Stick clips replacing leading

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GDavis

Social climber

SOL CAL

Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 10, 2016 - 03:52pm PT

I was at Clark Canyon for the fourth (my bad) and witnessed a subtle change, something I hadn't seen much before but was in full swing.

People just stick clip up sh#t now. They got these light weight stick clips they clip to their harness and go bolt-to-bolt up to the chains, lower, high-5, then let their girlfriend toprope it while she pelts him with compliments about how hard the 'climbing' was.

Sounds great, really. I hate leading and rock climbing. Wouldn't it be great if we could just topropelead everything? Could be a new style. Topleading.

I'm going to get one of those robot arms so I can place cams with it, gotta send Insomnia baby!

(it wasn't locker)

jeff constine

Trad climber

Ao Namao

Jul 10, 2016 - 04:07pm PT

Don't go where the Kooks go, find your own places, like I do, you will never see one again., Clark was nice in the early 90's..Now it's like THE GYM.

GDavis

Social climber

SOL CAL

Topic Author's Reply - Jul 10, 2016 - 04:10pm PT

I'd never been to Clark before, it's pretty sweet. I think I'll go mid-week next time, hah.

nathanael

climber

Jul 10, 2016 - 04:10pm PT

Actually not sure if you realized, but toproping is harder than leading. Because you swing out on overhangs. That's what I've been told, anyways.

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Jul 10, 2016 - 04:17pm PT

If they make those things 600 ft. Long they can use them in the Black Canyon....sure would take the R/X out of climbs.

jeff constine

Trad climber

Ao Namao

Jul 10, 2016 - 04:18pm PT

I had the place to myself. FOR YEARS ha! Did ALL the routes 10x's over. Done, but have fun anyway GD.

overwatch

climber

Arizona

Jul 10, 2016 - 04:18pm PT

If it required a 600 foot stick clip to get past the R or X section I think it goes way beyond R or X don't you. Wouldn't a hundred feet be sufficient?

Mr. Constine where is that last picture or is it a secret? Looks like nice rock

vvvvvvv Mr. Donini, copy your meaning now, tha Black has always been a pants filling fascination to me but have still yet to go.

I think I still got it in me, just gotta do it

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Jul 10, 2016 - 04:25pm PT

Unfortunately on some routes there it's 600 ft. Between bolts. Okay a 300 ft. stick will work on most routes.

jeff constine

Trad climber

Ao Namao

Jul 10, 2016 - 04:32pm PT

Secret spot for now. Levy on belay THE REAL Mister E on lead Erik Erickson, not Mister E/Wolfie. lol

Matt's

climber

Jul 10, 2016 - 05:45pm PT

Stick clips aren't going to replace leading, it will be drones that set up the top rope for you...

ionlyski

Trad climber

Kalispell, Montana

Jul 10, 2016 - 09:27pm PT

I was ranting about this many years ago here about stick clip use at Smith but nobody seemed to care. I saw them in use on multi pitch routes (yes Smith has a few). You described it perfectly. I think it sucks and I think you should give people that use them in that manner sh#t for doing so.

Does it affect me? I don't know; It changes the grade though.

Arne

August West

Trad climber

Where the wind blows strange

Jul 10, 2016 - 11:17pm PT

If climbers BITD could have outlawed TRing and hang dogging they would have.
Instead they had to be consoled with bolt wars.

healyje

Trad climber

Portland, Oregon

Jul 10, 2016 - 11:30pm PT

Actually not sure if you realized, but toproping is harder than leading. Because you swing out on overhangs. That's what I've been told, anyways.

Sigh. That was TR'ing overhanging lines is harder than dogging up them on bolts. And not because you're either climbing or flying, which you are, but rather because you have to workout the moves while actually climbing. This came up on a nine page MP thread on stick clipping where someone claimed it's not safe to TR an overhanging route. Clearly another good reason to take down the alcove swing.

Only a matter of time before they all go spring-loaded carbon fiber...

madbolter1

Big Wall climber

Denver, CO

Jul 11, 2016 - 08:01am PT

Seriously, why do we care?

If they are not altering the nature of the route, then who cares what grade a particular team experiences or even how "hard" they say they can climb?

We know the real story of our own partners and the experiences we're seeking. That's enough, eh?

Coach37

Social climber

Philly

Jul 11, 2016 - 08:18am PT

One year in the mid 90s, I spent most of the spring season climbing around SLC. American Fork was popular at the time, and one day at the Hell Cave, I ran into a guy and his French girlfriend trying some of the really hard routes (Ice Cream, 14c and one of the 13+) at the cave.

Both of them were stick clipping their way up the routes, working moves on TR, then pulling up to the bolt and sticking into the next bolt. I'd seen a stick used for clipping high first bolts ala Smith Rock, and at places with poorly located second bolts with deck potential. But I'd never seen it used to actually ascend the route and get a TR all the way up it.

It was smart, and obvious. But at the time I'd never seen anyone do it. I probably learned more about redpointing in about an hour of watching those two, than in the five years before.

I guess the bigger question is why anyone cares how someone else climbs if they are not altering the rock or protection?

Gary

Social climber

Where in the hell is Major Kong?

Jul 11, 2016 - 08:28am PT

The nice thing about Josh is that I don't need a stick. I just hail a passing boulderer, give them a cam and they run up and put the first piece in for me. Youngsters nowadays are always willing to help out an old guy.

Mike Friedrichs

Sport climber

City of Salt

Jul 11, 2016 - 08:34am PT

I guess the bigger question is why anyone cares how someone else climbs if they are not altering the rock or protection?

Exactly. It's amazing how much you guys seem to get worked up about how everyone else is climbing. I could care less. Oh, and I have a stick clip.

Bad Climber

Trad climber

The Lawless Border Regions

Jul 11, 2016 - 09:11am PT

Big fan of the ol' stick clip for what Coach 37 says:

I'd seen a stick used for clipping high first bolts ala Smith Rock, and at places with poorly located second bolts with deck potential.

I briefly considered hauling up the stick from below on a route several bolts up when I realized the crux clip had ledge-out potential--grrrrr.... I didn't, but, man, the ankle-busting ledge sure had me working hard NOT to blow the clip.

@Cosmic: You're my hero!

BAD