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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Feb 16, 2012 - 07:54pm PT
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Are you suggesting that we should pour cold water on it? That's probably more typical of Squamish anyway.
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hamish f
climber
squamish
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Feb 16, 2012 - 09:03pm PT
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Now I'm rolling with this supertopo stuff; I'll thoroughly embarass myself all in a couple weeks. Surely, Anders, you know exactly where that old photo is taken? Start of the tough pitch.
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MH2
climber
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Feb 16, 2012 - 10:19pm PT
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we can charge up there after work and run laps with a soloist
Thank you, thank you for attempting to normalize such dubious style. It is exactly what I was thinking. What sort of beer do you favor?
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Feb 16, 2012 - 10:50pm PT
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Mighty
HF is correct. Jim is starting the final headwall section. He is still below the little pedestal. This is where Big Mike got cluster-fooked on the w/e. Sorry I assumed, wrongly as usual, that everyone would recognize those twin cracks.
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Relic
Social climber
Vancouver, BC
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Feb 17, 2012 - 01:57am PT
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Bmacd, stop. Put away your blow socks, it's only a fib.
That would be quite the epic line though.
Hamish F. It would be cool to hear the story of Genus Loci. Thar is a sick line. The lower slabs make me want to cry cuz I'm scared.
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TheSoloClimber
Trad climber
Vancouver
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Feb 17, 2012 - 02:06am PT
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For those of you who are keen, I'm looking to (possibly with help) re-buff those three routes again this spring
I was planning on giving at least one of them a bit of a scrub at some point this spring for the point of top rope soloing it..... Nice to know I'm not the only one. Let me know when you plan on doing it, and I'll see if I can make it up and lend a hand.
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bmacd
Mountain climber
100% Canadian
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Feb 17, 2012 - 04:13am PT
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Wall of Attrition is really good ...
Also the crack systems on the Drifters headwall are prime targets yet to bag the second ascent. I remember Robin working on Ghost Dancing. Symmetry Pillar does need a bolt ladder to be established. Still some fine pieces of art left on the Chief everywhere. Lots of potential in that U-Wall area for the current local talent.
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TheSoloClimber
Trad climber
Vancouver
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Feb 17, 2012 - 08:58am PT
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I heard that Wall of Attrition was called Wall of Nutrition by some people due to the oatmeal like consistency of the rock...... That might have been posted on Squamish Climbing actually.
And Relic, the three routes being referred to are those .12- cracks up to the right of the Buttress crux pitch.
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Relic
Social climber
Vancouver, BC
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Feb 17, 2012 - 10:09am PT
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I have not done the upper pitches of Wall of Attrition, only the lower part including the long corner system. Back in around '96 I think, we did it pulling on the pins style. I don't think that lower pitch was freed back then. The memorable pitch for sure was that long corner with the undercling finish. I've read horror stories about the upper pitches, but maybe they just need some vigorous scouring?
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hamish f
climber
squamish
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Feb 17, 2012 - 10:35am PT
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I would like to type in a genus-loci story but that route is 5 pitches and we were (of course) bolting on lead. We did rap the majority of the pitches to scrub them but this seemed unavoidable. We wanted the big adventure, John Bachar-style. Needless to say, all those guys like Gordie Smail, Niel Bennet, etc. had put up the Squamish test pieces in ethical style; out there bolting on lead in their Robbins boots. There's no way we ever would have done anything to belittle their amazing efforts. Of course it felt a little like cheating to be hanging there scrubbing. Usually we'd be in our runners and we'd make an effort NOT to be working out the moves in any way. Unfortunately the moss and lichen weren't coming off on their own. In fact, on two of the pitches (that's 40%), we went a different way (than we had scrubbed), once we were actually out there, leading and being terrified. The final pitch was as good as it gets... no rapping, no scrubbing, first try; nice, clean granite. So that route took a lot of effort and I'd have a tough time keeping it short. I really don't want to bore anyone to death or make them wish I never wrote into supertopo. Maybe a compromise; I could write a little story about one of the pitches and see how that goes over. If everyone yawns and starts checking when the next Canucks game is, we'll call it good. How's that sound?
