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Gmburns2000
May 10, 2010, 1:28 AM
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I can't agree enough with PT for a sprained ankle. When I finally really put a serious effort into that, that's when things got better.
Weekend Update - spent most of the day under a tarp at Rumney with three other miscreants whole usually hang out in the campground area. The rain finally cleared late on Sat and we got two runs in up on the New Wave wall. I led some 5.8 to the left of Debbie Does CPR, then I TR'd Debbie and finally made it past the mantle. However, it was done with much weightage on the rope. Still, at least I've seen the top now.
Sunday - no rain, but a cold wind wouldn't let the sun out. I only TR'd a couple of climbs at Vader. Felt good on the bottom but once I cleared the overhanging area the rock became too cold and I had to open hand all the crimps. Too painful for me. Just can't handle that kind of cold when it hurts to not feel anything.
Still glad I got out, though.
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sethg
May 18, 2010, 3:29 AM
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I extended the beautiful New York weekend into Monday so I could go to the Gunks today. Without the weekend crowds the Arrow wall was a pleasure and I finally started to feel like myself again out there. I led the second pitch of Limelight, the first pitch of Three Doves, and the second pitch of Arrow. The ankle I broke in October felt good.
I also led the first pitch of Snake, a two-star 5.6 that's actually really nice! From the ground it looks like bushwhacking through ledges, but the moves up to the first ledge are fun, and after the second ledge the latter two thirds of the pitch isn't bushy at all. The crux crack through a headwall is really good. I don't know if I'd call it a two-star 5.6. Moonlight (one star) is WAY better. Most of the other Williams two-stars are better, in my opinion. But Snake offers a nice way to get to the GT ledge in the area; I think it is nicer than the first pitch of Red Pillar, for instance. It would make a nice link-up to the 2d pitch of Red Pillar.
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Gmburns2000
May 18, 2010, 1:26 PM
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Never been on Snake, will have to try it.
And I agree, Moonlight is a freaking awesome route.
Glad the ankle is better. Will have a report after next week's meeting with the lone star hero, N/A, and Gail. Could have interesting stories of major flailage.
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gblauer
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May 18, 2010, 2:07 PM
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Gmburns2000 wrote: Will have a report after next week's meeting with the lone star hero, N/A, and Gail. Could have interesting stories of major flailage.
Let's do cakewalk...have you done it?
Had a nice weekend at the gunks as well. We arrived at the West Trapps lot at 1130AM on Saturday and found a spot right at the trailhead. Then we walked right up to Horseman...that thing is never open. We finished that and walked right up to Laurel! After warming up we headed to Never Never Land (so bad for my feet), Triangle, City Streets, Raunchy and WIld Horses. We had a full Saturday. SUnday was short, as we had to leave early to go to a party. We ran laps behind the gerdie block on the "shit or go blind" face.
Looking forward to this weekend and catching up with some of you!
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Gmburns2000
May 18, 2010, 5:15 PM
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gblauer wrote: Gmburns2000 wrote: Will have a report after next week's meeting with the lone star hero, N/A, and Gail. Could have interesting stories of major flailage. Let's do cakewalk...have you done it? Had a nice weekend at the gunks as well. We arrived at the West Trapps lot at 1130AM on Saturday and found a spot right at the trailhead. Then we walked right up to Horseman...that thing is never open. We finished that and walked right up to Laurel! After warming up we headed to Never Never Land (so bad for my feet), Triangle, City Streets, Raunchy and WIld Horses. We had a full Saturday. SUnday was short, as we had to leave early to go to a party. We ran laps behind the gerdie block on the "shit or go blind" face. Looking forward to this weekend and catching up with some of you!
are you sure it was a Saturday? I'm suspicious.
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hafilax
May 18, 2010, 5:20 PM
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Got on a new variation to an old route in Squamish last Saturday. Goes at 10d A0 (11d if you're good at thin face) for 8 pitches. Either way it was WAY too much for me. First real day of climbing this season and the one day in the gym in the last 3 months doesn't really qualify as training.
