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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Aug 26, 2014 - 05:06pm PT
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nice fun moderate slab dome.
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WyoRockMan
climber
Flank of the Big Horns
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Aug 26, 2014 - 10:42pm PT
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Got in a few pitches of dolomite goodness at Steamboat Point.
Playing hooky from work is SO satisfying.
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thebravecowboy
climber
strugglin' to make time to climb
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Aug 26, 2014 - 11:29pm PT
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nice looking crag Rockman
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KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
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Aug 27, 2014 - 06:26am PT
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South Mt. Kielforth.
This is the summit of the Buttermilks...damned if I know where N. Mt. Kielforth is!
Off the couch – literally; out the front door, via mtn bike, up to the Peabodies, up and over “Freedom of Choice,” buttermilking (random wandering) up the eastern exposure then descending the west.
Returned to the couch w/ a nice 5 mile cruise, which ends with a couple miles of very sporty single track.
About 4 hrs, couch-to-couch.
“I understand.
I just don't care.”
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 27, 2014 - 08:55am PT
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Sometimes those ghosts can be overwhelming. A couple times I have had epics climbing where I have done carry outs, etc. After Carol's fall, Tangerine Trip will never be just a climb.
However, there is a catharsis, if that word is positive enough for what I mean, with taking a tin of Blitzo ( the friendly ghost) with me to the crags. He had his eyes open, was interested in what other people were doing and, though cynical at times, saw things in a positive light. Wherever I am, whatever adventure I'm doing, I can take billy out and imagine talking with him about what I'm doing, and think about what fun it would be to share 'this' moment, whatever it is, with him. And then I think about how good it is to have had a friend whose nature was such that it Instills you with that kind of positive energy, even after their passing.
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Leggs
Sport climber
Made in California
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Aug 27, 2014 - 08:57am PT
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*Locker, thinking of you... ~peaceful thoughts your way.
*Jaybro... what you wrote is beautiful.
~
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KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
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Aug 27, 2014 - 10:23am PT
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Hmm, thanks for twisting my arm Ojai-
So, BITD, we were still living down in town, over near the Fairgrounds. J decides to drive our new baby daughter over to Grandmother's home in SF, and so I'm at loose ends with a few days available for a quick Sierra trip, but only our other beater to make any available trailhead.
First, I try the veedub Squareback. Doesn't even make it to the end of the block. (We actually ended up selling it at a yardsale later)
Next up is our road bike, a used Univega, or some damn thing. The plan is to head up to the Pine Creek trailhead, overnight there, and walk out the Pass. In the heroic mold of those Depression-era German climbers, bicycling up to the suicide climbs of the Kaisergebirge, mind you.
A flat this side of Millpond stalls out this plan, but only temporarily. 5 miles back into Bishop, riding on the rim, and we rent a mtn bike, right?
At this point, I'm beginning to feel like a Pony Express rider whose mounts keep dying out from under him, but, Rome wasn't built in a day (they're still working on it!), tenacity and other sense of purpose shall persevere. So, the well named “Windy Pass” sleeping bag is re-tied to the bike seat stem, and Off we go into the late afternoon sun.
Not much of a Roadie. Actually, I hate bicycling on car-accessible roadways, but we haven't a car, we do have a mountain to climb, and this is how we are going to get there.
I'd never noticed the climb before, for the good reason that I'd never attempted Pine Creek Rd self powered before, but when I finally got within sight of Pratt's Crack, it seemed as though I was holding a level sightline to the top of Sherwin Grade. Somewhat lower down the climb I'd made the depressing discovery. As the grade kicked up, I'm all, okay, time to shift her into compound low. Unfortunately, I WAS already in low! The rental wasn't some 21-speed bike...it was just a 5 speedo!
As the transportation had changed, so too had the objective. From Pine Creek, 7,000', the old Union Carbide road up to the Morgan Pass, 12,000', is all on privately owned lands, and so is consequently excluded from Wilderness and its bothersome restrictions.
Morgan Pass, as it happens, is a really terrible mountain bike ride. Pretty rough, rocks everywhere. Or maybe it was just that cheap rental bike,passed off as a “Mountain Bike.” It wasn't too long into the downhill that some of the most unessential of nuts and bolts began dropping off its undercarriage, raising no particular sense of alarm since we continued our downhill trajectory without them, even as more and more of the bike began to disintegrate, with still quite some ground remaining to pavement. Then the haul back to our fair village.
The rental bike wasn't new when I picked it up, and so I had no qualms of conscious when I returned it, now barely ridable.
I understand.
I just don't care.
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Andy Fielding
Trad climber
UK
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Aug 29, 2014 - 12:43pm PT
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It was last Sunday but I figure that's close enough to today.
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WyoRockMan
climber
Flank of the Big Horns
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Aug 29, 2014 - 02:18pm PT
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Climbed onto the throne after Round 2 of the annual Flathead Cleanse.
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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Aug 29, 2014 - 02:55pm PT
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Gritstone routes are sick (I mean that in a good way)
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WyoRockMan
climber
Flank of the Big Horns
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Aug 29, 2014 - 02:58pm PT
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"Cherries Jubaleeeeeee!!!"
One of my co-workers yelled across the building, "What the fvck are those jungle noises?"
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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I'd only climbed once in the past two months, choosing instead to spend time with my family.
My sister passed away a week ago and yesterday was my first chance for some mountain therapy.
My partner and I decided to finally do an unclimbed line we'd looked at before.
"Heavens To Betsy"
3 pitches, 300ft.
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Leggs
Sport climber
Made in California
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"Heavens To Betsy"
When you sent me that text from the mt. I nearly cried.
So happy for you, Jefe. Being on rock and in the back country is some of the best therapy ever.
~x
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thebravecowboy
climber
strugglin' to make time to climb
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Stunner Jefe! Happy to see you are getting what you need, and honoring your loved one.
NW butt Gray Rock, for the first time, with myself and my tennis shoes via the long way in 2:26.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Took a ride on the one armed bandit
Phil on Slot Machine 5.8
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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Jefe, I am so sorry for your loss. I wish you could feel the heartfelt emotion behind those typed words, which look so shallow just sitting on the screen.
Your route is a beautiful tribute.
Phyl
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Thank you Phyl, I CAN feel it. The love and support of my E friends has helped me a lot (thanks locker) (thanks bravecowboy).
Leggs and other loved ones have really been there for me and my fam.
This was the first time in a long time that I didn't struggle with climbing being a selfish endeavor, and remembered how healing it can be.
My partner was pretty understanding when I cried my eyes out at the second belay.
Here's the view from the belay, overlooking my hometown.
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Hoffman's Thumb:
Edit: Jefe man, I'm sorry for the circumstances but glad to see you're out there. I was just explaining to my kids today, from their newfound perspective of mountain adventures, that being out in nature is my way of going to church, to recharge my soul, to deal with the stuff of life and be able to come back to be the happy person I want to be, to treat other people well, and to just embrace life more.
It's cool you are able to do this in a way that honors and memorializes a person you care very deeply for.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Sorry for your loss Jefe. Glad you were able to find some peace.
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