rec,climbing?
Ben Craft
instead of all the useless technical drivel. I personally like reading
about other climbers adventures, hopes, and whatever.
Ben
#######
#####\_O -Ben Craft-
####/\/>
#### /"
### \
Climbing Guy
Josh
Ben Craft wrote in message ...
Ropes4U
get back..
John
GeoffCJ
>>Does anyone on the NG ever climb? It would be nice to see a few more TR's
>>instead of all the useless technical drivel. I personally like reading
>>about other climbers adventures, hopes, and whatever.
so here is the TR I sent out to my family and freinds about my weekend.....
As all of you know, I've become a huge fan of Joshua Tree this winter, making
many a weekend trip out there, for the amazing climbing, the beautiful spot in
the world that it is, and the neat, fun people that I've met there. It'll soon
be hot, and I'll be making more trips into the Sierras, so it was with great
anticipation that I was looking forward to what may be my last J-tree trip
until the fall.
This past weekend was a Friends of Joshua Tree and Access Fund rendezvous at
the park, involving a park cleanup project, gear raffles and auctions, climbing
skills clinics, and more.... I had volunteered to help out wherever I could,
and my friend Patty convinced me that helping with the registration sat morning
at 6 (!!!!) would be a good way to do it. I rode down to the park with Frank
and Justin from Coalinga, CA, who I'd met in Yosemite just a few weeks ago, and
Jeanine, who I met at the Bridwell slide show just a week or so ago.
Since I had no way to get from the camping area to the community center, I
crashed at Phil's house Friday night, and rode with Patty EARLY Saturday to
help setup and register people. Met several cool people that morning, and was
surprised and pleased to see how many people I already knew. I worked the
registration until noon, then my new friend (met her that morning) Cassandra
and I went into the park to do some climbing. From about 12:30-6 we managed to
squeeze in 5 climbs, with my friend Ray and his son Sean sharing in some, and
climbing nearby in others. We headed back to the community center for gear
raffles, the slide show, and a silent auction. I won a few bits and pieces of
gear, and got a good deal on a guide book I wanted at the silent auction.
Following a great slide show, the band "the Cactus Pricks" played. Cassandra
and I didn't stay long, we went and camped, as we'd volunteered to help out
again the next morning. Another early morning helping people find their
clinics, then at 8:30 we split and (I skipped the clinics) went into the park
to do some more climbs. Spent too much time looking for climbs that didn't have
anybody on them, but ended up doing a few good routes. Fun stuff. At one we
helped serve a great catered lunch there were more gear giveaways, then a live
auction, where I got a great deal on a new pack and a crazy creek chair.
Headed home after that.
A great weekend, old friends and new, climbing and hanging out. Made going to
work Monday kind of hard....
=>
geoff
Bob Austin
Technically speaking, it's rec.climbing NOT rec,climbing.
Regards,
BOB AUSTIN
Ben Craft wrote in message ...
>Does anyone on the NG ever climb? It would be nice to see a few more TR's
>instead of all the useless technical drivel. I personally like reading
>about other climbers adventures, hopes, and whatever.
>
Bill Folk
> Does anyone on the NG ever climb? It would be nice to see a few more TR's
> instead of all the useless technical drivel. I personally like reading
> about other climbers adventures, hopes, and whatever.
>
> Ben
Okay Ben, here's a little trip report. It's a bit long, or at least
long-winded, but I don't think there's any technical drivel, useless or
otherwise. I went to J-tree for 3 days with fellow rec.climber Newt Bailey. We
arrived last Monday evening after a pleasant 8 hour drive from the Bay Area to
cold temps and rain. The forecast was good for the following day, so we hopped
into our bags and dreamed of warm, dry rock.
Day 1 - The plan was to go to Wonderland of Rocks, warm up on Mental Physics
and the 5.9 to the left, and then go to Bighorn Mating Grotto and the Astro
Domes. In connection to the Bighorn Mating Grotto, Newt mentioned that the
sheep in Britain would often wander onto steep ground, and occasionally get in
over their heads, and stand paralyzed with fright on a cliffside, bleating in
terror. This was to become a theme for me for the next 3 days: bleating in
terror. Okay, well actually, I've _always_ bleated in terror when I climb.
There, the ugly truth is out. On the walk in, we decided that what we thought
was Lenticular Dome was actually another formation, and then immediately
became separated and lost (a theme for the next two days.) After an hour of
bushwhacking, I came to the conclusion that we had been right in the first
place, and that the formation was in fact Lenticular Dome. I scrambled up to
the top of a prominent boulder at the base of the routes, and called Newt's
name for 15 minutes, until I saw a figure far away near the base of the Astro
Domes. Newt made his way to the base. He had been given bad directions by some
other climbers, but finally we were at the base of something and ready to
climb. I led Mental Physics, and it was okay I guess. Four stars? Okay,
whatever. Newt led the 5.9 to the left, and it was fun thin face climbing.
Okay, we're warmed up, now what?
Having wasted a good hour or two of climbing time thrashing around in the
brush, I was somewhat disinclined to go looking around for the Bighorn Mating
Grotto, my ovine preferences not withstanding. The easily accessible Astro
Domes with their classic routes beckoned, and the decision was made. I was
actually a bit intimidated, having somehow gotten the impression that Solid
Gold and Figures on a Landscape were run-out, but that turned out not to be
the case. We got to the base of Solid Gold, and another team was having an
minor epic on the second pitch, being unable to determine where to leave the
horizontal crack, and having problems with the wind. I was drooling for the
beautiful thin edging of the first pitch, and after the other team reached the
ground, I started up. The climbing was fantastic; one of the most fun pitches
I've done in quite a while. I didn't notice any distinct crux, just consistent
thin edging with lots of bolts, although a bit of space between the last two,
but the climbing is solid. Newt cruised up the first pitch, and then on up the
second, with no discernible difficulty. I found the second pitch a bit thin
getting into the horizontal crack, and thought that that move was
significantly harder than anything on the first pitch, but maybe I was missing
something. Newt had boosted his confidence on the exit slab moves from the
horizontal by stuffing in a couple of cams, and an extra piece or two in the
1-1.5 friend range might have made things easier for the previous party. A
great route, and worth all its stars. We walked off the west side, and back to
the base of Figures.
