King Beatard Posted January 20, 2009 Posted January 20, 2009 Sunday 1/18 two friends and I had to rappel from the tree ledge above the slab pitch of the SE corner. As dark was approaching quickly we had to leave a sling and a biner around the tree as well as the gear that was placed around the corner from our rappel line - Two wild country rocks with slings and biners, and a sling clipped to the Leeper Z. All gear is marked with green paint and is greatly missed. I would gladly trade it for drinks and the story complete with impromptu free solo, hypothermia, rescue on a munter hitch without prusik backup (had no slings left and was unprepared), stuck rappel ropes that had to be ascended with prusiks and freed. Quote
JosephH Posted January 20, 2009 Posted January 20, 2009 Hi Adam, Ben and I really appreciated you and your partners letting us play through on Sunday. And let me just say you guys should feel pretty damn good about making it to the Tree Ledge in those conditions - actually battling from the top of the p2 slab up to the Tree Ledge was an epic endeavor. But, just so you know in the future, at the top of the SE Corner's p2 slab, you'd be better off going straight ahead 20' or so to the Young Warriors' p2 anchor to rap instead of heading up the last bit to the Tree Ledge. However, if you do go on up to the Tree Ledge, then you'd be better off bravely soldiering on up to Grassy Ledges to do the 'standard' rap back to down to the Corner's start. Rapping the tree in the best of conditions sucks and the current state of the tree's root structure probably makes rapping it in that strong of a wind a dicey proposition at best. Hopefully you'll get your gear back, but either way, you guys had a first class day and epic out there, got yourselves down and out, and you'll remember and learn from the adventure. So good on you guys for getting out and after it regardless! Quote
King Beatard Posted January 20, 2009 Author Posted January 20, 2009 Joseph, thanks for the encouragement and info. I'll have to tell you the whole story sometime, quite entertaining. Quote
JosephH Posted January 20, 2009 Posted January 20, 2009 Would love to hear it, we'll have to grab a beer sometime... Quote
King Beatard Posted January 20, 2009 Author Posted January 20, 2009 Sounds great, maybe you can walk me through some better decisions that could have been made at a few critical times. Bill already filled me in of some of that. ie don't untie and free solo down something you can't climb up - prussik up and join the group. Which would save the danger, uncertainty and the gear. Quote
King Beatard Posted January 23, 2009 Author Posted January 23, 2009 Many thanks to Dave and Kenny for saving my nuts...and slings and biners. May the gear Saints smile upon you all the climbs of your life. Not to mention turning down a reward - you rock. Also major props to whoever was climbing ahead of them - they left my gear as well! Reminds me of that song: "All I wanna do is to thank you, Even though I don't know who you are, You who let let me change lanes, While I was driving in my car." If you don't know that song you're missing out - it has been making me smile for years. Anyway I guess my happiness goes beyond some aluminum and nylon (as expensive as the stuff is) - I think Beacon is special and I'm glad to be a part of that. I've never known any other place where people would pass up booty or retrieve it for a total stranger - and ask for nothing. Maybe its the Northwest mentality or something totally different, but it makes me feel like I'm part of something much bigger than myself or some hobby. Thanks guys Quote
JosephH Posted January 23, 2009 Posted January 23, 2009 It ain't no stinking 'obby when yer shivering in the howling wind prussiking up a stuck set of ropes without enough slings at dusk - it's a bloody disease, mate... Quote
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