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pharmboy
Aug 17, 2006, 6:12 PM
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Kind of a shot in the dark but the optomist in me can't resist.
I'll be flying out to Tahoe to visit with some nonclimbing friends on Thursday 8/24. Unfortunately none of my persistent whining has convinced any of them to put down their beers for even a few short hours to go climb.
Anyway, the thought of being in Tahoe and not getting on one of the many classics is too much to bear (lame pun not intended). I can blow off the guys for a few hours either Friday or Saturday morning 8/25 or 8/26. I would be unbelievably greatfull if someone was available to do Bear's Reach. I'm not going to bring gear other than harness/shoes and would be looking to follow.
Vast quantities of beer are being offered... along with future accomodations if you're ever in NH.
Cheers,
Rich
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caughtinside
Aug 17, 2006, 6:21 PM
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The leap is a popular spot, if you're there on a weekend you can probably round up a partner just by cruising the parking lot.
Bear's Reach? What is it with everyone and that route? The Dan Osman speed solo?
East crack right next to it is a better climb, as is the Line, as is Haystack. Bear's reach probably wouldn't make my top 10 list of climbs at the Leap. But Bear's has the line...
good luck rounding up a partner!
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salamanizer
Aug 17, 2006, 6:43 PM
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In reply to: The leap is a popular spot, if you're there on a weekend you can probably round up a partner just by cruising the parking lot. Bear's Reach? What is it with everyone and that route? The Dan Osman speed solo? East crack right next to it is a better climb, as is the Line, as is Haystack. Bear's reach probably wouldn't make my top 10 list of climbs at the Leap. But Bear's has the line... good luck rounding up a partner!
Awe, come on "Haystack". I agree the Line and East Crack but Haystack?
Its a 5.5 choss gully followed by a one move wonder (over rated) .8 roof, followed by another pitch of vertical choss hiking. I admit, the booty is a bit better on Haystack. But Bears reach comes in a close second. :lol: :lol:
I say shoot for Scimitar. That's the best route to be had on East Wall. 8^)
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caughtinside
Aug 17, 2006, 8:47 PM
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In reply to: Awe, come on "Haystack". I agree the Line and East Crack but Haystack? Its a 5.5 choss gully followed by a one move wonder (over rated) .8 roof, followed by another pitch of vertical choss hiking. I admit, the booty is a bit better on Haystack. But Bears reach comes in a close second. :lol: :lol: I say shoot for Scimitar. That's the best route to be had on East Wall. 8^)
Ok, busted! Haystack is better if you do the Preparation H start! That just seemed a little wordy. But yes, Scimitar is one of the best east wall routes I've done too.
If you want to make the haystack roof more fun, jam it instead of using face holds (you know which one I mean).
BTW, the current guide notes that you should set high gear for the first pitch anchor, as the belay station is hollow. I didn't notice how hollow, until the last time I did East Crack, and saw that from 40 feet away, I could see all the way through behind the hollow flake! :shock:
Hey chad, have you done Deviate? I haven't, but it's been recommended...
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salamanizer
Aug 17, 2006, 9:28 PM
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Ok Preparation H is cool.
That hollow flake on the first pitch of Bears Reach has killed people. A leader fell before placing his first piece and the anchor (three textbook cam placements) failed bringing both of the climbers to the talus below. I see people building anchors in it all the time. :shock:
I have never done Deviate. I tried "A Few Dollars More" once but quickly shat my pants and had to come down. Those routes on East Wall are no joke. Basically you are free soloing. The grades tend to be grossly under rated too. Try Showtime if you want to go up there. At least if you fall you'll only take a 60/70 footer instead of strait into the ground. The route to the right of Psychedelic is cool. At least it looks cool. Well protected and all that. Or try Fandango, its been freshly cleaned out by mwah earlier this year. You'll probably still need to carry a nut tool in your teeth for digging out hand and gear placements.
Oops, look at me... hijacking the thread :oops:
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caughtinside
Aug 17, 2006, 9:57 PM
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In reply to: I have never done Deviate. I tried "A Few Dollars More" once but quickly shat my pants and had to come down. Those routes on East Wall are no joke. Basically you are free soloing. The grades tend to be grossly under rated too.