I demurred to Newt on the first pitch, as the bolts looked well spaced, but
once on the route they appear, hidden from below. Newt cruised up, and set the
belay. I felt that, as the second on a pitch with lots of traversing, it was
my duty to get gripped, regardless of the actual danger, or lack thereof.
Bleating in terror. This was another great pitch, although significantly
harder, more than a letter grade, than P1 of Solid Gold, IMHO. I was a little
worried about the second pitch, as the topo indicated 10a with only one bolt,
but as it turned out the only thing I had to fear was, well, fear itself. The
pitch is short, the climbing solid, and in retrospect it wasn't run out, but I
managed to get myself a little sketched, thinking that the good holds were
going to run out, but they didn't. A crack appears just when you no longer
need it, as the angle eases and you cruise to the belay. We agreed that the
pitch was over graded; _maybe_ there's a move of 5.9 on it somewhere. Newt
flew up the pitch, and then carried on up the third, which turned out to be
very short; I should have just run it together with the second. Another
fantastic climb, worth as many stars as you care to give it. By the time we
got down it was getting dark, but not content with our tally so far, Newt led
us up a nice 10c corner (called something about piggy or pork or something?),
and then we called it a day. We walked back to the car in the dark, with the
stars blazing above in the clear desert sky.
Day 2 - Queen Mountain. Some of you smile knowingly. Yes, we got lost. We
arrived at the base of Perfect Fingers around noon, having left the parking
lot a mere 4 hours earlier. The guidebook says the approach to Walt's Rocks is
straightforward. Maybe it is if you already know how to get there. I was
scraped, bruised, dehydrated, and too busy pulling cactus spines out of my
legs to be bothered with any of this climbing nonsense, so Newt racked up, and
headed up the route. It was nice enough: thin, straight in fingers to start,
widening to solid fingers, and then a flare (shade!) to the top. Four stars?
Okay, if you say so. We then went up to Upper Walt's rocks for some five star
11a, which looked fine except for the 30 feet above a bad fall to the first
bolt, and the death fall onto a nearby sharp boulder getting to the third.
Newt wanted to do an 11a crack nearby, but it looked wide and physical above,
and I was spent. I prophetically pointed out that we would be better off doing
the hike out with plenty of light, and we decided to head back, and do
Treasure of the Sierra Madre on the way out. On the way we ran into a couple
of guys who had just done the 11a crack we had been contemplating. I felt a
twinge of guilt as they mentioned that the difficulties eased quickly, and
that after the initial bulge there was nothing harder than 5.8, as Newt had
obviously been keen to do the route, and I would have been able to get up it
in spite of my exhausted state. We soon became separated on the hike out, and
after a couple of hours of traversing around the west side of Queen Mountain,
I arrived at the car. Newt arrived later, just at dark. Eight hours of
bushwhacking, and one route to show for it. Tomorrow would be better.
Day 3 - We were camped at the site by the Blob, right next to Mama and Papa
Woolsey, so that seemed like a good place to start the day. I led Buissoner to
warm up, and quickly ran into trouble. My swollen feet screamed from their
abuse the previous day, and my calves began cramping spasmodically. The epic
bushwhack of the day before had drained me, and I actually contemplated
hanging. Newt then led Mama Woolsey, which was okay; mostly easy climbing with
a cruxy move. I then led Papa Woolsey, which was more fun thin edging. My feet
and calves were in agony, but there were plenty of places to rest them, and
it was a fun route. Then over to Real Hidden Valley. I felt too beat from the
previous day's festivities to engage in any hard (for me) leading, so Newt set
off up Clean and Jerk. Lacking his reach, I had difficulty getting through the
start, and almost fell. Above it was a bit pumpy, but good climbing. We then
headed over to Illusion Dweller, which was fun, but I was seriously beat, and
it was a struggle for me to follow it cleanly, and I arrived at the belay
spent. Again, like Mental Physics and Perfect Fingers, it was a fun climb, but
I couldn't help but compare the coarse cracks at Jtree unfavorably with the
clean, smooth granite of the Valley. Newt then took a shot at some bolted 12,
and it was a pleasure to just lie there and belay, without any obligation to
actually climb anything, and I'm sure he enjoyed getting out of earshot of my
whining. We then headed back to the campground, where Newt led Bearded
Cabbage, which I dragged myself up, with execrable style at the crux, in full
view, exposed to the mockery of the entire campground. We then set a top rope
on Spider Line, but darkness prevented any serious attempts.
All in all a fun trip, with lots of great routes, and a solid partner to drag
me up them. In the future, I'll try to make sure I get lost and do the
exausting bushwhack on the last day of the trip, so it won't diminish my
desire and ability to climb on subsequent days, as it did in this case.
Bill
Bob Austin
from a visitor's perspective. Thanks!
BOB AUSTIN
Bill Folk wrote in message <371D8BF0...@best.com>...
John Byrnes
> Does anyone on the NG ever climb?
No, we just pretend to.
> It would be nice to see a few more TR's
> instead of all the useless technical drivel.
Well here's a useless TR from Sunday.
Went to Lumpy with Suz. Nice weather except for the occasional
loaf-of-bread sized icicles falling down the face. As we were
roping up, we watched two CSU students start up Pear Buttress.
The leader was completely sketched and looking at a 20' groundfall.
I yelled up to him that from where he was, he could stem right
to make his strenuous lieback into a 5.5 stance. They both
screamed at me that I was an asshole. Okay, I'll shut up. He
manages to get a cam in. Whew, now I don't have to participate
in a rescue and ruin my whole day. 20 feet higher, he places
a cam but forgets to clip it. His partner yells up to him to
put something it, he's in groundfall territory (again) from
60' up. Oh well, at least he's consistant.
We have to share a belay ledge and he apologized, as do I. I
was just trying to help. I've been on this ledge with four
other people, plenty of room. However, he can't seem to figure
out how to adjust his cordellette so he can sit down. He looks
at me, already sat down and belaying my partner, "Do you always
tie in like that? Without a cordellette?" Sure, why not?
Anyway, he stands instead of sits.
