TRs: Gunksfest 2004
ich...@hotmail.com
foggiest? I wouldn't know, but these thoughts came to
mind as snowflakes piled up on small holds while I
belayed Gabe. Late in the day, he had volunteered to
break down the anchors on Frog's Head, and was now
making his way up into the gloom in leather boots and
thick gloves. Unable to jam, or use footholds less
than five inches wide, he resorted to wild stems and
heel hooks to gain height ledge-to-ledge. I admired
Gabe's adventurous impulse and perverse refusal to take
off the gloves. Among snowy heads below him, a
consensus was building: getting close to pub time.
Gunksfesters, all 8 of us, owned the Trapps on Sunday.
An elderly man with a German accent had cautioned me
against climbing as I hiked to the cliff, saying that
even football players could not grip the ball in such
weather. I joined the climbing party late, to see Gabe
and Dana already starting up their most-of-the-day epic
on Easy O. Dawn, Julie, Steven, Scott and Alex were
climbing, belaying or hanging about cheerfully at the
base. They had ropes on City Lights and Maria Direct,
impressive signs of energy in the cold. Scott was
working on Redirect; Alex had just done City Lights and
looked psyched to climb again. I borrowed Dawn's rack
and led Frog's Head quickly, before anything went numb.
Lowering off, I knew that would be my day's main
achievement.
Toproping was low-pressure and humorous; how seriously
could we take it, in this cold? Frozen fingers gave a
fine reason to fall off, and it seemed that even sticky
rubber would not stick. Well-dressed belayers stayed
warm, though, and spirits were high on the ground.
Maria Direct and Pas de Deux saw much action; this was
clearly Big Fun.
New snow covered rocks and trail as we hiked out. Over
beer and cider at Bacchus, conversation sailed from Red
Rock to Red River, and the foibles of all climbers who
weren't there.
Fred
able to make it; pain in the neck prevented me from doing anything for a
week. Naproxen and pain killers seem to work ok now. The other Quebec
guys were wimps and didn't want to go anymore when they saw the latest
weather forecasts.
Oh well, there's gonna be a next time.
Marc
ich...@hotmail.com wrote:
> Was it the coldest Gunksfest ever?
[snip]
--
Marc from Quebec
GOClimb
> Gabe's adventurous impulse and perverse refusal to take
> off the gloves. Among snowy heads below him, a
> consensus was building: getting close to pub time.
You are too kind by far! I was simply doing my best to demonstrate my
pitiful aversion to cold fingies. And after a successful lead of Easy
Overhang in full snow-man wrappings I figured - why bare any
unnecessary skin now that the pub is practically in sight?
> Gunksfesters, all 8 of us, owned the Trapps on Sunday.
> An elderly man with a German accent had cautioned me
> against climbing as I hiked to the cliff, saying that
> even football players could not grip the ball in such
> weather. I joined the climbing party late, to see Gabe
> and Dana already starting up their most-of-the-day epic
> on Easy O.
Hmm, yes.
Dana had the first, and shorter pitch. He made tidy work of it, but
took his time, as he hadn't climbed in four months, and was, perhaps,
having an *interesting* time of getting his head back into the leading
game given the, how shall I put it, sub-optimal conditions.
I followed Dana in my full snow-man wrappings. Then it's my turn to
lead the second pitch. A few words of explanation.
I am a summer-babe. On days when everyone says it's too hot to climb,
I strip down to my shorts, tie a sweat rag around my head and am good
to go. In short, I am a cold-hating woosy. Keep that in mind as you
envision me now, wrapped in so many layers that I was barely able to
bend arms or legs, and looking down, which required bending at the
waist, was right out. I was wearing two pairs of gloves, and my
biggest fattest pair of hiking boots. Somehow I managed to thrutch my
way up to the top in pretty good form, put Dana on belay and... And...
Nothing.
Due to the wind, and the overhangs between he and I, I wasn't convinced
he could hear me. I hollered as loud as I could, and eventually I felt
movement. The movements were halting and hesitant, though. I sat back
and enjoyed the view from the top, watching the bands of snow move
accross the landscape, enjoying myself thoroughly, while vaguely
wondering what might be happening below. Little did I know.
Dana's heebie-jeebies had not confined themselves (as good
heebie-jeebies should) to haunting him during his lead. If anything,
they got more severe as he followed the second pitch. No surprise,
really, as he lost all feeling in his hands, and due to the traversing
nature of the climb, a fall would have been rather unpleasant. Had he
fallen, things might have been a bit tricky. Between the wind and the
overhangs, it would have been difficult to know what was happening. No
surprise he was a little concerned! Good man, though, he eventually
clawed his way to the top, bloody but unbowed, having neither fallen
nor weighted any gear on the way.
But our long absence worried the rest of the crew. Just as we'd gotten
the rope coiled and were beginning the walk-off, Steven showed up to
insure our non-deadness. Non-deadness confirmed, we merrily hiked down
the Uberfall, and the fun continued!
> New snow covered rocks and trail as we hiked out. Over
> beer and cider at Bacchus, conversation sailed from Red
> Rock to Red River, and the foibles of all climbers who
> weren't there.