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sac
Trad climber
Sun Coast B.C.
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Feb 17, 2012 - 10:57am PT
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BRING IT!!
These kind of stories are what I enjoy most about this place!
The historical threads are great.
As for "Wall of Nutrition", I always called it that, didn't know why... thought I made it up! I have reccommended this route to many, minus the Upper Pitches. It's a great outing, in a cool place. The 11 + bit is short and well protected. Bet it's a candidate for a retro fit, that route. (B anchors).
Cheers!
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MH2
climber
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Feb 17, 2012 - 12:50pm PT
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I for one am super-interested in the story of Genius Loci. Catalan and I only knew it as a route in the guide and a picture of gf on p4 in Canadian Geographic back when it took the piss out of us. It was a very good feeling, though.
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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Feb 17, 2012 - 02:01pm PT
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Go for it Hamish. Almost everyone here likes to hear FA stories like those.
As for the name Heatwave, It came from an uncharacteristically long bout of dry weather that summer. I was barely working and remember waking up to day after day of bluebird skies and 25-30 degree celcius temps. (that's hot for you yanks) I think there was about six and a half weeks without precip between mid July and the end of August. We don't usually have to take rest days because of being climbed out, the weather usually just supplies plenty of them. I have a funny note in an old logbook remarking on how after ten straight days of climbing I just had to take a break because strange things were beginning to hurt.
That's when I scrubbed that line, got my ass handed to me on it, then gave it to Hamish, who climbed it with GF and others the following week. The night after giving it my best shot, I awoke in agony to both forearms cramping simultaneously. Curl your fingertips down to your wrists until it cramps for a fun experiment. It was the only time I've ever had that happen.
They were so excited about it that Hamish went back with the Gambler (John Rosholt) and scrubbed the other two lines. I believe the attempted use of a wire wheel in a cordless drill led to the name Progress Can't Wait. Gemini was in remark to the beautiful twin cracks on the right which you had to switch between half way up.
Progress Can't Wait is the crack branching off from the Buttress crux pitch 15' up. It's the one just to the left of the dead tree in the photo. Heatwave is the next one to the right with the person sitting at the top. The thin crack in between would be VERY hard, if possible at all. The top of the two Gemini cracks are just visible to the right. It starts on the right one, and finishes on the left one.
Well, if you like free beer, and you like scrubbing, just come down to Seattle for a visit. We'll provide the beer, and lead you to the scrubbing.
Thanks for the offer, but I've got my hands full with the jungle up here!
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MH2
climber
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Feb 17, 2012 - 02:57pm PT
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Another story of Progress Can't Wait is that during the scrubbing the queue at the base of the 10c complained about bits of lichen and all coming down on their heads, and John Rosholt replied, "Progress can't wait."
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Feb 17, 2012 - 04:37pm PT
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A group of us went for a beer after Tami's presentation at VIMFF last night. Jim Brennan, gf, bmacd, MH, tami, Tami's husband and daughter, and Big Mike and wife. Big Mike is indeed big - as in, well over 2 m tall, or about 6'7" in American. The kid cormier was at the show, but couldn't go out afterward.
Photo later, perhaps.
And, speaking of new lines, not long ago we did the outside edge of the Split Pillar. An intriguing, balancy layaway climb. As with the gritstone edges, protected by gear in the cracks to each side, with double ropes. So there's no bolts or anything.
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TheSoloClimber
Trad climber
Vancouver
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Feb 17, 2012 - 05:27pm PT
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Another vote for a GL series of posts.
This ^^^
Also, wish I could have made it up the the party last night, but had to work fairly early this morning, and it just wouldn't have been reasonable. Was it good? I hope to make it out to the final night tomorrow.
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Relic
Social climber
Vancouver, BC
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Feb 17, 2012 - 08:31pm PT
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Ah crap. I'm sorry I missed Tami's show. I totally spaced on it. I'm downtown so there's no real excuse except blaming Big Mike for not reminding me! I like beer too. Damn.
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