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chossmonkey
Aug 28, 2006, 12:19 AM
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In reply to: i'd appreciate some pointers!
In reply to: my gear only touches the rock as much as i do!!!!!
Let me relive one of the classic flames of brent_e.
If your (used) gear has seen more time on the rock than you have, you might be a brent_e. :lol:
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caughtinside
Sep 2, 2006, 7:13 PM
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You might be a 'brent_e' if you were spotted on RC on a perfectly good saturday!
you should really go put your pole in. Or else stuff your nuts. Or something! :lol:
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caughtinside
Sep 2, 2006, 7:52 PM
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Also, you might be a 'brent_e' if your community chat thread has reached 41 pages with 600 replies and 5500 views... :robert:
while your friend granite_grrls' thread has FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND page views! :shock:
conclusion: GG is 10x as popular as mister brent_e. :P
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darkside
Sep 3, 2006, 3:39 PM
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In reply to: Also, you might be a 'brent_e' if your community chat thread has reached 41 pages with 600 replies and 5500 views... :robert: while your friend granite_grrls' thread has FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND page views! :shock: conclusion: GG is 10x as popular as mister brent_e. :P |
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brent_e
Sep 4, 2006, 10:12 PM
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In reply to: You might be a 'brent_e' if you were spotted on RC on a perfectly good saturday! you should really go put your pole in. Or else stuff your nuts. Or something! :lol:
:lol:
and yeah, fifty thousand views!! holy hell! 48 thousand are from me, though.
:D
I've got a small trip report coming from climbing birthday ridge. It's a tiny little 5.0 (Grant knows) but i got to solo it!! i'll put that up as soon as I can.
Brent
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brent_e
Sep 6, 2006, 2:13 AM
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1000 words. Read at your own risk.
The idea of climbing Birthday Ridge started after Valerie told me that she was planning on going to Bon Echo with her mum and said I was invited. I asked my good friend Rebecca what a suitable route would be to take Val up for her first trad climb - seconding of course. She immediately told me that BR was the classic n00b route and is fantastic, which is confirmed by the guidebook. She said that like many other Bon Echo routes the grade is also a little bit off and it feels more like a 5.4 instead of the 5.0 bestowed on the route. I had no problems with this and was happy to know that I had a goal when I arrived at Bon Echo.
We arrived at the park later on Sunday and got camp set up in the crowded but nice campground. Monday we took the tour of the Native Pictographs which not only illustrated some ancient artwork (beautiful, by the way) but gave one a great view of the cliff. Sadly I think the view intimidated Val and she later told me that she wasn’t ready to do the ridge. But, thankfully I had brought the right amount of gear to do it roped solo, as I wasn’t prepared to free solo an unknown route, even if it was only 5.0.
A little bit about the route (from the guidebook):
P1 is a 15m scramble up the scree to a couple big trees.
P2 (35m) climbs the initial boulders up the ridge to a ledge with some large broken boulders. The crux was, I claim, on this pitch which felt harder than 5.0 and occurred about mid pitch. It was a couple moves at the edge of the cliff over a small horn and was terrific. This pitch ends at 2 bolts by a birch tree on a slopey ledge.
P3 is 25m and climbs the slab past a couple ancient cedars where there is a bolt. The guidebook says you can belay here but that seemed silly to me as the top was so close and as I was yo-yoing each pitch to clean.
P4 is 15m and climbs from the aforementioned bolt to the 2 bolt rap station at the top.
The Ridge from the water
http://i.pbase.com/...6102365.lFwFp7t1.jpg
The climb started with me loading the canoe with way too much gear, as always, and paddling to the base. After unloading and securing the canoe I ferried the load up the scree to the 2 large trees and start of the actual climb. Having rope soloed just once before on lead I realized that it was easiest to carry the rope in a pack on your back to reduce drag. So, I stuffed the new half rope and my lead line into the pack with backups on the lead line every 20 feet or so. I had to remove the lid from my pack to get this to work properly. I racked up, and set off up the little climb.
I’ll add here that I’m really milking this for all it’s worth. Yes, it is only a 5.0, I know this. And yes, it’s not a long climb. However, I thought it would be enjoyable to read my little story, which is turning into a long story! Hold on; we’re close to the end.
