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chronicle
Apr 11, 2005, 4:41 PM
Post #1 of 15
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Registered: Sep 26, 2003
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Today is the day. The day that I leave for Stone Mountain. I've been studying the topos, reading the guidebook, and scouring the Internet for months preparing myself for the day I would take the sharp end at Stone Mountain. I've read all of the stories about the friction, the scary runouts, the absence of holds and I can't wait to see first hand. Unfortunately I have to work a half day. I leaave work at 12:00 on Friday and head back to my apartment. I get home at 1:00 and my fiance has all my gear ready and packed. She loads the car while I get the cooking supplies gathered. We hit the road at 1:30. Mapquest says it will take 8.5 hours so I plan on 7 hours (after all, mapquest doesn't drive 75). 30 minutes down the road, and all traffic stops. I forgot about the road construction. :evil: 45 minutes and 5 miles later we are moving along again.
400 miles down the road it suddenly dawns on me that the car doesn't seem very full. I start thinking about everything in the trunk and in the back seat and realize that we forgot a crucial piece of equipment. I turn to Debbie and ask her what we forgot. Yep, the SLEEPING BAGS!!! :oops: Ok, we have 100 miles to go, and we both just got paid, so we just need to find a Walmart and buy some cheap bags (on an aside, I hate Walmart, but at 10:00 there isn't much else open). We pass no Walmarts and are now at our exit. We stop to buy eggs at the gas station and the lady informs us that the Walmart is just down the road. So we buy the cheapest bags they have (after all, we have a pair of Western Mountaineering bags sitting at home). We finally arrive at Stone Mountain at 11:30pm and are greeted by a closed gate. Looks like we are sleeping in the car tonight.
After a total of maybe 3 hours sleep (the front seats are not comfortable), it's finally time to get moving. We meet up with Brenda and start cooking breakfast. Bacon and eggs to start the day. We get all of our gear together, and start hiking toward the rock. Meanwhile Debbie is going to get a campsite, setup the tent, and do some day hiking (she is still getting used to climbing after being shaken up last year, but that's another story). Brenda and I arrive at the base and I decide to let her lead U Slot so that I can get used to the friction. She quickly leads the route that she is very familiar with and I meet her at the tree ledge. My calves are already burning and my ankles are sore, but I'm loving it!
I decide that I will lead pitch 1 of The Great Arch. I reach the first tree and am so thankful that I can relax my calves for a couple minutes. I take a couple pictures, then onward & upward.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=52116
The crack just eats up all the #2 camelots I have. I reach the top of pitch one and Brenda follows shortly after. Brenda takes off on pitch 2, which ends up being a little bit wet. Well, now we decide that instead of carrying the extra rope up, that we are going to trail it (that thing sucks to carry up while climbing). The rope gave a good 15 minute fight when it was uncoiled but in the end I won (I've never seen a rope do what this rope did.) Ok, up pitch 2 and I quickly lead pitch 3. What a view from the top!!!
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=52115
We rap down, eat some lunch, and decide to do No Alternative. I've been preparing myself mentally for the second pitch for weeks. The guidebook and Internet posts all state a 70-80 foot runout from the top of pitch 1 to the first bolt of pitch 2. It is only 5.5, but that is still a big runout. Along comes Ralph. Ralph volunteers to lead pitch two if he can join us. Sounds good. I lead pitch 1, and take a very comfortable seat at the top. After all, I'm going to be sitting there for a while. Up comes Brenda, then Ralph. Ralph makes easy work of Pitch 2, Brenda follows, and I bring up the rear. On the way up I see at least 2 gear placements before the first bolt that I could definitely plug cams into. "Next time I'm leading this", I keep telling myself. We finish the route, rap down, and meet Debbie at a bench at the bottom.
We get to the campsite, and Brenda has cous-cous and chicken breasts for diner. What a meal!!! We all retire around 9:30. Debbie and I are unable to get warm and stay warm in our cheap Walmart bags. Sometime in the night, she gets a blanket from the car. It helps a little. We awake early again, mostly because we have been freezing all night. We originally planned on heading to Moores Wall, but with the long commute, it just wouldn't work out. So we are going to top-rope the route left of Entrance Crack (Daddy Knows Best ?).
Debbie is ready to climb today!! So to gain the tree ledge Brenda decides that we will climb Block Route. So I take off on lead. I've never seen the topo, the guide, have no beta, I just decide to go. Everything is going good. I clip the anchors and continue up. I look down and realize that I am about 30-40 feet or more above the anchors.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=52114
My movements become very delicate and my breathing is very controlled. Finally a crack to throw a cam in. I'm a little nervous, so of course the first piece doesn't fit. Ok, lets try this. Yes, a .5 camelot fits very nicely. Up to the block. Two pieces of gear in and now I look to see that I am at the crux. I have to pull onto this left facing block. I grab a 3 finger pocket in the dihedral and throw my right root up onto the block.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=52112
Slowly the weight is transfered to the right foot. I'm a little sketched with nothing for my hands, and just friction to get the rest of me onto this. There, now just don't breath hard. I continue to the top and am estatic at the onsight.
