outer Space with the girlfriend with the Remorse start. The final pitches were definitely worthy of the praise heaped on them.

3. Checking out Mt. Ranier up-close after spending so many years wondering what it would be like to climb the thing as a kid. Someone in our party was having a hard time that day and we ultimately had to turn around at 13,800' or so, but the experience of being up there was great. Looking forward to climbing less popular routes in the future.

4. Days spent on fat, reliable-ice relatively close to my house in Colorado.

5. Checking out Boston Basin and taking a look at all of the peaks up there. Looking forward to getting back up there often

5.5. Being close enough to hit the UW wall whenever I want.

 

Five Biggest Spankings

1. Second attempt on Libra Crack. Climbed it with one slip/fall the first time and was confident I'd cruise the thing on my next trip out there. Flailed shamelessly on the route for an eternity in front of fellow cc.comers after saying I just wanted to stop by and "knock-off" the route real quick. Eventually got to the easy jams and completed the climb, but it wasn't pretty.

2. Getting hit by a torrential downpour on the second pitch of Dreamer, getting flushed down the approach gully by a full-on water-fall from all of the H20 funnelled into it by the slabs above, following the creek-bed instead of looking for the trail and thrutching like a madman through copious amounts of devils club, slide-alder, and blueberry-thickets on the way back to the car.

3. Most of the classic probhlems at UW Wall.

[JayB]

-Kiener's Route on Long's Peak (in winter)

 

 

Nice going! I did a variation of that thing in September (veered left in the middle of the face above Broadway and finished in on of those notches to the left of the Summit) and was very happy to have nothing but bone-dry rock to contend with. Short days+a few inches of snow over the rock+staggering cold, winds, and the ever-present avy hazard on the Lamb's Slide Couloir definitely make your ascent pretty impressive in my book. I wanted to get out there and climb the Notch Couloir before I left the state but could never line up the right partner with the right conditions. Anyway, if you get some time you should post a TR or something as I'd be interested in reading more about your experience up there.

[chalkball]

Hmmm.

 

Top 5 -

 

1. Finally breaking into the .11s on bolts

2. Finally getting to Jtree (bunch of great moderate cracks - the bolted lines there scare the hell out of me)

3. Finally getting to the Enchantments (Prusik West Ridge)

4. Finally getting off of the continent (Thailand sporty climbing!)

5. Finally posting on this BB (post #1!!!!)

 

Failures -

 

Having a job.