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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Feb 22, 2010 - 01:25pm PT
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seriously good photo
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jsj
climber
Boulder
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Feb 22, 2010 - 01:32pm PT
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Regarding free climbing, here's some of my opinions:
First, I haven't done the Huber Hedral, and almost everyone I know does the Higbee Hedral. Like Largo said, it's a short boulder problem in a corner. Stemming to a mantle basically, right off the belay. If you blow it you can lower to the belay and try it again no problem. I'll note that the pitch leading up to it involves a kinda scary move protected by (currently) a really awful 1/4 inch bolt. This is probably an 11a/b balance move. Replacing this bolt would be really nice. After this move there is a section of burly wideness... we didn't have a big cam (#4 Camalot), and because of this the section was scary. Prolly no more than Valley 5.9 but still. That said, I wouldn't bring a big cam on the route.
Second, don't do the circuitous 5.10 free variation. What a pile! Seriously, WHAT A PILE. Do the 5.12 Wilder variation, or, if that's over your head, dog it, french free it, or just do the standard bolt ladder.
Third, yes, only one of the zig-zags is really that hard. Unfortunately when I did it I accidentally went up the 5.12c way instead of the 5.11d/5.12a way for the crux zig-zag and actually found it not too bad. I thought it was 12a. So I'm speculating the 11d/12a is even easier.
Fourth, the slab is pretty hard at the end of the day. But definitely 5.11 no worse.
Finally, on gear: We brought a single set from blue alien to blue camalot, with doubles in 0.75, #1, #2 Camalots. Wires. Lots of draws. This rack worked pretty well - I wouldn't add anything, probably could skip some of the doubles next time. Don't skimp on draws though - the route is heavily fixed with various aid paraphernalia.
I think the route is great and to call it chossy or a pile is only relative to, say, the Cookie Cliff. Compared to typical Rocky Mountain National Park alpine routes, stuff like that, it is a classic, beautiful rock climb. Everything from the chimneys on up is great.
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Impaler
Trad climber
Munich
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Feb 23, 2010 - 03:31am PT
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JSJ, thanks a lot for the beta! That's exactly what I wanted to see!
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altieboo
Boulder climber
Livermore, Ca
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Feb 23, 2010 - 03:54am PT
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Thanks JsJ for getting the psyche on more!
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squatch
Boulder climber
santa cruz, CA
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Feb 23, 2010 - 09:51pm PT
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funny to see the timeline on this thread.
and that last video... yeah pretty much mindblowing.
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Mimi
climber
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Feb 23, 2010 - 10:21pm PT
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Travis, but now you are one of the few that have walked it. Yeehaw!
I had to drop and hand traverse. Still spectacular though as the pic above shows.
The zigs were coated with dust and grit and would've been sketch freeing them. Do the rains up there usually wash that much sand down? Never did ask anyone that BITD.
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jsj
climber
Boulder
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Feb 24, 2010 - 03:48am PT
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I think I'll also use this opportunity for some unsolicited ranting:
If you're one of the pathetic aid climbers who thinks you're doing someone a favor by leaving a 2 liter bottle of water wedged down in the chimney by Big Sandy, or by pissing or shitting on that ledge... You suck. I mean talk about lazy. You're hauling anyway... Can't you dump your nasty water and carry an empty bottle 6 more pitches to the top? Don't piss down cracks or on ledges, piss over the face. Carry your sh#t out. Carry your TP out. If you forgot your TP and decided to use your boxer shorts, carry them out. If you can't manage this, then wear a diaper when you climb and don't take it off until you're back at camp.
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Impaler
Trad climber
Munich
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Feb 24, 2010 - 08:42am PT
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jsj, unfortunately, the people who would read your rant probably don't do that kind of stuff anyway. I can imagine that euros come to do this route and the ethics are completely different for them. These people don't respect their own rocks and you can tell that from all the cigarette butts stuck all over the crack in the Dolomites.
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Last clip of Lichen Lunch
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Feb 24, 2010 - 08:48am PT
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Word. I'm a pathetic aid climber(Haha!), & I don't sheet or pizz on yer ledges, nor stick butts in cracks. Yeah, I don't leave a jug, either, unless there's a following party suckin' hind tit behind me.
Haulin' it out over here, boss.
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TomKimbrough
Social climber
Salt Lake City
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Feb 24, 2010 - 10:30am PT
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Barb Eastman walked TGL when she and Molly Higgins did HD in '76 (?)(maybe 1st all female ascent? Bev J and someone may have done it before them.)
Barb said she didn't know to crawl but got out there on her feet and couldn't get back or down. She considered jumping but kept edging along and finally it got better.
She said it was one of the dumbest things she ever did.
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