Well, petch recommended it to me, saying 'it's not too bad.' I think it's run out off the ground, and then you hit a crack? He said to do it instead of the first half of psychedelic, and then finish on psychedelic. I think it's no-pro right off the ground...
In reply to: Try Showtime if you want to go up there.
Geez, I though we were friends! Or at the very least, you wouldn't try to kill and sandbag me at the same time! :P
Hey, I've got a 'rating' question for you... what would you rate the upper section of Crown Royal, after you pull the roof? It didn't feel that hard, but the spaced bolts sure got my attention. I honestly couldnt' tell if it was .7 or .9. All I could think about was how much it would SUCK to fall up there.
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salamanizer
Aug 17, 2006, 10:55 PM
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Hey ya know, if were gonna hijack this guys thread.... we should take him climbing. :idea:
You done Vanishing Point yet? :twisted:
I haven't done Crown Royal yet. Went up there specifically to climb that and got sidetracked by search and rescue. Ended up at Dear John somehow.
By the way, Petch also told me that Showtime wasn't that bad just FYI.
What the hell, I'd try it (deviate that is).
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caughtinside
Aug 17, 2006, 11:02 PM
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In reply to: Hey ya know, if were gonna hijack this guys thread.... we should take him climbing. :idea:
In reply to: You done Vanishing Point yet? :twisted:
In reply to: I haven't done Crown Royal yet. Went up there specifically to climb that and got sidetracked by search and rescue. Ended up at Dear John somehow.
Anyway, you should get on CR, a quality route, with a distinct crux. Still a little on the 'green' side, but that's half the fun!
In reply to: By the way, Petch also told me that Showtime wasn't that bad just FYI. What the hell, I'd try it (deviate that is).
Hmm, I wasn't sure if showtime had even seen a repeat. That roof looks, um, hard.
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salamanizer
Aug 18, 2006, 12:00 AM
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In reply to: Unfortunately no. I injured my hand more seriously than I realized in a freak kayaking accident. No climbing for me. Not clear when I'll be back in action. :(
Huh, I'm probably out for a few also. I injured my back climbing last weekend. Don't know how. Wasn't form climbing as far as I can tell. Came on after some hot tent action :oops:
In reply to: I haven't done Crown Royal yet. Went up there specifically to climb that and got sidetracked by search and rescue. Ended up at Dear John somehow. In reply to: That wasn't a couple weeks ago, when that guy whipped on surrealistic and broke his ankle, was it? I showed up a little later...
Yeah, some guy whipped on Surrealistic. He probably could have hobbled out with help from his friends or been carried to his car on the stretcher. None the less, someone called SAR and caused a big ordeal. I understand the pain and all, but where's the pride.
In reply to: By the way, Petch also told me that Showtime wasn't that bad just FYI. What the hell, I'd try it (deviate that is).
In reply to: Hmm, I wasn't sure if showtime had even seen a repeat. That roof looks, um, hard.
I know a few people that have done it. The roof's not the hard part. Its the bolted section on the third pitch. Says .11c, more like .12c me thinks. The roof part's actually pretty fun, like .9-. Huge dikes and totally overhanging. The second pitch is the scary part, 30+ft between pro with .10+ slab moves between.
Give me a call/PM/whatever when you are able to climb again. We'll go warm up on Blue Wind then hit up Vanishing Point and Eeyore's Enigma all in a day. The first and perfect all off width linkup day. You won't see that recommended in the SuperTopo any time soon.
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caughtinside
Aug 18, 2006, 12:09 AM
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In reply to: In reply to: Unfortunately no. I injured my hand more seriously than I realized in a freak kayaking accident. No climbing for me. Not clear when I'll be back in action. :( Huh, I'm probably out for a few also. I injured my back climbing last weekend. Don't know how. Wasn't form climbing as far as I can tell. Came on after some hot tent action :oops:
That's a lot cooler than my injury!
In reply to: Give me a call/PM/whatever when you are able to climb again. We'll go warm up on Blue Wind then hit up Vanishing Point and Eeyore's Enigma all in a day. The first and perfect all off width linkup day. You won't see that recommended in the SuperTopo any time soon.