The first pitch and the small crux was fairly uneventful yet really beautiful. The climbing was easy for me although I was still figuring my system. The gear was pretty good, although, again, my first piece was a black alien!! I rapped and cleaned gear from the 2 bolt anchor and toprope soloed the pitch again in a couple minutes.
Me on route (that's a happy look - trust me)
http://i.pbase.com/...6102726.hfE2N4HA.jpg
The second pitch was some wonderful slab climbing with a great view where I stopped to take a couple pictures and a video. I clipped the bolt and moved past a smeary move onto a small ledge to gain easier climbing to the bolts. I used mostly medium sized cams and a couple larger nuts on this pitch and the entire route – the first piece on P2 being a good nut behind a terribly thin flake. But, since the route was soft I wasn’t concerned with a bad fall. The fun was really about to begin when I reached the top.
Just after the bolts on pitch 2
http://i.pbase.com/...6102563.7Ggz1ggr.jpg
The bolts on top
http://i.pbase.com/...6379169.Kas4LkJV.jpg
After getting out the new half rope I rap-cleaned the last pitch down to the 2 bolts that were my anchor. When I got there I thought I’d pull the rope to ensure I had enough to get to the bottom. No way. There was no way the rope was moving. I tied off the half rope and TR soloed the fat line again to find my ropes were caught in a crack. Back down I went after I cleared the mess. I’m not certain if the rope moved this time. I think it didn’t and I think I was back up to the top one more time to figure out the mess. A bad thing happened which was me getting tired of screwing up the rap. I realized that it would be much easier to rap down the steep part of the face, as it is intended to do. This didn’t work out as my rope was stuck below. Back down the slab I went, back on the rope I yarded, this time to have it slowly come down to me. Finally I threaded the 2 bolt anchor at the end of P2 and rapped to the base. More yarding on rope and the route was done! I took my harness off, stripped to my underwear and jumped in the lake. It was the only way to cool down after running out of water and a good way to clean the filth of 2 days sans shower and climbing had deposited. After that I packed the canoe and paddled back to the beach!
I have to conclude by suggesting that anyone climb this route if they go to Bon Echo. With 2 people it can easily be sprinted up and rapped in short time as long as you rap the steep part of the face. You can also test your meddle on Saucer Lucy (5.7) or Very Thin Nicholas (5.7) on the same ridge. These routes I haven’t done but they come highly regarded by Kit Moore as well as the guidebook. I’m happy that I got to do this and will remember the little experience. Thank you for reading and hopefully enjoying with me!
A couple more images:
Down on some kayaks and canoes
http://i.pbase.com/...6103139.soMaWznP.jpg
Down the route and up the lake
http://i.pbase.com/...6380424.5zTL31oc.jpg
Brent
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kachoong
Sep 6, 2006, 2:33 AM
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Sounds like a great adventure!
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chossmonkey
Sep 7, 2006, 3:59 PM
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Shouldn't this be in trip reports? :roll:
I haven't had a chance to read it yet cause I'm at the library and I only have an hour to do a lot in that time.
If you mistakenly post trip reports in the "Flame Brent_E Thread", you might be a Brent_E. :lol:
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kachoong
Sep 7, 2006, 6:16 PM
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In reply to: If you mistakenly post trip reports in the "Flame Brent_E Thread", you might be a Brent_E. :lol: |
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caughtinside
Sep 7, 2006, 6:32 PM
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Nice TR brent! Some good photos, looks like a fun adventure, what with the canoe, the trees and the rock.
You might be a brent_e if you get invited to climb by your girlfriend, and then proceed to scare her off a 5.0! :P
What did you tell that poor girl?!?! :P 8^)
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brent_e
Sep 7, 2006, 8:31 PM
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In reply to: Nice TR brent! Some good photos, looks like a fun adventure, what with the canoe, the trees and the rock. You might be a brent_e if you get invited to climb by your girlfriend, and then proceed to scare her off a 5.0! :P What did you tell that poor girl?!?! :P 8^)
I didn't tell her anything!!! i said it would be easy and fun! but she saw it from the tourboat and the tourguide said she climbed it and that "it was harder than it looks," which was just part of her tour, and Val was scared.