As we belay he asks me if I heard about his fall off J-Crack a
few months ago. I say no. He didn't have pro high, was leading
the traverse and fell off. Broke some bones, had to be rescued,
made the news. A slow learner, I think.
We part ways up different crack systems and I catch up to Lizzard
and Shane. Lizz is psuedo-guiding Shane on his first trad lead.
Shane redpoints .12b/c sport, but has emptied the rack and gotten
off route in 80' of the 5.8 crack pitch. He's in a scary hanging
belay. Actually not bad for a first lead! Hey, booty! I find
a sling and a new locking biner where someone rapped from my climb.
Clip and go.
We continue up a few more pitches and I get to watch Shane crank
the Cave Exit, doing heinous moves that make it 5.10 instead of
5.7+. That one's a puzzler. I do the 5.9 face finish and all
four of us start down the involved and wet walkoff. We're
joined by the rest of the group, Matt and Mike, who have just
finished Fat City to Cheap Date to Outlander in preparation of
a desert trip. Talk and ticks accompany us back to the ground.
A big black snow cloud detaches itself from the Divide and heads
our way. All right! An excuse to go drink beer. As we're packing
up an old gnome-like climber that I'd seen up higher up sets down
nearby with his handsome, TYF Lizz, partner. After chatting a bit
I get curious, "You look familiar. What's your name?" "Doug
Snively." Well I'll be damned! Doug taught me to climb, way
back in the dark ages; my first and only formal lesson. We both
shake our heads and shake hands.
We end the day with several pitchers of Microbrew, and head back
to the Fort.
- Lord Slime
Rbw1966
My partner and I headed to Mt. Hood to do the Leuthold Couloir. We had planned
on being there early saturday to putz around a little before heading up the
couloir but instead got to our bivy site at Illumination Saddle around 8p.m. or
so. Weather started out nice but by the time we got to the saddle visibility
was pretty low and surface snow was being blown around. Set up the tent and
crashed for a few hours. Woke at 330 to start up the couloir but visibility
was really bad and winds were high so we crawled back into the bags and
crashed. At first light Mike poked his head out the door of the tent and
visibility was still sketchy but no wind so we geared up and headed on out.
Traverssed over to the Leuthold Couloir and started up the steep slope. It was
kinda warm so the snow was soft and we were postholing but not too deep--about
boot-top deep. We couldn't see the top of the hourglass from below and ended
up tracking a bit far to the south and had to pass up some fairly steep ice
chutes in between seracs. Beautiful climbing and very fun. We ended up at the
top of the couloir farther to the south then expected but found the summit
ridge ok. Hung out on top for about 3 minutes before heading down the south
side route. Wind and sleet-like snow made it pretty cold and we were not too
interested in hanging out up top with nothing to look at but each others ugly
mugs. Passed a group of 3 climbers heading up the south side route as we
descended to the bergschrund. Past another group about a 100 yards further
down who were hanging out and snacking. Mike and I traversed over trying to
find Illumination Saddle and our tent but miscalculated and had to double back.
Visibility was so poor we couldn't even see Illumination Rock once we got to
the tent. Packed up and headed down to the truck and then off to the
Ratskeller for a few pints before returning to Portland. All in all, the
Leuthold Couloir was a lot easier than either of us expected but still a very
fun route. We were a bit disappointed that we didnt feel the need to place any
protection--we were kinda hoping it would be a bit more technical.
Rob
p.s. Thanks Ben for pointing out the lack of TR's.
bba...@dmwgroup.com
Moab TR - Brad Baker and Chris Tirpak
The Drive (Apr 16, 1999)
- Leave Early Due to Snow
- Hit REI for rope and friend
- Drive through the heinous snow and traffic. Get lost near Castle Rock
(idiots).
- Get to Moab @ 2:30 am (left Tirpak's at 5:30)
- Find campsite @ 3:15 (Behind the Rocks area)
- Drink and Hang out til 5am
Saturday
- Up at 8:45
- Hike and pick up other people's trash til about 10
- Preride the 13 mile 24 Hours of Moab mtn bike course, but it's 20 miles
for us (almost crash when brake pad goes under rim).
- Check out the very cool picture frame arch (prostitute butte).
- Drink a couple beers, sit in the sun, and learn how soft sandstone is by
digging hole with beer cap.
- Drive to Kane Creek Canyon.
- Climb @ Ice Cream Parlor with three guys from Steamboat Springs ("this is
named Ice Cream Parlor, because its where the soft people climb").
- I lead some 5.8 crack which is nice, but a thin section at the top slows me
down (didn't bring any thin gear).
- TR the 5.8+ and 5.8 to the left. Fun, varied climbing.
- Drive further into Canyon, find camping spot. Chili, beer, and fire.
- Asleep by 11pm
Sunday - Up at 8am. Eventually head to Indian Creek. - Look at 5.7, but
decide to skip due to the runout at the beginning and generally shite looking
line. - Talk to some Brits who are on Twin Cracks. - I lead some 25' 5.9
crack. Nice and easy. - Let some guy from Boulder hop on our rope, he offers
us a TR on Supercrack later. - Head back to Twin Cracks, where Chris leads
his first 5.9 in super fine style. Very nice line. - Go back to TR
Supercrack. - While waiting for a turn on Supercrack, give Supercorner a shot
(on TR). I zoomed right up it, Tirpak gets about ½ way, but tweaks his
elbow. Incredible climb. Very easy for 11+/12-. - Go for Supercrack.
Tirpak gets to the roof, but bails because of his tweaked elbow. I hop on
and Get about 2/3rds up before pumping out and hanging on the rope. Stop
once more to rest, but send it in decent style (need to work on endurance).
Awesome and sustained hand crack. Nothing like bloody wrists… - Back to the
truck where we enjoy a beer and watching the other climbers. - Hit dinner in
Moab and head home. - Back in the Springs at 2am.
--
----------
Brad Baker
----------
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
bba...@dmwgroup.com
bba...@dmwgroup.com wrote:
> - Drink a couple beers, sit in the sun, and learn how soft sandstone is by
> digging hole with beer cap.
Oh yeah, I tried this at the base of Supercrack. Just kidding! A rock on
the ground in the middle of the freakin' desert where our campsite was...