Indeed - a fun day!
GO
Steven Cherry
>But our long absence worried the rest of the crew. Just as we'd gotten
>the rope coiled and were beginning the walk-off, Steven showed up to
>insure our non-deadness. Non-deadness confirmed, we merrily hiked down
>the Uberfall, and the fun continued!
I needed to walk around to warm up, so I figured I might as well
make up a one-man search party. I scrambled up the Uberfall descent,
and figured I walk over toward where someone would hike down from
Easy O. Sure enough, there ya'll were.
I had oral surgery last week, and was worried about busting the
stitches, so after cleaning City Lights, I stopped climbing. Then,
belaying Julie, I noticed even that used the muscles in my mouth,
so I stopped entirely.
It was really a fun day, cold as it was. Too bad, too -- today was
beautiful, must have been over 50 here in New Jersey.
-steven-
Splinter
the weather this time, it was the distance: we were in England over
Christmas. Colin and Diane, at least, hiked 13 miles thru the High
Peaks moors, in sleet, ice pellets and rain, whilst I, indoors, sampled
a selection of single malts and tried to comprehend how anyone could
live on only 4 TV channels. We did monitor the GF event over Google,
however.
Those of you who know Colin might be interested in seeing the climbing
monster that he's become. (he lives in Socorro, NM). Take a look at:
http://www.0friction.com/image.php?image_id=10361
and you'll see why his friends have nicknamed him "Visible Liver".
These days he mostly boulders, but I know he's done at least one 5.11
in the past year. This fall he also began a SAR training program.
See what a liitle mentorship can do, Steven?
Cheers to all,
Orly & Merle
Steven Cherry
>So, this is the second GF in a row that Colin and I missed. It was not
>the weather this time, it was the distance: we were in England over
>Christmas. Colin and Diane, at least, hiked 13 miles thru the High
>Peaks moors, in sleet, ice pellets and rain, whilst I, indoors, sampled
>a selection of single malts and tried to comprehend how anyone could
>live on only 4 TV channels. We did monitor the GF event over Google,
>however.
[....]
>See what a liitle mentorship can do, Steven?
Yes, I would like to take credit for all of Colin's 5.11s, and about
half of his future 5.12s as well.
In the meantime, a country with 300 single-malts and only 4 channels
still sounds pretty good compared to the reverse. Which won the
tasting?
-steven-
--
<ste...@panix.com>
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I might have taken the moral high road but that never works
any way. -- Splinter, in email, December, 1996
Splinter
> In <1104613488.4...@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> "Splinter"
<spli...@pantherdigital.net> writes:
>
> >whilst I, indoors, sampled
> >a selection of single malts and tried to comprehend how anyone could
> >live on only 4 TV channels.
[...]
>
> In the meantime, a country with 300 single-malts and only 4 channels
> still sounds pretty good compared to the reverse. Which won the
> tasting?
>
I have become partial to a quite nice, and reasonably-priced
little number named "Glenfarclas 12" which is a mild Speyside. In
the above tasting I went mostly with macho Islays, and therefore
can't remember who won. Or if any did.
Few liquor stores around here (CT) have Glenfarclas on the shelves, but
can order it. The Glenfarclas distillery is one of the few that have
not been bought out by a huge multi-national (FWIW).
Tom
Dana
like holds, over gripping in my state of panic. Not of a pendulum into
the corner, or an epic at the overhang, but of being immortalized
forever in cyber space as the guy who fell on a 5.2 at GF 04. They say
fortune favors the brave. I guess it favors the rusty gripped guys too
as I continued up what looked like holds but felt like nothingness and
made it to the top with only a few scars to show for it. Alas, I will
have to wait until next year to show my true potential for making
history. Thanks for waiting!
The non dead.
Dana
Julie
It was actually warmer on the Black Dike, 4 days later. TR soon.
Great to see you all!
JSH
Chiloe
> BrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!
>
> It was actually warmer on the Black Dike, 4 days later.
Here are a few pics of 'festers trying to stay warm:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v224/Chiloe/GunksFest_2004/
Paulina
Nice! Thanks for the pictures -- I wish I were there, even though it was
cold.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
Paulina
Mark Heyman
"Splinter" <spli...@pantherdigital.net> wrote in message
news:1104613488.4...@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> So, this is the second GF in a row that Colin and I missed. It was not
> Orly & Merle
I missed two,though not in a row. Both were for very strong reasons. As I
posted, this year I spent the time in the hospital with my grandmother (we
referred to her as Nana). The funeral was this morning. She died Fri
afternoon ten hours before her 96th birthday.
Dawn looks pretty cold in those Pics. By chance, I missed the two cold
years, though I would have happily shown up regardless of the weather. Sorry
I missed you all.
Mark H.
Julie
JSH
Splinter
Our hearts go out to you. Family losses are even harder to cope with
over a holiday.
I have been reminded that my own senility is showing. We *were* at
GF '03 (Part A). In fact, I bailed off a 5.3 corner because of the
machinegun toting midgets holed up on one of the ledges. (Or
was it ice? I forget.) It was '02 that we took one look at the snow and
...
