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Craggmire
Apr 8, 2009, 2:47 AM
Post #28 of 48
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c4c wrote: Craggmire wrote: Forged Friends  w/ a gunks tie off
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livinonasandbar
Apr 8, 2009, 3:26 AM
Post #29 of 48
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Honestly, the best rack for the Gunks would be mine. Send me an airline ticket...
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bill413
Apr 8, 2009, 3:49 AM
Post #30 of 48
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livinonasandbar wrote: Honestly, the best rack for the Gunks would be mine. Send me an airline ticket...
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c4c
Apr 9, 2009, 12:49 AM
Post #31 of 48
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don't forget your "get out of jail free card" now
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rangerrob
Apr 22, 2009, 6:57 PM
Post #32 of 48
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You would be wise to heed the words of RGold. He knows of what he speaks. Afterall, he's had a hand in inventing the Gunks rack. Right Rich?
RR
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Gmburns2000
Apr 22, 2009, 7:14 PM
Post #33 of 48
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6 sets of nuts
14 pink tri cams
a half dozen pair of each size of Camalot
tazers to beat back the copperheads
cheese for the rat snakes
a four-person portaledge for the overnight on Horseman
20 mules
6 gallons of my favorite beer
and $15 to bribe the ranger at the bridge into letting you climb
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rgold
Apr 22, 2009, 7:30 PM
Post #34 of 48
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Ha Rob, there has been a gunks rack as long as there have been gunks climbers.
My original gunks rack:
short thin, medium thick: 1 each
long thin, medium thick: 1 each
1/2", 5/8" angles: 1 each
3/4" angles: 2
1", 1 1/4", 1 1/2" angles: 1 each
Biners and over-the-shoulder slings.
The first route I did entirely with nuts was Double Crack in 1968. I had a set of nuts ordered from Joe Brown in Wales. It was inferior but comparable to a single set of stoppers nowadays, minus the smaller sizes. The nuts were all on webbing and were worn like a necklaces, as dictated by the then-current UK tradition. If any of them caught during a fall, you'd be garroted, and they obscured your view of your feet whenever you leaned forward.
My rack today is at least double the size of the original nut racks we used in the seventies, and cams have made me a lot lazier about arranging protection. Most routes are so much better protected now then back in the day that, in some cases, they are almost not the same climbing. (The myth that fixed pins made up for the difference is only true of a small number of classic routes.)
I'm not complaining, mind you. All this extra gear allows me to keep climbing as my physical abilities decline, so I'm really happy about it. Henry Barber I ain't.
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rangerrob
Apr 28, 2009, 11:41 PM
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Whenever I'm leading something at or near my limit and pumping out, slamming cams in, I just thank the stars that I wasn't a climber back then. You folks had some big cajones. Double crack is pretty straight forward for me now, but I think of leading it on just nuts and my forearms immediately protest.
I wonder how much technical climbing standards have improved, or how much the gear has made it easier to climb harder routes. If you guys had sticky shoes, smooth cams, light biners, invisible harnesses, and dependable ropes back in 1965, what would you have done? Shit, back then you were climbing what I can climb now. I'm always humbled when I think of it.
RR
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bill413
Apr 29, 2009, 12:05 AM
Post #36 of 48
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rangerrob wrote: Whenever I'm leading something at or near my limit and pumping out, slamming cams in, I just thank the stars that I wasn't a climber back then. You folks had some big cajones. Double crack is pretty straight forward for me now, but I think of leading it on just nuts and my forearms immediately protest. I wonder how much technical climbing standards have improved, or how much the gear has made it easier to climb harder routes. If you guys had sticky shoes, smooth cams, light biners, invisible harnesses, and dependable ropes back in 1965, what would you have done? Shit, back then you were climbing what I can climb now. I'm always humbled when I think of it. RR
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rgold
Apr 29, 2009, 4:10 PM
Post #37 of 48
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Rob, the gear has made it easier, but climbers have gotten much better, improving far beyond the advantages better gear provide.
Climbing gyms, bouldering, and sport climbing provide opportunities to climb at levels the old guys never even imagined. Some of those who do this cross over to trad climbing and alpinism, and when they do they perform incredibly. Of course, not all of them do cross over, leaving some room for the rest of us to scare the daylights out of ourselves on old-school 5.10.