I got the easiest pitches the first of which was a 20m 10b dihedral all lieback fingers with a few good rests. Got to the top out and was faced with the choice of running it out or punching through. I chose wrong. A foot slipped and I was sailing head first like a human missile. I closed my eyes and tucked my head thinking "this is going to hurt". I came to a stop with a clunk of helmet meeting rock. Righted myself and looked down to see two worried partners. They didn't look convinced when I said I was alright but a quick once over only showed a few light bruises and scratches. Onward and upward. I headed up and finished the pitch with a little french free. A lot of the distance was double rope stretch by it probably ended up about 20'er.
The next pitch was 40m of full-on vertical finger liebacks. A beautiful pitch but way too hard for me. I got up it but it wasn't pretty. After that I was in full on survival mode shamelessly pulling on gear and stepping on bolts. Time to work some serious endurance training so I can redeem myself on this one and the Grand Wall.  
Otherwise I highly recommend this line (Milk Road) to anyone capable of the Grand Wall. Similar difficulty, length and quality but it faces the opposite direction and gets a lot of shade although that also makes it slower to dry. If anyone is interested I can link you to the topo. 
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Gmburns2000
May 19, 2010, 4:05 AM
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Damn dude! 
head first isn't the direction I want to go while falling.
glad you we're OK and nice job on toughing it out in the end. I would have bailed or insisted on seconding the rest of the way.
nice job.
I gotta get out there. my old partner will be in a couple of months. I wish I was going. jealous.
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sethg
Jun 1, 2010, 2:13 PM
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Ever have one of those days where nothing seems to be going your way?
I was in the Trapps on Sunday with my buddy Greg. It was hot hot hot, but I was sure the place would be a madhouse anyway, given that it was Memorial Day weekend and all. So I thought we'd focus on climbs that aren't the most popular. I hoped to do some 7s and 8s, maybe try to run through a gimmicky 9 like Arch Direct/Wick's Banana if I was feeling good.
So I was waiting for my friend at the Uber Pooper and I could see that Trapped Like A Rat, 5.7, was open, as it always is. Dawn Alguard has often written about this climb in her blog; it's like her little pet climb. It has a reputation as a sandbag. It seemed like a good idea to try it out.
We racked up, and I set out on it. I got about one move up the crack, and could see the undercling hold at the first overhang was seeping with water. I figured it must always be this way, since it had been dry in the Gunks for days. I could see the big hold out on the face that I was supposed to step up and grab. I placed a good piece, and started to go for it... and I just couldn't make myself do it. I must have stepped up and down three times. It was too committing, too close to the ground, too early in the day. Screw this, I thought. I don't want to make this move. Let's climb something else. We retreated.
So then I thought we should walk downcliff, far from the Uberfall, to beat the crowds. Two 5.7s right next to each other past the Seasons seemed like likely candidates, Shit Creek and Blistered Toe. Blistered Toe was open so we did that one, by the regular start. And damn, I thought it was pretty hard! I couldn't say any one move was harder than 5.7, but it was sustained and pumpy. I scared myself about 3 moves from the end of the first pitch when I somehow got my left foot caught in the sling I'd placed on my last piece of gear. I shudder to think of what the fall would have been like if this misstep had pulled me off the wall. I imagined flipping upside-down, my foot maybe dislodging the cam... Thankfully it didn't happen, and I finished the pitch thinking "wow, this isn't my day."
Pitch two went without incident and when we got back down Shit Creek was open, so I thought we should give it a try. The first pitch is only 5.6. I led up it, and when faced with the choice of going straight over the roof (the finish in the latest Williams guide) or going right around the side of the pedestal (the traditional finish), I went right, thinking I should just take it easy. This was going fine until, near the top of the pedestal, I realized I'd gotten one of my ropes stuck. It had gone into a crack I could no longer see, and it was pretty tight. I couldn't flick it around the feature to try to yank it out, and I couldn't move upward. I wasn't even sure I could move enough to downclimb. Greg and I both stood there trying to free the darn thing for a long time, to no avail.
Eventually I decided to untie from the stuck rope. My doubles are pretty fat old school doubles (9mm), and I was just a few moves from the anchor. I thought Greg would follow me up on the second rope, free the first rope when he got to it, and then we could complete the climb.
But once I got to the anchor, Greg decided he didn't want to follow me up the pitch, because the traversing section was protected by the stuck rope. I also didn't think I could easily clean the gear on rappel because of this same traverse around the pedestal on which I was now standing. We hemmed and hawed about this for a while, and a couple guys climbing next to us even offered to follow the pitch and clean it-- they were unconcerned about the potential pendulum fall, probably because they are far better climbers than us!