Well, there's always '05.
George Bailer
Bailer Savings and Loan
Bedford Falls
GOClimb
once he got home.
GO
Sue
Steven Cherry <ste...@panix.com> wrote:
> In the meantime, a country with 300 single-malts and only 4 channels
> still sounds pretty good compared to the reverse.
RCGH04
Mark Cato
- Sue <shop...@TAKEOUTucsd.edu> wrote:
> Steven Cherry <ste...@panix.com> wrote:
>> In the meantime, a country with 300 single-malts and only 4 channels
>> still sounds pretty good compared to the reverse.
>
> RCGH04
I hate to be a stickler, but wouldn't this qualify for RCGH05? (My reader
has it pegged at 11:03 p.m. on Jan. 1.) Does Steven have the honors of the
first nomination of the year?
mark
__________________________
Mark Cato
mdc...@andrew.cmu.edu
Steven Cherry
<m_he...@hotmmail.com> writes:
> Dawn looks pretty cold in those Pics. By chance, I missed the two cold
> years, though I would have happily shown up regardless of the weather.
> Sorry I missed you all.
Mark, as the person who first had to hack the ice off of Ken's Crack
in order to try to lead it, your cold weather bonafides are well
established.
So sorry to hear about your Nana.
-steven-
Alex Chiang
> Nice pics! I sent one to Alex, who said he'd load it onto tradgirl
> once he got home.
Indeed, I did say that, didn't I? Schedules slip for lots of reasons;
mine mostly because it took me about 2 weeks to recover from my ten day
bender whilst home in NJ for the holidays.
I've updated the GunksFest page with 2004's pictures, and a few links to
some posts in this thread. Chiloe gets the award for "Only Real TR".
http://www.tradgirl.com/areas/ny/gunks/gunksfest.shtml
As for myself, here's a half-assed summary from my end of things...
----------------------------
It was cold. Really cold. But well worth the effort to meet up with old
friends and make some new ones. Unlike the west coasters who actually
get to climb during their yearly Hallowe'en at Josh festival, the east
coasters (and those unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity during the
yuletide season) realize that our event is a farce, a nice way to spend
some (variable, yearly) time between coffee at the Bakery and beer at
Bacchus. Any climbing done is incidental, accidental, and mostly mental.
That said, any climbing that we actually do automatically becomes two
full grades harder, and we get to claim epic encounters on 80 foot
routes. If Chris Sharma wants to push some big numbers, he should come
to GunksFest 2005 and climb Frogshead:
- summertime rating: 5.4
- Zero degrees (celsius) ambient temperature: +0.1
- Zero degrees (celsius) rock temperature: +0.2
- Blinding snow flying into eyes: +0.1
- Climbing with wool mittens on: +0.1
- Climbing with giant mountaineering boots: +0.1
- Last one climbing (to clean the gear) while everyone else is already
packed and has their warm clothes on and are half way to the cars,
and thus Bacchus, and further thus beer: +0.9
----------------------------
final rating: 5.19
Thus, it is demonstrated that we who are strong in spirit, but weak in
the lost art of common sense, deserve the adulation and adoration of all
the other technogeeks out there who still know what "usenet" is.
qed.
As an extra bonus, we got to find out what "I. Chiloe" actually means.
And no, we're not telling. What goes on at GunksFest, stays at
GunksFest.
Or something like that.
/Alex
Julie
Maria Direct, but they bunched up between his hands and the bomber
hand rail from which you clip the pin. He was quite unhappy!).
JSH
ich...@hotmail.com
> I've updated the GunksFest page with 2004's pictures,
> http://www.tradgirl.com/areas/ny/gunks/gunksfest.shtml
Tradgirl lives! Keep up the good work, Alex, that site is a
treasure.
> It was cold. Really cold.
Funny how everybody has mentioned that.
> our event is a farce, a nice way to spend
> some (variable, yearly) time between coffee at the Bakery
> and beer at Bacchus.
Good analysis.
> If Chris Sharma wants to push some big numbers, he should
> come to GunksFest 2005 and climb Frogshead:
> - summertime rating: 5.4
> - Zero degrees (celsius) ambient temperature: +0.1
> - Zero degrees (celsius) rock temperature: +0.2
> - Blinding snow flying into eyes: +0.1
> - Climbing with wool mittens on: +0.1
> - Climbing with giant mountaineering boots: +0.1
> - Last one climbing (to clean the gear) while everyone else
> is already packed and has their warm clothes on and
> are half way to the cars, and thus Bacchus, and further
> thus beer: +0.9
> ----------------------------
> final rating: 5.19
I think this is great! But zero degrees C -- is that all we
were whining about? Not much glory there. So I took a second
to check. Temperatures in New Paltz that day never got above
minus 4.5 C, prolly well below that at Trapps, I assume the
rock was even colder, after (New Paltz) night temps around
minus 9. This ought to make Gabe's Frog's Head excusion the
first 5.23. It certainly looked like that.
> As an extra bonus, we got to find out what "I. Chiloe"
> actually means. And no, we're not telling. What goes on at
> GunksFest, stays at GunksFest.
The world needs its mysteries.