ChrisD454
>long-winded, but I don't think there's any technical drivel, useless or
>otherwise
Great TR! It actually held my attention, which is more than I can say for the
vast majority of climbing stories. Maybe If I ever get over the hangover I
will post a TR about my last travesties down at Portrero Chico.
Chris Dominguez
ccr-dogbone
Anyway, it was raining every day when we wanted to go Hohenstein, so we
decided to stay in the neighbourhood trying new tricks at Huessenberg.
It is volcanic but with lots of loose rocks. As it was also wet from the
rain, we only tried a few routes toproping on an overhanging part of the
wall. We were not too successful though, so some fun for future rainy
days is guaranteed, mapping our personal webwork of routes up the wall.
c.c.r.
Ben Craft schrieb:
>
> Does anyone on the NG ever climb? It would be nice to see a few more TR's
> instead of all the useless technical drivel. I personally like reading
> about other climbers adventures, hopes, and whatever.
>
> Ben
>
Chuck Spiekerman
> Does anyone on the NG ever climb? It would be nice to see a few more TR's
> instead of all the useless technical drivel. I personally like reading
> about other climbers adventures, hopes, and whatever.
>
> Ben
Not all reports of climbing are interesting. Behold:
The weather is beginning to break in Seattle and we've had _consecutive_
days of clear skies! I got up to Index last Thursday for a partial day
(needed to drop off the kids at daycare, and promised to be back by
7:30 to help put them to bed)
After dropping off the kids, then dicking around, going to the store, then
back to Mark's house (Did you bring your guidebook? No, did you bring
yours?) we're off like a streak.
It's a glorious day. Very sunny, slightly windy. No bugs.
The rock is bone dry. Even the continually dripping wall left of the slab
is mostly dry today.
Mark starts us off via Roger's Corner in one long lead, a mostly fun
climb with a few sections of choss. I second hauling the extra rope on my
back and now get ready for Breakfast of Champions. It starts with few
awkward thin jams then gives way to a bomber handcrack. It's steep the
whole way with minimal resting possibilities. Rated at 10a, this one didn't
get the grade adjustment for "sustained strenuous nature" often alotted to
ratings in other areas. I want to spend as little time as possible
playing with gear so rack up with only the necessary cams (#1-#3 friends,
plus #3 Camalot I believe) on their own `biners. I'm breathing pretty
hard by the top but otherwise the lead goes smoothly. Mark, carrying
the second rope and all the rack I left behind, hangs once. The "loose
block" on BOC is now gone, leaving behind a sandy hole. Supposedly the
block disappeared the winter before last. A key chalked up hold right at the
beginning sounded pretty hollow when some of my gear banged it. Maybe
this route will be upped to 10b soon.
Next on the program, continue up via Beak Beak Beak. Mark is pumped
from BOC and gives me the lead. BBB has a big flakelike "beak" near
the start that you can supposedly lieback/undercling (?) around. I can't
figure out how to do that so resort to tunneling. I mash my body
inside the flare behind the beak to grope the handcrack deep inside.
After this preliminary thrash the route eases. I take a right under the
big roof above and pop over it on the Newest Industry line. Make sure you
place a piece to the right before surmounting the roof to keep the rope
from getting completely wedged in a crack on the underside of the roof to
the left.
I'd been looking at the topos in the Clint Cummins guidebook and
wondered whether you could link up with the fifth pitch of 10%
Meteorological Vinculation from here. It looks clean so I give it a
try (Mark is still demurring the lead). A clean low-angle finger crack
heads up to a stance below a slab with 2 bolts (This is the part marked
5.9+ in the guide. The finger crack bypasses the 10d section). One move,
clip a screamer on the old rusty 1/4"'er, a few more slab moves and I'm at
a great ledge with awesome views out to snow covered Index, Baring and
Gunn Peaks. Sunny but cool with the wind. No bugs.
Two single rope raps and a bit of walking get us back to the BOC anchors.
From here a full-rope-length free-hanging rappel lands us at our packs.
We're now running low on time, but figure we can get one or two more
pitches in. I want to try leading Libra Crack, a 20' steep handcrack
right in the middle of a bunch of beginner lines. I did it on toprope
years ago but floundered terribly. This time it goes more smoothly. My
handjamming must have improved in 5 years! On my way up, a male from a
mixed party of beginners says, "That's a nice looking crack. Does it
protect well?" Mark's response is, "It's a crack."
Due to the well-positioned belay right at the crack, I am able to run
the 50m rope to the top of the slab via Pisces. Straining to stretch the
rope I am just able to loop a cordelette around the one large live tree at
the belay.
Mark reaches the top. It's 6:30. I'll be in trouble when I get home.
We have a couple of beers at the car while sorting the gear. I see some
friends who have just returned from climbing Davis-Holland. They seem
to dismiss me as a drunk loser when I have trouble pronouncing
10% Meteorological Vinculation.
Chuck
Fred
place in province of Québec last week-end.
My partner, our guide/teacher and I left Quebec City, Canada, early last
Saturday to go to Parc des Grands-Jardins for a 3 days climbing trip. We
would learn own to lead in trad and also have a self-rescue class.
Grands-Jardins is what we can call Quebec's Yosemite, a smaller valley with
lots of climbing, but with virtually no crowds. Our guide told us that when
there are 4-5 parties on a certain mountain (not necessary on the same route.)
at a certain time, it's a very crowded day. Lots and lots of multi-pitch
routes are still waiting to be open.
So we headed to Mont de l'Ours, a south-facing cliff with easy and clean
routes. We learned how to set up belays, how to use gear and how to place
protections. Our guide leaded the 4 pitches route (5.4; 5.6; 5.8; 5.6) and we
followed him watching how he put his pros and set up belays. The route
follows the spur at the right of the face. It is a nice easy climb for
beginners. The normal route is 5.6, but there are multiple variations up to
5.9. The 5.8 variation we climbed was an aerial crack. It was very wet
because of the melting snow higher on the face. I was a bit scared because I
rarely climbed 5.8 onsight, but I did it cleanly and I quickly reached the
belay. I would not have loved to lead it! The day was over and we came down
to set up our tents.