I finally decided to just rap and relead the thing, taking care not to get the rope stuck again! The stuck rope had somehow freed itself and fallen to the ground while we were arguing. So I beefed up the really shitty anchor, rapped off, and reled the pitch without incident. Greg followed me up it, and neither of us had the stomach to go further, even though the (unprotected) 5.5 traverse that begins P2 of Shit Creek looked really cool.
I was mentally spent. We went back to the Uberfall, I set up a toprope on the Gerdie Block and we failed at every climb we tried. It just wasn't our day.
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Gmburns2000
Jun 1, 2010, 5:04 PM
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That blows. I haven't done any of those routes, but I do know what it is like to be hot in the 'Gunks. I have a TR about that come up soon, just have to wait until it gets posted.
Good for to you keep climbing. I would have headed straight to Split Rock. Too bad things weren't going so well, though, but that's life eh? Next weekend is always around the corner and hopes to be better than the last.
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gblauer
Moderator
Jun 1, 2010, 9:04 PM
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Hey, just for the heck of it...you should check your biorythms on that date. I bet your physical and emotional were really really low!
I have had many of those days. BTW, Trapped like a Rat is really really awkward. It's very well protected until you get to the ledge with the knife edge fin. You have to make an easy move to get on top of the fin then you can reach up and get some gear. The rest of the pitch looks easy, but it's suprisingly awkward was well.
I just finished an 11 day stint at the gunks. I climbed 10 out of 11 days. I am mentally refreshed and physically exhausted. I thoroughly enjoyed climbing and dining with GMBurns and JohnW, it was great to meet fellow RC.comers!
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sethg
Jun 1, 2010, 9:24 PM
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Yeah, I dunno, it seemed like there was something in the stars. I found out later that Blistered Toe was a 5.8 in prior Williams guides and in the Swain guide. So it shouldn't be surprising that it seemed stiff. I would recommend it, the first pitch is great. But be prepared for it not to let up, and I hope you like little fingerlocks.
Really the climbing was fine, it was all the other stuff...
10 out of 11 days sounds fantastic, though the last few were hot. I was up there for the long weekend, went hiking with the kids the other two days.
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gblauer
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Jun 1, 2010, 9:37 PM
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I don't think I could do any finger locks right now, my ring and middle fingers are a mess! I am going to take today off and hit the gym tomorrow.
Have you taken the kids to the ice caves?
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sethg
Jun 1, 2010, 11:29 PM
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No, although I've read about them. We scrambled up Bonticue, which was really nice. And we hiked out to Table Rocks, which was easy, but about four miles round trip, which was a good long hike for a 6- and 8-year old.
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donald949
Jun 2, 2010, 2:31 AM
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Trip Report
Lone Pine - Alabama Hills
Memorial Day Weekend.
No Time Off (almost)
Freeway shutdown
No campsite
No show partner
Noooooo problem
For the last 7 weeks I've been working like a dog, weekends, late nights, what ever. The wife gave me mother's day weekend to go climbing, but I had to work and all my freinds had plans. Mother's Day plans, seriously.
So she gave me Memorial Day Weekend, cool. But I had a hard time getting anyone to commit.
Friday at 1:30 the phone rings and I have to get a valve controller fixed in the field, not good. Just as I thought the whole weekend was going down the krapper, the maintenance guy gets it 4 square and I'm good to go. Only 2 hours late.
I pack the last of my junk, but know I'm forgetting something, oh well. 8 pm, a little late for a 5 hour drive, oh well. I'm so outa here.
Hit the road, making good time, but slam to a total stop at the 91. 30 minutes for 2 miles. This is fun. But it clears and start making good time again. Found out later a tanker truck exploded, and the freeway was shut down all day.
Pull into LP around 1:30, and the camp sites are all filled. Oh, this is going well. Drive down the side road a bit, fold down the seats, throw down the sleeping pad and bag, and crash. Wake up too early, take care of business, and crash some more. Hit the campground one more time, since I'm there, and find one spot. Cept now the campground hosts are grilling me. You take down the tag for this site? No. Are you sure, we had a long term guy in here, wanted to stay through the summer? Nope, the site was empty when I rolled in this morning, no tag, no stuff, no note, no nothing. (and whats with staying in Lone Pine for the summer, it will be over 100 everyday)
After resting and doing a whole lot of nothing most of the day, I decide I need to swing by some of the climbing, see whats up.
