Upper Pitch Thin Fingers Video is up.

[geoff]

I guessing it was for another reason. The song rocks. As do the Pumpkins, mostly.

 

Somehow, Yellow Submarine never enters my head when climbing although, after seeing this video, the Pumpkins probably will. By the way, have you seen Jethro Tull's video on YouTube? That dude has got to wondering who the F put me in this outfit.

 

If I have to hear another Beatles tune, I'm killing the ones still alive, if there are any.

[billcoe]

Well it was down to 2 when this one legged bitch tried to off Sir Paul, but he escaped with a single yellow testicle and a $40 million less......So you may be spared the indignity of hunting them down.

[eldiente]

Yeah the name is a bit odd. I got all amped up for for it my first time and brought a pile of Aliens for the 2nd pitch. The "thin fingers" section is more like "no fingers" and after that it is hands and tight-hands till the anchor.

[flashclimber]

Thanks for the compliments on the video. There is a whole lot more footage and it is in HD. Doug just put that video up for fun. The real production may end up on an Index Video to be put out later this year if time and weather permits. As for the tape gloves, I just like to wear tape when I know I'm gonna have to climb the same route several times for video footage. Also I don't have the "tough man" hands as some of you do! Haha. To comment on why we didn't use the lower boulder footage - well its boring! Instead we decided to go with a more techinical cross-over move. If you watch closely you can see me slip. If I fell I was going to take about a 25 foot fall (about 10-15 feet past my belayer) most likely ending up just short of the lower pitch ledge (just before the lower crux). You can see me placing a blind piece of gear in the crack. That is the only piece of gear between me and my belayer. Makes for much more interesting footage. (For the curious - The lower boulder move is a high-step into a thin finger crack, about 3 real quick moves). I hope you guys enjoy the videos, hopefully we will continue to put more up this summer!

[mattp]

We look forward to it. At least some of us, anyway.

[pink]

[flashclimber]

I forgot to add. Doug's taste in music is much different than mine. And I'm sure its different than yours. As with most Professional Climbing Videos, I just turn down the volume and enjoy watching the moves!

[ScottP]

By the way, anyone who climbs "Thin Fingers" should pay their respects to the first ascensionist, Mr. Paul Boving, a Cascade rock and alpine pioneer (in his time), who put up the route around 1977 and died on it a couple of years later.

 

Fred's Darrington and Index Guide (1976) sez Bob Crawford and Pat Cruver did the FA in September of 1975. Clint Cummins also credits them, but ascribes the possibility to Boving, as well.

 

 

[Drederek]

Cool video and i liked the music.

And you're old!

[bwrts]

i think its funny how mentioning tape gloves as bad, gets people all riled up...

 

As for not showing the spice of the bouldering entrance, I disagree. If you show a video titled thin fingers 11a, I would anticipate a movie depicting the full pitch led from the dirt to the top anchor. What you show here is a highlight of the good crack climbing...

Full pitch vid would make for a much better production.

[pope]

To comment on why we didn't use the lower boulder footage - well its boring! Instead we decided to go with a more techinical cross-over move. If you watch closely you can see me slip. If I fell I was going to take about a 25 foot fall (about 10-15 feet past my belayer) most likely ending up just short of the lower pitch ledge (just before the lower crux). You can see me placing a blind piece of gear in the crack. That is the only piece of gear between me and my belayer. Makes for much more interesting footage.

 

I probably don't need to tell you then that you can get some "frank nuts" (in this case bomber RP's) in the middle of the bouldering sequence, which protect both you and your belayer for whichever route you take.

 

BTW I love watching video of local climbs, especially when it's well done. Thanks for the effort.

[glassgowkiss]

some nice shots, but a bit too long imo. some of the cuts could be shorter for a better pacing. also who is this climber- what is he like? if it is a trailer- it should be about 1 min long. if it is a story- what is the story. i don't mean these words in a negative way- just giving a thought to an editor of the movie, so take it as a constructive criticism- that's how i do learn. i also prefer no cross dissolve transitions, unless they serve a purpose in story telling.

as far as music- copy rights is the issue here. you can't really use someone's music without obtaining copy rights. what i did in the past is an add on craigslist for local musicians to donate their music for credit. what you can do is specify kind of music you are interested in, write a contract. if you don't make any money- they get exposure and credit, but if you manage to sell the material they should get some form of ca$h- only fair. also garage band is a fairly good tool. there are also royalty free albums (about 100 bucks a pop).

[Rafael_H]

To comment on why we didn't use the lower boulder footage - well its boring! Instead we decided to go with a more techinical cross-over move. If you watch closely you can see me slip. If I fell I was going to take about a 25 foot fall (about 10-15 feet past my belayer) most likely ending up just short of the lower pitch ledge (just before the lower crux). You can see me placing a blind piece of gear in the crack. That is the only piece of gear between me and my belayer. Makes for much more interesting footage.

 

I probably don't need to tell you then that you can get some "frank nuts" (in this case bomber RP's) in the middle of the bouldering sequence, which protect both you and your belayer for whichever route you take.