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blueeyedclimber
May 10, 2012, 12:48 PM
Post #42 of 48
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Registered: Nov 19, 2002
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meanandugly wrote: Going to the Gunks for the 1st time, and just wondering on opinions on what to set-up for a good rack. I will be doing a variety of climbs and grades. Thanks in advance.
Having done hundreds of routes at the Gunks, here is my opinion. Take it for what it's worth:
- Double ropes are great! They are not necessary by any stretch, but the make life a lot easier with all the roofs, traverses and other wandering pitches.
- Plenty of runners, especially if using a single rope. You try to climb on sport draws and you will be cursing the rope drag gods.
- Most climbs offer a wide variety of sizes, but you rarely need anything above a #2. You also very rarely need doubles of anything. If you do double up, I would do it in the medium size cams.
- Tricams? meh.
- According to the guidebook, a lot of the pitches are short. Climbing on doubles and being smart with rope drag allow a lot of those pitches to be combined.
- THE grade to climb at the Gunks is 5.10. If you can climb 5.10 at the Gunks, you will have a LOT of fun and will not be able to wait for your next trip back. Now, don't get me wrong, there are GREAT climbs of all levels, even as low as 5.2, but the 10's are spectacular. Once you get to 11's, there are not nearly as many and even less well protected ones.
- Aliens are fantastic at the Gunks. We also have some master cams that work well. The flexible stems are key for the horizontals.
Josh
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cracklover
May 10, 2012, 4:21 PM
Post #43 of 48
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I agree - if you're comfortable with double ropes technique, bring your half ropes. Even if you don't combine a lot of pitches, they'll give you way better protection options on many single pitches.
If the Gunks is just part of a larger climbing trip, or you'll be wanting to do single-pitch stuff with a single rope, consider bringing a thin single plus one of your half ropes. That will give you the option to do double or single rope technique, without needing to bring three ropes on the trip.
GO
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losbill
May 10, 2012, 7:28 PM
Post #44 of 48
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Josh and Gabe - Am I missing something or are you guys responding to a thread whose last post was three years ago? - Bill
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granite_grrl
May 10, 2012, 7:32 PM
Post #45 of 48
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Registered: Oct 25, 2002
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losbill wrote: Josh and Gabe - Am I missing something or are you guys responding to a thread whose last post was three years ago? - Bill
You're not missing anything....they're the ones that missed what was going on.
The OP has spent many weekends in the Gunks since he started this thread. I'm sure he has a pretty good idea of what he likes on his rack when he's down there now.
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blueeyedclimber
May 11, 2012, 2:40 PM
Post #46 of 48
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Registered: Nov 19, 2002
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granite_grrl wrote: losbill wrote: Josh and Gabe - Am I missing something or are you guys responding to a thread whose last post was three years ago? - Bill You're not missing anything....they're the ones that missed what was going on. The OP has spent many weekends in the Gunks since he started this thread. I'm sure he has a pretty good idea of what he likes on his rack when he's down there now.
Wow, I did miss that.  I don't think I have ever done that before. I guess I didn't think of it since the thread was so high up on the first page. I guess the trad forum is not used very much.
Gabe probably missed it, because he probably assumed I knew what was going on  I hope he doesn't decide not to rope up with me again because of this.
Josh
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cracklover
May 11, 2012, 3:07 PM
Post #47 of 48
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Registered: Nov 14, 2002
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blueeyedclimber wrote: granite_grrl wrote: losbill wrote: Josh and Gabe - Am I missing something or are you guys responding to a thread whose last post was three years ago? - Bill You're not missing anything....they're the ones that missed what was going on. The OP has spent many weekends in the Gunks since he started this thread. I'm sure he has a pretty good idea of what he likes on his rack when he's down there now. Wow, I did miss that. I don't think I have ever done that before. I guess I didn't think of it since the thread was so high up on the first page. I guess the trad forum is not used very much. Gabe probably missed it, because he probably assumed I knew what was going on I hope he doesn't decide not to rope up with me again because of this. Josh
D'oh! Exactly!
I'll still rope up with you, but now I know if it's your lead, you may be heading in the wrong direction!
G
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meanandugly
May 11, 2012, 3:10 PM
Post #48 of 48
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Registered: Oct 20, 2004
Posts: 312
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I even had to check the date I 1st posted the question...lol
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