There is some climbers on the Sharks Fin, and it on my to do list, so I swing by. Check out the routes, chat about the climbing, watch him pull the entrance move. He offers me a turn on TR. Sure, that would be sweet, so I hop on it. Can't pull the move same as him on the first go, but put my foot a little different and get it to go. I give him a belay in exchange, and his GF is happy, as she is tired of handling the rope. The rock is a bit hard on the hands and fingers.
Just then my coworker shows up. He followed my directions and spotted my car. He had several other plans, but had issues as well, so my offer worked out the best for him. Didn't exept to see him till the next day, if he did make it. We all take another turn at the next route over, I belay in exchange. They move on to another area, we head to camp.
Sunday, the partner that I thought was headed up Sat night, is not around yet, ok maybe later. We take our time and hit the rock about 10. Only problem is its east facing and the sun just blasting the heck out of me. I hope on the Spur on the right side of Tall Wall, meander to the right a little and am chimneying off route, swinging over to clip the bolts. Apparently I'm not the first to do that, others have recorded the same indiscresion in the data base here. I send my freind up to clean the draws, and he stays on route. After resting in the shade, drinking a ton of water, and letting the sun get past the top of the rock, we get on the next route over, Bananarama. Again someone else's rope. Then a third party meanders over looking over whats open. I offer my rope for TR, or pull it so they can lead. Or the other families. After much hemming and hawing, TR or lead, they decide to TR on the others rope. I send my bud up my rope on Tall T a 10b. Which he pulls absolutely flawless. My go was somewhat less impressive, fell after a bit, gave up to call it a day.
My bud heads home, as he has plans for Monday, but still no sign of the other partner.
Monday I break down camp, and decide to scope out a couple more areas of the hills. Not too much happening, very few climbers out. Swing by a new area, The Ghosts, and see a rope on a very shady wall, its backed up against another wall. Sure enough, a couple of guys are hanging out and we get to talking and they offer my a TR on their next climb. Um OK. Leaning Tower of Pizza, very nice and in the shade. Then they're over to DMX Wall and extend the offer to TR. I take pictures, belay, try to be helpfull. We're checking out the guidebook, 44D lists as 5.8, but looks a little blank to me. Dave hops on lead, looking good, move here and there, gets to a rest. Didn't look like a 5.8 to me as he did it, he agrees. We conclude 5.9, I got it on my second go, almost got the first time, rats. Listed here as 10a, though that seams a little high. Give them my two last beers, as I'm going to be driving home. They were cool, cold enough, even thought the last of the ice melted the evening before.
My shoes are ruined, a hole in the middle of the toes. Didn't see that coming. My nose, ears, and arms are fried. Guess I forgot my broad brimmed hat and sunscreen. I had issues just getting into camp. I didn't have an established partner for half the climbing, but had a great weekend. Everyone out there was super friendly, and most generous. I've had people offer TR's before, but this weekend was over the top.
You know who you are, Thank You.
Don
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Gmburns2000
Jun 2, 2010, 1:11 PM
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sometimes the best stuff happens in the midst of the shittiest, eh?
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losbill
Jun 4, 2010, 5:45 PM
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Good karma is a wonderful thing Don!
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donald949
Jun 4, 2010, 9:16 PM
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losbill wrote: Good karma is a wonderful thing Don!
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Gmburns2000
Jun 6, 2010, 1:24 AM
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This is from a couple of weeks ago when John Wesley and I decided to tackle High E at night.
It is located at the climbing.com website, but you can also get to it through my blog, too.
"Five hours later, when we had quit in the afternoon's heat, and after we swam in the chilly pool at Split Rock, we slept in the shade, read in the sun, gazed upon the shivering women who, upon exiting the cold water, were wet and glistening in the sun, and, after we had eaten at the campsite, we headed to do Arrow (5.8) as our warm up to a 5.6 classic just a few minutes down the path. "
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gblauer
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Jun 6, 2010, 2:07 AM
Post #245 of 1159
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woo hoo...proud of myself. I took lots of whips on Double Cluth today. Although I could not reach the horizontal, I took many valiant attempts and an equal number of lead falls. I also decided to lead BB. I was sorely tempted to exit right, but, I stayed with it and ultimately lead the climb without a hang. It took me a bit of time to rachet up for the crux, but, once I started it was all good.
