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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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On a hot summer day in the early 70s, I was cooling my heels waiting for my party to lead the second pitch. I wasn't belaying, and I was bored.
On a whim, I started chimney climbing the slab. The standard trick, as noted, is try to push your hand out and scare the crap out of someone on the 'right' side of the rock. However, rather than stay close to the crack, I angled up toward the base of the last pitch. I figured I could always chimney down if it got too narrow.
It is long, dark, and at places tight. I came out in the spacious tunnel that connects the right and left sides of the last pitch. I also have to go sideways at different places and work around chock stones. I found old slings on the tops of some of chockstones that had fallen off as someone chimneyed through the tunnel at the base of the last pitch.
There was enough light to dimly make out the chockstones. A headlight would be useful, but a helmet would definitely limit your progress. I don't think you could fall out, so the only reason to trail a rope is so that someone can find your decaying body.
I cannot say that I recommend this as a climb, but if you wiggle up inside Reeds, and meet your party on the main ledge, you will never be afraid of getting stuck in one of Harding's horror shows.
Karl, I know that we have discussed this before, but I don't remember the outcome: when you climbed DEER did you exist somewhere on the main ledge? Is there another way out the top besides the tunnel behind the last pitch?
I don't remember ever climbing the last pitch.
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scuffy b
climber
Whuttiz that Monstrosicos Inferno?
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The other day I started on the Left, and after the easy climbing to gain the chimney, proceeded up, over and down to the top of the first pitch of
the Direct. It gets dark in there, all right.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Probably early 80s, but only the first two pitches. I know this is considered blasphemy, but I always thought that second pitch was overrated.
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426
climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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By Godfrey, i guess I better get the whiteout. Herbs said it counts, I should have insisted on grinding P3.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2009 - 06:45pm PT
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Scuffy's a badass....
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scuffy b
climber
Whuttiz that Monstrosicos Inferno?
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not so. The pitch is very well protected.
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MH2
climber
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Poor little famous roadside climb.
I'm sure I would have really dug it if its reputation had not preceded it.
The other guy had done the direct finish, so he squeezed through to the other side but scraped his camera off in the process, necessitating a visit to the Left Side, next. When we walked up to that thing my veneer of condescension peeled off.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Scuffy, if you're in Josh this year we should do some routes. Eat turkey, climb, etc....
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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The Lunatic Fringe can be heard from space, too!
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rockermike
Trad climber
Berkeley
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OK, I've never done last pitch. But some of you guys say its NTB. ? How would it compare to left side of Moby Dick for example(which I've done and didn't like - ha), just for comparison.
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Patrick Oliver
Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Left Side of Moby Dick is long but has no one move very difficult,
more of an endurance, with a lot of variety of chimney, stem, squeeze
things. The Right Side of Reeds is much more advanced, in terms of
being an off-width and requiring some true Yosemite crack technique,
it seems. Both, I guess, are 5.10, but I always though Righ Side was
more difficult.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 4, 2009 - 01:07am PT
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Scuffy IS badass!!!111
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 3, 2010 - 10:11pm PT
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2nd pitch is crux, by a mile! At least....
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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2009, Led P1, struggled up P2, and decided to pass on P3...here I am struggling on P2
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Aug 14, 2014 - 03:57pm PT
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I like that big Happy Face, TuolumneTradster!^^^^
In 1986 I climbed with Kelly Laakso. We climbed only the first two pitches of the 3D and called it a day.
I led them both, I think. The first is one of my all-time favorite pitches.
This was the one and only time that I led P2.
I shot these last June from the road.
I haven't a shot of P1 as I was just passin' thru.
I didn't want to hike to the base and there were no vantage points from the road for the trees.
Trees in the way of a shot is known as 'Tom Evans Syndrome.'
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Aug 14, 2014 - 04:46pm PT
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Did it again last year....the last pitch is classic!
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scuffy b
climber
heading slowly NNW
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Aug 14, 2014 - 04:53pm PT
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Did you think it was about the same difficulty as the 2nd pitch?
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Aug 14, 2014 - 05:20pm PT
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Last time I did it, I think I led all 3 pitches in about 2011 or 2012 or so. P3 is definitely a step up from P2. In the beginning, it is not too hard but scary because of potential fall into the abyss with crappy/no pro. I remember applying way more pressure than necessary on the back/knee moves out of fear, and then getting out of that to a stem and transition to just the one wall was committing. Then at the top it gets more technical than anything on P2, but fortunately the pro is good at that point.
Edit: I thought I found a picture of it, but this doesn't look quite right... if this is not P3 of Reed's Direct, what is this? Could it be something like Harding Chimney at Sugarloaf?
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