Sounds good. It'll be September at the earliest though. All my friends are getting married, and have booked my weekends! sheesh.
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yetanotherdave
Aug 18, 2006, 4:06 AM
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if you're looking for great moderates, link surrealistic pillar and currugation corner. Two brilliant routes.
Bear's reach was fun, but those were both better, as is the Line (IMHO)
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salamanizer
Aug 18, 2006, 6:21 AM
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In reply to: if you're looking for great moderates, link surrealistic pillar and currugation corner. Two brilliant routes.
Yeah, but you'll have to wait in line all day for both of them.
How about linking For Real Crack or the Groove with April Fools or Craven Image. Their not your so called classics, but are all more exposed with more interesting climbing in the moderate range. You'll even be done with them in time for lunch and have time to go out for another round instead of wasting your day behind a bunch of bumbling idiots.
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harmonydoc
Aug 20, 2006, 7:13 PM
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Well, I led/climbed Bear's Reach for the first time yesterday, and had a great time! Got to the base around 11 AM on a Saturday and found no line (maybe the first wave had already passed?). Yeah, there are a lot of hollow flakes, but I never seriously felt like I was in danger of actually falling on any of my gear. Haven't done Surrealistic or Corrugation yet, those are next on my list.
Of course, I'm sure salamanizer would put me with the "bumbling idiot" crowd, being that I'm a relative NOOB and move slower than average. I'm not nearly as cool as him and caughtinside and their obscure lines.
Hope you find someone to take you out that weekend.
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anson
Aug 20, 2006, 8:31 PM
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Bear's Reach certainly won't ruin your weekend; it's fun, easy to find, and as long as you build your first belay properly (as already noted), pretty easy to protect, IMVHO. Corrugation Corner is certainly a better climb, but can develop heinous lines.
I guess it depends when you get there. The earlier you arrive, the more compelling Corrugation Corner is. A pre-dawn (or nearly so) start begs for an attempt at a line-free link-up of Surrealistic Pillar and Corrugation Corner. The later you start, the more options you'll get by heading to the East Wall, as it's easy there to move from a route with a line to one without (though you'll almost certainly have to wait at the Bushy Ledge no matter what you do if you choose a line that goes through it).
-aB
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roseraie
Aug 20, 2006, 9:09 PM
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If you DO climb Bear's Reach, take a hammer and/or two nut tools with you... there's a TON of fixed gear, including a brand new C4 Camelot. Go work on it. :)
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salamanizer
Aug 21, 2006, 6:00 AM
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In reply to: Of course, I'm sure salamanizer would put me with the "bumbling idiot" crowd, being that I'm a relative NOOB and move slower than average.
Being a n00b and slow isn't what makes a "bumbling idiot".
Sounds more like having prudence and climbing well within your ability to me.
In reply to: I'm not nearly as cool as him and caughtinside and their obscure lines.
Well, thank you for the compliment! :oops:
And just let me know if you ever want to climb one of these "obscure" lines to help take some of the obscurity out of it.
You're more than welcome to join our "cool" club for a day. 8^)
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pharmboy
Aug 21, 2006, 12:21 PM
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Jeez... all this talk about lines and coolness and obscurity and not one single offer to take an out-of-towner out for a few hours. :(
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caughtinside
Aug 21, 2006, 10:02 PM
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In reply to: Well, I led/climbed Bear's Reach for the first time yesterday, and had a great time!
Nice going. No falls, I hope! :P
In reply to: Haven't done Surrealistic or Corrugation yet, those are next on my list.
Unfortunately, there aren't that many moderate alternatives to corrugation corner on Main ledge. You could try ladybug .7, craven image .7, or the first pitch of North face .7. The good news is that you can see corrugation when you top out the lower buttress, so you can check the crowd situation before you hike on up to the base. If it looks busy, run back down and do another lower buttress route!
Also, there is a .8 variation finish to corrugation which is great for passing slow pokes on the last pitch. And it is quality climbing! I swear it saved my partner and I an hour of waiting on that slopey ledge while some dudes crept up above us...
In reply to: Of course, I'm sure salamanizer would put me with the "bumbling idiot" crowd, being that I'm a relative NOOB and move slower than average.
