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knieveltech
Apr 21, 2008, 9:08 PM
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I'll never know how the conversation started; somewhere between grabbing my rack out of the car and walking over to stash it in the back of Gabe's SUV, things had taken a turn for the weird. Something about a legendary bender and Seth passed out buck naked on the couch with his dick in a bag of Cheetos.
We've collected an entire carload of maniacs for this trip. By the time we reached Burlington (like any good mythology) the yarn of bullshit had taken a life of it's own. Mike's girlfriend had given him an orange dick and apparently Seth was to blame. An angry call to Seth's cellphone, ringtones coming from the closet. Oops. Nothing left now but to lock off on the window ledge and hope the man of the house leaves before you pump out.
By High Point Lil' Kim is offering sage advice from the depths of Gabe's MP3 collection. Our topic, how to keep a woman happy. The debate rages off and on all day. Details are omitted to protect the (apparently too) innocent, as well as the guilty, and an orange tongue is added to the growing list of symptoms. Me? I actually like a little extra iron in my diet from time to time. Whatever.
At the crag a calm self-assessment of headspace puts Mike on the sharp end. The Fear is with me today, one more thing to haul up the route while I clean. Nothing quite as wretched (or embarrassing) as a rock climber who's genuinely afraid of heights. One day I'll figure out why I do this shit.
I stare alternately at the bomber jug in my right hand and the ledge that I'm standing on until it all makes sense again. Chalk up and stick the next move. Adjust the gear sling and stick the next move. Clean a piece of gear and stare at my feet until I'm ready to stick the next move. Cruiser 5.5, just keep moving.
Midway up the 2nd pitch I watch as a tricam placement 20' up ejects itself from the crack. The piece falls down the rope to the placement below it (a welded #1 C4 that Mike didn't bother to back up, it occurs to me then that there might be a few fine points that he's glossing over) before the sling ties itself into an autoblock around the rope. For fuck's sake. Vigorous whipping of the rope ensues before the offending friction knot lets go and Mike can once again take up slack.
Just below the topout a minor problem arises. The path of least resistance traverses out right and Mike didn't leave a directional. No way I'm gonna pull the moves going straight up. My camera bag and rack have conspired to get between me and the rock for the entire climb and that shit looks a little too thin to fuck with while constantly shoving stuff out of the way. My subconscious chooses this moment to barf up visions of a nice pendulum fall complete with the rope dragging across a few (non-existent) sharp edges.
In the face of this unexpected horror (presented with all the smugness of a Maitre d' presenting your table with a steaming tray of something unpleasant that you didn't order to begin with) I'm once again reduced to staring at the jugs in my hands and the massive fucking ledge that I'm standing on until common sense gets back from wherever it fucked off to. I have Mike flip the rope over a bulge and move out.
Pulling the final moves, my camera bag decides to (once again) dive between me and the rock, this time fucking me up in the middle of a half-assed technical move. You shit sucking cheeto-dick, goat-raping, sack of shit motherfucker, get the FUCK out of the way *yank*. Not my best work by any stretch of the imagination, but then this is no offwidth. Order is restored to the world and I'm on the ledge. That wasn't so bad. Near panic on a 5.5? How embarrassing. I swear I get freaked out by the dumbest shit some times. I must be reading about too many epics on Supertopo.
Fresh greens for the next course. We've opted to check out the walkoff and it's a typical NC bushwhack. I hate green brier with a passion and vow to tow a machete up the route the next time I'm at Moore's. Eventually the worst of the bleeding stops.
Halfway back to our packs we encounter Scott. He's standing at the base of the crag with shoes and a chalkbag on. A rope, rack, and belayer are all conspicuously absent. Safe travels, bro. With a curiously Zen air, he started up the route as we turned the corner.
Back at the packs I spent some time wistfully lookup up at the 1st pitch of Sentinel Buttress. I want to lead it but the Fear is heavy and I don't know about dragging it up the route with me. The thought of having lugged my rack all the way up here and then not using it is vaguely humiliating. Eventually the Warrior thing starts to kick in and I put my harness back on.
I tell myself I'll climb up and put a couple pieces of gear in and then see what I think. 50 feet later I realized (too late, son, too late) the pitch wanders a bit more than I anticipated. The rope drag quickly becomes hideous. It feels like I'm towing a boat. I have to stop every few moves and stare at my feet for a while until the Fear gets bored and wanders off again. It's like having a 100lb vulture for a pet.