:lol:
she said after that she could have handled it, and she could have.
Thanks, CIS. "with the canoes and trees..." :lol: you're mocking me???
And Nate,
I didn't put in TR's cuz i didn't think it was worthy of taking up space there.
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chossmonkey
Sep 8, 2006, 8:59 PM
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In reply to: I said it would be easy and fun!
That didn't start with,"You know Val, that route is a lot like you.....". :twisted:
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brent_e
Sep 8, 2006, 11:52 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: I said it would be easy and fun! That didn't start with,"You know Val, that route is a lot like you.....". :twisted:
bugger.
:evil:
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chossmonkey
Sep 9, 2006, 7:00 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: I said it would be easy and fun! That didn't start with,"You know Val, that route is a lot like you.....". :twisted: bugger. :evil:
:lol:
Nice TR Brent. Thanks for sparing us the mental imagery by saying you only stripped down to your undies (Super Man I'm assuming). I'll have to take you out sometime and tweak your rope-solo skills.
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brent_e
Sep 10, 2006, 2:13 AM
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In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: I said it would be easy and fun! That didn't start with,"You know Val, that route is a lot like you.....". :twisted: bugger. :evil: :lol: Nice TR Brent. Thanks for sparing us the mental imagery by saying you only stripped down to your undies (Super Man I'm assuming). I'll have to take you out sometime and tweak your rope-solo skills.
:lol:
the super man tighty whities were left in the pack, sadly. I was sporting the boxer briefs in black. Form fitting but not too revealing.
thanks for the compliment.
and yes, my rope solo kung fu needs some help. But I don't plan on having to use those skills much. if stuff gets dicey i'm likely to be on TRope solo.
Talk with you soon.
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chossmonkey
Sep 12, 2006, 3:14 PM
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If you slept all day while your budy Nate was out getting some super milage, you might be a brent_e. :D
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chossmonkey
Sep 12, 2006, 4:12 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: If you slept all day while your budy Nate was out getting some super milage, you might be a brent_e. :D you coming up wednesday?
You may also be a brent_e if you make plans and don't tell the other people involved. :lol:
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brent_e
Sep 12, 2006, 5:16 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: If you slept all day while your budy Nate was out getting some super milage, you might be a brent_e. :D you coming up wednesday? You may also be a brent_e if you make plans and don't tell the other people involved. :lol:
i asked you on sunday when i called!
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caughtinside
Sep 12, 2006, 7:20 PM
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you might be a 'brent_e' or a 'chossmonkey' if you have No Idea what your buddies are up to... despite phonecalls and your very own dedicated chat thread! :lol: :P
It's a miracle you boys get any climbing done with communication skillz like that! :o
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brent_e
Sep 12, 2006, 8:42 PM
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In reply to: you might be a 'brent_e' or a 'chossmonkey' if you have No Idea what your buddies are up to... despite phonecalls and your very own dedicated chat thread! :lol: :P It's a miracle you boys get any climbing done with communication skillz like that! :o
it's harder now that I don't check my messages (it's long freakin distance to call my phone).
*sigh*
maybe i'll get climbing...
anyone in hamilton want to get out to nemo?
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chossmonkey
Sep 14, 2006, 4:57 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: If you slept all day while your budy Nate was out getting some super milage, you might be a brent_e. :D you coming up wednesday? You may also be a brent_e if you make plans and don't tell the other people involved. :lol: i asked you on sunday when i called!
You said you would get back to me when you got your schedule. :evil:
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caughtinside
Sep 14, 2006, 5:17 PM
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You folks up there in "canadia" have what we americans call "telephones" do you not?
They are very helpful for contacting your friends to make plans to climb. You guys should really think about giving them a try!
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jumpingrock
Sep 14, 2006, 6:11 PM
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You might be Brent_e if you are hitting on a tattoed chick in the Worst Pictures of rc.com thread.
You also might be a Brent_e if you are going to find some time to climb with David at Nemo on Sept 30th.
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Re: You might be a "brent_e".
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