We took a look at the Dome and Gros-Bras, 2 huge mountains near Mont de
l'Ours. The Dome was wet, as was Gros-Bras. The first is maybe 250m high
(800ft) and the last is 400m (1300ft) The Dome has routes from 5.5 to about
5.12, with lots of possibilities for first ascents. The classic one is Voie
d'Évitement, a really nice 5.7 crack. Gros-Bras is a north-facing cliff, so
it is more dirty than the other mountains with less good rock. It is the main
challenge in the park. There is good ice and mixed climbing there (and
anywhere in the area) during winter.
The second day brought snow and rain. So we decided to practice self-rescue
techniques at the Dome. Nice class. I hope I will never have to use what I
learned.
The third day brought wind, sun, rain and snow. A dull mixed weather. We
went back on the spur of Mont de l'Ours to lead some stuff on/near the 5.6
route. Our guide first set up a top-rope on a 5.7 dihedral. My partner and I
climb it and practiced our skills for placing all kinds of pro. After our
successful attemp, we both leaded some 5.4-5.5 pitches and had great fun
climbing even if it was raining and snowing.
We are now waiting for the next week-end! We will try to climb some clean 3
pitches routes near home, and will certainly enjoy it. :) No guide this
time...
Happy climbs,
Marc-André Giasson
Charlesbourg, Qc, Canada
Tom Evans
freezing at 70 degrees.....two climbs....Edchadas.....Home by 5...Eat your
heart out.....BJ later!!! Tom
PS I read that Fluff report of Austins about the RR climb....HA!! Where was
the part about freezing your asses off and not getting home until 3AM!!????
Ben Craft <bcr...@taurus.oac.uci.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.SOL.4.05.990420...@taurus.oac.uci.edu...
> Does anyone on the NG ever climb? It would be nice to see a few more TR's
> instead of all the useless technical drivel. I personally like reading
> about other climbers adventures, hopes, and whatever.
>
> Ben
>
Tom Evans
ccr-dogbone <ccr-d...@t-online.de> wrote in message
news:371E41B9...@t-online.de...
> What does "TR" mean?
> Anyway, it was raining every day when we wanted to go Hohenstein, so we
> decided to stay in the neighbourhood trying new tricks at Huessenberg.
> It is volcanic but with lots of loose rocks. As it was also wet from the
> rain, we only tried a few routes toproping on an overhanging part of the
> wall. We were not too successful though, so some fun for future rainy
> days is guaranteed, mapping our personal webwork of routes up the wall.
>
> c.c.r.
>
> Ben Craft schrieb:
> >
UltimateHi
Hey guys, it was good climbing with you on Sunday. Supercrack was a lot
harder than it looked, eh?
peace
ian ("some guy from Boulder")
heres our TR, titled "Sunburnt and Bleeding"
...guess who's been climbing desert cracks?
We just got back from Indian Creek, Utah, home of the most beautiful and
difficult desert crack climbing around, including such testpieces as
"Incredible Hand Crack", "Supercrack" and "Coyne Crack". My whole body hurts.
The climbing is hard, and very sustained. If a climb is 5.10, every move on
the climb is 5.10. These are blank faces, broken only by the perfect, vertical
and often overhanging splitter cracks. No face holds, no rests. I have never
seen anything like it.
Day one, we put up all the moderates. All the climbs under 5.10 took two
hours, then the pain fest began. We were humiliated and spanked on everything
we tried, and ended up aiding to the anchors.
That night, after checking out Canyonlands National Park(stunningly
beautiful!) we camped by an abandoned mine shaft in the middle of nowhere.
After starting a huge campfire and pounding many beers, we went exploring in
the mineshaft. Climbing around underground, drunk. A big dinner and copius
bowls under the starry desert sky brought our day to a close.
Day two was even better. An error reading the guidebook (this is a 5.10?)had
me struggling with tenous jams up a dihedral to a roof where the crack widened
to offwidth(too big to jam fists or knees, too small to get your body into). I
was spit out three times, lost a LOT of skin, and lowered off. Chris went up,
yanked on gear, aided and grunted and sent the roof, but barely. We both rested
and then sent it on toprope. When another group of climbers walked by, they
stopped to express thier admiration, we had just climbed an unnamed 5.11a.
A couple of other guys from Colorado stopped by, smoked a bowl with us and
took a ride on our toprope. Some more guys stopped by, we talked a little and
decided to combine gear and take a shot a "Supercrack" and a few others. One of
the guys, an AMG guide, put up "Fingers in a Light Socket".11a and
"SuperCrack".10, and we caught a toprope on a short .9.
It was a perfect spring day in the desert, 80 degrees and not a cloud in the
sky(hence the sunburn). It was time to take a shot at Supercrack. It didn't
look that hard, and it was on toprope. I sent the bouldery start to the rest
ledge without too much trouble, and stood catching my breath while i studied
the crack above me. 100 feet of perfect hand crack, almost exactly the same
size size from top to bottom. One little 18 inch roof to pull over. How hard
could it be?
Hard. Very fucking hard. Even on toprope it took me a half an hour to climb
that 100 feet, completely committed to hand and foot jams, repeatedly falling
and hanging on the rope. My God, the pain! By the last 20 feet or so, i had
gotten into a rhythm and was jamming away, but it cost me a lot of flesh. When
i came back down to the ground and pulled off my climbing shoes I found that my
laces were worn through in a dozen different places and i was missing skin off
my toes even though they were INSIDE my shoes. I could barely stand on my feet,
they were so twisted from torqueing them into the crack.
So, a great weekend. But no more desert cracks for me until the scabs heal.
I can't wait to go again!
John Byrnes
> Day one, we put up all the moderates.
What is this bullshit? To "put up" a route means you did the
first ascent. You guys aren't even close...
> Chris went up,
> yanked on gear, aided and grunted and sent the roof,
To "send" a route means to redpoint it, and sometimes to flash
it. Chris did neither. Your abuse of climbing terms is
annoying and detracts from the TR.
- Lord Slime
Greg Daughtry
Karl Lew
>wat duz NG meen?
>-climer 1 of 9
warnt he on death row?
--climer 2 of 9
Rbw1966
>annoying and detracts from the TR.
wut duz TR meen?
--climer 3 of 9
Karl Lew
>>Your abuse of climbing terms is
>>annoying and detracts from the TR.