All in all, we had a great day, made it to the truck and the skies opened up. Major downpour.
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Gmburns2000
Jun 6, 2010, 2:14 AM
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gblauer wrote: woo hoo...proud of myself. I took lots of whips on Double Cluth today. Although I could not reach the horizontal, I took many valiant attempts and an equal number of lead falls. I also decided to lead BB. I was sorely tempted to exit right, but, I stayed with it and ultimately lead the climb without a hang. It took me a bit of time to rachet up for the crux, but, once I started it was all good. All in all, we had a great day, made it to the truck and the skies opened up. Major downpour.
I'm blanking, what's BB again?
We had a tornado watch for about two hours here in mid-coast Maine. poured like an SOB.
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gblauer
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Jun 6, 2010, 2:20 AM
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BB is right of Boston in a corner. There is CC and BB. CC is on the left, BB is on the right. It follows a crack to a ceiling and then up to a roof. You clear the roof by traversing and moving around the roof on to the face. It's a fun climb. I seconded it two or three years ago, and today I was feeling adventurous and decided to jump on it.
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Gmburns2000
Jun 6, 2010, 2:05 PM
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gblauer wrote: BB is right of Boston in a corner. There is CC and BB. CC is on the left, BB is on the right. It follows a crack to a ceiling and then up to a roof. You clear the roof by traversing and moving around the roof on to the face. It's a fun climb. I seconded it two or three years ago, and today I was feeling adventurous and decided to jump on it.
not familiar with either of those. once it stops raining I'll have to go out to check the guidebook (it's in the car)
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sethg
Jun 7, 2010, 3:57 PM
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Wish I'd seen you working on Double Clutch, Gail, it's one I've been thinking of trying. I got up to the Gunks both Friday and Saturday and had great, full days despite the debilitating heat. We kept it mostly to 6s and 7s given the enervating weather.
Friday we were in the Nears and did a bunch of great stuff. I was proud of myself leading Up Yours (5.7+)-- like Trapped Like A Rat it has a committing move right off the ground with good pro, and you can clearly see the hold you're supposed to be going for... this time after a couple steps up and down I went right at it. No head games and the rest of the pitch (which gets tricky and pumpy towards the top) was a breeze. I also had a blast leading the awkward misery climb Le Plie; after pulling the crux I couldn't stop laughing, it was so ridiculously awkward. And we did Basking Ridge, a linkup of the great first pitch of Baskerville Terrace and a traverse to the final climb through overhangs on Yellow Ridge. The traverse out and around a corner to join Yellow Ridge is fabulous. Looks intimidating but the moves and pro are great, and then you get the outstanding finale to Yellow Ridge. I think this linkup pitch may be one of my favorite 5.6s in the Gunks, and that's really saying something since there are so many great 5.6 pitches in the Gunks.
Saturday we got a full day in the Trapps. The highlight was Airy Aria. I led the first pitch as one of my first 5.8s last year, but we didn't finish the climb then. This time my partner Vass led P1 and I took P2 and linked it to P3 all the way to the GT ledge. I thought the crux of P2 was short on gear, after the traverse I couldn't find a good placement until the pumpy moves were over and I was well above my gear. Great climbing, though. And we finished with the final pitches of Lisa (5.6+) and Full Face (5.6), which were both pretty neat, if a bit dirty up top.
As I topped out on Full Face and started to set up the belay I sensed the weather had suddenly shifted, looked up and saw the black clouds coming in. I shouted at Vass to get his ass moving but he still climbed the final headwall in a deluge. I think I would've crapped myself if it had come while I was leading, it was so sudden and strong. But Vass made it up and we walked to the High E chains to rap, soaked from head to toe. Our packs and shoes were at the base of Airy Aria, and were still totally dry thanks to the severely overhanging cliff!
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gblauer
Moderator
Jun 7, 2010, 4:19 PM
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Wow, you were on some very nice climbs! COngrats on pulling them off!
I love Airy Aria, but, I haven't lead it. I am eager to lead P1, but, not so sure about P2. I have a lot of small gear to protect the traverse and I do remember a great placement at the open book (low, before you start the moves). I think I will try it next weekend.
I have to try those climbs at the nears.
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