Debbie follows and does great up until the block. It takes about 15 minutes or more, but she finally pulls over it. The adrenaline rush makes her feel nausious. So I get to belay again. We set up the toprope, rappel down, and finish out the day toproping on an amazing route that I will never lead (way to runout and scary for me). On our way home, Debbie decides that she really likes this climbing stuff again, and wants to go back to Stone Mountain. I didn't expect that from her. I ask if she wants to do the Arch, and she decides that maybe some more single pitch, and toproping first, then she will decide. "Great, let's head to the Gunks next weekend. We can go to Peterskill." "Sounds like a plan. Then maybe to Nelson Rocks and Seneca the following weekend.", she replies. I just got my climbing partner back!!! She just isn't allowed to pack the camping supplies in the future! :wink:
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kimmyt
Apr 11, 2005, 4:49 PM
Post #2 of 15
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Registered: Sep 10, 2003
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Awesome, Phil. So glad you BOTH had fun down there. It's a great place, isn't it?
What was the last route you TRed?
I'll see you guys next weekend!
K.
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euphoriagtrst
Apr 11, 2005, 5:11 PM
Post #3 of 15
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Registered: Apr 12, 2004
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I think I saw you guys yesterday- there was only one other party there. We were way down on the left side.
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chronicle
Apr 11, 2005, 5:35 PM
Post #4 of 15
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Registered: Sep 26, 2003
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When we were leaving, there was a party of 2 that rapped our ropes. Then as we were packing, two more guys rapped right there as well. There was a party of 3 with a dog over by the start of Block Route. Debbie and Brenda both said that was the cutest dog they've ever seen. I didn't get to see it.
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taino
Apr 11, 2005, 5:40 PM
Post #5 of 15
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Registered: Jan 2, 2003
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Congrats on your onsights, and congrats to Debbie for beginning to overcome her fears. :)
Peterskill, hmmm? Perhaps I'll see you there. Look for a guy with a yellow Ecrin Roc helmet that says "This is NOT a foothold".
T
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chronicle
Apr 11, 2005, 6:07 PM
Post #6 of 15
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I'll keep an eye out for you.
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costellobr
Apr 12, 2005, 2:26 AM
Post #7 of 15
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Registered: Jan 16, 2003
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Nice TR, Phil. Once again, I had a great time at Stone Mt.
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kimmyt
Apr 12, 2005, 1:15 PM
Post #8 of 15
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In reply to: Nice TR, Phil. Once again, I had a great time at Stone Mt.
Brenda hearts run-out slab. :)
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yomomma
Apr 12, 2005, 1:46 PM
Post #9 of 15
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Registered: May 26, 2003
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Nice TR. Being formerly from eastern PA, I refer to Block Route as the "Blue Route" -- takes a blue anodized BD stopper and and a blue camalot.
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clarki
Apr 12, 2005, 1:51 PM
Post #10 of 15
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Registered: Feb 24, 2004
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In reply to: What was the last route you TRed?
I think he said Father Knows Best; It's just to the left of Entrance crack....great slab route with lots of space between bolts! definately hard for an 8!!!!
Glad you guys had fun up there. Next time make sure you get to Moore's! Stone will be too hot anyway.......
Quinn, still hanging out at Stone eh? Lets get together sometime and do some steep stuff????
John
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euphoriagtrst
Apr 12, 2005, 2:00 PM
Post #11 of 15
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Registered: Apr 12, 2004
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John,
Definitely...I got spanked on Sunday at Stone- it's getting too hot for friction. We'll be at Looking Glass 5-9 to 13 but how about Moore's before that??
Q
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noell
Apr 12, 2005, 2:04 PM
Post #12 of 15
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Registered: Apr 17, 2003
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Brenda- you guys are all nuts. Finger's healin' - it's back to hand holds for this gal!
Glad you guys all enjoyed Stone Mountain!
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chronicle
Apr 12, 2005, 2:39 PM
Post #13 of 15
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Registered: Sep 26, 2003
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The route we toproped was Father Knows Best. It was the hardest 5.8 I've ever been on, and would be a scary lead. I could hear Golden Earring at Moores calling my name on the drive home. Definitely want to head over there next time.
Brenda, the weekend was great. Debbie bought some cous-cous last night. That stuff was good. Next time I will have to take Monday off so that there is more time for climbing. Debbie is excited that she wasn't scared while she was climbing, and wants to do the Great Arch in the fall.
yomomma - I don't think I carried a piece bigger than a #2 camelot for Block Route and it went in right at the block. Everything else was small cams.
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ottoman
Apr 12, 2005, 2:52 PM
Post #14 of 15
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Registered: May 26, 2003
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Great trip for ya'll............was warm at Moore's when the sun finally kicked around.................. 8^)
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clarki
Apr 12, 2005, 3:58 PM
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Registered: Feb 24, 2004
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Hey Quinn,
I'm looking to spend one day this weekend at Moore's...Wish it could be more but we are closing on a house this month (the 27th) and moving is a lot of work. (translated: IT SUCKS!!!) If you're interested, call my cell (336-655-6793) or call Kim as I will be in Raleigh Wed thru Friday afternoon.
Chronic....sorry for the thread hijack! Father Knows Best IS hard for an 8 and it certainly IS a scary lead!!! When I did it I figured: A) it is harder than 5.8; B) I must have been off route a bit; C) I wasn't warmed up, or; D) I just SUCK! Either way it scared the poopy right outta me :shock:
John
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