I'd opted to take the left-trending line up the route, as the terrain looks super-casual. Pulling easy moves I watch my last piece get smaller and smaller. I can't seem to find a placement anywhere. God this crack sucks. I move up a little more, still nothing. I never thought I'd find myself actually running it out, even a little bit. How did this happen? It's like 25' to my last piece. Am I really looking at a 50' fall? Why is this possible? Just as despair starts to set in I spot The Prettiest #5 Camalot Placement in the World. To my utter amazement it's less than 20' to the top. Damn, I'm almost there. I fire the last few moves and top out.
Up on the ledge I gave a half-hearted yell of victory. I didn't actually feel like making any noise at all, but I felt like I owed it to the guys on the ground to acknowledge the occasion in some way. Something important just happened, but I'm not sure I fully understand it. What are the implications of leading a full pitch on gear for the first time? Has anything changed? I pondered this in silence for a while admiring the view.
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dutyje
Apr 21, 2008, 9:25 PM
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Nice TR and congrats on the lead :)
I don't normally care for the volume of swearing you've tossed in the midst of all this, but it works for this write-up. I also like your giving the Fear its own persona. It's funny I feel the same way sometimes. It seems I'm carrying extra fear for one unexplainable reason or another. One day, I'm totally fine... next day, I'm a wreck. Even in the same area or on the same route.
But what the hell were you doing lugging a #5 up Sentinel Buttress anyway? I'll admit it's a bit difficult for a super-new leader to find placements on that first pitch. It's a good one to climb MANY times on MANY different days. You'll find a lot of great placements are there, and it's a perfect learning experience. Also, try staying right a bit more.. it's steeper but the pro is a little better :)
Also, lead the second pitch. The pro is incredible, the climbing is spectacular. That first pitch is just the necessary evil to get you to the classic second.
And remember... sling it long!
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epoch
Moderator
Apr 21, 2008, 9:29 PM
Post #3 of 20
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Love it. I pictured the entire thing in your words.
Maybe someday you'll overcome the heights thing.
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donald949
Apr 21, 2008, 9:56 PM
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Nice TR. Funny post. Good to know that I'm not the only climber out there who gets the fear of heights.
Don
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knieveltech
Apr 21, 2008, 9:59 PM
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dutyje wrote: Nice TR and congrats on the lead :) I don't normally care for the volume of swearing you've tossed in the midst of all this, but it works for this write-up. I also like your giving the Fear its own persona. It's funny I feel the same way sometimes. It seems I'm carrying extra fear for one unexplainable reason or another. One day, I'm totally fine... next day, I'm a wreck. Even in the same area or on the same route. But what the hell were you doing lugging a #5 up Sentinel Buttress anyway? I'll admit it's a bit difficult for a super-new leader to find placements on that first pitch. It's a good one to climb MANY times on MANY different days. You'll find a lot of great placements are there, and it's a perfect learning experience. Also, try staying right a bit more.. it's steeper but the pro is a little better :) Also, lead the second pitch. The pro is incredible, the climbing is spectacular. That first pitch is just the necessary evil to get you to the classic second. And remember... sling it long!
Thanks for the advice and the feedback. As far as the #5 goes, I lugged it up there because I think it's shiny and it's cool when I find a placement for it.
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knieveltech
Apr 21, 2008, 10:00 PM
Post #6 of 20
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epoch wrote: Love it. I pictured the entire thing in your words. Maybe someday you'll overcome the heights thing.
Thanks a lot! The fear thing is getting better with time, but damn it's entirely too slow.
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MikeSaint
Apr 21, 2008, 11:47 PM
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Well written, no sign of them Cheet-Ohhs.. 
Just placing a solid number five C4 has got to be an awesome feeling. Placing it once justifies lugging it up the approach.
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knieveltech
Apr 22, 2008, 12:13 AM
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MikeSaint wrote: Well written, no sign of them Cheet-Ohhs.. Just placing a solid number five C4 has got to be an awesome feeling. Placing it once justifies lugging it up the approach.
Yeah you say that now but I heard a rumor involving a pair of panties that looked like someone had been smuggling orange creamsickles....
All joking aside, great lead on both pitches and a damn fine climbing day. Looking forward to the next installment.