>wut duz TR meen?
>--climer 3 of 9
i uz web to fine this! me smurt!
"The country code for Turkey."
--climer 4 of 9
Nate Beckwith
John Byrnes wrote:
>
> UltimateHi wrote:
> > Day one, we put up all the moderates.
> > ...an AMG guide, put up "Fingers in a Light Socket".11a...
>
> What is this bullshit? To "put up" a route means you did the
> first ascent. You guys aren't even close...
I think "put up" here means to put up the toprope. Different world,
John - gym era climbers on trad.
> Your abuse of climbing terms is
> annoying and detracts from the TR.
Bragging about getting stoned is rather poor form too.
--
Nathanial Beckwith - Boulder, CO
http://www.netone.com/~nate
UltimateHi
>annoying and detracts from the TR.
>
>
...and the correct terminology would be?
ian
UltimateHi
>
>--
>Nathanial Beckwith - Boulder, CO
No bragging involved. Sorry about the post, I meant to send that just to
Brad, but didn't pay enough attention when I sent it. Posting my personal vices
to a public forum was not the plan. C'est la vie. (drinking all night, on the
other hand, is good form? Maybe I'll try that next time) If I make the mistake
of posting another TR, I will be sure to censor it first.
It was still a good time!
ian"terminologically challenged"
JKVawter
Try "climbed" or "managed," or how 'bout "dogged," "eeked over," "french
freed," or "schlepped."
JKVawter
Tom Evans
Greg Daughtry <gregory.m...@intel.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:7fnuj2$s...@news.or.intel.com...
> wat duz NG meen?
> -climer
>
UltimateHi
JKVawter
OK, those work for the poor job we did of putting up that .11a. I love
"french freed" as i have french friends, and rag on them about it.
Slime, however, pointed out that 'put up' is for refering to first ascents
only, and 'sent' means an onsight, maybe even a flash. I may be wrong, but I
seem to remember those terms being used for other then those meanings in
climbing literature.
So what term do you use for someone who puts up a climb clean, but its not a
first ascent, and its not thier first time on the climb?
How about someone who puts up a climb with one fall, or resting on gear
once? Its not clean, but its not exactly hangdogging either. It would
definetely not be french freed, as there was no pulling on gear. Redpoint? But
redpoint would seem to apply only if they lowered off, pulled the rope, and
then 'climbed' it clean.
Accuracy of terminology is important in my trade(carpenter), the terms
'rafter' and 'joist' are not interchangeable, for instance. There seems to be a
degree of ambiguity in climbing terms(what is the difference between 'onsight'
and 'flash'?), I would like to know what the correct terminology is.
Dismissing less experienced climbers as 'gym rats' does nothing for anyone
involved. It would seem logical for those who have the knowledge and experience
to share it with the newer generation. Perhaps we could educate instead of (or
as well as)criticize?
peace
ian
JKVawter
>
> > > Your abuse of climbing terms is
> > >annoying and detracts from the TR.
> > >
> > >- Lord Slime
> > >
> >
> > ...and the correct terminology would be?
> >
> > ian
>
> Try "climbed" or "managed," or how 'bout "dogged," "eeked over," "french
> freed," or "schlepped."
>
> JKVawter
>
> OK, those work for the poor job we did of putting up that .11a.
Wrong again my bony boy. Only the first ascent party gets credit for
putting up the route.
> I love
> "french freed" as i have french friends, and rag on them about it.
> Slime, however, pointed out that 'put up' is for refering to first ascents
> only, and 'sent' means an onsight, maybe even a flash. I may be wrong, but I
> seem to remember those terms being used for other then those meanings in
> climbing literature.
Well, I agree that these terms are subject to some interpretation, but
Lord Slime gave you the generally accepted definitions.
> So what term do you use for someone who puts up a climb clean, but its not a
> first ascent, and its not thier first time on the climb?
They were the "first to climb it clean." Simple huh? Even in the old
guidebooks that listed FAs and FFAs (first free ascent), you usually
didn't know who did the "FCA." The book would only indicate that the
climb went clean.
> How about someone who puts up a climb with one fall, or resting on gear
> once? Its not clean, but its not exactly hangdogging either. It would
> definetely not be french freed, as there was no pulling on gear. Redpoint? But
> redpoint would seem to apply only if they lowered off, pulled the rope, and
> then 'climbed' it clean.
Right. It's not a redpoint (we're talkin' sport climbing here) until
they climb it from the bottom with no gear (bolts? red vs. pink?)
clipped and without falling. The mags sometimes say, "Sharma climbed the
route with only one hang, and redpointed it on his next try." If you're
talking trad (I mean placing all pro, including bolts, from the ground
up) then the route was put up but not freed. The hang would be A0 or A1
(whatever it was). When a party climbed it without the hang, they got
the credit for the FFA.
> Accuracy of terminology is important in my trade(carpenter), the terms
> 'rafter' and 'joist' are not interchangeable, for instance. There seems to be a
> degree of ambiguity in climbing terms(what is the difference between 'onsight'
> and 'flash'?),
To me any distinction between "onsight" and "flash" is splitting hairs.
I'm sure the anal retentive types will disagree.
> I would like to know what the correct terminology is.
> Dismissing less experienced climbers as 'gym rats' does nothing for anyone
> involved. It would seem logical for those who have the knowledge and experience
> to share it with the newer generation. Perhaps we could educate instead of (or
> as well as)criticize?
No whining.
JKVawter
UltimateHi
>not a
>> first ascent, and its not thier first time on the climb?
>
>They were the "first to climb it clean." Simple huh? Even in the old
>guidebooks that listed FAs and FFAs (first free ascent), you usually
>didn't know who did the "FCA." The book would only indicate that the
>climb went clean.
>
I'm sorry, I just reread and realized I kept using the expression 'put up'
incorrectly. No more!
One last clarification, if you would be so kind. Is there an expression for
climbing a climb, not first ascent, no hangs or 'take' or 'tension'? (this is
what i thought 'put up' meant). Are we limited to 'climbed'?