 

BTW I love watching video of local climbs, especially when it's well done. Thanks for the effort.

It is only 11a if going straight up, that's where thin fingers would help, and yes, RP fits fine. Going around the bulge from right is far easier, easier than the rest of it (I'v done both ways). 10d comes from the small overhanging part, the only part not shown

But, good to be able to at lest watch some familiar routes being climbed. Good job!

[Doug T]

First off, to everyone who took the time out of their day to check out my little vid of Gabe (flashclimber) on thin fingers, I'm honored.

 

Next, I appreciate all the criticisms. I am seriously trying to get better at the entire video process. Even if you hated every second of the video and told me why, it'll only help me get better.

 

As Gabe mentioned earlier, my ultimate goal is to make a commercially available product. Whether it becomes a commercially "viable" product is unlikely. What I am trying to do is make things that people will want to see. At the current pace of collecting raw footage, it's gonna be well past this year before I get a product out.

 

I managed to score some sweet video software and hardware(not enough of this) to have the "potential" to make some entertaining stuff. But it's like I'm driving a Formula 1 racer but only have learner permit driving skills. So constructive criticism is very welcome.

 

What I put up on Youtube is there for folks to enjoy, for the climbers to show off to their buddies and for me to improve my filming/editing techniques.

 

As for music, the final product would need legal music anyway. So if you don't like my musical choices, turn the volume on the video down, plug in your Ipod into your ears and enjoy it the way You want. I think that's awesome.

 

Tape: If you have bony hands with thin skin, you'll use it. I agree that Index hand cracks are pretty skin friendly. Gabe doesn't always use tape, but from an editing standpoint, it makes for a nice reference point in the processing. I've permanently scarred my hands climbing a 5.8 hand crack, so not wearing tape crack climbing is like not wearing climbing shoes. Wearing a white shirt when you're being filmed climbing... That's bad... ;-)

 

I'd like to have more folks to film. So if you see a dorky bald dude with a fancy pants camera out at Index, swing by, say hi and let me know if you're willing.

 

Doug Taylor

tonkashouse@comcast.net

www.DougTaylorReptiles.com

 

 

 

[ashw_justin]

ps. nice video... it would be fun to see multiple different climbing styles on the same route. Maybe have some of the more able critics 'show how it's done.'

 

Re: taping for handcracks

As far as I know, skin loss primarily happens when the hands move/slip while weighted, so focusing on keeping one's jam tight and one's wrist position completely fixed while weighted may (should) eliminate the need for tape (except in extreme cases?). In particular, moving upward or pendulum-ing on thumbs-down hand jams (danger @ ~1:14) is a very easy way to bleed due to poor technique. I think a lot of climbers when starting out develop a bad habit of relying on thumbs-down jams because they feel more secure high overhead (but become useless and painful at about head level). Also, unless your hands are just too small for the crack, then boniness shouldn't really be an issue because the jam should involve a high-surface-area tight squeeze, rather than levering between a couple of bony protrusions. Awesome footwork helps too of course.

[G-spotter]

tape is aid, pure and simple.

 

skin doesn't get destroyed by crack climbing - skin gets destroyed by bad crack technique. if you tape all the time you will never learn the good technique.

[pope]

Doug, regarding the editing, far as I know you're doing well, kind of following the MTV formula of changning angles and sequences every few seconds to accomdate the vanishing attention span of American audiences. Regarding the music, I would suggest something more "available" to a wide audience of listening ears, something dramatic, but something less edgy. Perfect for this might be Night School from the CD "Ensemble Modern Plays Frank Zappa". Or something generic from your favorite pron flick.

[flashclimber]

Now I understand why I only have 127 posts. Well for those who enjoy the vids, keep watching and I'll keep posting. For those who like to criticize from the couch on someone else's climbing style or video making...well, I just don't have much to say to you except "shut up and climb!" Beyond that I be in the garage on my hang board............

[ashw_justin]

Haha, TROLL! Posting (video) == asking for criticism. But at the very least, the spray means that people are interested.

[el jefe]

if taping one's hands is aid then wearing shoes is aid as well.

[ashw_justin]

True, tapers might consider going all of the way and just using hand-jammies, which generate less waste per use. I don't mean that as a put-down or anything.

[Doug T]

tape is aid, pure and simple. .

 

 

To paraphrase Michael Reardon, Naked barefoot free-soloing is the only true climbing. EVERYTHING else is a compromise.

 

 

 

 

[bwrts]

What in the hell does being naked have to do with climbing true?

 

As for the barefoot part- Mr Reardon may have been an advocate but just fyi, Bernd Arnold of Germany I am fairly certain pioneered the activity long ago.

 

Here he is solo barefoot at 62yrs old:

 

 

oh and in his home climbing area of Elbsandstein, protection consists of only knotted slings or ropes in cracks and chalk is not allowed.

[el jefe]

they also use bolts in the elbsandstein.

[glassgowkiss]

they also use bolts in the elbsandstein.

not bolts, but ring haken