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thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
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Feb 26, 2014 - 12:27pm PT
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You're supposed to Aid stuff you cant free climb...
D'OH!
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Feb 26, 2014 - 12:58pm PT
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Hehe I just thought about how many placements u would need on clean starts mike since u can almost reach the top from the ground.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 26, 2014 - 01:07pm PT
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Really Luke?? Oh sh!t! I been doing it all wrong! Lol
Ryan it was five. Should been four but i used and extra one at the bottom for safety's sake
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Feb 26, 2014 - 11:04pm PT
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You should practice clean-aiding King of Rock, at least that has a couple hook moves and stuff.
EDIT: maybe not if you are Big Mike size though, you can topstep and reach past just about anything right?
The Human Cheater Stick
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Feb 27, 2014 - 12:07am PT
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Gotta be about a million pitches to practice aiding on at Squish. And yes, some of them are longer than five placements -- even for you.
I think you should wait until the weekend, and if the weather is good, set yourself up for the day on Exasperator. That should piss off about 300 people.
But seriously, there really are endless things to practice aiding on. Try Rutabaga. Or Mushroom. Or anything at Octopus' Garden.
And what is all this aid practice for, anyway? Should I be thinking about getting you a hammer for christmas? All this sh#t with cams and hooks and wires and who knows what else fancy-ass modern crap isn't aid. Real aid requires a hammer. And gigantic forearms.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Feb 27, 2014 - 12:24am PT
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Yeah Mike, Ghost brings a good point. I mean we got your back no matter what, but it is kind of disconcerting that you just got back into fighting form & now you got the Aids. Don't fret tho, there's a cure up at cheakamus. Just have to visit there a few times & before you know it you'll be all better. I've also heard of people being healed at Skaha by going on a retreat there with nothing but a 70m rope, harness, grigri2 and 18 quickdraws :-)
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Feb 27, 2014 - 03:06am PT
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Hey Mike, are there still areas where you can whack pins and not feel the heat? I'll show you everything I learned from Daryl about pin stacking. Not as good as the Master himself, but it got me up the Trip and Mescalito pre-cams. Actually, I think some of your local contacts from that era also have the necessary skills. Come on boys, give 'im some juice.
Snicker, snicker.
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Feb 27, 2014 - 02:52pm PT
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There are still a zillion unclimbed cracks around Squamish you can nail in, but by the time you clean all the dirt and trees out to figure what size pin goes in you may as well just free it.
Many years ago I was practice solo-aiding some dirty roadside crack off Hwy 7 near Hope and zipper groundfell from the 4th piece. Ping, ping, ping, dirt. Shoulda cleaned the crack better, all the pins were slightly undersized but seated in just enough mud so they looked and bounced like they were solid.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 27, 2014 - 03:16pm PT
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Yeah Mike, Ghost brings a good point. I mean we got your back no matter what, but it is kind of disconcerting that you just got back into fighting form & now you got the Aids.
Lol.. You know the deal Ryan but thanks for the excellent segue! Lol
I'm getting my C1/C2/hauling game in order for this nefarious plan I've hatched with the taco poet to climb the nose. I've also been advised by the kid that climbing with weirdos from the internet can be bad news, so i'm trying to meet up with him for some single pitch action long before we head to the valley. :)
Wayno! Yes as Drew says. I'm sure we can find a nice boulder or something to practice on!
I got out again yesterday and met up with Kyle. He patiently belayed me on another clean starts lap (centre crack this time). The reason i like clean starts so much right now it because it's super close to the truck, and carrying a lead line and a tagline plus gear and haulbag is still a little challenging.. Lol
Then i put all my aid crap away and we went and climbed Mosquito and Flemish as one pitch.
Kyle floated s&m
And i somehow managed it clean! I was pretty stoked.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Feb 27, 2014 - 08:20pm PT
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Feb 27, 2014 - 08:37pm PT
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Nice big mike.
I totally lurk on this thread. I love granite and Squamish has been on my list for like 20 years.
Question.
With a one week window for climbing, when would be the best time to visit?
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Feb 27, 2014 - 08:58pm PT
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Jefe, anytime from Mid July-mid Sept but I would say for a sure thing with a mellow scene the week after Labor Day. You can stay at my place, all you need is shoes & harness, bring the dog too if it is logistically possible. You are all set, pull the trigger whenever you're ready.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Feb 27, 2014 - 10:37pm PT
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With a one week window for climbing, when would be the best time to visit?
First week of September. More or less.
Edit: Best to leave it until after the labor day holiday -- Squamish does get crowded.
Oh, and make sure you let us all know your dates well in advance. It'd be good to meet you.
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Feb 28, 2014 - 02:11pm PT
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RyanD what crag is that in your last pic - is it the thing down and right of Tunnel Rock or something? Looks oddly familiar but I can't quite place it.
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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Don't get too close to the bars of the dragon's cage. He can still reach through the gaps with his claws. (At least that's what I tell my six year-old)
K
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2014 - 06:25pm PT
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Jefe, I think Ghost is right. September is probably your best bet!
That's pretty cool that Ryan offered to put you up I would take him up on it. Him and his lady are super cool and it's a stone's throw away from the smoke bluffs!!
I'd be happy to get out with you while you're here and i still wanna take you up on your offer to come south, but it's probably gonna be next winter.
After dragging my feet a little bit on Thursday morning i managed to get down to the bluffs in time for a pitch.
Another beautiful February day
The Squaw was beaming in the sun.
Kangaroo Corner went pretty well.. other than my aider getting caught on a draw near the top...
Getting stopped by clove hitches that I foolishly forgot to attend to was interesting as well.
I found out that clean aid climbers can really benefit from a nice light alpine hammer..
Especially if they want their nice offset peanuts back!
I ended up fetching a nice size rock to knock em out and prussiked back up the rope.
Both of em came out with a little tap.
Feeling victorious I pulled my rope. Before opposite end left my reach i noticed i had left my backup knot in it and it was twisted. I undid the figure 8 and straightened out the twists.
I gave it a little red rocks yank when the end reached the anchor, and it stuck. I pulled it and whipped it but it wasn't going anywhere. I certainly didn't want to jug it, and it was getting late so leading it was definitely a last ditch option.
I went around the corner and scoped out the crack to the left of clean starts. I had seen the boys using it as a down climb from their highball exploits.
I hadn't climbed it before but it looked like it was only one move to the ledge. The scariest part was when i got to the "ledge" and realized that part of it was more like dirt and moss on slab until you get around the corner! Lol.
It was pretty easy to get over to the Kangaroo anchor after that. Somehow the rope had curled into a simple overhand. It was certainly more than adventurous for this guy who probably can't really afford that type of risk.. Lol
I was rewarded with a beautiful sunset
After I successfully retrieved my rope I called Luke and was happy to hear that they were just sitting down to his birthday dinner at the casino.
It was pretty fun. Luke did magic tricks with the eight ball.
I'm hoping the Vandleairium will have it's anchor issues solved soon.
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mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
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Great pictures!!
Pretty amazing to see how Squam has evolved since my Seattle friends and I used to come up there in the early 70's. Never in our wildest dreams could we have predicted that Squamish would become the year-round destination climbing area it has. Bravo to all you dedicated moss-backs!
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Timmc
climber
BC
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Mike- I love yer iPhone landscapes from the Bluffs!
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Mike, I love those photos!
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