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Sir loin of leisure...
Trad climber
X
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aid climbing is largely gay...anyone can engineer their way up the big stone...free climbing is more proud you send or you don't..aid climbing is stone touring....
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Thay, fella, wanna thpend the night on my ledge?
"anyone can engineer their way up the big stone..."
This would no doubt account for the 40-45%* success rate on Zodiac, one of El Cap's easiest routes.
*My guess with ten or twelve years of fairly continuous observation during wall season. Perhaps Tom Evans can corroborate?
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Are all you guys sure the Dihedral wall belongs well above Mescalito?
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rick d
climber
tucson, az
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sir loin-
oh yes, aid has no place in these days of free climbing (and retro boltin'). we need more free climbin' bolt ladders!
Grossman, I hope that Turning Point (and maybe? False Shield, Charles?) don't get any topos or airtime and are kept as solo ventures to be remembered by those who climbed them with a sly grin only. Thanks for giving me the beta, "all bolts are 3/8" bolts"- it is all we need.
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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I've done a bunch of the routes in your "easy" and "beginning" category, yet Mescalito used to be a notch above. Granted, this was back in the 80's.
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Sir loin of leisure...
Trad climber
X
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aid routes just get easier with each passing...till they are all zodiac....dispute that fact...plus chongo has climbed el cap...I rest my case,,,
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Too true. There are many people who attempt El Cap who really have no business being there. [Edit - I didn't mean Chongo, I meant the 60% who bail, but three posts appeared while I was ranting below]
It's true anyone can engineer their way up El Cap. Anyone with a heart of passion, a desire to suffer with a high pain tolerance, an attitude of determination that lasts for days, anyone with the brain of an engineer and of a problem-solver, someone who doesn't sweat the small stuff and knows how to climb one move at a time without being overwhelmed by the Big Picture, someone who can turn a million complex systems into a few simple ones that work for him, anyone who won't blame his partner for the problems of the team, anyone who can face down his fears under terrifying conditions, anyone who won't bail for anything except a legit reason like injury or extended storm, anyone who doesn't have a boss or wife who will come calling if he up there a bit longer than he expects, anyone who can shift the priorities in his life to have the time and energy and money required, anyone ...
[Edit to Prod below - then you are indeed one of the "anyone" above. Which is more than many who stand on the bridge and gawk can claim. Now the question for you is, "what next and when?"]
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Prod
Trad climber
A place w/o Avitars apparently
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Thanks Pete,
Knock the wind right out of my sails! Zodiac is my only wall. So far.
Prod.
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Sir loin of leisure...
Trad climber
X
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yes, aid climbing requires a certain determination...and I,ve never been nearly as terrified....but still ...
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Pete - That's a rather high bar. You've been up in that snow country a long time. Time to come back to CA.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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It must be the snow, David. Causes you to rant a bit too much. Too bloody right it's time to bail on the Great White North and get my lard-ass down to sunny California. I arrive in Yosemite the night of Tuesday May 19. So see you on the bridge Wednesday morning and on El Cap Wednesday afternoon!
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Nice Pete! I hope to be there. Have plans to go with my son on his first wall. You see now my self interest. I want to hear the Dihedral is easy, really easy. d
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Sir loin of leisure...
Trad climber
X
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the dih.is easy if you have an arsenal of sawed offs...fairly shitty route though....
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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A few sawed-offs and also a bunch of hybrid Aliens will make Dihedral Wall easier, along with the many extra bolts added by Todd Skinner and used by Tommy on his free ascent [Tommy didn't add any].
Unfortunately, they won't make the route any better. I didn't really like the route very much, it's just not that great. There are much better routes on El Cap for sure. What have you done so far? Maybe I can recommend a better route? For instance, in the same area Never Never Land is a hugely better and cleaner route than Dihedral, as long as you don't mind the traversing start which you can bypass after fixing. Send me your email, and I can scan you a copy of my annotated Dr. Piton Super-Duper Beta on Dihedral. [Available for all routes I've done, just bring beer and meet me on the bridge]
I'll have beer. Oh yes. And wine. You would not believe the awesome barbera made in Amador County. Beats the snot out of the stuff the Eye-talians make up on the Piedmont. BITD the French used to make fun of the Aussies, and now look how it is.
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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So guys, which is the route to do? Back in the 80's i did the normal routes progressing through to the trip ( with eric brand ). We didn't take falls and we drank king cobras in the evening - some things haven't changed. Now I'm looking for a good adventure nail up requiring ledges and a full engagement with the wall. Vertical camping without needing a heat sealed copy of the Dalai Lama's portrait in my right pocket - which route?
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