Edited to add: in my limited experience placing a solid #5 is like having Mercy itself descend from on high and offer you a cheeseburger and a joint.
(This post was edited by knieveltech on Apr 22, 2008, 12:25 AM)
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saxfiend
Apr 22, 2008, 3:39 AM
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Nice TR! I can't wait to get back to Moore's. Congrats on leading P1 of Sentinel Buttress; maybe next time, you'll be ready to continue up on Zoo View!
MikeSaint wrote: Just placing a solid number five C4 has got to be an awesome feeling. Placing it once justifies lugging it up the approach.
JL
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knieveltech
Apr 22, 2008, 4:01 AM
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saxfiend wrote: Nice TR! I can't wait to get back to Moore's. Congrats on leading P1 of Sentinel Buttress; maybe next time, you'll be ready to continue up on Zoo View! MikeSaint wrote: Just placing a solid number five C4 has got to be an awesome feeling. Placing it once justifies lugging it up the approach. The nicest placement for any big cam is one of the gear loops on your second's harness. My partner was leading the fourth pitch of a route in Red Rock earlier this month, and I swear he placed his #6 Tech Friend in the big crack just so I'd have to carry the damn thing the rest of the way up the pitch. JL
Thanks for the complement. I was actually planning on trying both pitches of Sentinel, Easy Hard (maybe not, the slopery business at the top gives me the creeps), definitely Head Jam, and maybe seconding Zoo View a couple times before trying to lead it.
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dutyje
Apr 22, 2008, 5:12 PM
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knieveltech wrote: saxfiend wrote: Nice TR! I can't wait to get back to Moore's. Congrats on leading P1 of Sentinel Buttress; maybe next time, you'll be ready to continue up on Zoo View! MikeSaint wrote: Just placing a solid number five C4 has got to be an awesome feeling. Placing it once justifies lugging it up the approach. The nicest placement for any big cam is one of the gear loops on your second's harness. My partner was leading the fourth pitch of a route in Red Rock earlier this month, and I swear he placed his #6 Tech Friend in the big crack just so I'd have to carry the damn thing the rest of the way up the pitch. JL Thanks for the complement. I was actually planning on trying both pitches of Sentinel, Easy Hard (maybe not, the slopery business at the top gives me the creeps), definitely Head Jam, and maybe seconding Zoo View a couple times before trying to lead it.
The protection on Easy Hard can be tough for a newer leader to find. I learned this because I led the route, rapped and cleaned it, and then let my partner get his first trad lead on it. He had been following me on trad routes for a couple years, and he had placed gear on top rope, all that sort of thing.
He had a very hard time finding placements, and basically turned it into a very ballsy runout, and scared himself to death working through the slopers. He missed a lot of great placements. He regained the courage to lead P2 of Sentinel Buttress after that, and was able to sew it up with tons of bomber pieces.
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charley
Apr 22, 2008, 8:24 PM
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knieveltech wrote: saxfiend wrote: Nice TR! I can't wait to get back to Moore's. Congrats on leading P1 of Sentinel Buttress; maybe next time, you'll be ready to continue up on Zoo View! MikeSaint wrote: Just placing a solid number five C4 has got to be an awesome feeling. Placing it once justifies lugging it up the approach. The nicest placement for any big cam is one of the gear loops on your second's harness. My partner was leading the fourth pitch of a route in Red Rock earlier this month, and I swear he placed his #6 Tech Friend in the big crack just so I'd have to carry the damn thing the rest of the way up the pitch. JL Thanks for the complement. I was actually planning on trying both pitches of Sentinel, Easy Hard (maybe not, the slopery business at the top gives me the creeps), definitely Head Jam, and maybe seconding Zoo View a couple times before trying to lead it.
Great, well written tr. Proud leads. If we don't shake once in awhile, it would be like bowling.
What about hopscotch and scrambled eggs? Are they too easy or is something wrong with them? The only thing I have been on there is hopscotch. Is the walk off that bad?
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knieveltech
Apr 22, 2008, 8:49 PM
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charley wrote: Great, well written tr. Proud leads. If we don't shake once in awhile, it would be like bowling. What about hopscotch and scrambled eggs? Are they too easy or is something wrong with them? The only thing I have been on there is hopscotch. Is the walk off that bad?
