Plaidman Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 I am headed down to the Valley for a run up Snake Dike and plan to get on some Valley off-widths to practice for the Steck Salathe. While doing some reading about the route I ran across this. "To practice for the Steck-Salathé, crawl across asphalt parking lots in the summer, on your knees and elbows." — Dingus Milktoast. It is still hot enough around here I think to practice for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Frieh Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 One of the best TRs on cc.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 man, will sure wrote well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Practice chimneys, flares, and fists. Not much true OW on the route. For the narrows, practice the parking lot thing while having all you breath exhaled. Oof! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldiente Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 I know one particular OW master from the Portland area that just did SS. This guy leads 5.11 OW around here, but claimed the 5.9 pitches on the SS were the hardest thing he's ever done. Yikes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 A good prep circuit for the Steck: Ne butt of higher gripper entrance exam midterm rt. side of the cookie ahab wire these and Steck will seem easy. Sort of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Frieh Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Bonus points if you do it in your kilt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 I know one particular OW master from the Portland area that just did SS. This guy leads 5.11 OW around here, but claimed the 5.9 pitches on the SS were the hardest thing he's ever done. Yikes! Other that Pipeline in Squamish. Go Bob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 SS much more of a climb than pipeline...pipeline is one pitch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaidman Posted September 16, 2009 Author Share Posted September 16, 2009 Bonus points if you do it in your kilt I just figured out how to tie into the rope wearing one. Now all I need to do is learn to play the bagpipes and get on a ledge high up on El Cap and drive everyone crazy. Plaidman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaidman Posted September 16, 2009 Author Share Posted September 16, 2009 A good prep circuit for the Steck: Ne butt of higher gripper entrance exam midterm rt. side of the cookie ahab wire these and Steck will seem easy. Sort of. entrance exam and midterm were on the list. Also Doggie Diversions and Doggie Do on the Camp 4 Wall. Thanks for the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Also put English Breakfast Crack on the list. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 i looked at that...got scared, went away... how izzit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 i looked at that...got scared, went away... how izzit? protects well if you got a #6 camalot. As for the climbing, it's aptly named: required a great deal of hunger to finish, and you feel like throwing up afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaidman Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 I have a #6 Friend. I call it The Hulk cause it is green and mean. Or sometimes I call it the boat anchor. Plaidman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillcrankin Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Get strong. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCamKenny Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Bonus points if you do it in your kilt ... with the bagpipes and a caber on your rack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 just remember...its not in portland, so adjust your grade accordingly! :lmao: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_warfield Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Bonus points if you do it in your kilt ... with the bagpipes and a caber on your rack! And don't forget some haggis for lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowlander Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Generator crack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaidman Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Generator crack It's on the list. If I do everything on my list I am going to be wreaked. I may end up going through a few belay slaves. Plaidman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willstrickland Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I did the route last summer, $0.02= Generator is a great practice crack, also Ahab, but the best practice pitch specifically for SS is probably Entrance Exam. Do Midterm while you're there too. Doing 1096 right-side-in would be good training for the Wilson Overhang (and way longer/harder than Wilson). Sacherer Cracker is good training for anything. Moby Dick center is similar size/angle to (but harder than)the 5.8+OW pitch in the first half. Best long route prep would be NEB. Elevator Shaft is similar to the easier back-foot style chimneys on the upper pitches. Cruxes are very short, but the ratings (updated supertopo ratings) are pretty bang-on and on par with other valley stuff of same rating. The first pitch is a good indicator of how the rest will feel, mostly cruising with occasional 10ft sections of hard fought ground. The two manky old rivets on the crux pitch below the narrows were replaced earlier this year by Brutus (RIP). Someone said train fists, but I disagree. I can only remember one pitch with any fists and it was the one after the rap, maybe 5.9 with good stemming and a variety of jamming, definitely not a sustained fist crack or anything. If you can get up Ahab and Generator without issues, you should be more than fine, those are both way harder than anything on the SS. Biggest deal with SS is that pitch after pitch of fairly physical climbing adds up over 15 or whatever pitches. Great route, feels like an alpine rock route more than a valley route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaidman Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 (edited) Thanks Will. That was the kind of info I was looking for. I want to be solid with the test pieces on this trip before I fire off on the SS. My plan do the test pieces. Come back with the info on what I need to work on during the winter and then hit it next season after doing something on El Cap. We will see. Plaidman Edited October 1, 2009 by Plaidman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaidman Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 (edited) Do you think I have enough Wide Gear? Here is the list of routes: Entrance Exam MidTerm English Breakfast Crack Generator Crack Schacher Cracker Moby Dick Ahab Doggie Do Edited October 2, 2009 by Plaidman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denalidave Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Bonus points if you do it in your kilt ... with the bagpipes and a caber on your rack! Might be easier to just bring Ivan along... He can sing loud enough to scare everyone out of the valley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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