It would make trip reports a little redundant...'he climbed, she climbed, he
climbed it on his second try'. Is there no literary license for diversity in
past tense verbs?
peace
ian
JKVawter
> One last clarification, if you would be so kind. Is there an expression for
> climbing a climb, not first ascent, no hangs or 'take' or 'tension'? (this is
> what i thought 'put up' meant). Are we limited to 'climbed'?
> It would make trip reports a little redundant...'he climbed, she climbed, he
> climbed it on his second try'. Is there no literary license for diversity in
> past tense verbs?
I think you'd say "sent." I don't think that term implies anything about
previous tries.
JKVawter
John Chivall
ultim...@aol.com (UltimateHi) wrote:
>One last clarification, if you would be so kind. Is there an expression for
>climbing a climb, not first ascent, no hangs or 'take' or 'tension'? (this is
>what i thought 'put up' meant). Are we limited to 'climbed'?
The word you want here is "flash". If you have never tried the climb before
then it is an "onsight flash" or "a vue". If your friend has told you how to
do the crux sequence, or you have seen someone else climb it (ie prior
knowledge - "beta" - of the moves) then you have a "beta flash". If you tried
the climb years ago, but have forgotten exactly how to do it, then you have
climbed it "deja vu".
At least, that's how I understand it.
-----------------------------------
John Chivall
john.c...@physics.org
http://welcome.to/johnslife
"Rock Music must give birth to Orgasm and Revolution. . . Smash those filthy records; get rid of them."
Andy Gale
UltimateHi wrote:
> >> So what term do you use for someone who puts up a climb clean, but its
> >not a
> >> first ascent, and its not thier first time on the climb?
> >
> >They were the "first to climb it clean." Simple huh? Even in the old
> >guidebooks that listed FAs and FFAs (first free ascent), you usually
> >didn't know who did the "FCA." The book would only indicate that the
> >climb went clean.
> >
>
> I'm sorry, I just reread and realized I kept using the expression 'put up'
> incorrectly. No more!
> One last clarification, if you would be so kind. Is there an expression for
> climbing a climb, not first ascent, no hangs or 'take' or 'tension'? (this is
> what i thought 'put up' meant). Are we limited to 'climbed'?
Well, if you are just writing a trip report you can use just about any slang you
like it seems to me. For example, you cruised it, you sent it, you styled it...get
creative. These words probably have no specific meaning wrt style of ascent (some
people may say that "sent" has a specific meaning). If you want to convey a
specific meaning wrt style of ascent there are also many well defined terms to do
so. These are nicely summarized by John Long at this web page:
http://www.dtek.chalmers.se/Climbing/Net-stories/0036.txt.html
Check it out, it is entertaining reading.
Andy
--
******************************************************************
Andrew Gale The Scripps Research Institute
ag...@scripps.edu La Jolla, CA
******************************************************************
Brutus of Wyde
> Ben Craft wrote:
> > Does anyone on the NG ever climb?
>
>
> > It would be nice to see a few more TR's
> > instead of all the useless technical drivel.
>
Here's another useless TR, from Saturday. Plus.
The Grudge
Yosemite Point Buttress
(V, 5.9 J1)
Although it is not possible to say
exactly where obsession began, I am
sure that an early attempt of Arrowhead
Arete piqued my interest in Yosemite
Point Buttress. On that trip,
completely blowing the approach, my
partner and I ended up above Sunnyside
Bench on some poorly protected 5.10
grunge somewhere near the base of
the Buttress. In the space of a single
trip, two climbs somehow managed to
establish themselves on my “Grudge
List.” Arrowhead Arete eventually was
ticked but that is another T.R.
April of 1995 found me again wandering
about the YPB neighborhood, this time
approaching the route via a slum-muddy
climb of the lower cliffs of Sunnyside
Bench. After thirteen roped pitches,
Inez AGnar-Gnar@ Drixelius and I came to
a halt after shivering a cold night in
a manzanita tree on the fifth belay of
the Buttress. We then spent a full day
desperately battling rockfall and
snarled ropes on our way down the cliffs
as a foot of new snow drifted down out
of a late winter storm.
September 1998 was my second or
third try (depending on whether the
initial Arrowhead Arete fiasco
counts as an attempt.) On that trip,
Em Holland and I never made it to
the base of Yosemite Point Buttress,
beating a hasty retreat from the
Yosemite Falls Amphitheater across
a swelling Yosemite Falls after a
rain-drenched bivouac.
The YPB is no stranger to obsession.
In March 1952 a young Allen Steck
persuaded Bob Swift to try this sweping
line. On their first attempt they
reached The Pedestal, a prominent ledge
atop a crumbling granite tower
two-thirds of the way to the top, to
be halted by water coursing down the
face.
In May of the same year Steck returned
to his grudge route with Bill and Dick
Long and Oscar Cook only to be stopped
100 feet above his previous high point
by an intimidating steep wall.
Never one to be intimidated for long,
Steck returned mere weeks later,
finishing the route with Bob Swift
in a light drizzle.
Saturday 24 April 1999, 4:00 a.m.
I snuggle deeper into my sleeping
bag, heavy.
Just 5 more minutes. Then I'll get up.
Promise.
I start awake once more at Tom's "Hey man,
We'd better get moving." It's 4:17 am.
Time to go.
Standing up, the sleeping and bivy
bags drop away.
Tom McMillan and I shiver in the chill
wind sweeping across El Capitan Meadow.
At the truck, I put on an extra layer.
Maintenance Yard. The sickly yellow
glow of the mercury-vapor street lights
illumines the parking area with a
jaundiced, multishadowed eeriness.
Silent as ghosts gliding through a
graveyard, we slip between the
tombstone cars and into the dark
jumble of the talus hillside. With
a twist of our lenses, the white
light of the headlamps dispels the
morbid associations with a black-and-white
geometric charcoal sketch of the
angular blocks through which we struggle.
Sunnyside Bench: In the first twilight
heralding a new day, (Night retreating
beneath the overhanging cliffs, and
cowering beneath the oak trees) we
follow the braided trails up to the
base of the route. Each picking our
own way, Tom wanders too high. I switch
to Kaukulators and adjust my harness as
he picks his way down-gully to the start
of the route.
Up. The initial 500 feet of Athird
class@ flows behind as we 5.6 simul-
climb to the top of the lower pedestal.