To be honest I don't know anything about either of those routes. "too easy" isn't really in my vocabulary at the moment. The walkoff itself is cake, and it's pretty quick actually. It's the 100+ yards of greenbrier you have to bash through to link up with the main ridge trail that makes it suck. Nothing a little impromptu trail work a-la-machete won't fix.
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ja1484
Apr 22, 2008, 9:18 PM
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knieveltech wrote: saxfiend wrote: Nice TR! I can't wait to get back to Moore's. Congrats on leading P1 of Sentinel Buttress; maybe next time, you'll be ready to continue up on Zoo View! MikeSaint wrote: Just placing a solid number five C4 has got to be an awesome feeling. Placing it once justifies lugging it up the approach. The nicest placement for any big cam is one of the gear loops on your second's harness. My partner was leading the fourth pitch of a route in Red Rock earlier this month, and I swear he placed his #6 Tech Friend in the big crack just so I'd have to carry the damn thing the rest of the way up the pitch. JL Thanks for the complement. I was actually planning on trying both pitches of Sentinel, Easy Hard (maybe not, the slopery business at the top gives me the creeps), definitely Head Jam, and maybe seconding Zoo View a couple times before trying to lead it.
I'd say Sentinel and Easy Hard are pretty comparable in terms of difficulty. I disagree about difficulty finding placements - if you know how to use the gear, it's relatively straightforward.
Head Jam is an awesome climb, but beware: the crux is tricky. It's a 5.5/5.6 move, it just takes a while to figure it out. Don't let it get to your head.
Zoo View is definitely something to follow if you have any trouble with your lead head. The second pitch is butt-puckeringly exposed, although the climbing is moderate and the protection readily available.
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knieveltech
Apr 22, 2008, 9:32 PM
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ja1484 wrote: I'd say Sentinel and Easy Hard are pretty comparable in terms of difficulty. I disagree about difficulty finding placements - if you know how to use the gear, it's relatively straightforward. Head Jam is an awesome climb, but beware: the crux is tricky. It's a 5.5/5.6 move, it just takes a while to figure it out. Don't let it get to your head. Zoo View is definitely something to follow if you have any trouble with your lead head. The second pitch is butt-puckeringly exposed, although the climbing is moderate and the protection readily available.
I'm definitely planning on leading head jam the next time I'm out there. As far as the crux goes, what's the usual beta? Grab the lip and layback like crazy? Is it possible to just crawl up under there and then chimney your way out the side bomb bay style? What about a knee bar behind the block?
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csproul
Apr 22, 2008, 9:47 PM
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Headjam... my advice, don't wear a helmet (one of the few climbs I don't like to have one on). Even though you don't crawl up in that thing, I find that I constantly hit my head while making the crux move with a helmet. I like a big piece to protect the crux, a #4 or #5 Camalot. And the lie back is the way to do it, don't try to crawl up in the thing!
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ja1484
Apr 22, 2008, 10:10 PM
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knieveltech wrote: I'm definitely planning on leading head jam the next time I'm out there. As far as the crux goes, what's the usual beta? Grab the lip and layback like crazy? Is it possible to just crawl up under there and then chimney your way out the side bomb bay style? What about a knee bar behind the block?
(very) small people may be able to chimney it. My fat ass can't fit through that hole.
You've got a number of options for the headjam section - an undercling lieback/stemming combination seems to be the path of least resistance. It feels funky no matter how you do it truth be told.
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knieveltech
Apr 22, 2008, 10:26 PM
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ja1484 wrote: knieveltech wrote: I'm definitely planning on leading head jam the next time I'm out there. As far as the crux goes, what's the usual beta? Grab the lip and layback like crazy? Is it possible to just crawl up under there and then chimney your way out the side bomb bay style? What about a knee bar behind the block? (very) small people may be able to chimney it. My fat ass can't fit through that hole. You've got a number of options for the headjam section - an undercling lieback/stemming combination seems to be the path of least resistance. It feels funky no matter how you do it truth be told.
I was contemplating the viability of crawling up behind the block then setting some kind of wide body part jam then oozing out left. Charley don't layback. Hopefully the route will cooperate.
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dashclimber306
Apr 23, 2008, 2:58 AM
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What does any of this have to do with Orange Crush? Did you smoke a fat bowl of it and thats why you got sketched? Is it a reference to the boulder problem (did you send it?)
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gblauer
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Apr 25, 2008, 2:53 PM
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great TR...I have one that I was going to publish, but it's so dull compared to yours...
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