Well, salamanizer is a pretty nice guy. Probably wouldn't call you an idiot unless you did something dangerous. Nothing wrong with being a new leader, taking your time, but there is a lot of foolish behavior out at the Leap!
In reply to: I'm not nearly as cool as him and caughtinside and their obscure lines.
:robert: well, I'm afraid you're right about that. :P
But don't fret! You too can get excited about obscure lines at the leap! You really feel like you're getting to know a crag when you venture into different areas, a bit off the beaten path. Definitely a different kind of reward!
One of the funny things about obscurities, is that a lot of them are really quality climbs, and are less popular for no apparent reason...
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caughtinside
Aug 21, 2006, 10:05 PM
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In reply to: You're more than welcome to join our "cool" club for a day. 8^)
:lol:
nice!
The cool club. hahaha
But seriously, let us know when you're up there. we can like have a fire and drink beers and talk about Leap climbs, both popular and obscure! 8^)
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caughtinside
Aug 21, 2006, 10:16 PM
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In reply to: Corrugation Corner is certainly a better climb, but can develop heinous lines.
see the above comment about the third pitch variation.
In reply to: A pre-dawn (or nearly so) start begs for an attempt at a line-free link-up of Surrealistic Pillar and Corrugation Corner.
In reply to: (though you'll almost certainly have to wait at the Bushy Ledge no matter what you do if you choose a line that goes through it).
There's a 3rd pitch variation here too, that I have used to avoid crowds. About 15 feet right of the regular crack, there is some large dikes that go to a big right arching overlap. It's probably about 5.5, same as the regular finish.
Funny thing about this is the parties you're passing telling you you're off route! I'm not off route! I'm just not waiting in line!
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harmonydoc
Aug 21, 2006, 11:09 PM
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salmanizer and caughtinside,
OK, I admit it, I'm a little sensitive about feeling like I'm holding other people up behind me 'cause as a newer leader I'm slower than average (in fact, I let 2 parties go ahead of me last weekend, one of which was simul-climbing). It's my own hangup, I just gotta get over it. Of course I'm going to lead at whatever pace I need to to be safe.
You both sound like decent people. I've got nothing against less traveled lines, either, it's just that at this point in my career I'm still feeling out my limits, so as a leader I'm wanting to get on things with as much beta as possible. It just happens so far that I've mostly climbed with people less experienced than me, which has been good because they let me lead and I get to take most of the responsibility for the safety of the party. (OK, I also have one of those personalities that likes to be in control of the situation ...) But it would be good for me to get out with some more experienced people too, I'm sure I'd learn a ton from following something harder (I've pretty much determined my trad lead comfort level for now is around 5.7, maybe with some well protected 5.8 thrown in).
Anyway, I would like to meet you in person at some point (although it sounds like you're both injured right now?). I'm planning on climbing in Tuolumne over the Labor Day Weekend (I know there will be a zillion people, but it's a big place, I'm sure we'll find something to do). After that my September looks kind of crazy with lots of travel for work, so really no chance of getting back to the Leap until October (actually the second weekend in October I'll be in Vegas and hope to squeeze in a few days a Red Rocks).
So maybe I could hang out with you cool kids at the Leap some weekend in October?
OK, guess I should get back to work. Why is it that I find climbing a 400 foot granite cliff less stressful than dealing with certain people on the phone? Argh.
Regards,
harmonydoc
P.S. Nope, no falls, learned my lesson about looking and thinking before committing to movement from that one ... I've decided that was more of a brain failure than a physical one.
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davidji
Aug 21, 2006, 11:30 PM
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In reply to: Jeez... all this talk about lines and coolness and obscurity and not one single offer to take an out-of-towner out for a few hours. :(
Even with the full day, you may not get a partner. Sometimes I get one, sometimes I don't. At least your thread is getting bumped.
:)
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feline143
Aug 23, 2006, 10:28 PM
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If you're still looking for a partner, I and a buddy will be there Saturday. Not really up for leading 5.7 though (up to 5.6 is my comfort zone right now), but I have a rack you can use to lead Bear's Reach while we follow, if you want.
FYI, don't believe harmonydoc's claims to n00bdom. I will happily follow her solid leads anytime ;-)
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