Short changeover. I romp the 5.8 first
pitch, belay Tom over to the base of
the next, offwidth up, bring Tom up,
and hand traverse around into the crux
third pitch chimney, where I over-cam
a #4 Camalot. Tom arrives, the camalot
and 15 minutes of time abandoned below,
and we continue the race. I hand over
the lead, and he flies up the fourth
and fifth pitches, pausing briefly to
inspect various route options before
settling into a belay at the base of
yet another chimney. Pitches six and
seven, new territory, are linked in a
200-foot scramble; eight and nine pass
in yet another 200-foot lead with a bit
of simul-climbing; and as I pull over
the final roof of the rotten chimney of
pitch ten, onto the top of the Pedestal,
it begins to rain.
Memories of the desperate retreats float
up and over the top of the Pedestal with
the windswept mist, shredding around the
crumbling, jagged granite tower. Soon the
wall above, a five-hundred-foot barrier
to freedom, is slick with streaming
storm-water a quarter-inch thick.
We drink most of our canteen, chomp apples
and cheese, and crawl into Mylar emergency
bags, to await the opportunity to either
retreat, climb out of our predicament,
or shout for rescue. It is 1:30 p.m.
Eventually the rain tapers off. Tom
tentatively free climbs across polished
vertical slabs still slick with water,
fires in several pieces of protection,
clips a few ancient ring-angle pegs, and
bails back to the belay as a new, more
violent deluge sweeps across the top of
our tower.
Back in the now-tearing plastic, we pool
the rainwater and occasionally drain it
into the water bottle to supplement our
dwindling supply.
6 p.m.: Tom, faced with a choice between
a hellish retreat and a freezing, wet
bivouac, decides not to decide. As tattered
holes of blue appear in the fabric of the
clouds, he heads up the still-wet rock,
slipping cams and stoppers into the mushy,
mossy crack, standing in improvised etriers,
weeding, groveling, aiding, and pruning his
way through the jungle of the muddy seam,
forcing an ever-so-slight opening in the
situational obstruction barring our way to
the top.
Eventually, as a few stars peek out from
the mist, I switch on my headlamp and
follow as best I can, plucking the rack
from the rock as I go.
Still on a roll, Tom pushes yet another
half-pitch into the darkness before his
impetus is spent. Guns empty, he dangles
from anchors at a hanging belay, shivering.
His effort is the monumental kind about
which chapters in adventure books are written.
My turn. In the dark, I chalk my shoes, my
fingers, the holds, the gear, and the tip
of my nose, trying to whiten and powder-dry
the dark, still-soaked vertical world through
which I move. A two-inch crack swallows my
white hands, small burrowing animals, as I
swing through the vertical. Occasionally stop
to dangle from one of the creatures, or
perhaps from a piece, to shake out, then
back to burrowing up the wall.
One-hundred-ninety feet later, I stop on
a broken ledge. Tom flies up on his small
white-chalked wings, delivers the gear,
and I wander away into the darkness, up
cracks, across wet gravelly slabs, through
leering lichenous grooves to midnight on
the moonlit summit, thence the railing at
Yosemite Point.
Sunday, 25 April 1999, 4:20 a.m.: Back at
the sleeping bags, we again shake hands,
swill beer, and fold our filthy, hammered
selves into the nylon nests, willing away
the aches and hoping for slumber to bring
sweet relief before daybreak.
A full-credit day.
******************************************
END OF FILE
Brutus of Wyde
Inez Drixelius
(Brutus of Wyde) wrote:
> The Grudge
>
> Yosemite Point Buttress
> (V, 5.9 J1)
Great trip report, Brutus. It made me realize that my refusal to ever get
on that route again to complete what you and I started, was of brilliant
intuition.
You must be elated! It is just the sort of grunge you love with a
passion, eh? Congratulations, you pervert.
Inez
--
Inez Drixelius
Berkeley, California
"Real women wear knee pads"
Dingus Milktoast
doing the route with Angus. We reached the top of the
pedestal at about 2:30 or 3:00 PM. There was a party of 2 in
front of us. They were slow climbers in that they had
started climbing at 5 am and we started around 8:30 and yet
we caught them. They had been lounging and eating while we
were climbing. There was a big thunderhead down valley.
Middle Cathedral looked like it was getting pounded in a
deluge. Angus and I looked at our pitiful supplies... a pair
of butt bags containing wind shirts, water, a little food
and nothing else. The party ahead of us was slow in
negociating the 2 5.9 hand cracks (and the slab getting to
them). I remember sitting there in the gravel, smelling
impending rain... and fear. My fear.
Luckily the rain held off and we topped out around 6 PM. The
endless rat-on-a-treadmill walk back down the trail in the
dark, then the long walk back to the maintenance station. I
enjoyed the epic nature of the route, but that crux chimney
has kept me from returning. Angus went back a couple of
seasons ago with Burl and repeated, then wondered what in
the Hell was wrong with his memory. Since then I have been
idly speculating about returning myself. Since you're the
only other climber I knew who had a hankering for it, I
guess I'm in the clear now.
Thanks.
DMT
Karl Baba
You should repost it as its own thread and most of us don't dig into
every thread that whines about newsgroup content.
The first time I tried YPB, maybe 18 years ago, I wound up climbing
west arrowhead chimney cause I got lost. Let me tell you, loose and
dangerous find their embodiment in west arrowhead chimney.
I finally did it about 9 years ago when I took my assistant from work.
I think I was offroute for 5 pitches! We got to one pitch below the top
before it got dark and I had to start up two false variations before I
chose the right crack and got to the top.
I will probably never head up that pile again, but then again, did you
say you fixed a #4 camalot up there?
Peace
Karl
Yosemite Area Guiding (remove NOSPAM from the return address)
Ben Craft
> You should repost it as its own thread and most of us don't dig into
> every thread that whines about newsgroup content.
That's a hard one to believe!
Michael Riches
(Brutus of Wyde) wrote:
>Here's another useless TR, from Saturday. Plus.
>
>
>The Grudge
>
>Yosemite Point Buttress
> (V, 5.9 J1)
Ahh,those epic adventures.....these are the stuff memories are made of,
great report.
The Rockrat