mazzystr
Mar 1, 2004, 2:19 PM
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Registered: Jan 8, 2003
Posts: 450
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Yay! My first trip report! Saturday, we made our first trip of the season to the Ledges. The ledges is a westward facing crag of sandstone located about 15feet from the Grand River in mid-southern Michigan. Its proximity to the river as well as the westwardness of the crag keeps the sandstone nice and moist for most of the day. YAY! from natural springs starting from about 3feet up the crag to a muddy approach makes for an icky crag. Neeevertheless! the first 65degree sunny day of the season made for a fabulous day at the crag. there were about 15 other people present. the sense of community shared by everyone amazed me. being the crag is only 40feet tall by about 200feet wide, anchors and ropes are set once on top rope then shared amongst everyone as long as you ask for quick permission. everyone remains friendly with the cramped situation. This was one friends first time touching real rock and he did quite well. he weas amazed at how different it was from gym climbing. My regular partner has touched limestone and enjoyed the sandstone much more despite the slimy conditions. Myself, I love the Ledges. I dont care about getting dirty as can be or getting equip dirty. I feel more at home there than at my real house! Routes I completed were Potato Chips(5.7), The Ultimate Bushwack (5.4), and Three Mules(5.9+). Potato Chips is a very popular route at the Ledges. The Bushwack is a simple route with nice leg and arm crossovers. I attempted Dougs Roof (5.10 overhang)and was able to make it about 3/4 the way up. the crux is a dynamic move to a horn then a bump to another horn then another long reach to the left to a 3" ledge. its nasty. i made the horn then the bump but didnt have the juice to hit the ledge. it was fun though. Three Mules (5.9+) is another vicious route. starts out as a v1+ boulder route, traverses 15feet to the left along a thin ledge, then up to the finish. You are off belay until you get under the anchor. popping off at the start or traverse sends you into a huge pendulum. Fortunately, I made it. My partner didnt want to attempt it lest popping off and twisting an ankle. Other highlights were getting to know one of the local gurus and getting a great instruction on acceptable anchor setup for the Ledges, meeting and climbing with other climbers, the beeeee-autiful day, oh yea and the frieght train that went by every 20minutes on the dime *grin* So on this monday morning, I feel like I been hit by a bus, still. The fingers that were a bloody mess on saturday have healed somewhat and I have a huge smile on my face. :) take care, -Chris
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